Individual Concepts Research Articles

Sufisim in Doris Lessing's The Four Gated City

This paper studies Sufism and its relevance in “The Four-Gated City” written by Doris Lessing. Sufism is an esoteric movement and regarded as the backbone of all religious systems. The study examines how Sufi thought permeates the thematic structure in spiritual and philosophical aspects in the novel. It seeks to examine how Sufi elements are imbedded in the novel, especially in terms of the characters psychology and their spiritual progression, and how Sufism provides a fine contrast to the narratives, alluding to the Western themes of rationality, individuality, and materialist perspectives, making this comparative in nature as well. And what is the function of mysticism within the context of Lessing's progression of her critique of modernity and her portrayal of the nature of being human?. To answer these questions, the research examines the nature of the incorporation of Sufi ideas like the wahdat al-wujud and the journey of the soul in the novel. It studies the characters journeyed in their experiences and how do the songs reflect the Sufi stages of spiritual development. Using Sufism to Critique Western Rationalism and Materialism. The methodology is a close reading of the novel, finding Sufi themes, symbols, and metaphors. A Sufi perspective with special focus on the representation of spiritual progress and awakening is the theoretical framework of the study. Finally, the comparative method employed in this study draws parallels not just between the visualization of the spiritual ascent in the Shikasta, but also in the Sufi classics of Rumi and Ibn Arabi. This research rests on the theoretical foundations of Sufi mysticism and comparative lit-examples drawn from the works of Idries Shah and others who presented Sufi-themed scholars to the West. Using postmodern literary theory, the book considers how Lessing subverts linear narratives through mystical beginnings, which is contrary to Western conceptions of progress and individuality. These are examples from the study’s results which suggest that the principles of the Sufi doctrine function as the fictional and philosophical basis placed at the centre of the novel’s exploration of human potential as a means for social change. Through Sufism, Lessing provides a glimpse of mute-bodied existence, spiritual enlightenment, and unity consciousness beyond the confines of a self-referencing mind. In the mystical experiences of its protagonists, there is a critique of the alienation in the modern world, an idea that true progress is in finding the inner self spiritually, not materially.

Keystone niche individuals: some are more unequal than others

Conspecific individuals often diverge in their foraging decisions. Indeed, across diverse taxa, generalist populations contain both generalist and specialist individuals. This intraspecific niche variation allows some individuals to contribute disproportionately to their population’s niche. Here, we present the concept of keystone niche individuals and why it matters for ecologists.

Reflection of local cultural tradition in oral childhood memories (based on the speech of speakers of Kuban subdialects)

The article examines the functional potential, subject matter, content, and linguistic specific features of oral stories-memories of native speakers of Kuban subdialects of their childhood years (the 30, 40, 50, 60, 70s of the twentieth century). The main corpus of texts was collected through the field method within the framework of dialectological expeditions (2005–2023). Textual analysis, thematic classification, and linguistic commentary on linguistic facts were used to analyse the language material. The study shows that the subject matter and content of old Kuban residents’ oral childhood memories reflect the local cultural tradition, which, while organically fitting into the national cultural context, has peculiarities determined by the specific features of the region as a Cossack land. We describe recurring plots which appear due to life circumstances common to this dialect community. The research has also established the functional potential of childhood memories in terms of identifying conceptual meanings of individual concepts. It is demonstrated that the Kuban dialect is an important component of the local cultural tradition. The storytellers learnt it in the childhood, and it remains a natural means of communication for most of them. The analysis of the linguistic features of the memories shows a consistent manifestation of dialectal features at all linguistic levels, which enables us to recognise the informants’ stories about their childhood as one of the effective ways of preserving the dialect. The conclusion notes the scientific potential of oral memories of childhood as valuable materials for multidimensional analysis of the childhood phenomenon, as well as for studying such a unique phenomenon as linguistic genetic memory which preserves dialect not only in space but also in time. Additionally, the article focuses on the didactic potential of the analysed texts. Familiarisation with such materials during Russian language, history, and library lessons, as well as homeroom periods will contribute to strengthening generational continuity. Moreover, it will enhance ethnic identity formation and involvement in the family history of people whose destinies shape the history of the country and the nation.

Clinicians’ experiences of obtaining informed consent for research and treatment: a nested qualitative study from Pakistan

BackgroundInformed consent is considered to be the standard method for respecting the autonomy of individual participants in research and practices and is thought to be based on several conditions: (1) providing information on the purpose of the research or a specific treatment, what it will entail, (2) the participants being mentally competent to understand the information and weigh it in the balance, and (3) the participants to be free from coercion. While there are studies of informed consent in other countries, especially Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), this study explored the experiences of clinicians regarding the process of obtaining informed consent to participate in a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) in particular and treatment in general in healthcare settings, both general and mental health, specifically focusing on the tension between individualistic concept of autonomy and collectivist values in cultures such as Pakistan.MethodsQualitative interviews with 20 clinicians from healthcare settings in Pakistan who also served as recruiters in a suicide prevention RCT in Pakistan. The interviews were guided by semi-structured topic guide. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.ResultsThe interviews revealed that shared decision making was more morally important than individual autonomy, the role of the family played a dominant part in the consent-taking procedure, the decision of the elder and/or family patriarch took prominence, and that clinician-researchers encountered significant challenges in consent process in Pakistan, while recruiting patients into the trial as well as during routine treatment processes in healthcare settings. Four distinct themes emerged which were (1) Family deciding for patients, (2) Benefits of involving family in consent process, (3) Gender disparity in consent process, (4) Challenges experienced by clinician-researchers during consent process in Pakistan.ConclusionsThe concept of consent is generally considered important in many cultures, however, there are two strands of understanding. There seems to be consensus that participant agreement is necessary to protect the participant but with regards to autonomy there are significant cultural differences whether it is the right for autonomy of the individual (individualistic concept) or family, community, or expert authority in other cultures. In Pakistan clinician-researchers sometimes preferred one approach and sometimes the other as they appreciated the interests of the patient to be.

Statutory Concepts of the Mechanism of Regulating Property Turnover Relations

Introduction: the scientific paper aims to analyze the conditions for the formation of the statutory concept of the mechanism of the civil regulation of property (civil) turnover relations. The relevance of the topic is related to the specifics of property turnover relations, which determines the individual (for specific participants in legal relations) statutory concept of regulating and the need to determine the conditions for the formation of the statutory concept for regulating relations within the framework of property turnover. Methods: as a part of the study, a comparative law method was used, which made it possible to identify differences in violations when using the image of a citizen; a systematic approach; a formal logical research method. Results: the analysis of the current legislation of the Russian Federation has been carried out, and the conditions associated with the formation of the statutory concept of the mechanism of the civil regulation of relations in the field of property turnover have been determined. Conclusions: it is determined that the basic statutory concept of the civil mechanism is formed taking into account the objectives of the activities of the participants in the turnover and can be supplemented depending on the circumstances. Such a statutory concept legally ensures the satisfaction of private interests. In case of violation of interests, the protective means of the mechanism of the civil regulation are used, which “help” to restore the property status of the injured party.

The historical transformation of individual concepts into populational ones: an explanatory shift in the gestation of the modern synthesis.

In this paper, I will conduct three interrelated analyses. First, I will develop an analysis of various concepts in the history of biology that used to refer to individual-level phenomena but were then reinterpreted by the Modern Synthesis in terms of populations. Second, a similar situation can be found in contemporary evolutionary theory. While different approaches reflect on the causal role of developing organisms in evolution, proponents of the Modern Synthesis refrain from any substantial change by reinterpreting and explaining individual-level phenomena from a population perspective. Finally, I will approach these historical and contemporary debates by arguing for the statistical reading of natural selection, which holds that explanations by natural selection are statistical. My main conclusion is that the historical conceptual reinterpretations belong to a new explanatory strategy developed by the Modern Synthesis based on population thinking. Adopting the statistical point of view has three advantages for the issues discussed in this paper. First, understanding historical conceptual change as part of an explanatory shift fits with the emergence of population biology as a discipline that employs statistical methods. Second, concerning current debates in evolutionary biology, the statisticalist reading can validate the goal of both sides of the dispute. It ascribes an invaluable role to the population statistical explanation of the MS and also commends the study of developmental and organismal causes of adaptive evolution. Finally, the division of explanatory roles in evolutionary biology, embarrassed by statisticalism, can be related to the different interpretations that important biological concepts have undergone throughout history and contemporary biology, i.e., that the division of explanatory roles allows for a division of conceptual interpretations.

The concept map as a tool for analyzing museum objects

AbstractThis paper discusses using the concept map to study museum objects. The tool's original purpose, which was created in the 1970s by Joseph Novak, was to graphically represent the construction of knowledge of scientific topics by learners, particularly children. Concept maps start from the premise that new knowledge is always built on previous knowledge and allow the representation, organization, and relationship between concepts, which are seen as the primary elements of knowledge. Novak recognized that its potential is insufficiently explored and encouraged its application in different disciplines and fields that deal with concepts and their relationships. This incentive led the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) to adopt the concept map on an experimental basis to analyze objects in its collection. At first, the tool sought to emphasize the conceptual potential of museum objects and shed more light on their trajectory in time and space and the numerous possible connections with events, institutions, concepts, people, and other objects. In the initial experimental phase, the maps were included in papers presented at academic events and discussed with professionals dedicated to science and technology collections and other specialists in Museology and Information Science. In the second stage, maps began to be produced in greater numbers and on demand, focusing on objects selected for a temporary exhibition. Based on the assumption that museum objects are both unique and representative of a class of objects that share the same name and function, the maps constructed were based on Ingetraut Dahlberg's Theory of Concept, which distinguishes between general and individual objects and concepts.

Gender precedes sex: Epistemological considerations for occupational science from a materialist feminist perspective

ABSTRACT The cognitive tools humans use to perceive and name reality are social constructs that necessitate critical examination. ‘Gender’ and ‘sex’ are socially constructed categories used in daily life and in relation to occupations, that warrant scrutiny, as traditional explanations for gender differences based on biology fail to account for the social processes that construct gendered groups. Questioning the naturalness of these categories is essential for understanding how they shape individual capabilities and social norms around occupations. This discussion paper adopts a materialist feminist standpoint to problematize the concepts of gender and sex. Rejecting biological essentialism, we argue that social organization precedes and constructs the significance of sex categories. By reconceptualizing both gender and sex as socially constructed, our analysis challenges notions of gender as culture applied to a pre-existing biological sex. Occupational literature makes use of these categories to explore gender-related issues. It mainly focuses on gender identity through an interactional orientation that, nevertheless, preserves an individual conception. Social categories are also used to illustrate inequalities and contextual factors related to gender; an essential usage that remains at risk of reifying such categories as pre-existing groups. The use of gender as a social system of hierarchical bi-categorization, as we propose, is not present in occupational literature. This materialist feminist analysis underscores the importance of questioning entrenched biological determinism of sex, on which rests gender as identity. In highlighting the social construction of categories, occupational science can contribute to a deeper understanding of occupation within, and in the challenge of, oppressive systems.

Consumer behavioural model and the mediating role of branding concept on consumer willingness to purchase electronics products

This study ascertained the impact of the consumer behavioural model and the mediating role of the branding concept on consumer willingness to purchase a Samsung family brand in South Africa. This objective is motivated by the highly competitive and dynamic nature of the electronics market, where various factors influence consumers in their decision-making processes. Consequently, additional conceptual variables may also affect consumers' willingness to purchase a Samsung family brand. To achieve the study's objective, a quantitative research method was employed, involving data collection from 150 students at a university in Mthatha. Inferential statistical analysis was conducted through structural equation modelling to elucidate the relationships between variables, utilising SmartPLS and SPSS software as analytical tools. The findings of this study revealed a positive and significant impact of individual factors and branding concepts on consumer willingness to purchase the Samsung family brand. In contrast, social factors and the purchase situation exhibited a positive impact but were deemed insignificant regarding consumer willingness to purchase the brand. Therefore, it is established that, in addition to the positive impact of the consumer behavioural model on consumer willingness to purchase a Samsung family brand, the branding concept also plays a mediating role in this willingness. This study recommends that dealers and marketers of the Samsung family brand place greater emphasis on consumer-valued aspects of both social factors and the purchasing situation, with a particular focus on individual factors and the branding concept, to attract more consumers, particularly rural university students in South Africa.

The Concept of Individuality in Ujamaa: Hermeneutical Historical and Phenomenological Aspects of Politics in Tanzania

The phenomena of politics in Tanzania show tension in individual’s freedom of speech as the product of human rationality. This study attempts to display the indispensability of historical influence of the concept of individuality in Ujamaa in the present political realm despite the fact that there is denial of the existence and influence of Ujamaa in the current politics. The hermeneutical method of the source material has been used with a systematic description of ideas in Ujamaa in the past and its interpretation and implication in the present and future. The findings show that the anthropological values in Ujamaa were over shadowed by authoritative elements in the past and so do in the current situation the condition which hinders the individual freedom of unity in diversity in the political realm, the idea which is crucial in the global and digital nation.

ML-EAT: A Multilevel Embedding Association Test for Interpretable and Transparent Social Science

This research introduces the Multilevel Embedding Association Test (ML-EAT), a method designed for interpretable and transparent measurement of intrinsic bias in language technologies. The ML-EAT addresses issues of ambiguity and difficulty in interpreting the traditional EAT measurement by quantifying bias at three levels of increasing granularity: the differential association between two target concepts with two attribute concepts; the individual effect size of each target concept with two attribute concepts; and the association between each individual target concept and each individual attribute concept. Using the ML-EAT, this research defines a taxonomy of EAT patterns describing the nine possible outcomes of an embedding association test, each of which is associated with a unique EAT-Map, a novel four-quadrant visualization for interpreting the ML-EAT. Empirical analysis of static and diachronic word embeddings, GPT-2 language models, and a CLIP language-and-image model shows that EAT patterns add otherwise unobservable information about the component biases that make up an EAT; reveal the effects of prompting in zero-shot models; and can also identify situations when cosine similarity is an ineffective metric, rendering an EAT unreliable. Our work contributes a method for rendering bias more observable and interpretable, improving the transparency of computational investigations into human minds and societies.

Shifts in Residential Mobility Predict Shifts in Culture.

Does residential mobility change cultures, or is it merely a downstream indicator for other forces? Using large-scale surveys of citizens of 18 industrialized nations, we find that increased rates of residential mobility predict living in a more dynamic society at least 10 years in the future: one in which residents are more satisfied with their lives, have greater optimism, endorse more individualistic concepts, are more open to new ideas, have a greater sense of freedom of action, feel able to make friends more easily, express a more cosmopolitan identity, believe that their society rewards merit, and hold their community to a higher standard for treatment of minorities. These findings are echoed in the experience of Americans who have themselves recently moved, where we find that having successfully moved predicts a future sense of personal thriving, optimism, and a belief that merit is rewarded.

How and when artificial intelligence usage facilitates task performance

This study investigated how the increasing usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in diverse business applications has affected task performance. Building on the job demands–resources model, we employed moderated mediation modeling to investigate the association between AI usage and the task performance of delivery drivers. Participants comprised 251 delivery drivers who completed online surveys over a 1-month period. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that work engagement played a mediating role in the association between AI usage and the task performance of delivery drivers. Moreover, the mediating role of work engagement was moderated by an individual's concept of their future work self. When an individual had a stronger sense of their future work self, the mediating role of work engagement became more pronounced. This study has introduced a new mediating mechanism linking artificial intelligence with employee performance and has identified boundary conditions that increase its beneficial impact on employee performance, thus contributing theoretically to the extant literatures. The study findings can help companies improve employee engagement and performance.

Ochrona danych genetycznych – od koncepcji indywidualnej do grupowej

The article presents a gradual shift from the individual concept of data protection to the application of the group concept in the case of genetic data, which by its nature applies to more than one person. The application of the group concept is based on the norms of EU law, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Supreme Court of Iceland, as well as soft law documents. The jurisprudence presented in the paper argues that genetic information is relevant both to the donor of genetic material and to his relatives. Thus, the genetic data of person A created from a biological sample taken from him, may also constitute the genetic data of person B. Thus, the status of the data subject established under EU law should be extended to a larger number of persons than suggested by EU data protection legislation. The argumentation presented confirms the formation of indicating the group nature of genetic data. The continuous increase in the amount of genetic information in social and economic circulation will only reinforce this trend, which is aimed at the full realization of the right to personal data protection.

Non-small-cell lung cancer.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most frequent cancer types and is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The management of NSCLC has improved considerably, especially in the past 10 years. The systematic screening of populations at risk with low-dose CT, the implementation of novel surgical and radiotherapeutic techniques and a deeper biological understanding of NSCLC that has led to innovative systemic treatment options have improved the prognosis of patients with NSCLC. In non-metastatic NSCLC, the combination of various perioperative strategies and adjuvant immunotherapy in locally advanced disease seem to enhance cure rates. In metastatic NSCLC, the implementation of novel drugs might prolong disease control together with preserving quality of life. The further development of predictive clinical and genetic markers will be essential for the next steps in individualized treatment concepts.

Retirement Concepts as Predictors of Preretirement Consideration and Planning

This study explores how different conceptualizations of retirement—New Beginning, Continuation, Imposed Disruption, and Transition to Old Age—affect retirement consideration and planning while controlling for demographic and work-related variables. In a sample of Slovak preretirees ( N = 332, Mage = 54.84, SD = 3.67 years, all working full-time), three of the retirement concepts were significant predictors of retirement consideration and planning. The New Beginning concept positively influenced both retirement consideration and planning. In contrast, the Continuation concept negatively impacted retirement consideration, with no significant effect on retirement planning. The Imposed Disruption concept positively predicted retirement consideration and planning, although the mechanisms driving engagement differed from those in the New Beginning concept. The Transition to the Old Age concept did not significantly predict retirement consideration or planning. These findings highlight the importance of understanding individual retirement concepts when discussing retirement planning and consideration. Consequently, preretirement interventions should focus on personalized approaches that reflect employees’ unique retirement concepts and needs, supporting healthy pathways to retirement.

Время, откомментированное театром

This article presents a critical review of the archive anthology Mnemosyne. Documents and Facts from the History of Russian Theatre of the 20th Century, issues 8 and 9 (Moscow, 2023, 2024) and considers thematic, structural, and conceptual features of the two volumes. The analysis of individual articles and general concepts of the anthology issues under consideration is based on the broad context of historiographical ideas, including the role of the subjective in historiography. Special attention is paid to the effect of combining the principles of empirical and structural thinking in creating a picture of the past.

A Treatment Algorithm for Free Vascularized Bone Reconstruction in Rare Large Osseous Defects Involving the Wrist.

Large bone defects of the distal radius and/or carpus following tumor resection, trauma, or infection are extremely rare. There are few case reports and series in the literature on the reconstruction approaches required in such cases. Therefore, large studies cannot be used to guide the therapeutic decisions of reconstructive plastic and hand surgeons. The objective of this study is to propose a treatment algorithm to predict the functional outcome and quality of life for the different techniques of free vascularized bone reconstruction in the interval between the distal radius, the carpus, and/or the proximal metacarpal. The algorithm was developed based on our own case studies and the few treatment approaches described in the literature. It can be applied to rare cases of massive bone defects in the wrist. The flowchart enables surgeons to develop an individualized reconstruction concept for various intervals of bone defects in the area of the distal radius and proximal metacarpal bones. Ultimately, the treatment algorithm aims to maximize future quality of life (QoL) and function of the distal upper extremity in rare cases of massive wrist-bone defects.

Homogenization of word relationships in schizophrenia: Topological analysis of cortical semantic representations.

Patients with schizophrenia typically exhibit symptoms of disorganized thought and display concreteness and over-inclusion in verbal reports, depending on the level of abstraction. While concreteness and over-inclusion may appear contradictory, the underlying psychopathology that explains these symptoms remains unclear. In the current study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging with an encoding modeling approach to examine how concepts of various words, represented as brain activity, are anomalously connected at different levels of abstraction in patients with schizophrenia. Fourteen individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and 17 healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure brain activity representing concepts of various words. We used a persistent homology (PH) method to analyze the topological structures of word representations in schizophrenia patients, healthy controls, and random data, across different levels of abstraction by varying dissimilarity scales in the representation space. The results revealed that patients with schizophrenia exhibited more homogeneous word relationships across different levels of abstraction compared with healthy controls. Additionally, topological structures exhibited a shift toward a random network structure in patients with schizophrenia compared with controls. The PH method successfully distinguished semantic representations of patients with schizophrenia from those of controls. The current results provide an explanation for the mechanisms underlying the deficits in abstraction ability observed in schizophrenia. The isotopic connection of individual concepts reflects both the reduction of contextual connections at a semantically fine-grained scale and the absence of clear boundaries between related concepts at a coarse scale, which lead to concreteness and over-inclusion, respectively.

Advanced biology students' individual conceptions of scientific researchers after participating in biomedically relevant CRE.

While undergraduate research has been shown to be a high-impact educational practice, it is logistically impossible for all undergraduate biology majors to have long-term faculty-mentored research experience. Therefore, biology educators and researchers must devise opportunities to engage more students in undergraduate research outside of working directly in their labs. Course-Based Research Experiences (CREs), structured as authentic research experiences, are one such opportunity. In this work, we describe the effects of a CRE with biomedical relevance on students' research skills, attitudes toward science, and perceptions of scientific research and scientific researchers. Results demonstrate that students gained experience in independent research skills including designing their own research project, being accountable for part of a project, and writing a research proposal. Students' perceptions of scientific research and researchers, assessed by the Draw-A-Researcher Task, did not show changes among the whole group, but individual analysis yielded meaningful results related to students' personal changes in how they perceived research and researchers, including their perception of themselves as researchers. This work demonstrates the substantial impact of CREs on upper-level biology undergraduate and graduate students.