Relations Theory Research Articles

“I hate all the children, especially mine”: Applying relational dialectics theory to examine the experiences of formerly childfree regretful parents

Guided by relational dialectics theory (RDT), we analyzed 85 first-person testimonials of parental regret written by users of the /r/childfree subreddit. We interrogated how competing discourses animate what it means to be a parent (our semantic object). Contrapuntal analysis revealed dominant and marginalized Discourses of Parenting as Heaven (DPHN) and Parenting as Hell on Earth (DPHL), respectively, as well as a third Discourse of Parenting as (the Only) Choice (DPOC). We identified three kinds of dialogically contractive practices including a new form we call fear of missing out (FOMO), two forms of diachronic separation, four forms of synchronic interplay including a new form we introduce (i.e., allying) that is useful when more than two discourses compete, and one form of dialogic transformation. We argue that FOMO serves as a catalyst for diachronic separation. We offer practical implications for fencesitters (those “on the fence” about having children), counselors, and policymakers.

Simulation of laser-induced tunnel ionization based on a curved waveguide

The problem of tunneling ionization and the associated questions of how long it takes for an electron to tunnel through the barrier, and what the tunneling rate has fascinated scientists for almost a century. In strong field physics, tunnel ionization plays an important role, and accurate knowledge of the time-dependent tunnel rate is of paramount importance. The Keldysh theory and other more advanced related theories are often used, but their accuracy is still controversial. In previous work, we suggested using a curved waveguide as a quantum simulator to simulate the tunnel ionization process. Here we implemented for the first time such a curved waveguide and observed the simulated tunneling ionization process. We compare our results with the theory.

Organizational injustice and employee affective health: The moderating effects of labor market conditions

Existing research confirms that both organizational injustice and unfavorable labor market conditions negatively influence employee health. This article draws on relative gratification theory and cognitive appraisal theory to investigate the interplay of these two work-related stressors. The findings of a meta-analysis of 97 samples from 24 countries shows that when unemployment is high and there is a large informal economy, organizational injustice has a weaker effect on employee affective health than when unemployment is low. The findings suggest that relative gratification can function as a coping mechanism when employees are challenged with multiple work-related stressors. In so doing, this study extends the present understanding of the effects of relative gratification, thereby highlighting the broad scope of social comparisons in organizational justice research. It illustrates how micro- and macro-level stressors interact to influence employee health and confirms the importance of context in organizational justice research.

Book Review: "When Religion Hurts You" by Laura E. Anderson

Licensed psychotherapist, podcast host, and religious trauma survivor, Dr. Laura Anderson, has contributed a volume drawing from both her own experiences and trauma studies scholarship. Anderson avoids harsh and direct condemnation of high-control religions (HCRs) but, rather, describes the human experiences and biological explanations of lives immersed in fear, shame, and mistrust. Her book, When Religion Hurts You, will likely connect most with religious trauma survivors who have already left an HCR (or are on the way out) and with professionals unfamiliar with the specific biological and relational theories of trauma. Anderson provides cautious optimism, noting the time and effort needed to “live in healing bodies.”

Ekadasa Rudra Ceremony in 1963 and 1979: Power Relation Issue in Bali

This article discusses the enactment of Ekadasa Rudra ceremony in 1963 and 1979 in Pura Agung Besakih, Karangasem, Bali. As the greatest Balinese Hindu ceremony held once in a century, the events were substantial and nationally widespread. The noted events in Indonesian history were in 1963 and 1979, it means that the spatial period was less than twenty years. That problem is an interesting topic to discuss. The discussion uses theory of power relation by Foucault and principle in historical research by Kuntowijoyo, these are determining topic, heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The analysis conducts from explaining each moment of Ekadasa Rudra in both years, then the analysis goes on into the discussion of applying theory of power relation to answer the research question.

The flesh texture of teleost fish: Characteristics and interventional strategies

AbstractWith the growing demand of consumers for high‐quality aquatic products, controlling the harvest quality of farmed fish is becoming increasingly important in aquaculture industry. The texture is a sensory property that covers a group of attributes, such as firmness, tenderness, chewiness, adhesiveness, resilience, etc., which greatly determine consumers' perception and satisfaction for flesh products. Regarding texture quality, extensive research has been conducted in recent decades based on its related theories, influencing factors, and intervention strategies. However, the information available is largely scattered and disjointed. Essentially, flesh texture is mainly determined by the collective contribution of three major muscle components: muscle fibres, intramuscular connective tissue, and intramuscular fat. Therefore, changing these components in living animals through nutritional and management factors has the potential to modulate texture quality. Here, we briefly introduced the features and development of the three muscle components mentioned above, particularly their potential contributions to texture quality of fish flesh. Exciting promises to manipulate flesh texture through dietary intervention, feed restriction, and exercise training were also discussed. To ensure their applications in large‐scale aquaculture facilities, specific considerations of these regimens should be incorporated in experimental design parameters, including the species and age of fish, research system, experiment duration, and exercise intensity. Finally, the existing challenges and limitations of fish texture studies were presented, along with some viewpoints about current work and future directions of this field.

Why the Quad is not NATO: the indo-American impediments to its intergovernmental structure

ABSTRACT In the post-COVID19 global order, rising geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and East Asia reflect the boiling tensions States face on multiple fronts. Within this, the United States is on two fronts as a major player and supporter of its allies that are directly facing hostility. Since the start of 2020, China’s hard, military power maneuvering in the South China Sea, deteriorating political relations with Japan and Australia, and the Himalayan standoff against India have seemingly further substantiated the need for the formulation of The Quad, a proposed quadrilateral arrangement with a varying mandate of operations. The proposed structure would constitute India, Japan, Australia, and the United States.The grouping has repeatedly been touted as not as “anti-China.” However Chinese interpretation of the mutual intent has equated them to being an “Asian NATO.” Keeping this in mind, I draw upon Duncan Snidal and Felicity Vabulas’ works on Informal Intergovernmental Organizations (IIGOs) and considers the inherent pitfalls that states may incur while negotiating through the contours of such a structure. Particularly in regards to strategic autonomy, asymmetry in resource contribution and control, and agreeing on a set of fundamental driving philosophies that are certain enough to tie the parties together for the foreseeable future. I focus on contemporary international relations theory, secondary research in the subject countries’ Indo-Pacific policies, and the more significant geopolitical trends of securitization in Asia.

Without memory, desire, or sex: contemplating the incel identity

This article proposes a psychoanalytic exploration and interpretation of the incel identity. Through a reading of Melanie Klein's object relations theory and with a particular focus on the theories of Wilfred Bion, the evolution of the incel identity is conceptualised as a product of failed containment and delayed development of a mature psychic mechanism for thinking, firmly rooted in the paranoid–schizoid position. The incel's relationship with women is shown to be characterised by a dependence on psychotic processes and defence mechanisms, and the article concludes with a discussion on the individual's relationship to the incel internet subculture as a basic assumption group. These interpretations are made with reference to examples taken from the transcript of a final video manifesto recorded by a notorious incel prior to his infamous act of fatal misogynistic violence.

The Governance Turn in the World Bank Discourse from a Normative IR Lens: Cosmopolitanism or Communitarianism?

When structural adjustment programmes which had dominated the lending conditionality of the leading international financial institutions (the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank) in the 1980s failed to deliver the expected success stories, governance gained traction as a predictor of aid effectiveness. Development discourse and practice began incorporating governance indicators and defining a governance concept in line with the effort to reassess the role of the state in development. This paper examines whether the inclusion of governance in the development discourse of the World Bank in the 1990s reflects cosmopolitan or communitarian ethical norms. Normative international relations theory permits an assessment of the so-called governance turn in World Bank conditionality which interrogates the understanding of the state and of the international community which are put forth. Key World Bank publications from the 1990s are selected for content analysis. The first level of analysis interrogates whether the conceptualization of the state emerging from the documents reflects a communitarian or cosmopolitan approach. The second level of analysis focuses on the universalism-particularism tension in the cosmopolitan-communitarian debate. What emerges from the analysis is a hybrid of cosmopolitan and communitarian sensibilities where the technocratic approach of the World Bank allows operationalizing conditionality and (good) governance in a list of indicators without a consistent normative framework.

Towards a multi-scalar place-sensitive planning approach in small-sized cities

ABSTRACT The urban fabric can be characterised as an ever-evolving assemblage operating on multiple scales; constantly being constituted and reshaped by internal and external elements, not making it possible to regard any place as an isolated entity at a specific scale. Through an overview of relational place theory, this paper aims to theoretically discuss how local planning practices need to include a relational and multi-scalar approach to cope with complex urban and rural realities if they wish to create development in local places. To unfold this, the paper reveals some of the empirical implications of such a multi-scalar urban reality, by analysing how two selected Danish municipalities seek to relate to, respond to and comply with the networked and relational reality of place in their planning practices. The empirical work builds among others on students’ field work and the cases expose the importance of working with totalities, relations and networks on multiple scales; however, they also reveal the challenges related to the manifestations of such a practice. The paper argues that, despite the challenges associated with this practice, the current complex global interconnectedness of places calls for an increased focus on strategic municipal planning approaches that are both multi-scalar and place-sensitive.

Employees’ voice behavior in response to corporate social irresponsibility (CSI): The role of organizational identification, issue perceptions, and power distance culture

While extensive literature has examined the role of employees in corporate social responsibility (CSR), little is known about employees’ role in corporate social irresponsibility (CSI). The current study aims to examine the voice behaviors of employees generated around the issue of CSI. Two online surveys were administered to full-time employees by using two different scenarios involving CSI situations: environmental and diversity issues. The results of the study identified employees’ pre-established organizational identification as a critical cross-situational factor that influenced their CSI perceptions. In addition, employees’ situational perceptions of CSI – how they perceive CSI as a serious problem, their sense of connection to the situation, and their perceived constraints in solving the situation – played critical roles in motivating them to engage in voice behavior. Furthermore, the level of power distance culture within an organization significantly moderated the relationship between employees’ CSI perceptions and voice behavior. By incorporating organizational identification literature and public relations theory in the context of CSI communication and management, this study provides theoretical and practical implications.

Pragmatism or idealism: a systematic review and visual analysis of Winnicott's psychoanalytical treatment views.

Winnicott is an outstanding representative of the School of Object Relations, and his unique psychoanalytic treatment views have been greatly influential to the psychoanalytical community. Winnicott emphasizes the impact of facilitating environment and the key role of the maternal-child relationship in the early psychological growth of individuals. He puts forward the ideas of the development mechanism of the true self and the false self, which builds a bridge between the characteristics of adult psychopathology and the characteristics of early maternal-child relationships, providing a new perspective for research on individual self-development and psychoanalysis. Winnicott creatively introduces the concepts of the transitional object and the transitional phenomena into the theories of Object Relations. He relates the transitional experience to the field of mental health, and extends it from the relationship between the mother and the child to adult life, which not only has had a revolutionary impact on modern psychoanalysis but also literature, aesthetics, and other fields. Winnicott highlights the importance of the patient's emotional development in the treatment. He advocates holding the patients' sentiments and meeting their emotional needs. He also approves of the emotional reparenting of the patients, to make them gain the ability to establish a relationship with the real world. His treatment views formed through a large number of clinical practices are very practical and full of humanistic care. This review summarizes Winnicott's psychoanalytical treatment views as well as his marvelous original concepts, and analyzes the hot topics of academic research on his theories based on a visualization analysis by using the software CiteSpace, which includes data in the Web of Science Core Collection published from 1978 to 2023 with 365 papers involved. The study provides a macroscopic and panoramic review of Winnicott's theories, and it clearly shows Winnicott's significant influence on the field of psychoanalysis and related fields.

Market-based asset valuation of hydrogen geological storage

Because of hydrogen's low energy density, hydrogen storage is a critical component of the hydrogen economy, particularly when large-scale and flexible hydrogen utilization is required. There is a sense of urgency to develop hydrogen geological storage projects to support large-scale yet flexible hydrogen utilization. This study aims to answer questions not yet resolved in the research literature discussing the valuation of hydrogen geological storage options for commercial development. This study establishes a net present value (NPV) evaluation framework for geological hydrogen storage that integrates the updated techno-economic analysis and market-based operations. The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and the related finance theories are applied to determine the risk-adjusted discount rate in building the NPV evaluation framework. The NPV framework has been applied to two geological hydrogen storage projects, a single-turn storage serving downstream transportation seasonal demand versus a multiturn storage as part of an integrated renewables-based hydrogen energy system providing peak electric load. From the NPV framework, both projects have positive NPVs, $46, 560, 632 and $12, 457, 546, respectively, and International Rate of Return (IRR) values, which are higher than the costs of capital. The NPV framework is also applied to the sensitivity analysis and shows that the hydrogen price spread between withdrawal and injection prices, site development, and well costs are the top three factors that impact both NPV and IRR the most for both projects. The established NPV framework can be used for project risk management by discovering the key cost drivers for the storage assets.

Border studies and International Relations Theories: an emancipatory framework

Throughout the history of International Relations, borders have been marginalised both practically and, to a greater extent, theoretically. On the one hand, conceptualizations of borders are typically subordinate to other ideas within the field, such as sovereignty, territory, security, conflict, and peace. On the other hand, it is frequently regarded as a source of conflict or simply as a geographical boundary. Thus, it is not surprising that this situation of marginalisation (conventional view of boundaries) produced a hegemonic perspective on borders until the conclusion of the Cold War. Nonetheless, the rearrangement of the international system and the expansion of regional integration resulted in a more dynamic, complex, and multidimensional outline. This work seeks to answer the following research question: in what ways would a perspective contribute to the field of border studies? It is proposed that such a theoretical framework would reassign border studies from an underlying to a fundamental premise, elevating them to a more significant level. This reinterpretation has direct and indirect effects on border politics in practice.

The Idionomic Future of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: What Stands Out From Criticisms of ACT Development

The present special section critical of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or Training (ACT in either case) and its basis in psychological flexibility, relational frame theory, functional contextualism, and contextual behavioral science (CBS) contains both worthwhile criticisms and fundamental misunderstandings. Noting the important historical role that behavior analysis has played in the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) tradition, we argue that CBS as a modern face of behavior analytic thinking has a potentially important positive role to play in CBT going forward. We clarify functional contextualism and its link to ethical behavior, attempting to clear up misunderstandings that could seriously undermine genuine scientific conversations. We then examine the limits of using syndromes and protocols as a basis for further developing models and methods; the role of measurement and processes of change in driving progress toward more personalized interventions; how pragmatically useful concepts can help basic science inform practice; how both small- and large-scale studies can contribute to scientific progress; and how all these strands can be pulled together to benefit humanity. In each area, we argue that further progress will require major modifications in our traditional approaches to such areas as psychometrics, the conduct of randomized trials, the analysis of findings using traditional normative statistics, and the use of data from diverse cultures and marginalized populations. There have been multiple generational shifts in our field's history, and a similar shift appears to be taking place once again.

Le ossa di Oreste si trovano in classe La metafora che insegna: proposta per un intervento didattico

This paper aims to propose an integrated model for the analysis of verbal processes in ancient Greek texts and their facilitation in contemporary readers through coherent evidence-based teaching procedures. Rooted in functional contextualism, a philosophy of science in which events are studied in relation to their historical and current environment pursuing the goals of prediction and influence, it applies the model of language and cognition known as Relational Frame Theory to the analysis of verbal processes involved in the decoding of Orestes’ bones oracles described in Hdt., 1.67‑8 and to the extension to these of an existing teaching procedure for the facilitation of naming and metaphorical language. The intervention efficacy will need empirical evaluation by a behavioural analyst.

XFVM modelling of fracture aperture induced by shear and tensile opening.

In reservoir simulation, it is important to understand the mechanical behaviour of fractured rocks and the effect of shear and tensile displacements of fractures on their aperture. Tensile opening directly enhances the fracture aperture, whereas shear of a preexisting rough-walled fracture creates aperture changes dependent on the local stress state. Since fracture dilatation increases reservoir permeability, both processes must be included in a realistic and consistent manner into the mechanical reservoir simulation model. Here, we use the extended finite volume method (XFVM) to conduct flow and geomechanics simulations. In XFVM, fractures are embedded in a poroelastic matrix and are modelled with discontinuous basis functions. On each fracture segment the tractions and compressive forces are calculated, and one extra degree of freedom is added for both the shear and tensile displacement. In this particular XFVM implementation we assume that linear elasticity and steady state fluid pressure adequately constrain the effective stress. In this paper, shear dilation is not calculated a posteriori, but it enters the equations such that aperture changes directly affect the stress state. This is accomplished by adding shear dilation to the displacement gradients and therefore ascertains a consistent representation in the stress-strain relations and force balances. We illustrate and discuss the influence of this extra term in two simple test cases and in a realistic layer-restricted two-dimensional fracture network subjected to plausible in situ stress and pore pressure conditions.

Borderline personality - from psychoanalysis to epigenetics. Biological basis of attachment.

In terms of object relations theory, borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a structural abnormality of identity, conflicting representations of self and others, and disorganization of attachment - a construct rooted in an individual's early experiences and central to the relationships established later in life. A special role in the formation of attachment style is attributed to the relationship with the caregiver and to difficult experiences or traumas from early developmental stages. These experiences not only provide the psychological basis for the development of an insecure attachment style, but also leave a biological mark in the body in the form of epigenetic modifications. Although research on epigenetic modifications in BPD is scarce, a growing body of evidence supports the importance of oxytocin - the "social peptide" underlying attachment - in the etiology of BPD. We believe that the study of epigenetic modifications that affect the action of oxytocin in the BPD clinical population will provide a better understanding of the basis and process of development of the disorder, as well as provide a therapeutic direction to work effectively in the major areas of BPD.

Variability of Exploitation Coefficient of Knothe Theory in Relation to Rock Mass Strata Type

Geodesic measurements of mining area deformations indicate that their description fails to be regular, as opposed to what the predictions based on the relationships of the geometric-integral theory suggest. The Knothe theory, most commonly applied in that case, considers such parameters as the exploitation coefficient a and the angle of the main influences range tgβ, describing the geomechanical properties of the medium, as well as the mining conditions. The study shows that the values of the parameters a = 0.8 and tgβ = 2.0, most commonly adopted for the prediction of surface deformation, are not entirely adequate in describing each and every mining situation in the analysed rock mass. Therefore, the paper aims to propose methodology for determining the value of exploitation coefficient a, which allows to predict the values of surface subsidence caused by underground coal mining with roof caving, depending on geological and mining conditions. The characteristics of the analysed areas show that the following factors affect surface subsidence: thickness of overburden, type of overburden strata, type of Carboniferous strata, rock mass disturbance and depth of exploitation. These factors may allow to determine the exploitation coefficient a, used in the Knothe theory for surface deformation prediction.

When overqualification turns dark: A moderated-mediation model of perceived overqualification, narcissism, frustration, and counterproductive work behavior

Although perceived overqualification (POQ) is an established correlate of counterproductive work behavior (CWB), the means and boundaries of this consequential, costly relationship are largely undetermined. This research aims to address this gap by developing and testing the mediating role of job frustration and the moderating influence of narcissism in the relationship, providing valuable insights for organizations' selection, placement, and understanding of employees. Perceived overqualification is established as an antecedent of the frustration-aggression model. Narcissism is developed within Relative Deprivation Theory as exacerbating the effects of perceived overqualification on both affective (job frustration) and behavioral (CWB) consequences. Data from 696 individuals in heterogeneous occupations completing a two-stage online study supported the developed model, with job frustration mediating the relationship between POQ and CWB and narcissism strengthening both stages of the mediated relationship. The findings advance job frustration and narcissism as mechanisms for understanding, and mitigating, costly counterproductive effects of POQ.