Related Concepts Research Articles

Fostering creativity in science education reshapes semantic memory

Fostering creativity is vital for tackling 21st-century challenges, and education plays a key role in nurturing this skill. According to the associative theory, creativity involves connecting distant concepts in semantic memory. Here, we explore how semantic memory changes following an educational intervention intended to promote creativity. Specifically, we examine how a scientific education curriculum—Scientific Creativity in Practice (SCIP) program—impacts the semantic memory networks of 10–18-year-old students in a chemistry class (n = 176). Students in an Intervention group who received the SCIP intervention, and a Control group who did not, completed creative thinking tests, as well as verbal fluency tasks to estimate semantic networks in science-specific (chemistry) and domain-general (animal) categories. Results showed that the SCIP intervention enhanced performance on one test of scientific creative thinking but showed no significant difference on another. Using network science methods, we observed increased interconnectedness in both science-specific and domain-general categories, with lower path distances between concepts and reduced modularity. These traits define a ‘small-world’ network, balancing connections between closely related and remote concepts. Notably, the chemistry semantic network showed substantially more reorganization, consistent with the chemistry contents of the SCIP intervention. The findings suggest that semantic memory reorganization may be a cognitive mechanism underlying successful creativity interventions in science education.

The concept of relation in methodological individualism and holism: a reply to a functionalist critique

In an article entitled "Agency, functionalism and all that. A Sraffian view", published in the Journal of Philosophical Economics, Professor Cesaratto (2024) has proposed a functionalist methodology to study the relation between agency and structure. In doing so, he made some criticisms of an article of ours that had previously appeared in the same journal in issue XV, entitled "Towards a unity of sense: a critical analysis of the concept of relation in methodological individualism and holism in economics" (Ianulardo and Stella, 2022). We take Cesaratto's critique as an invitation to a dialogue on the methodology of the social sciences, and we would like to clarify some aspects in response to his critique. In essence, we clarify that our article consisted of two parts, which we can call pars destruens and pars construens, respectively. In the first, we show that while the determinate identity of the individual postulated by methodological individualism cannot stand without reference to difference, the relational methodology postulated by methodological holism requires its terms (i.e. individuals) to stand as a relation. In the second part, we make it clear that the sense of unity to which we have referred is not represented by an actual community, but by the drive towards unity that is common to all individuals when they intend to form a social entity (group, class, nation, party, institution etc.). Every unification makes it possible to shed new light on the moments that led to it. In this sense, we have spoken of a teleological perspective, since the end point allows us to re-signify the intermediate moments that led to it.

Are they the same? Disentangling the concepts of implementation science research and population scale-up.

A new discipline, implementation science, has emerged in recent years. This has resulted in confusion between what 'implementation science' is and how it differs from real-world scale-up of health interventions. While there is considerable overlap, in this perspective, we seek to highlight some of the differences between these two concepts in relation to their origin, drivers, research methods and implications for population impact and practice. We recognise that implementation science generates new information on optimal methods and strategies to facilitate the uptake of evidence-based practices. This new knowledge can be used as part of any scaling-up endeavour. However, real-world scale-up is influenced to a much greater extent by political and strategic needs and key actors and generally requires the support of governments or large agencies that can fund population-level scale-up. Furthermore, scale-up often occurs in the absence of any evidence of effectiveness. Therefore, while implementation science and scale-up both ultimately aim to facilitate the uptake of interventions to improve population health, their immediate intentions differ, and these distinctions are worth highlighting for policymakers and researchers.

An interdisciplinary overview of levee setback benefits: Supporting spatial planning and implementation of riverine nature‐based solutions

AbstractNature‐based solutions (NbS, and related concepts like natural infrastructure, Ecosystem‐based Adaptation, and green infrastructure) are increasingly recognized as multi‐benefit strategies for addressing the critical sustainability challenges of the Anthropocene, including the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis. Mainstreaming NbS in professional practice requires strategic, landscape‐level planning integrating multiple sources of benefits and their synergies and trade‐offs. Levee setbacks (LS) are among the best‐studied riverine NbS with recognized benefits for flood risk management, drought resilience, water quality management, recreational opportunities, and ecological restoration for biodiversity. Although awareness of the multifarious benefits of LS as forms of Natural Capital is growing, implementation remains ad‐hoc and opportunistic. To address this critical implementation gap for one major example of NbS, we review and synthesize literature across diverse disciplines to provide an overview of the primary social, economic, and ecological mechanisms that affect the co‐benefit delivery of LS projects. Next, to make this information relevant to NbS practitioners, we link these mechanisms to spatial metrics that can be used to approximate the relative magnitude of project benefits and costs across these mechanisms. Finally, we highlight examples of key synergies and trade‐offs among benefits that should be considered for LS planning. This synthetic approach is intended to familiarize readers with the diverse potential benefits of LS, and provide an understanding of how to select and prioritize potential sites for further study and implementation. Synergies and trade‐offs among important benefit drivers abound, and social equity concerns will be paramount in ensuring the successful implementation of LS and other NbS in the future.This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of Water Engineering Water > Planning Water Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems

Decreasing the physical gap in the neural-electrode interface and related concepts to improve cochlear implant performance.

Cochlear implants (CI) represent incredible devices that restore hearing perception for those with moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss. However, the ability of a CI to restore complex auditory function is limited by the number of perceptually independent spectral channels provided. A major contributor to this limitation is the physical gap between the CI electrodes and the target spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). In order for CI electrodes to stimulate SGNs more precisely, and thus better approximate natural hearing, new methodologies need to be developed to decrease this gap, (i.e., transitioning CIs from a far-field to near-field device). In this review, strategies aimed at improving the neural-electrode interface are discussed in terms of the magnitude of impact they could have and the work needed to implement them. Ongoing research suggests current clinical efforts to limit the CI-related immune response holds great potential for improving device performance. This could eradicate the dense, fibrous capsule surrounding the electrode and enhance preservation of natural cochlear architecture, including SGNs. In the long term, however, optimized future devices will likely need to induce and guide the outgrowth of the peripheral process of SGNs to be in closer proximity to the CI electrode in order to better approximate natural hearing. This research is in its infancy; it remains to be seen which strategies (surface patterning, small molecule release, hydrogel coating, etc.) will be enable this approach. Additionally, these efforts aimed at optimizing CI function will likely translate to other neural prostheses, which face similar issues.

Hermeneutical Systematic Dimensions of the Debate on God as Timeless and/or Temporal

While the debate on God’s eternity as timeless and/or temporal is a fascinating topic in itself, especially in philosophical theology, the discussion of time and temporality has a hermeneutical systematic potential for the articulation of Christian theology. In this article, I explore the hermeneutical systematic dimensions of time and timelessness for Christian theology in Augustine’s Confessions (Book XI) in dialogue with contemporary articulations of divine timelessness and temporality, as delineated by Allan Padgett and William Craig. The study identifies how timelessness and temporality are hermeneutically and systematically shaped and serve as presuppositions for related concepts in anthropological and cosmological approaches that inform different views about the relationship of God with His creatures.

“We are a rehabilitation unit, at least on paper” – Competing representations of recovery-oriented rehabilitation in dual diagnosis treatment policy and practice

Within dual diagnosis treatment, principles of recovery are increasingly acknowledged. Nevertheless, recovery-oriented rehabilitation often becomes an abstract concept, leaving professionals in various dilemmas. This article examines competing representations of recovery-oriented rehabilitation across Danish dual diagnosis treatment policy and practice from a post-structural, analytical perspective inspired by governmentality and problematization studies. The empirical foundation consists of a qualitative ethnographic study including conducting and examining 12 national policies relevant to contemporary Danish dual diagnosis treatment practice and 23 interviews with health/welfare professionals employed at a Danish in-patient, dual diagnosis rehabilitation unit. The analysis points to a complexity between three sets of competing representations reflected in 1) the conceptual relationship between rehabilitation and recovery, 2) perceptions of knowledge based on experience or evidence, and 3) ideals of optimization and emancipation. Finally, the article discusses convergences between the competing and, at times, conflictual ideals, attempting to explain the conceptual fluffiness, discrepancies, and dilemmas experienced by professionals in dual diagnosis treatment within broader epistemological and ideological debates in social sciences and humanities.

Sports Mega-Events as Foreign Policy: Sport Diplomacy, “Soft Power,” and “Sportswashing”

Sports mega-events (SMEs), such as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, have become a key part of state strategies to achieve a multitude of foreign policy goals. The literature attempting to explain this—often under the broad umbrella term of “sport diplomacy”—has recently been bolstered by the arrival of two very popular concepts in this area of research, “soft power” and “sportswashing,” leading to confusion and a general lack of consensus around the use of sport for non-sporting aims. This article makes two key contributions to the literature: first, it serves to clarify the conceptual relationship between sport diplomacy, soft power, and sportswashing. It does so by arguing that the latter two concepts are strategies at different stages of a similar process, that is, using sport to achieve specific foreign policy goals by states, state actors, and non-state actors. Our second contribution lies in the application of this conceptualization to two relevant, empirical cases of an advanced capitalist country (the United Kingdom) and an autocratic country (Qatar), both of which have hosted an SME. The results show that while a variety of states, state actors, politicians, and non-state actors use the same means (SMEs) to achieve different foreign policy goals, their geopolitics, different histories, regime types, economic systems, and levels of development influence their rationale for doing so and the strategies they choose.

A measure to gauge psychological pain: Assessing convergent construct validity and internal consistency of the Psychache Scale in the Cambodian context

The following study was conducted in order to assess convergent construct validity and internal consistency of a Khmer-language adaptation of the Psychache Scale, a 13-item self-report instrument used to assess subjective experiences of psychological pain. The Psychache Scale (PAS) was translated into Khmer and back-translated to verify accurate meaning. The Khmer translation was corrected to address cultural and linguistic nuances for the Cambodian population and piloted among 121 students and recent graduates. The final Khmer version of the PAS showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.928). Results also showed that scores on the Psychache Scale were strongly associated with related concepts of depression (r2 = 0.545, p = 0.000), anxiety (r2 = 0.438, p = 0.000), stress (r2 = 0.459, p = 0.000), and Baksbat, a Cambodian-specific cultural concept of distress (r2 = 0.549, p = 0.000). Contrary to a priori hypotheses, the Psychache Scale was also negatively and statistically significantly associated with age (Kruskal-Wallis χ2 = 20.561, df = 4, p = 0.000) and was negatively statistically significantly related to education level (Kruskal-Wallis χ2 = 13.053, df = 2 p = 0.001). Given these results, the Psychache Scale shows potential clinical utility in the Cambodian context, though future research may consider how psychological pain differs according to age and education levels.

Integration versus prioritization in the Sustainable Development Goals: An argument to prioritize environmental sustainability and a just transition

AbstractThis paper explores a key implementation issue for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – whether to use integrated approaches or prioritize some goals. The scientific community generally recommends integrated approaches but has little clear guidance on concrete implementation. This paper reaches two main conclusions. First, environmental sustainability needs to be prioritized. This is the inescapable logic of Earth system boundaries and related concepts. Second, environmental sustainability measures need to be based on a just transition in order to secure political support for environmental prioritization; especially, they need to provide good jobs and decent work, and they need to appear concrete and feasible. These principles should inform SDG implementation and discussions on the post‐2030 sustainable development agenda. Many existing proposals for environmental solutions stop short of recommending their prioritization; they also acknowledge the need for both social sustainability and a just transition, but these elements are usually not very concrete, especially regarding job creation. Thus, making environmental sustainability measures more economically and socially sustainable also should be prioritized.

Defense Diplomacy and Civil-Military Relations in Bangladesh

In a democratic state, it is expected that a balance exists between civil and military power. While the military’s role has been traditionally defined as safeguarding a country’s national sovereignty and security, the modern concept of civil-military relations encapsulates a broader engagement of the military in advancing a country’s diplomacy as well. This article, taking the broader understanding into consideration, probes into the Bangladesh military’s expanding role. While civil-military relations went through much turbulence during the first few decades in Bangladesh’s history, with the restoration of democracy in 1991 the military has been one of the key participants in advancing defense diplomacy. Using several case studies, the article addresses vital questions such as the role of colonial legacies in Bangladesh’s military, how the military has gradually embedded itself in Bangladesh’s social, political, and economic milieu, and how unique civil-military relations have emboldened Bangladesh’s defense diplomacy.

Can a relational cross-scalar approach to management improve environmental disaster responses? A case study of an unprecedented flood in New South Wales, Australia

ABSTRACT Human societies face planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Conventional command-and-control approaches to manage these existential challenges have failed due to limited comprehension of relationships in social-ecological systems. To address this problem, we study the complex case of the disaster response to unprecedented floods in the Northern Rivers Region, New South Wales, Australia, in 2022. We apply a novel relational-systems model that identifies management structures, processes, functions and contents interacting at and across scales. The model helps identify the root causes in the inadequate disaster response that ensued in the Northern Rivers Region flooding. The root causes are a lack of systems-thinking competence, poor collaborative capacity, vulnerabilities in environmental management and deficient governance systems. The relational complexity concepts of self-organisation and socio-cultural organisation may further help explain variation in response to disasters in different socio-ecological contexts. Such understanding can inform individual and collective environmental action.

Bourdieu’s trajectory concept as an approach to microhistorical research in translation

Abstract This article explores the potential of Bourdieu’s trajectory concept as an approach to microhistorical research, using the life history of Egypt’s late Minister of Culture Tharwat Okasha as a case study. The focus throughout is on Okasha’s multipositionality throughout his trajectory as a military officer and then as a military attaché in France between 1939 and 1956. Through a close reading of memoirs, translations and writings, the article investigates how he traversed different fields (the military, psychology, history and journalism) and the effect of this movement on his translation practices. In so doing, the article integrates this analysis into a sociological examination of the politics of the Free Officers, who led the 1952 coup, and argues that the relational concept of trajectory allows the reconstruction of history at the intersection between the lived experience of an individual and the network of agents engaged in the same fields.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL ATTITUDE TO KNOWLEDGE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LAW

The article provides an understanding of the concept of technological relation to legal knowledge. It is shown that the methodology of the technological relationship to legal knowledge is a complex problem that can be solved on the basis of a constructive dialogue between developers of artificial intelligent systems and representatives of humanitarian sciences. It is substantiated that the use of knowledge as a material contributes to the transformation of law in the digital world.

LEXICAL PROFILE OF A TURKISH SADNESS VERB DERTLEN-: A CORPUS DRIVEN ANALYSIS

This Study employs a corpus driven approach to analyze the lexical profile of a Turkish verb that communicates sadness which is considered to be a negative emotion. The study focuses on the data obtained from Turkish National Corpus (TNC) within the framework of Extended Lexical Units offered by (Stubbs, 2005). Depending on the concordance lines of the verb dertlen- its syntactic properties, collocational tendencies, context dependent semantic and pragmatic qualifications were identified to understand the probable semantic value of it in terms of cognitive traits of sadness. It was found that dertlen- refers to a sadness which is derived from others’ troubles rather than self-related issues and this finding was discussed within the framework of empathy- altruism hypothesis (Batson,1991). From this respect, the verb gives some clues about the Turkish culture which is characterized with ‘altruistic’ behavior. The study also shows that dertlen- refers to past/present time negativities more frequently when compared to future related sadness concepts. Underlining the validity of corpus-driven approaches, the corpus data demonstrated that this sadness verb has its own cognitive patterns and this schematic nature of dertlen- dictates a particular linguistic environment which also shapes semantic and pragmatic load of the verb. Finally, thanks to this research, we were able to place dertlen- correctly inside Scherer's (2001) cognitive evaluation patterns for sadness.

Mapping the postwar legacies of eugenics in socialist countries: a conceptual history of eugenics in Hungary

The paper aims to understand the various legacies of eugenics in the postwar period to recognize both the continuities and discontinuities of eugenics with an approach which is both conceptually sound and historically correct. Building on earlier work of Lene Koch, the paper endeavours to chart the historical trajectory of eugenics by examining how its definition and those of its related or oppositional concepts have evolved within selected lexicon entries across various stages of the century. The inclusion and publication of a concept within a lexicon indicate its significance, linguistic vitality, and prevalence in public discourse. These entries serve as a window into the contemporary understanding and application of concepts over an entire century, offering insights into the practices of eugenics as interpreted by the authoritative scholars of the era. Additionally, these lexicon entries offer more than just a mirror to the past’s prevailing attitudes. The very act of articulating a concept may be viewed as a pivotal element in social struggles, influencing the course of eugenic practices and their interpretations. Both conceptual history and discourse analysis share common ground in their perception of concepts, considering the use of language as a social activity endowed with performative capabilities. They recognize that language does not merely reflect reality but can actively shape it, playing a significant role in societal dynamics and power relations. The Hungarian lexicon entries on eugenics reveal notable disparities in the identified content, the periodization, and the evolution of changes when compared to Lene Koch’s earlier study on Scandinavian eugenics. In Hungary, the concept of eugenics underwent significant changes over four successive periods. The history and interpretation of eugenics can vary significantly from one country to another. Different nations have had their unique experiences and trajectories with the eugenics movement, which have been shaped by their specific cultural, political, and social contexts. These variations emphasize the importance of considering the localized and historical perspectives when examining the concept of eugenics.

Exploring the theory and ethics of autoethnographic social research with adult survivors of childchood sexual abuse (CSA)

This paper deals with the phenomenon of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) as an experience of those overpowered by it in the past: the survivors. It introduces on-going autoethnographic social research, on survivors of CSA by a survivor of CSA. The theoretical foundation and context of the research is delved into in detail, before giving an outline of ongoing research of the author. The empowerment theory is used as the main theoretical orientation, tagging other related concepts onto it, before linking it to the research methodology. This practice is autoethnographic and arts-based, as well as activist, as it has the aim at being a tool to empower both the participant and researcher alike. Ethics of such research are considered and ethical approaches are proposed, in order to strike a balance between protection and safety, as well as participation and visibility. This paper frames the act of abuse as overpowering, and focuses on the subsequent process of empowerment, post-abuse. The research has two main agendas: to keep the body in the forefront of the investigation, defined as every part of the human body, including the mind; and the survivors' process of empowerment. The paper ends with conclusions and considerations based on the theoretical framework but also the hypothetical, not yet conducted part of the research. This paper gives an insight into the process of research development, a snapshot of the journey of a novel researcher.

Marvel in the Algerian Folk Tale: ‘The Tale of Djamila and the Ogre’

The concept of Marvel has emerged as a significant term in contemporary discourse, leading to considerable debate due to its intersection with other related concepts. It is essential to highlight the close relationship between the term Marvel and folk literature, given the distinctive nature of folk literature characterized by its incorporation of Marvel in its characters, settings, and themes. This study aims to delve into the notion of the folk tale and subsequently identify instances of marvel in a tale drawn from Algerian heritage, through the analysis of a specific model entitled The Tale of Djamila and the Ogre

Energy-Saving Construction Technologies for Buildings

The development of the construction industry is shifting towards low-carbon construction, so it is necessary to improve and optimize related construction concepts, methods, and processes. By improving resource and energy control efficiency in building projects, minimizing construction waste, and reducing environmental impact, a foundation for the sustainable development of the industry can be established. This paper mainly analyzes the significance of low-carbon energy-saving construction technology and the control factors of construction, summarizes the status quo of the development of building energy-saving construction, and puts forward strategies for applying building energy-saving construction technology. These strategies serve to achieve low-carbon and energy-saving goals to promote the healthy development of energy-saving construction.

“Exploring the relationship of organizational virtuousness, citizenship behavior, job performance, and combatting ostracism” through structural equational modeling

BackgroundThis theoretical model has been drawn on principles of social exchange theory to scrutinize the connection between organizational virtuousness and job performance with the mediating role of Organizational citizenship behavior and moderating role of workplace ostracism. A survey was conducted in Pakistan, gathering data from 486 employees working for various private and commercial banks.MethodSoft and hard questionnaires were distributed to the participants, with social media platforms used for the soft questionnaires and meetings with employees for the hard questionnaires. A 7-point Likert scale was employed in data collection, and measures for the variables were adapted from reliable and valid sources. A demographic analysis was performed to summarize the sample collected from participants. The demographics results were analyzed using SPSS, while the measurement model and path analysis were conducted using Structural Equational Modeling with Smart PLS-4.ResultsThe study’s findings showed a significant and positive relationship between organizational virtuousness and job performance, with organizational citizenship behavior serving as a mediator. Additionally, a negative moderation of workplace ostracism was observed in the mediation of organizational citizenship behavior toward the relationship between organizational virtuousness and job performance.ConclusionThe study’s results contribute to the implementation of social exchange theory and related concepts in the banking sector of Pakistan, providing practical guidance for implementing virtuous practices within organizations and discouraging ostracism in banks to enhance overall performance. The study suggests that policies regarding the implementation of virtuous practices in organizations can be established, and workplace ostracism can be avoided by providing a platform for social gatherings and training employees. Managers should adopt appropriate leadership styles and relevant communication patterns to impact the organizational climate which can also help reduce the influence of ostracism in the organization. Additionally, a complaint cell should be established with complete confidentiality to reduce ostracism.