Open Posture Research Articles

‘Stuffed if I [still don’t] know’: towards weak methodologies

ABSTRACT J. K. Gibson-Graham’s paper ‘’Stuffed if I Know!’: Reflections on post-modern feminist social research’ foreshadowed her meanderings with weak theory, and of attending not to what things are, or mean, but to ‘wonder(ing) where they might go’ and what they might do, in all their emergence, contradiction and multiplicity. Weak theory attends to the performativity of different encounters, processes and knowledges, in all their incompletion and multiplicity, and in following what things do, this paper suggests that weak theory is also methodological. I consider weak methodologies as an approach to methods and practices that centre and integrate the unexpected, confusing, failed and strange within the co-production of research and ways of knowing. To do this, I reflect on two inadvertent wanderings into weak methodologies in my research, and engage Puig de la Bellacasa’s thinking with and dissenting within, to ponder some of the potentialities present in interruption, trouble and dis(re)orientation in research methods. Here, weak methodologies are not just about creating and participating in worlding as researchers, but also about forming an intentional posture of openness to being shaped, shifted, moved and led through research in often unanticipated ways.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: COMPARING THE MEANING OF HUNGARIAN-RUSSIANAMERICAN NONVERBAL SIGNS

The aim of my research was to conduct a comparative analysis of nonverbal communication cues between Hungarian, Russian and American cultures, with a focus on the cultural specificities and overlaps of nonverbal cues used to express different emotions and states, such as aggressiveness, uncertainty and interest. The study involved an extensive literature review and a questionnaire survey with participants from different cultures to understand how these nonverbal signals are interpreted and perceived in different cultural contexts.
 In the analysis, I paid particular attention to the different interpretations of body language, facial expressions, gestures and touch, and spatial relations cues. The results of the research have highlighted that although there are some common forms of nonverbal communication, there are also a number of significant cultural differences that fundamentally influence the encoding and decoding of messages.
 For example, while in American culture direct eye contact and open posture can be signs of sincerity and confidence, in Hungarian and Russian cultures these signals can have different contexts and intensities. The meaning and acceptability of touch also varies; what is seen as a friendly gesture in one culture may suggest excessive closeness and inappropriateness in another.
 The research also highlighted the intercultural communication difficulties and misunderstandings that can arise from different interpretations of nonverbal signals. This underlines the need to better understand and respect the communication customs and norms of different cultures in order to communicate effectively and efficiently.
 At the end of my research, I have formulated recommendations for those involved in cross-cultural communication, whether in business, educational or personal contexts. I have stressed the importance of cultural sensitivity, avoiding prejudices and active listening, which can be key to successful and meaningful intercultural dialogues.

Analysis of Islamic University Counselor Interpersonal Communication Skills

Indonesia data – National Adolescent Mental Health Survey (I-NAMHS) 2022, provides information about mental health conditions in Indonesia. The survey results stated that as many as 15.5 million (34.9 percent) teenagers experienced health problems. However, there are still very few teenagers who seek formal help by consulting a professional. This research uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive type with data collection obtained through in-depth interviews with 6 pairs of peer-client counselors. The data analysis technique uses interactive analysis with data validity testing using source triangulation. Through the Student and Alumni Development Institute (LPKA), UMY is committed to improving student welfare and health. Based on internal research, the team found facts about the many mental health disorders experienced by UMY students. The campus responded to this phenomenon by establishing a “peer counselor” program to assist students who have potential and have experienced mental health problems. This requires the counselor’s communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal, as well as the ability to overcome obstacles. However, some student clients still complain that counselors are less able to establish intimacy in the counseling process. In UMY peer counselors, counselors are proven to carry out effective communication skills so that clients feel satisfied in the healing process for students. Several communication styles chosen by peer counselors include attentive, relaxed, friendly, precise, and argumentative styles. The counselor’s verbal communication skills have been combined with non-verbal communication. The counselor’s communication style is related to interpersonal communication skills, including paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, interpreting, and summarizing. Counselors’ verbal skills appear to be more effective when they combine them with non-verbal skills which include facing the client squarely, adopting an open posture, remembering that it is possible at times to learn toward the other, maintaining good eye contact, and trying to be relatively relaxed or natural in these behaviors. The application of communication skills by UMY peer counselors has been proven to internalize Islamic values written in the Al Qur’an, which include: QS Ali Imran ayat 159: gentle, careful in verbal intonation, emotional management, and dialogic. QS An-Nisa ayat 46: listening, paying attention. QS An-Nisa ayat 46: humble, cool, and calming expressions.

Exploring speaker-specific behaviors and effects of electro-opticalstomatography palates during speech breathing

Speech inhalations, compared to vegetative breathing, are more likely to be associated with open oral postures, i.e., speakers may employ oral as well as nasal inspiration patterns. Past studies have suggested that there may be considerable individual variation for speech breathing behaviors as well. Recently, we have employed electro-optical stomatography (EOS) to assess lip apertures during speech breathing in healthy German-speaking women. The EOS system combines traditional electropalatography (contact sensors) with optical sensors that register distances. Consistent with past work, preliminary data on lip apertures showed that speakers frequently had open-mouth postures during speech breathing. However, the lip sensors of the EOS device, and the full coverage of the upper dentition that it involves, could have induced at least some speakers to adopt an open-mouth posture to a greater degree than usual. Thus, to explore the external validity of our data, this work will compare lip postures for speech breathing in the same speakers with and without the EOS device. We will also assess to what extent oral postures during speech inspirations vary across individuals, across normal and loud speaking conditions, and across speaking tasks that vary in their degree of naturalness.

Transfiguring Medievalism: Poetry, Attention, and the Mysteries of the Body

Transfiguring Medievalism: Poetry, Attention, and the Mysteries of the Body

A Public Convergence: Embracing the Congregation as a Place of Difference

Abstract Communitarians and public theologians alike tend to discuss the church’s identity as a clearly demarcated community separated from the world or public life, each defining publicness as something that is found outside the church. It is a more likely argument that publicness is already present in the congregation as a place of difference: it is possible for the particulars of the community to interact, engage, and mutually benefit the various social realms present in and through the congregants. This public identity renders engagement with the public an unavoidable reality and provides an opportunity for the congregation to become a fruitful space for the work of public theology by embracing this reality through the development of a public posture of openness, accessibility, and accountability, which would improve both the church’s internal ministry and its ministry in the world beyond its community.

The evolution and future of Israeli nuclear ambiguity

ABSTRACT Israel’s posture of nuclear ambiguity has achieved a high level of consensus among its security elite, but are there any alternative approaches and what circumstances could facilitate change? This article argues that the longevity of ambiguity has been buttressed by three external factors that may change in the future and lead to a reassessment: the lack of another nuclear state in the region, bipartisan support in the United States, and the lack of a well-established peace in the region. To gain insight into the ideas that would inform a broader reassessment, I outline the strategic logic of three alternative approaches that have existed continuously in Israel’s security discourse. Nuclear advocates seek to move toward an open posture; nuclear skeptics seek to prevent proliferation by joining international treaties; and nuclear pragmatists support maintaining ambiguity under a US umbrella. Based on interviews with former officials, primary sources of Israeli elite discourse, and a broad survey of previous research, this article provides new insights into the making of Israel’s nuclear strategy by highlighting the continuity of the basic predispositions of each approach over the past 70 years, demonstrating how external factors have upheld the core elements of the policy of ambiguity while allowing room for changes on its margins, and outlining the possible future scenarios that may facilitate a more substantial policy shift.

Myoelectric Control of a Biomimetic Robotic Hand Using Deep Learning Artificial Neural Network for Gesture Classification

In this article, an effective control system based on a deep learning (DL) algorithm is designed to administer and actuate an in-house 3-D printed robotic hand using myoelectric sensors. Five servo motors are utilized to actuate the robotic hand’s components with 17 degrees of freedom (DoFs). This research investigated using a minimum number of myoelectric sensors to actuate robotic hands and fingers. A convolutional neural network (CNN) is also employed to recognize hand and finger movements’ patterns, and classify gestures. Experiments are conducted in the presence of one to three sensors on the forearm and verified by following both moving and stationary reference hands. Applying various configurations, it is found that at least three sensors are required to move all fingers as well as perform open and close postures. Considering pure data collected by sensors leads to unintended shakes in the fingers due to the fact that a large amount of input data is translated to motor rotation instantaneously. This challenge is overcome by applying a CNN to classify the hand gestures with high accuracy. The presented design is an inexpensive, simple, and easy-to-use robotic hand both in fabrication and classification, which can be used by everyone, particularly resource-poor amputees. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the robotic hand for use in below-elbow amputations, such as wrist disarticulation and transradial amputation.

Can Creativity Ensure Criticality?

Working with students in ways that emphasize creativity and improvisation presupposes a posture of openness and self-regard for all stakeholders. The teacher in such a setting can neither impose an ideology nor fix expectations for growth. The students, composing and improvising collectively, will encounter opportunities to test beliefs and practice reflective thinking. Many questions are unresolved. How do students develop criticality in an open classroom? What assurances are there that they will choose projects that address justice, repair, and belonging? In this essay, I grapple with the limitations that confront a truly creative and open-ended music classroom. I fear that I cannot ensure criticality, though other rewards may attend its risk.

Aerodynamic influence of an alpine skier’s arms

Understanding how postural changes in alpine skiing affect the overall aerodynamic drag is highly important for enhancing performance. Although the arm configuration of the athlete can have a significant impact on the overall drag force, this effect is currently less understood. The purpose of this investigation was to examine how the arms of an alpine skier influence the overall drag. Experiments were performed in a wind tunnel for a male and female athlete, and computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed on 3D scans of the athletes. The influence of the arm configurations in three different scenarios are considered; low-tucked, high-tucked, and flight postures. Consistent trends are found for both athletes and between the experiments and simulations. In general, the arms were found to be highly influential of the overall drag, and hence also performance in alpine skiing. For the low-tucked posture, the maximum variation in total drag area depending upon the angle of the underarms is 2.8%, with the lowest drag found with a medium angle of 20∘\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$^\\circ $$\\end{document} to 25∘\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$^\\circ $$\\end{document}. For the high-tuck posture, the difference in drag area between a closed and open posture was found to be 17% to 21%. The flight postures showed the highest influence of arm configurations, with a maximum difference in drag area of 64% between the considered postures. These results contribute to the understanding of aerodynamics in alpine skiing, and could be implemented directly in the training of athletes to improve their aerodynamic performance.

Basketball Analysis System Using Artificial Intelligence

Abstract: Realtime multi-individuals 2-D posture assessment is a central question in grant machines to have an information on people in pix and recordings. In this work, we gift a realtime strategy to find the 2-D posture of more than one people in an image. The proposed approach utilizes a nonparametric portrayal, which we check with as Part Affinity Fields (PAFs), to figure out how to accessory approach components with individuals withinside the image the makes a speciality of the subject of the product of gadget acquiring information on withinside the subject of b-ball sports exercises, the utilization of studies procedures comprising of writing studies, video assessment, relative investigations, and numerical data to find gadget acquiring information on continuously assessment of b-ball sports exercises information. [1]. We endlessly look at NBA and Euroleague b-ball through box-rating data withinside the term from 2000 to 2017. In general, the quantitative varieties among the NBA and Euroleague have diminished and are in any case diminishing. Contrasts are considerably more modest when we manage for amusement length and keeping in mind that season finisher NBA ball is thought about rather than typical season b-ball. Keywords: 2D human posture assessment, 2D foot keypoint assessment, open posture, part liking fields

"You Never Get a Second Chance": First Impressions of Physicians Depend on Their Body Posture and Gender.

A first impression matters, in particular when encounters are brief as in most doctor-patient interactions. In this study, we investigate how physicians’ body postures impact patients’ first impressions of them and extend previous research by exploring posture effects on the perception of all roles of a physician – not just single aspects such as scholarly expertise or empathy. In an online survey, 167 participants ranked photographs of 4 physicians (2 female, 2 male) in 4 postures (2 open, 2 closed). The results show that male physicians were rated more positively when assuming open rather than closed postures with respect to all professional physician roles. Female physicians in open postures were rated similarly positive for items related to medical competence, but they tended to be rated less favorably with respect to social skills (such as the ability to communicate with and relate to the patient). These findings extend what is known about the effects of physicians’ body postures on the first impressions patients form to judge physicians’ medical versus social competencies. We discuss practical implications and the need for more research on interaction effects of body postures and physician gender on first impressions.

A Theology of Interreligious Relations

A Theology of Interreligious Relations

Sitting in Judgment: How Body Posture Influences Deception Detection and Gazing Behavior.

Body postures can affect how we process and attend to information. Here, a novel effect of adopting an open or closed posture on the ability to detect deception was investigated. It was hypothesized that the posture adopted by judges would affect their social acuity, resulting in differences in the detection of nonverbal behavior (i.e., microexpression recognition) and the discrimination of deceptive and truthful statements. In Study 1, adopting an open posture produced higher accuracy for detecting naturalistic lies, but no difference was observed in the recognition of brief facial expressions as compared to adopting a closed posture; trait empathy was found to have an additive effect on posture, with more empathic judges having higher deception detection scores. In Study 2, with the use of an eye-tracker, posture effects on gazing behavior when judging both low-stakes and high-stakes lies were measured. Sitting in an open posture reduced judges’ average dwell times looking at senders, and in particular, the amount and length of time they focused on their hands. The findings suggest that simply shifting posture can impact judges’ attention to visual information and veracity judgments (Mg = 0.40, 95% CI (0.03, 0.78)).

A knockout screen of genes expressed specifically in Ae. aegypti pupae reveals a critical role for stretchin in mosquito flight

Aedes aegypti is a critical vector for transmitting Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses to humans. Genetic strategies to limit mosquito survival based upon sex distortion or disruption of development may be valuable new tools to control Ae. aegypti populations. We identified six genes with expression limited to pupal development; osi8 and osi11 (Osiris protein family), CPRs and CPF (cuticle protein family), and stretchin (a muscle protein). Heritable CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout of these genes did not reveal any defects in pupal development. However, stretchin-null mutations (strnΔ35/Δ41) resulted in flightless mosquitoes with an abnormal open wing posture. The inability of adult strnΔ35/Δ41 mosquitoes to fly restricted their escape from aquatic rearing media following eclosion, and substantially reduced adult survival rates. Transgenic strains which contain the EGFP marker gene under the control of strn regulatory regions (0.8 kb, 1.4 kb, and 2.2 kb upstream, respectively), revealed the gene expression pattern of strn in muscle-like tissues in the thorax during late morphogenesis from L4 larvae to young adults. We demonstrated that Ae. aegypti pupae-specific strn is critical for adult mosquito flight capability and a key late-acting lethal target for mosquito-borne disease control.

Radical Democratic Discipleship: Encountering the Spirit in Civic Life

ABSTRACT This article addresses the possibilities for Christian formation – especially ethical and political formation – that accompany participation in civic life. I argue that the possibility of being formed as a Christian outside the practices of the church is an important dimension of discipleship, but one that has often been overlooked in recent theological discussions. In response, I offer an account of extra-ecclesial formation as part of a wider pattern of being formed by the work of the Spirit in the world. Bringing this pneumatology into conversation with radical democratic thought, I outline the practices involved in making ourselves open to encountering the Spirit in civic life, highlighting the need for a posture of attentive openness to receiving the Spirit’s gifts Spirit from unexpected quarters – including through encounters with strangers. This openness to being surprised also has implications for the ongoing formation of the church.

Developing a hand sizing system for a hand exoskeleton device based on the Kansei Engineering method

This study aimed to identify the customers’ requirements for a hand rehabilitation exoskeleton device using the Kansei Engineering approach and propose improvements. The Kansei Engineering approach was used to extract the design attributes for a hand rehabilitation exoskeleton device by conducting an in-depth interview with 3 physical therapists. The Kano questionnaire survey investigated 25 participants with hand rehabilitation experience. The Kano classification results found three attractive factors and corresponded it to the design attributes of the evaluation grid method results that were suitable (size), flexible (controllability), and light (weight). The principal component analysis results indicated three components can be considered as the improvement categories; functions, structure-texture, and appearance of the hand exoskeleton device. The new functional and structural designs were proposed in a previous study. This study collects 110 male participants’ hand anthropometric data to establish a hand sizing system as a design improvement (suitable attribute). The 3D and manual measurements were obtained for 63 hand dimensions with an open palm posture. The 14 dorsal length dimensions with three bent finger postures were also manually measured. The results showed that the $${\text{MAD}}_{\text{Precision}}$$ (mean absolute difference) of 3D measurement is smaller than that of manual measurement, indicating better reproducibility of 3D scanning. The $${\text{MAD}}_{\text{Accuracy}}$$ of all dimensions are within the 1 mm of the referenced ISO 20685 criteria. Significant differences were found in the 14 dorsal hand length, showing that databases should explicitly state the aspect (dorsal or palmar) where dimensions have been of measurement. The 77 hand dimensions were taken into consideration to develop a hand sizing system using the clustering results. The two-level self-organizing map method was performed and 3 handshape types and 8 sizes were extracted. The coverage rate of the sizing system was over 85%. These results provide useful information for designing and manufacturing for hand-related products.

Association of lip posture and the dimensions of the tonsils and sagittal airway with facial morphology.

The specific contribution of enlarged tonsils or adenoids to craniofacial growth remains unknown, and there is no agreement in the literature as to the significance of lip posture. This study assessed the separate associations of lip posture, sagittal airway size, and tonsil size with selected cephalometric measures. Clinical and cephalometric data of 207 children who presented for evaluation of tonsil and/or adenoid problems were evaluated. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the linear relationship between each of the three parameters and the cephalometric dependent variables. Open lip posture, reduced sagittal airway, and large tonsils were each associated statistically with a characteristic but different skeletal configuration. This association was proportional. Specifically, a more open lip posture was associated with a more backwardly rotated face and larger lower facial height. Reduced sagittal airway size was associated with en bloc backward relocation of the maxilla and mandible. Because the sella-nasion dimension shortened proportionally, the SNA and SNB angles were not affected. Larger tonsils were associated with more forward relocation and rotation of the maxilla and mandible and increased SNA and SNB angles. Because each of the three parameters was associated proportionally with a different craniofacial morphology, it is concluded that lip posture, sagittal airway size, and tonsil size represent three different and unrelated phenomena with respect to their effects on craniofacial growth and form.

Sensemaking Corporate Social Responsibility, Reflexive Organisational Change and Moral Transpose, the Case of Volkswagen ‘Diesel Dupe’ Crisis

The world has witnessed corporate scandals of monstrosity magnitude. The Enron Scandal, the Nike Sweatshop scandal and the recent Johnson and Johnson baby talc in 2018 are some dishonors that reshaped the business world and reinvigorated the importance of business ethics. Indeed, supranational and national movements such as the Global Reporting Initiatives have responded to these scandals by imposing stricter corporate reporting to instill greater transparency and corporate responsibility. Ironically, despite unwavering efforts, corporations are still blatantly flouting regulations. The Volkswagen “diesel dupe” crisis is a stark reminder of the inherent weakness of current regulations. Despite Volkswagen’s staunch adherence to those stringent reporting guidelines, they breached ethics to the core, creating a tsunami of vehicle recalls, massive social, political and legal repercussions. Volkswagen’s cheat device is a ‘creative destruction’ that challenged the fundamental usefulness of corporate reporting. Corporate social responsibility has evolved tremendously, now taking the form of positivistic reporting patterns. Corporations are measured by their ecological, social and economic performance where they flamboyantly table those data and information to garner stakeholders’ support and legitimacy. However, a pragmatic approach towards corporate social responsibility is self-defeating. It erodes and dilutes a corporation’s ability to make sense, communicate and adapt to their externalities. Instead, corporations boast of their corporate prowess and triple bottom line. Using Volkswagen as a subject, this paper exposes the inherent weaknesses of a positivistic corporate reporting approach to social responsibility. A positivistic approach such as this cannot engender a truthful, honest and open posture in business corporations. Instead, this paper exemplifies that a meaningful sensemaking corporate social responsibility instills reflexive organisation change and moral transpose within corporations. This paper underlines this reflexive organisational change and moral transpose in Volkswagen as they encounter the diesel crisis. This study is novel and greatly enhances previous literatures in corporate social responsibility by instilling an appropriate model to underline these momentous reflexive organisational changes and moral transformations in Volkswagen.

Implicit Reactions to Women in High Power Body Postures: Less Wonderful But Still Weaker

People rapidly form impressions of others based on their gender. Women tend to be liked more than men but men tend to be regarded as more powerful. However, a person’s nonverbal behavior has the potential to confirm or override these stereotypical impressions. Specifically, expansive, open body postures (e.g., based on widespread limbs) tend to convey high power compared to contracted, closed body positions. In three studies, we tested whether postural variations affected evaluations of men and women and impressions of their power. In Study 1, images of women elicited a more positive reactions than images of men in an affective misattribution procedure, but only when women enacted contracted body postures. In Studies 2 and 3, participants were slower to classify images of expansive postures as high power when enacted by women and slower to classify contracted postures as low power when enacted by men, but rated men and women similarly in explicit power-related judgments. Expansive body postures thus appeared to eliminate the usual positive reaction to women relative to men, but women still did not implicitly convey power to the same degree as men. Gender did not interfere with explicit, more controlled judgments of power. Together these studies demonstrate that gender implicitly interferes with perceptions of a person’s power, even in the presence of potentially individuating body postures.