Human Relations Research Articles

The biology of reactivity in human relationships: a conversation with Victoria Harrison

AbstractThe concept of differentiation of self and its relationship to the natural capacity of humans and other social animals to adapt underpins clinician and researcher Victoria Harrison's long‐term investigation of the biology of reactivity in relationships. Victoria's early research related to infertility and reproduction demonstrated how reactivity in at least three prior generations can contribute to chronic conditions, such as endometriosis, that are less amenable to intervention. Her most recent project, the ‘Observations of Change in Physiology and Family’ research, highlights how work on differentiation of self improves functional outcomes in physical and mental health for the family. While an individual may not experience the ‘calm mind’ that is often the goal of conventional therapeutic intervention, a significant reduction in symptoms and an improvement in overall functioning and relatedness are outcomes. This occurred when participants focused on increasing person‐to‐person contact with extended family members, reducing their emotional reactivity to significant others in the important triangles of their life and family and maintaining intellectual activity, often described as curiosity, even while reacting.

Palliative care at the end of life and the role of the psychologist

Mallampati, Orotracheal intubation, Modifications.Palliative care (PC) is defined as care for patients diagnosed with progressive, incurable and/or chronic-degenerative diseases, and can cover any life-threatening illness that culminates in finitude. Therefore, PC aims to ease the pain and relieve the suffering of invasive treatments by providing dignity, comfort and welcome to improve the quality of life of patients diagnosed with incurable diseases; this care can also include the individual's family members and caregivers, providing them with welcome, assistance and support to deal with the issues arising from the progression of the disease. Thus, the aim of this study is to describe the participation of the multi-professional team in PC, the patient and their family, i.e. all those involved in this process of becoming ill until the end of life, and in particular to investigate how psychology works in caring for the patient, the family/caregiver and the healthcare team. This study used the literature review method. This bibliographic review selected 27 scientific articles, 02 books, 01 Resolution of the Federal Council of Psychology, 01 Manual of Palliative Care of the National Academy of Palliative Care, 01 Manual of Palliative Care of the Sírio Libanês Hospital, 01 Primer of the Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, 01 thesis. It will record how the patient copes during the journey from the diagnosis of illness to the end of life, as well as the participation and experience of the family, the multi-professional team and in particular the participation of Psychology within this scenario, as it is the scientific field that covers the holistic sphere of the individual, and its premise is to deal with issues involving human relationships, bringing the necessary comfort in the face of this new context of an established disease that will cause the end of existence. In this way, the psychologist is the professional trained to study mental processes, such as feelings, thoughts, behaviors, understanding their subjectivity and, in this context, helping the individual to understand their self in the face of the serious and irreversible clinical state that precedes the proximity of death, resolving outstanding issues with themselves and their families, providing support so that everyone can be at peace at the moment of farewell. Finally, it will discuss the importance of humanized care in PC through the inclusion of a specific subject in the undergraduate courses of health professionals, paying special attention to the field of psychological knowledge since it is the professional who is the protagonist in this scenario.

Monstrosity and the Search for an Identity in Frankenstein

This work provides an insightful analysis of Mary Shelley’s exploration of social norms, otherness, and acceptance in Frankenstein. It examines how Shelley challenges traditional perceptions of beauty and humanity through Victor Frankenstein's endeavour to create life, leading to moral dilemmas. The paper highlights how the creature's marginalised existence reflects social biases, driving him to retaliation. Victor's failure to acknowledge the humanity of his creation underscores themes of accountability and compassion. The paper emphasises Shelley's juxtaposition of Victor's actions and the creature's plight to expose society's inclination to ostracise deviations from the norm. Furthermore, it thoroughly examines creator-creation intricacies and the "self" versus the "other" theme, critiquing society's tendency to vilify the "other" as a monstrous entity devoid of identity and human essence and characteristics. The analysis stresses the need for understanding identity deprivation and the construction of monstrosity in society. This comprehensive examination sheds light on the intricate interplay between social norms and individual identity, urging a reevaluation of social treatment towards those perceived as different or 'other.' Through Shelley's narrative lens, the paper navigates through the complexities of moral responsibility, compassion, and social prejudices, inviting readers to reflect on the broader implications of human relationships and social constructs depicted in Frankenstein.

Post-Pandemic Retail Design: Human Relationships with Nature and Customer Loyalty—A Case of the Grand Bazaar Tehran

This article examines how human relationships with nature in the design of the Tehran Grand Bazaar can impact customer loyalty, and how this impact has been affected by the recent pandemic. As one of the most popular retail settings of the ancient Silk Road, the Grand Bazaar has a long history of micro-scale retailing and customer loyalty. This article reviews international guidelines of sustainable design using content analysis, identifying the most frequent guidelines related to human relationships with nature. It then defines customer loyalty in terms of various important non-financial measures of micro-scale retailing. The present article describes the development and collection of a structured survey conducted before the pandemic (March 2019), during the pandemic (March 2021), and after the pandemic (March 2023). The analysis shows a moderate to high relationship between sustainable design elements of the Bazaar (in terms of human relationships with nature) and customer loyalty before the COVID-19 pandemic. While this relationship fell to a moderate level in the middle of the pandemic, it rose dramatically to 89% by the end of the third year when governments eased public health and safety protocols. The results reveal that by adapting sustainable strategies that enhance human relationships with nature, designers and stakeholders can create post-pandemic retail settings that generate high customer loyalty.

The anthropomorphization of the human-animal bond in family dynamics: A documentary review

Introduction: The study of the interaction between humans and companion animals has become more relevant due to changes in current social dynamics. Objective: To conduct a documentary review of the evolution of research on anthropomorphizationin animals and its impact on the human-animal bond characteristic of contemporary family dynamics. Methodology: This is a documentary review study supported by the Tree of Science (ToS) web tool for literature selection. The search was conducted inScopus and Web of Science. Thirty-one studies were included in the review. Results: The results were categorized into classical, structural and recent studies. It was found that the anthropomorphization of the animal and its inclusion in the family makes it possible to modify behaviors and establish habits in family life. The role of animals in the family scenario is directly influenced by the degree to which they are anthropomorphized, which generates both advantages and disadvantages for the family, the pets and their direct caregivers. Conclusions: Anthropomorphizing practices respond to contemporary changes in human relationships and perceived loneliness and may promote bonds in human-animal and human-human interactions.

Ontological Dimension of Community Education Refers to Augustine’s Thought in The City of God

To educate each person integrally as a member of society, ethical principles with an ontological dimension are needed. This qualitative research with literature study method aims to explore the ontological dimension of community education refers to Augustine’s thought in The City of God. The results of this study show that community education is synonymous with building the City of God, which is characterized by human relationships with God so that they are able to use freedom driven by altruist love to implement social responsibility for the realization of peace, justice and happiness in common life. Education of conscience plays an important role in developing the sensitivity, concern and responsibility of each person to realize true happiness in life together. True happiness, which is the goal of everyone’s life, has a moral, relational-dialogical, dynamic and affective character. Altruistic love, which stems from man’s relationship with God, is an ethical principle in social life. At the same time, the idea of each person’s relationship with God and his presence in conscience confirms Augustine’s position on the ontological dimension of the morality of living together. Augustine’s ideas about the ontological dimension of social morality have influenced moral education in the Christian tradition and philosophical discourse over time.

Formation and development of the idea of guaranteeing human and civil rights and freedoms in the theoretical and legal heritage of Ukraine

The article is devoted to the analysis of historical development and formation of the ideas of guaranteeing human and civil rights and freedoms in the context of the theoretical and legal heritage of Ukraine. The author examines the key stages of the evolution of legal ideas, from ancient times to the present, noting the influence of different historical periods on the formation of the modern concept of human rights. Knowledge of the historical experience and theoretical foundations of human rights guarantees helps to formulate strategies and policies that can ensure real protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in conditions when they are threatened by external aggression and internal challenges. The article focuses on the importance of developing a natural law concept based on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, which are considered fundamental to understanding human rights. A special place in the analysis is occupied by the study of the Lithuanian Statute, Magdeburg Lawand the role of polemical works in the development of legal consciousness. The authors point to the multifaceted approaches to the study of human rights, their origin, content and relationship with the state, emphasising the importance of democratic regimes in the consolidation and enforcement of rights and freedoms. The conclusions emphasise that the notion of human rights as natural and primary is crucial for the development of Ukrainian political and legal thought, which contributed to the formation of the rule of law and civil society in Ukraine. In the context of post-war reconstruction, the authors emphasise the critical importance of respecting and ensuring human rights and freedoms as a basis for the restoration and development of a democratic society. Democratic regimes that uphold the principles of freedom, equality and justice are key to the effective reconstruction and stabilisation of society. The adoption of international human rights standards and their integration into national policies will be key to successful post-war reconstruction, while laying a solid foundation for Ukraine’s future development.

Navigating the complex dynamics of anesthesiologists’ professional identity formation in the context of their specialty training program: a phenomenographic perspective

BackgroundA specialty training program is crucial for shaping future specialist doctors, imparting clinical knowledge and skills, and fostering a robust professional identity. This study investigates how anesthesiologists develop their professional identity while navigating unique challenges specific to their specialty. The formation of professional identity in anesthesiology significantly influences doctors’ well-being, teamwork, and ultimately patient care, making it a crucial aspect of anesthesiology education. Utilizing a phenomenographic approach, the research explores the learners’ personal experiences and perspectives of professional identity formation in their specialty training programs, providing valuable insights for enhancing future anesthetic educational programs.MethodThe data for this phenomenographic study were collected through semi-structured interviews with anesthesiology trainees and specialists, guided by open-ended questions. The interviews were conducted at a Swedish university hospital, and participant selection used purposive sampling, providing rich and diverse data for analysis after 15 interviews. Iterative analysis followed the seven-step phenomenographic approach. The research team, comprising qualitative research and anesthesiology education experts, ensured result validity through regular review, discussion, and reflective practices.ResultsThe study reveals three fundamental dimensions: ‘Knowledge of Subject Matter,’ ‘Knowledge of Human Relations,’ and ‘Knowledge of Affect.’ These dimensions offer insights into how anesthesiologists comprehend anesthesiology as a profession, navigate interactions with colleagues and patients, and interpret emotional experiences in anesthesiology practice – all crucial elements in the formation of professional identity. The findings could be synthesized and further described by three conceptions: The Outcome-Driven Learner, the Emerging Collaborator, and the Self-Directed Caregiver.ConclusionThe study uncovers differing learner understandings in the development of anesthesiologists’ professional identity. Varying priorities, values, and role interpretations highlight the shortcomings of a generic, one-size-fits-all educational strategy. By acknowledging and integrating these nuanced learner perspectives, as elucidated in detail in this study, the future of anesthesia education can be improved. This will necessitate a holistic approach, intertwining both natural sciences and humanities studies, focus on tacit knowledge, and flexible teaching strategies, to guarantee thorough professional development, lifelong learning, and resilience.

Scaling Up Whole Child Development Initiatives: Lessons from the Early Journey of Life Program in Vietnam

Scaling Up Whole Child Development Initiatives: Lessons from the Early Journey of Life Program in Vietnam

Local community perceptions on human wildlife interactions in the face of climate variability. A case of Nyaminyami community, Zimbabwe

Human interactions with wildlife, both positive and negative, have defined the nature of human wildlife relations throughout history. Along with human wildlife interaction, Climate change exacerbates the complexity and consequences of human wildlife interactions, particularly those that rely on flora and fauna for tourism and development. This study assesses the interrelatedness and causes of human wildlife interactions and climate variability and the impact they have on livelihood. Two hundred and fourteen people randomly selected from four wards in the Nyaminyami community in Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe were interviewed. Four focus group discussion sessions with randomly selected residents were also conducted in each ward. Results from the study show that respondents were concerned that human wildlife interactions resulted in human wildlife conflict, and that anthropogenic factors contributed immensely to an increase in the problems faced by local communities. Most of these concerns stemmed from specific areas (wards) where factors such as competition for resources, settlement in wildlife corridors, agricultural activities, tourism and increasing human induced climate change are accelerating human wildlife conflict. Results also show that human related practices contributed to human wildlife interaction in all the four wards. Discussants reported climate change, competition over resources and living close to protected areas as the major factors influencing human-wildlife conflict. It is recommended that communities be educated on, and need to embrace climate change and adapt to it. It is also important that any tourism ventures in the district involve the communities so that they directly benefit from and see the value of living with wildlife and learn to coexist. Proper land use planning is also paramount before any settlements are allocated to avoid living close to protected areas.

Digital Ethics: Dilemma or Opportunityin Intelligent Higher Education Organizations

The purpose of this essay is to generate thinking on digital ethics as an essential agent to promote values, principles, and practices in higher education organizations and to stimulate healthy and safe digital behaviors in the people involved in the educational act, for an appropriate use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). For this purpose, an analysis of the relationship between ICT and ethics is presented, which will constitute an opportunity to establish human relations in universities based on respect, justice, inclusion, transparency, and responsibility, for the benefit of a complex, technologically active, and impacted society by the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic. It begins with a technological description of the global and local reality, then some theoretical and practical elements related to intelligent organizations, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), are explained. In addition, digital ethics is approached from a theoretical approach, considering whether this is a dilemma or an opportunity to generate change from the perspective of intelligent organizations. Finally, a proposal is provided with guidelines to promote digital ethics in universities that contribute to a healthy coexistence focused on the common good, with the use of digital technologies.

A Grounded Theory Study of Couple Caregiving: A Qualitative Study

Aim: Caregiving is fundamental to human relationships and plays a crucial role in the quality and stability of marital relationships. The present study aimed to explain the concept of couple caregiving. Methods: This qualitative research was conducted in 2021, adopting a grounded theory approach. For this purpose, ten couples residing in city of Aligudarz (Iran) were selected based on inclusion criteria and purposive sampling. The sampling continued until data saturation was reached. These individuals were examined through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin’s (2014) method and the MAXQDA20 software. Findings: The data analysis led to the identification of 78 open codes and 13 axial codes in the form of causal conditions: life history, conscious marriage; contextual conditions: individual and couple contexts; efficient couple relationship; Intervening conditions: behavioral and cognitive facilitating factors; obstacles: personal and environmental stressors; Strategies for sustaining and improving care, and persona; outcomes for the caregiver and care recipient and couple outcomes and the central theme of “reciprocal couple caregiving” was chosen. Conclusions: The findings indicated that factors influencing couple caregiving extend to the time before marriage. Couple caregiving involves conscious marriage and proactive and constructive actions of the couple. It is an interactive and reciprocal process that enhances the insight and awareness of the couple, and the use of care-seeking and caregiving receptivity strategies significantly contributes to its continuity.

T. rex is Fierce, T. rex is Charismatic, T. rex is Litigious: Disruptive Objects in Affective Desirescapes

Abstract In this paper we present T. rex fossils as disruptive objects that can drastically influence the actions and reactions of humans that encounter them. We present a vision of the T. rex as being a key node within a web of human and object associations that ultimately produces, first, extreme desire in humans, and then a breakdown in human relationships resulting in disagreements, disputes, lawsuits, and the committing of crime. From there we bring these T. rex fossils into the concept of desirescape which sees a network of object/object and object/human reactions provoking irresistible desire in humans. We argue that this desire can push humans to violate law or social norms or, in several T. rex cases, sue each other. How then should we humans approach T. rex and other disruptive objects? Cautiously, and with the knowledge that these objects may be more powerful than we are.

Religious Education as a Platform for Pupils’ Social Development and Prevention of Internet Addiction: The Case of Slovakia

The authors present changes in the content and teaching methods of religious education (RE) in the third decade of the 21st century, as proposed by the current curricular reform of compulsory education in Slovakia. First, they analyse the reform documents in terms of social competence development as one of the RE content requirements. Second, they seek a teaching methodology that applies a balanced approach to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) while protecting RE pupils and their building of healthy human relationships from the potential threat of digital addiction. The authors based their teaching ideas on the findings from their research. To explore the relationship between addictive Internet behaviour and social intelligence, they used a questionnaire including the Internet Addiction Test and the TSIS Scale. The Mann–Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Data on 386 adolescent respondents revealed a statistically significant difference between males and females in social awareness, with males performing significantly better. A weak positive relationship (ρ = 0.240) was identified between social awareness and addictive Internet behaviour. In the discussion, the authors suggest teaching methods for developing social competence via RE without resisting the opportunities provided by ICT, while also avoiding an increase in the risk of online social media addiction. They suggest that even denominational RE should prioritize cultivating healthy relationships not only with God but also relationships with other people, the outside world, and oneself.

Shark Fin City: transitional marine wildlife economies in Global Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Hong Kong has historically been the epicenter of the global shark fin trade. Despite this legacy, recent public outreach campaigns highlighting the effects of consumption on marine ecosystems have precipitated shifts in the market. Fish maw and sea cucumber have emerged as substitutes in wildlife markets, marking an understudied phenomenon from urban geographical perspectives. This article investigates the transitional nature of social value systems underpinning Hong Kong's marine wildlife market through interviews with retailers, conservation organizations, and government officials, as well as visual surveys of market displays. Hong Kong's marine wildlife market, this article contends, brings into sharp relief how transitions in social value systems that substitute one type of non-fungible wildlife commodity for others can amplify biodiversity loss and reproduce expressions of social difference in urban space. The article illuminates how social value systems embedded in urban wildlife markets are related to human health, aging, gifting, and relationship building. Furthermore, it analyzes how the possession, consumption, and display of high-value wildlife commodities in cities reflects classed and gendered forms of social difference. The article further examines the challenges of regulating the market and shaping public values and actions in the face of escalating global biodiversity loss.

The Role of Social Support in Enhancing Motivation and Psychological Well-being of Students: Perspectives from Education in the Digital Era

The digital era has fundamentally transformed the paradigm of education. Nowadays, students not only interact with learning materials but also with various digital platforms that offer access to unlimited resources and information. This research aims to analyze the role of social support in enhancing motivation and psychological well-being of students from the perspective of Education in the digital era. The research method employed in this study is a literature review with a qualitative approach and descriptive analysis. Data for this study were gathered from Google Scholar spanning from 2013 to 2024 through a focus on the keywords social aspects, motivation, psychological well-being of students, education, and the digital era. The results of the study indicate that social support is a crucial factor influencing the motivation and psychological well-being of students in the context of education in the digital era. Despite the continuous evolution of technology, genuine human relationships and emotional support remain key pillars in shaping positive learning experiences. Social support emanates from various sources, including peers, family, faculty, and academic communities. The expansion of technology usage enables the preservation of social connections, although it is important to note that the quality of interactions in the virtual world may not always be equivalent to face-to-face interactions.

Dikopelo ritual and performance: The embodiment of place

Batswana (People of Botswana) traditionally celebrate the end of seasons with dikopelo musical performances. This paper discusses Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela’s dikopelo festive celebrations, an annual return of choirs to their performance grounds through the duality of home and away. The author, a performer, interrogates through participant observation in four performances from December 2015 to January 2019, the seventeen-hour performance from midnight until the following day at sunset. Her experience is conceptually framed on Van Manen’s four lifeworld existentials of lived space (grounds), lived body (performs), lived time (seventeen hours) and lived human relations (performers, family, supporters). In conclusion, she takes a reflexive position of the subjectivity of her experience in relation to her fellow performers’; the blurred boundaries of her academic/performer roles and fieldwork/post-fieldwork spaces as her dikopelo lived experience is beyond this study’s timeframe. Her reality as an ethnographer at home, is the constant negotiation of her multiple unending identities.

Water as Metaphor of Human Beings in English and Vietnamese Poems

This study aims to investigate the conceptual metaphors of water, which are metaphorically used to describe human beings, emotions, behaviours and relationships in English and Vietnamese poems. Based on the theory of cognitive linguistics and conceptual metaphors of Kövecses (2002) and Lakoff and Johnson (1980), this study examined 200 English and Vietnamese samples from a collection of poems written in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Through the application of descriptive, quantitative, and qualitative approaches and contrastive analysis, the study reveals that there are 6 categories of water images which are metaphorically used to characterize human beings. The study also finds out the similarities and differences between conceptual metaphors of water symbolizing human beings in English and Vietnamese poems. This investigation is hoped to improve our understanding of how metaphorical phenomena are interpreted across languages and enhance the process of teaching and learning English.

Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the patient on hemodialysis resilience scale.

The study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the hemodialysis resilience scale (PHRS) in the Turkish population. A cross-sectional methodologic study involved 136 hemodialysis patients at two dialysis centers affiliated with a foundation university in Turkey. The updated guidelines for the Intercultural Scale Adaptation Stages, Language, and Culture Adaptation were followed. Cronbach's α of the PHRS-Tr was 0.94. A three-factor structure was extracted, namely "the pursuit of positive meaning in the present," "building the will to live through close human relationships," and "acceptance of hemodialysis as a part of daily life" explaining 66.82% of the total variance. Test-retest reliability was conducted with 50 patients within the sample 2 weeks after the first application. The correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was r = 0.680. The study results indicate that the PHRS-Tr is a valid and reliable tool for assessing resilience status in Turkish hemodialysis patients.

Relations between Totems and Humans, the Dagara of Jirapa in the Upper West Region of Ghana, and Indigenous Belief Systems and Lessons for Modern Environmental Conservation

This essay investigates how the Dagara totemic relationship with totems may be used to protect biodiversity. The Jirapa municipality, one of the municipalities in Ghana's Upper West Region, is the subject of this essay. The study looked into how the totemic connection could be used to advance biodiversity protection and conservation in the Jirapa municipality and elsewhere. It made use of a phenomenological research. No matter where they are located, people who share a totem or, for that matter, a common ancestor, have similar belief systems and take part in similar cultural rituals, according to the study. One of the most important findings of the study was that people would go to great lengths to protect and never destroy their totems, whether they were plants or animals. Because they considered it to be one of them, the people whose totem it was protected the object. This resulted in the preservation of several plant and animal species. Totems represent family, clan ties, and what people view as appropriate or wrong behavior, according to one conclusion. The participants' conversation led them to the conclusion that totems are spiritual beings that defend their human relationships. In conclusion, there are numerous ways that this link might be used to protect biodiversity. The report makes the suggestion that modern conservation organizations, agencies, and partners use indigenous cultural practices in their conservation programs. In order to increase natural resource conservation, communities where these kinds of traditional or cultural practices are still practiced should be encouraged to maintain and spread these traditions abroad. Keywords: Jirapa, Dagara, totems, symbiotic relationships, and conservation of nature