Implications Of Conceptualizations Research Articles

Lay Perspectives on Drug (De)Criminalization and the (De)Stigmatization of People Who Use Illicit Drugs

Background: Substance use stigma has been framed as contributing to the drug toxicity crisis. We theorize the political function of drug criminalization as contributing to a system of stigma that exerts social control over people who use illicit drugs (PWUID). Consequently, drug decriminalization may be a potential destigmatizing solution. Since decriminalization is often positioned as an antistigma intervention targeting the public, it is important to understand how laypeople conceptualize decriminalization. Methods: We acquired, via a Freedom of Information request, 221 deputations sent to the City of Vancouver regarding Motion B.4, which would advance decriminalization. We used reflexive thematic analysis to explore: (1) how laypeople conceptualized drug (de)criminalization and its relation to the (de)stigmatization of PWUID; and (2) the potential implications of the various conceptualizations of (de)criminalization for the autonomy of PWUID. Results: Supporters of Motion B.4 commonly assumed decriminalization would destigmatize PWUID. Supporters also often argue that the drug toxicity crisis is a public health problem, not a criminal one. However, the public health model of decriminalization advocated by some supporters still limited the autonomy of PWUID. Meanwhile, those opposed commonly positioned social control of PWUID as necessary, including opponents who argued that decriminalization was a form of systemic neglect that abandons PWUID. This view was echoed by some proponents, notably those who argued for a public health model of decriminalization. Finally, some proponents asserted that PWUID should be included in the policymaking process, though few deputations came from self-identified PWUID. All PWUID argued that decriminalization must exclude the police. Conclusion: Our analysis of lay perspectives on decriminalization highlights the importance of models that adequately address all levels of stigma for PWUID. Models that fail to preserve the autonomy of PWUID are likely to reproduce their stigmatization.

Reimagining academic freedom: a companion piece

Abstract We consider academic freedom in the context of broader developments in higher education. We suggest that the tenor of contemporary debates on the subject is a manifestation of pervasive forms of authoritarianism that undermine the university as a home of adventure, a place and space that is conducive to the conduct of free inquiry. It is evident that some champions of academic freedom engage in dangerously polarized forms of spectacle, engendered by a management culture that embraces showmanship and routinely favours talking over listening. As such, they represent a force for conformity rather than dissent; division rather than collective action. These forms of spectacle jeopardize rather than promote the principles of academic freedom by polarizing the terms of the debate for maximum ‘impact’. We explore the implications of conceptualizations of academic freedom that focus on the rights of everyone in the university. We also suggest that the notion might usefully be extended to those on precarious contracts, and to students facing normative expectations about what constitutes ‘progress’ in academic practice. Drawing upon Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century and an essay by Vaclav Havel, we reassess the notion of the ‘pursuit of truth’ that underlies conventional definitions of academic freedom. We conclude with a brief vignette, a rousing endorsement of the ineffable and irreducible qualities of friendship. This entails slaying a fictitious, three-headed dragon and embracing a form of spectacle that transcends attempts to capture why it moves us. We leave the reader with warm-blooded traces of energy, curiosity, liveliness, and quiet determination.

Why using “consciousness” in psychotherapy? Insight, metacognition and self-consciousness

Since its early development, clinical psychology has questioned the impact of “consciousness” on the determination of human responsibility across psychiatric disorders. In recent years, specific clinical approaches have focused on “consciousness” work that could play a key role in psychotherapy. We focused our research on clinical psychology's consciousness-related concepts of insight, self-consciousness, and metacognition. Insight and metacognition, for example, have prompted increased interest in schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BD), and, more recently, borderline personality disorder (BPD) treatments as representative of the latest advances in the cognitive and behavioral therapy field. Here we review cognitive, social, and clinical psychology research measuring “consciousness” in BPD, SZ, and BD, exploring the implications of different conceptualizations of consciousness-like concepts for treatment adherence, symptom evolution, and related aspects of psychotherapy. Our results show the overall relevance of using measures of clinical and cognitive insight, emphasizing the more central role of cognitive insight and metacognition in psychotherapy, as it appears that consciousness can remain useful if understood as a cognitive skill. The inclusion of a conceptualization of self-consciousness is important in order to address the social component of psychotherapy, as it does in biopsychosocial approaches. We discuss the implications of such results for global efficacy, for the relevance of the “consciousness” concept to clinical psychology, and for the potential need to keep operationalizing different conceptualizations of it in psychotherapy. We open the debate on the definition of consciousness to motivational aspects of change and to general considerations of both legal and ethical aspects.

LUCIDITY IN DEMENTIA: EMERGING CONCEPTS AND DATA

Abstract Episodes of lucidity among people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease related dementias (AD/ADRD), reportedly evidenced by an unexpected return of meaningful communication or connection, are an area of growing interest. Event transient recovery of abilities in the setting of advanced AD/ADRD are potentially significant for caregivers and the person living with dementia; as well as for shaping our understanding of AD/ADRD more broadly. Despite the potential significance of these events, existing evidence is largely comprised of anecdotal reports and retrospective/case reports. Recently, the National Institute on Aging funded six studies to advance empiric studies on episodes of lucidity in advanced AD/ADRD. This symposium will provide an update on progress and findings across these funded studies. The first presentation focuses on acceptability and feasibility of a prospective observation study focused on characterizing potential observable indicators of episodes of lucidity in individuals with advanced AD/ADRD near end of life encompassing audiovisual observation, informant field interviews and case reviews. The second presentation will provide an overview of a 3-phase mixed methods study focused on development of preliminary types of lucid episodes. Collectively, presentations demonstrate a variety of approaches to investigating episodes of lucidity and shed light on emergent methods for operationalizing these events. Implications of various conceptualizations for EL and conceptual decisions across studies will be reviewed.

Towards a Multi-Dimensional Perspective of Performance Feedback and Risk Taking

This study investigates how different conceptualizations of aspiration and risk taking affect performance feedback theory. We review recent literature and find that: 1) aspirations are conceptualized as current performance and cumulative wealth, and 2) risk taking is conceptualized as the propensity to take risks and the amount to put at stake. We conduct simulation experiments to explore the implications of these different conceptualizations. We find that different conceptualizations lead to inconsistent organizational outcomes, such as long-term performance and survival rate. We also used data from Texas holdem to study decision-makers' risk taking behavior. We find that decision-makers' reactions in propensity and amount are not always aligned for a given current performance and cumulative wealth. Taken together, this set of results points to a significant gap in the literature with potential for much fruitful future work.

The Trajectory of Adaptation: A Review of Psychoanalytic Conceptualization of the Working Through and Acceptance of Disability

Disability is a long‐term physically or mentally, limiting condition that significantly impacts various life domains. It is associated with a trajectory of emotional adaptation that encompasses diverse internal and external processes. Though rare, psychoanalytic views on adaptation to and acceptance of disability have been proposed, with potential value for rehabilitation. Freud's relatively brief contributions to this field inspired later theorists to elaborate on his concepts and adjust them to address the phenomenology of disability. The majority of these theorists focused on ego and self formulations, while taking external reality into account. Psychopathology in disability was also addressed, as well as acceptance as a primary goal of adaptation. Authors have emphasized the uncertainty of acceptance, highlighting the importance of attunement to individual patient needs and suggesting that psychoanalytic formulation can help psychotherapists to better understand and treat individuals with disability. The meanings and implications of the various conceptualizations are integrated and illustrated through a case example.

Теоретический анализ понятия «идентичность», основные компоненты и их особенности

Identity is a nuanced concept that is used in psychological and social science disciplines to provide the description of the core of the personality. This writing reviews various components ascribed to the concept of social identity in the frameworks of personal and social development. The implications of these different conceptualizations of identity are discussed with a call for the integrative theory that includes both types of development. This article presents an attempt to identify and analyze the structural components of identity in order to further study this concept and to create the basis for its formalized assessment in terms of interaction with various social, cultural and personal factors. Based on the theory of identity of E. Erikson, as well as on the theory of self-identification by J. Turner, the structural components of identity were determined in this essay.

Conceptual Aspects of Global Value Chains

AbstractThis article offers an overview of some key conceptual aspects associated with the rise of global value chains (GVCs). It outlines a series of alternative interpretations and definitions of what the rise of GVCs entails, and it traces the implications of these alternative conceptualizations for the measurement of the phenomenon, as well as for elucidating the key determinants and implications of GVC participation, both at the country level and at the firm level. In the process, it offers some speculative thoughts about the future of GVCs in light of the advent of an array of new technologies.

Three approaches to social unity and solidarity

ABSTRACT This paper reassesses theorizations of the basis of social unity in a polity, arguing that what I call the joint activity approach provides a more dynamic understanding of social unity as well as a more inclusive sense of solidarity. The paper begins by reconsidering the major alternatives in the history of political philosophy, as different views take different ties, bonds and relations as most fundamental to citizens’ sense of unity and togetherness in society. In view of this plurality, the paper first sets up a distinction between conceptions of social unity that are based on the existence of shared or common grounds such as national identity (Kymlicka, Tamir, Miller), identification with the institutions of a polity (Mason), patriotic identification with the constitution (Habermas) or an agreement on the principles of justice (Rawls) as the source of citizens’ sense of unity; and conceptions of social unity that rely on the joint and ongoing activities of citizens ―productive (Durkheim and Marx) and political (Aristotle)―as their basis. Second, the paper evaluates the implications of these different theoretical conceptualizations of social unity for the issue of social inclusion, integration and solidarity. It argues that the former conceptions are similarly limited in their capacity for inclusive solidarity since all of them focus on what citizens already share in common without paying sufficient attention to the production of what they take to be shared in society. The paper contributes to the growing literature on solidarity by bringing the widely neglected joint activity view back to the debate.

What does it mean to be American? Perceptions of national identity amongst adults and children

Across two studies we examined whether conformity (vs. not) to primordial, assimilationist, and civic constructions impacted adults’ and preschoolers’ conceptions of national identity. Adults (N = 151) and preschoolers (N = 42) in the U.S. viewed photos of White faces accompanied by descriptive information, including whether or not the individual was born in the U.S. (i.e., primordial construction), spoke English (i.e., assimilationist construction), and loved the U.S. (i.e., civic construction). Participants rated each target’s “American-ness.” Adults considered targets born in the U.S. as most American, followed by targets loving the U.S. However, interactions with assimilationist constructions qualified these effects. Speaking English bolstered the effects of being born in the U.S. or loving the U.S. Preschool aged children solely drew upon civic constructions of identity, evaluating targets loving the U.S. as more American than targets not loving the U.S. Discussion focuses on the implications of these divergent conceptualizations of national identity.

Deaf Children as ‘English Learners’: The Psycholinguistic Turn in Deaf Education

The purpose of this literature review is to present the arguments in support of conceptualizing deaf children as ‘English Learners’, to explore the educational implications of such conceptualizations, and to suggest directions for future inquiry. Three ways of interpreting the label ‘English Learner’ in relationship to deaf children are explored: (1) as applied to deaf children whose native language is American Sign Language; (2) as applied to deaf children whose parents speak a language other than English; and (3) as applied to deaf children who have limited access to the spoken English used by their parents. Recent research from the fields of linguistics and neuroscience on the effects of language deprivation is presented and conceptualized within a framework that we refer to as the psycholinguistic turn in deaf education. The implications for developing the literacy skills of signing deaf children are explored, particularly around the theoretical construct of a ‘bridge’ between sign language proficiency and print-based literacy. Finally, promising directions for future inquiry are presented.

The Education of d/Dhh Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The authors provide guidelines, based on an extensive review of the international literature, for conducting, interpreting, and reporting primary and secondary research on children who are deaf and hard of hearing in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The purpose of the review is to present arguments in support of conceptualizing education and rehabilitation, to explore the educational implications of such conceptualizations, and to suggest directions for future inquiry. Problematic areas are covered, such as research on the structure of a signed language, the use of information technology, inclusion, vocational and professional orientation, and motoric abilities and skills. The article concludes with recommendations for further investigating the educational achievement of students who are deaf and hard of hearing so as to improve educational practice.

Community resilience and flooding in UK guidance: A critical review of concepts, definitions, and their implications

Community resilience is one of the main strategies that UK governments employ to deal with the impact of floods. In this paper, we analyse how community resilience is used in 28 UK guidance documents that refer to floods and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of different conceptualizations. We show that some documents represent community resilience as the absence of illness, as the opposite of vulnerability, as a static and unchanging element, or in a circular way as both a cause and an outcome. By contrast, some documents avoid generalizations and focus more specifically on the concept's behavioural, relational, cognitive, and psychological aspects. We discuss the implications of different conceptualizations of community resilience for its operationalization by policymakers and practitioners.

How Prospective Teachers Conceptualized Mathematics: Implications for Teaching

What is mathematics? The difficulty of having a precise, universal definition of mathematics has led prospective teachers to define the term in ways that make sense to them. This paper is part of a larger research project conducted in 2000 in an Ontarian university, Canada. The objectives were to identify and discuss conceptualizations of mathematics that prospective teachers brought to their preparation program and to explore the implications of such conceptualizations in terms of teaching and learning. It was believed that both the identification tools and understandings of prospective teachers’ conceptualizations of mathematics were significant for designing an effective pedagogy in accordance with mathematics reform-based perspectives. The research sample consisted of ten prospective teachers enrolled in a one-year bachelor of education program at an Ontarian university. The research used mathematics autobiographies of the respondents and semi-structured interviews of them as sources of data. Guided by the theory of personal construct for analysis of the data, the results showed that the respondents conceptualized mathematics in terms of metaphor, metonymy and combination of the two. The conclusion explores implications of such conceptualizations for mathematics teaching, learning and assessment.

English in multinational companies: implications for teaching “English” at an international business school

Abstract In recent years, the use of English has become everyday practice in multinational companies (MNCs), and it has been investigated in three disciplines: applied linguistics, international management, and corporate communication, all of which can be housed in international business schools. While reviewing research in these disciplines, we ask the question: how does the research inform the teaching of “English”? By taking an example of an international business school located in a small non-English-speaking country, we present the educational environment and the needs of future business graduates before moving on to demonstrating a continuum of English as a shared language constructed on the basis of the disciplines. The continuum extending from “official English” to “working language” BELF (English as Business Lingua Franca) illustrates different uses that English as a shared language meets in the MNC environment and in the students' future work contexts. On the basis of this discussion, we conclude our paper by presenting the implications of the different conceptualizations of English for the teaching of “English” at an international business school.

Understanding bereavement-related depression: the polemical journey of DSM-5.

This paper will bring you on a polemical journey to understand the issues related in conceptualizing bereavement-related depression. A critical narrative review was carried out to evaluate arguments and controversies surrounding DSM-IV classifications of bereavement exclusion for the diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Result Available studies that are associated with bereavement exclusion criteria, the open trials and treatments with the implications of such conceptualizations and the current removal of the bereavement exclusion from MDD in DSM-5 were addressed. The review highlights the never-ending polemical journey of conceptualizing any mental disorders, bereavement-related depression included.

Biological conceptualizations of mental disorders among affected individuals: A review of correlates and consequences.

Psychopathology is increasingly conceptualized as a biological phenomenon. The consequences of this conceptual shift for the general public's beliefs and attitudes regarding mental illness have been the subject of considerable study, but effects among individuals who suffer from mental disorders have received less attention. This review considers recent observational and experimental studies of the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors associated with biological conceptions of psychopathology among affected individuals. Included in the review is research that has examined the implications of such conceptualizations for prognostic beliefs, internalization of stigmatizing attitudes, treatment usage and other behaviors and intentions, and perspectives on the use of biomedical technologies in mental health. Potential conclusions, limitations of the existing literature, and considerations for future studies are discussed.

Divided by a common concept? Assessing the implications of different conceptualizations of hate crime in the European Union

In recent years the European Union (EU) has witnessed rising levels of hate crime. However, although there have been a number of legislative and other policy initiatives introduced across the EU to combat such offences, these have developed in a piecemeal and sometimes half-hearted fashion. This article outlines the difficulties evident in theorizing hate crime and how these problems have been reflected in the divergent ways that hate crime legislation has developed across the EU. It argues that an approach to combating hate crime based on human rights, which is endorsed by many EU institutions, has failed to tackle the problem effectively and has resulted in the uneven protection of hate crime victim groups. By utilizing an individual rather than a group-based human rights approach, the damaging nature and effect of such ‘targeted victimization’ upon all hate crime victims can be better understood and addressed.

Making Sense, Making Good, or Making Meaning? Cognitive Distortions as Targets of Change in Offender Treatment

Most structured sex-offender programs are based on a cognitive-behavioural model of behaviour change. Within this overarching theoretical paradigm, extensive use of cognitive distortions is seen as a central core symptom among sex offenders. However, the literature on cognitive distortions lacks a clear and consistent definition of the term. It is unclear whether cognitive distortions are consciously employed excuses or unconscious processes serving to protect the offender from feelings of guilt or shame. In this article, the dominant cognitive-behavioural interpretation of cognitive distortions is contrasted with two alternative interpretations. One is based on an attributional perspective and the notion of attributional biases. The other explanation is based on a narrative approach focusing on the action elements of cognitive distortions, that is, as something people do rather than something they have. Clinical implications of these alternative conceptualizations are discussed and illustrated throughout by a case example.

Coping, regulation, and development during childhood and adolescence

This chapter identifies four challenges to the study of the development of coping and regulation and outlines specific theoretical and empirical strategies for addressing them. The challenges are (1) to integrate work on coping and processes of emotion regulation, (2) to use the integration of research on neuro-biology and context to inform the study of coping, (3) to explore the implications of dual process conceptualizations of automatic and controlled processes for the development of coping, and (4) to articulate how coping is organized around specific adaptive processes. How researchers resolve these challenges will affect greatly the future contributions that our understanding of coping will make to basic and applied developmental science.