Relational Processes Research Articles

From impact to impacting: A pragmatist perspective on tackling grand challenges

Scholars have long sought to impact management practice. However, the current conceptualization of impact is grounded in dualisms, separating researchers from managers, means from ends, and thought from action. Such a dualistic understanding of impact hampers researchers’ and managers’ ability to achieve impact. Nowhere is this issue more acute than in the context of grand challenges, which require researchers and managers to work together closely. As a way forward, we propose a pragmatist perspective on impact, where impact is not seen as a one-time, unidirectional event, but rather as a relational and recursive process. By overcoming dualisms in traditional approaches to impact, pragmatist impacting can help advance progress on grand challenges and our current understanding of co-creation. In this article, we illustrate pragmatist impact ing and reflect on its opportunities and challenges through our experience at Innovation North, an innovation laboratory that brought together researchers and managers to co-create a systems innovation process.

A Collective Case Study of Parent–Athlete–Coach Triads in British Youth Tennis

While important for athletic development and well-being in youth sport, knowledge remains limited around the processes underpinning triadic relationships between parents, athletes, and coaches. This study aimed to examine the relational processes that drive the functioning of parent–athlete–coach triads across three developmental stages of youth tennis. Using a collective-case-study design, 10 players, 10 coaches, and 9 mothers completed preinterview tasks and semistructured interviews and provided conversational history. Reflexive thematic analysis led to the generation of two higher order themes: foundations of relationship quality and factors enabling team effectiveness. Findings highlighted how specific relationship qualities (i.e., commitment, trust, respect, and parent–coach proximity) and team effectiveness constructs (i.e., shared goals, collaborative and adjusted roles, support, and role-specific communication) served to facilitate the tennis experience for triads. Scholars are encouraged to consider integrating small-group principles (e.g., team building) into tailored support programs that address the psychosocial needs of the triad.

Jewish/non-Jewish encounters in corridors and staircases: narrowing down everyday life in liminal spaces

ABSTRACT Contrary to historiographical narratives about Jewish seclusion in European cities at the turn of the twentieth century, we argue that Jews and non-Jews mingled and developed relationships on a daily basis in residential and everyday spaces. We develop the concept of liminal topographies to show how the transient, in-between material structures of staircases and corridors in two such disparate case studies as Stockholm and Vienna facilitated Jewish/non-Jewish relational arenas for the broader masses. Combining digital mapping, visual analysis and text analysis, this approach expands the field of Jewish spatiality by underlining the link between absolute spaces and relational processes.

How Peer Victimization in Childhood Affects Social Networking Addiction in Adulthood: An Examination of the Mediating Roles of Social Anxiety and Perceived Loneliness

ABSTRACT Research to date has rarely addressed the association between peer victimization in childhood and social networking addiction in adulthood, much less the internal mechanism underlying that association. By integrating the relational self-system processes model and the cognitive–behavioral model of pathological internet use, our study marked an initial effort to explore whether social anxiety and perceived loneliness independently and/or sequentially mediate the impact of peer victimization on social networking addiction. Using school-based random cluster sampling, we recruited 1,136 students at various colleges in eastern, central, and western China (mean age = 21.98 years, 56.2% women) to complete an online survey. The results confirmed social anxiety’s single mediation effect, perceived loneliness’s single mediation effect, and the serial mediation effect of social anxiety and perceived loneliness between peer victimization and social networking addiction. The findings suggest that certain psychopathological and cognitive factors mediate the effect of peer victimization in childhood on individuals’ symptoms of social networking addiction in adulthood both independently and sequentially. Our research contributes to clarifying how interpersonal stressors lead to psychopathological symptoms, maladaptive cognitions, and, in turn, addictive behavior, which has important implications for theory, interventions, and future research.

Ethnography beyond the tribe: from immersion to “committed localism” in the study of relational work

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to propose a shift from the ideal of immersion to a practice of “committed localism” in the ethnographic study of relational work in the post-bureaucratic and service-based economy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on ethnographic fieldwork following management consultancy projects in a hospital and a manufacturing company in Denmark. The approach was predicated on committed attention to the everyday of consultancy work activities and associated relational dynamics. This involved being present at the client sites, observing and listening in concrete situations of interaction and engaging in conversations with the multiple actors involved, both external consultants and members of client organisations.FindingsThe paper shows how “committed localism” was practiced in the ethnographic study of management consultancy as it is relationally accomplished in and through concrete situations of interaction between consultants and different actors in client organizations and the associated meaning production of the involved actors.Originality/valueThe paper develops the notion of “committed localism”, originally introduced by George Marcus, into a methodological concept to challenge the conventional ideal of immersion as the hallmark of “proper” ethnography. Such a shift is particularly pertinent for the ethnographic study of relational processes involving multiple actors occupying different positions in the temporary social spaces of contemporary workplaces.

“He Is Still Your Father”: Tetherings, Social Welfare, and Troubled Parental Maintenance Litigation in Taiwan

This article is a story about tetherings, a concept that illuminates the power of law in the relational dynamics of individual-family-state. The concept emerges from my qualitative study of parental maintenance litigation in Taiwan over the provision of financial support to troublous parents, who mistreated their children when they were young. Troubled parental maintenance litigation arises when nobody wants to look after these elderly people, and the state restricts their access to social welfare by holding their estranged children financially responsible. Such litigation leads to empowerments and disempowerments for litigants, as well as legal reform and detriments for the state. Bridging sociolegal scholarship on continuing relations with feminist vulnerability theory, “tetherings” is both an empirical and a normative concept concerned with the relational nature of power, and the openness of humans and institutions to harms and other changes. The concept is empirical, being the paradigm through which I trace disputes and other relational processes of individual-family-state; it is normative because my empirical analysis aims to expose the state’s workings and detail how people respond to law and power that binds them to one another and the state. “Tetherings” advances feminist vulnerability theory and offers a circumspectly optimistic view on the potential of law.

Relational Identity and Relationship Functioning in Emerging Adulthood: A Brief Report

Developing a coherent sense of self and establishing a long-term relationship are two developmental tasks during emerging adulthood. Guided by psychosocial developmental theory, this study explores the associations between relational identity processes (commitment, in-depth exploration, reconsideration of commitments) and relationship outcomes (satisfaction and stability) using a large sample of Spanish emerging adults in a romantic relationship. Results revealed that commitment as part of relational identity is associated with higher relationship satisfaction and stability, while reconsideration of commitments is associated with lower relationship satisfaction and stability. Gender acted as a moderator between in-depth exploration and relationship outcomes, with males reporting more positive associations compared to females. This study expands identity theory by demonstrating how relational identity is crucial when understanding relationship outcomes in emerging adulthood.

Study supports for rural mature-aged university health students: a Stakian multicase study

Background The participation and success of university health students in rural areas is critical in addressing the maldistribution of the rural health workforces internationally. Particular attention to the experiences of mature-aged health students is needed to build a sustainable rural health workforce, given the higher proportions of mature-aged university students in rural, regional and remote areas compared with metropolitan areas and rural mature-aged students wanting to stay in their communities. However, little is known about the kinds of supports rural mature-aged students require to succeed with their studies.Methods Drawing on rural standpoint theory and using structural inequality as a retention lens, we explored the current and potential supports that rural mature-aged nursing and allied health students require to successfully participate and complete their pre-professional university course. A Stakian multicase study was undertaken with cases at three rural university campuses in Australia. The data collection was primarily qualitative, with semi-structured interviews, campus surveys and focus groups involving 36 participants (including students, academic and professional staff, and placement supervisors).ResultsThis study found supports were provided formally and informally by the university, by the community and manifested by students. Several support gaps as well as potential supports to alleviate them were identified. These include formally acknowledging the mature-aged cohort and their diverse experiences and non-university commitments; fostering connections between mature-aged students; making university affordable; preparing mature-aged students for university; adapting course content and delivery; and restructuring placements for mature-aged students.ConclusionsWe argue that rural mature-aged nursing and allied health students require supports that are age-specific, appropriate to the community context, and harness existing relational processes of rural university campus activity. Rural university campuses need to involve rural mature-aged students and other stakeholders relevant to each context in the process of identifying and implementing student supports for this cohort.

Moving out to live independently? experiences from young women with intellectual disabilities in Norway

ABSTRACT This article explores the process of four women in Norway moving into their own apartment, emphasizing how they experienced the process in relation to self-determination and living independently. Persons with intellectual disabilities have been deprived of equality and human rights compared to non-disabled persons. They have been equated with a special form of vulnerability perceiving them not to have status as autonomous or capacity to lead self-determined lives. Based on participatory research applying a dialogue conference-inspired method, this article challenges how services are built based on municipal structures, rather than around the persons receiving the services.

Statement-Grained Hierarchy Enhanced Code Summarization

Code summarization plays a vital role in aiding developers with program comprehension by generating corresponding textual descriptions for code snippets. While recent approaches have concentrated on encoding the textual and structural characteristics of source code, they often neglect the global hierarchical features, causing limited code representation. Addressing this gap, our paper introduces the statement-grained hierarchy enhanced Transformer model (SHT), a novel framework that integrates global hierarchy, syntax, and token sequences to automatically generate summaries for code snippets. SHT is distinctively designed with two encoders to learn both hierarchical and sequential features of code. One relational attention encoder processes the statement-grained hierarchical graph, producing hierarchical embeddings. Subsequently, another sequence encoder integrates these hierarchical structures with token sequences. The resulting enriched representation is then fed into a vanilla Transformer decoder, which effectively generates concise and informative summarizations. Our extensive experiments demonstrate that SHT significantly outperforms state-of-the-art approaches on two widely used Java benchmarks. This underscores the effectiveness of incorporating global hierarchical information in enhancing the quality of code summarizations.

Prioritizing factors for the adoption of IoT-based smart irrigation in Saudi Arabia: a GRA/AHP approach

The irrigation sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) confronts a range of obstacles, such as scarce water resources, the elevated salinity and alkalinity of irrigation water, inefficient irrigation practices, and inter-sectoral competition for water resources. These challenges have led to diminishing agricultural yields and abandonment of arable lands. Internet of Things (IoT)-based irrigation systems present a promising remedy for these issues. By curbing water wastage and ensuring precise water delivery to crops, IoT-based irrigation systems offer a viable solution to the challenges entrenched in traditional irrigation methodologies in KSA. However, the widespread implementation of an IoT-based Smart Irrigation System (I-SIMS) poses a multifaceted and intricate challenge in KSA. This study is focused on the identification of the factors and challenges through a systematic review and ranking of the challenges/factors that exert a significant influence on the adoption of I-SIMS. Ranking aids in determining the importance of various alternatives. It enables locating the best options that support the required objectives in complex decision situations. The study employs both Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methodologies to prioritize these factors. The study’s conclusive findings indicate that among the challenges, technical expertise and security measures emerge as the foremost concerns that demand attention.

Patterns of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication During Sex.

Sexual communication functions as an important relational process expediating satisfying sexual experiences (Sprecher & Hendrick, 2004). Much of the existing literature on sexual communication concerning sexual pleasure biases verbal communication (Babin, 2012). This study adds to the existing research regarding patterns of communication surrounding sex and during sex through qualitative analysis. Further, this inquiry focused on participants' full histories, rather than their tendencies within any current relationship. We analyzed 78 qualitative interview transcripts from participants between the ages of 18 and 69. Participants reported a reluctance to communicate anything but pleasure, discomfort, or dislike during sex to avoid discouraging their partners. Though participants reported a perception that communicating pleasure served as encouragement and affirmation to their partners, most preferred to communicate pleasure nonverbally. Some participants reported a tendency to communicate pain or dislike verbally. Some preferred communication about sexual topics only before or after sexual activities. Participants shared that a high level of comfort with their partner increased sexual communication. How sexual partners communicate sex not only affects pleasure but can only affect intimacy between partners and health. This adds to the scant literature on nonverbal communication during sex and some people's preference for that style (Blunt-Vinti et al., 2019).

Electronic Partner Notification for Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Qualitative Assessment of Patient, Clinical Staff, and State Field Epidemiologist Perspectives.

In Massachusetts (MA), partner notification is routinely offered for new HIV and infectious syphilis cases, but there are no formal partner notification services for gonorrhea and chlamydia. Electronic partner notification (ePN), which allows patients to anonymously notify their partners of sexually transmitted infection exposure, could fill this gap. We evaluated the acceptability of and ideal characteristics for a statewide ePN service in MA. We performed semistructured interviews with patients at a Boston area sexual health clinic and conducted focus groups with clinicians and Massachusetts Department of Public Health Field Epidemiologists (FEs). We developed a codebook and thematically analyzed interview and focus group data; 25% of interviews were double coded. We identified six main themes from our data: (1) partner notification is a relational process and (2) partner notification is situation dependent. There are three pairs of challenges and core values for an effective ePN system: (3) stigmatization versus inclusivity, (4) trust versus mistrust, and (5) privacy versus helpful information sharing. Therefore, (6) a statewide ePN platform must be customizable at each possible step. Although ePN was acceptable across all three groups, the likelihood of individual use was grounded in a patient's sociocultural context, interpersonal relationships, trust in the platform and health authorities, desire to avoid stigmatization, and privacy needs. These factors are best accommodated by a platform that adapts to users' preferences and needs. ePN presents an opportunity to link partners at risk for gonorrhea or chlamydia to clinical care that is complementary to the more labor-intensive FE role.

Transitivity Process in Sia’s Selected Songs Lyrics

The focus of this research is to find the usage of the transitivity processes in SIA’s selected song lyrics. This research is descriptive qualitative research. This study attempts to identify and investigate transitivity mechanisms that are employed in the SIA’s selected song lyrics. The source data of this research are the five selected song lyrics of SIA. Meanwhile, the data of this research are the clauses that used transitivity processes in SIA’s selected song lyrics. The interactive model is used to analyze the research's data. The results show that five of SIA’s song lyrics contain all six categories of transitivity processes, which include mental, relational, material, verbal, behavioral, and existential processes. From the six types of transitivity processes that are found, the material process is dominantly used in SIA’s selected song lyrics. It suggests a connection between the physical activity that occurs in the social phenomenon and the lyrics of the songs chosen by SIA. In order to fully comprehend the song's meaning, readers should be aware of transitivity processes. Along with that, it also benefits the songwriter by giving them more freedom to craft lyrics with a variety of language.

Autonomous Learning Process and English Language Autonomy among Grade 10 Learners in Camp Vicente Lim Integrated School

The main thrust of this study was to determine the level of manifestation of autonomous learning process in relation to the level of English language autonomy of Grade 10 learners in Camp Vicente Lim Integrated School and to be assured that autonomous learning process and language autonomy is successfully implemented and developed most especially among the public school. The action plan for implementing autonomous learning process and improving the level of language autonomy was the output of the study.This study followed the descriptive-correlational method design. Through simple random sampling, the respondents were the 250 Grade 10 learners randomly picked from different sections. Validated researcher-made survey instruments were used for gathering of data. Using four-point Likert Scale and the simple mean, and Pearson-r correlation coefficient, findings revealed that autonomous learning process was highly manifested among Grade 10 learners and the learners’ level of language autonomy was also highly manifested. As regards the relationship between the manifestation of autonomous learning process and language autonomy, the result indicated a significant relationship.

Speech Manipulation and Perception of Oral Speech in Court‑Hearing Online Communication

The article considers the peculiarity of speech communication in the conditions of the use of remote technologies (videoconferencing) by the participants of the process in relation to the possibility of using manipulative speech means of influencing the addressee. The influence of technical communication channels and means of sound reproduction, which introduce distortions into speech signals, on the production and perception of speech is noted. It is concluded that the participants, directly and remotely present in the courtroom, have different opportunities to use the arsenal of verbal and non-verbal means of persuading the court through manipulative and non-manipulative influence.

A Study of the Metafunctions of Lombok Regional Slogans: Systemic Functional Linguistics Analysis

Slogans are now an essential aspect of daily life, commonly encountered in both public businesses and industries such as soft drinks, food, fashion, cosmetics, and markets. While many slogans are written in the national language, numerous others are composed in local dialects. In Indonesia, every region has its own slogan in the local language. On the island of Lombok, there are four regions, and each has its own slogan in the local language, conveying a variety of messages to the inhabitants. But numerous people from Lombok, especially the younger generation, are unable to understand the meaning and message conveyed through the slogans. As a result, this study is aimed at (1). An analysis of the metafunction conveyed by district slogans on Lombok Island, WNT Province, and (2) Determine the type of transitivity system process that is predominantly used in district slogans on Lombok Island, WNT Province. The study employed a descriptive qualitative and quantitative research design. The sample respondents were selected through purposive sampling and data was collected using survey, observation, and interview methods. Results indicate that the slogan encompasses ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions, and also involves material, mental, relational, behavioural, and extension transitivity system processes. Quantitatively, the slogan employs 28 types of processes, with material processes making up the majority (27%), followed by relational processes (23%) and behavioural processes (19%). The slogan text does not contain any verbal processes. Participants related to the slogan text include human resources, goals, actors, sensing, phenomena, and behaviour.

Exploring individuals' experiences of hope in mental health recovery: Having a sense of possibility.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Mental health recovery is acknowledged as a process of transformation and a way of living a meaningful life despite the presence of mental ill-health. Experiencing hope has been articulated as intrinsic to service users experience of a meaningful life. The social construction of mental illness and stigma are recognised as barriers to experiencing hope. Mental health professionals have responsibility to positively influence the experience of hope. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Individuals in mental health recovery experience hope as the embodiment of having a sense of possibility in life. Individuals' sense of possibility in life is underpinned by a belief and confidence that they will be ok. This belief is informed by 'feeling safe' and 'feeling connected'. This article generates an increased understanding of the dynamic relational processes that unpin hope generation. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH NURSING PRACTICE?: Mental health stakeholders need to be more explicit in exploring 'hope' and uncovering its therapeutic potential. Mental health practitioners need skill in enabling individuals to feel safe and connected while understanding its role in cultivating hope. ABSTRACT: Introduction The experience of hope is widely acknowledged and empirically supported as a key catalyst of mental health recovery. Lived experience accounts of hope are critical in accessing data on what has been termed a nebulous concept. This article is the second presentation of data from this study and provides further context to improve understanding of hope and optimise its therapeutic potential. Aim To explore how individuals describe and make sense of their experience of hope in mental health recovery. Method A qualitative Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used. Results This article explores the second of three experiential group themes: Hope as Having a sense of possibility 'I will be ok' which is informed by feeling safe and feeling connected. Discussion Having a sense of possibility is easier when basic needs are met and people feel connected to self, others and the universe. The use of creativity as a pathway to the imagination is positively experienced. The role of family, friends and healthcare professionals as hope reservoirs is critical. Finally, the framing of medication use emerged as significant. Implications for Practice It is important that all stakeholders appreciate the interpretation of hope and use the understanding and skill in harnessing its therapeutic potential.

Cocoa and compliance: How exemptions made mass expulsion in Ghana

ABSTRACT ‘Mass expulsion’ was rarely so ‘mass’ in its application. It was often enforced through exceptions as much as the rule, through the ad-hoc actions of individual citizens and migrants, as much as by the executive branches of independence-era governments. On November 18, 1969, Kofi Abrefa Busia, the newly elected Prime Minister of Ghana, issued the Aliens Compliance Order, requiring all undocumented immigrants, those without valid residence permits, to leave the nation within fourteen days. Since mass expulsion orders are enacted by decrees such as Busia’s, they are overwhelmingly analyzed as tool of executive authority. But this analytical glossing lends too much authority to the state’s executive branch, overlooking the role of West African peoples’ thoughts, expressions, and interpretations in the process of mass expulsion. Petitions for exemptions to the expulsion order in Ghana’s cocoa industry, the nation’s leading export crop, reveal how various segments of the Ghanaian government (cabinet ministers, union leaders, and members of regional security councils) and society (Ghanaian chiefs, farm owners, and alien laborers) pried open the Order’s contradictions to shape both the targets of expulsion and the ad-hoc means by which it was carried out. Mass expulsion was a relational process; not a singular event but an iterative renegotiation of political mobilities. This article turns our attention, more broadly, to how diverse members of African societies at independence shaped ‘state’ policies as well as the meaning and measure of African citizenship.

Technical and relational process in MI sessions with a sample of Hispanic/Latinx adults who engage in heavy drinking: A latent growth mediation model

The current study tests the Motivational Interviewing (MI) technical and relational hypotheses in a sample of Hispanic/Latinx adults (N = 276) who engage in heavy alcohol consumption. MI causal theory hypothesizes that therapist use of MI consistent skills (i.e., technical hypothesis) and embodiment of the MI Spirit (i.e., relational hypothesis) will elicit client change talk, which is a putative mechanism of positive client outcome after the session. We tested these associations in a rigorous parallel process latent growth curve mediation modeling framework. The data are from a completed randomized clinical trial of a culturally-adapted (CAMI) versus un-adapted MI targeting hazardous alcohol use and consequences. Results. The unconditional growth models for the mediator (i.e., proportion of change talk relative to sustain talk) and two study outcomes (i.e., percent of heavy drinking days; alcohol-related consequences) showed a linear effect over a 12-month period with a slower rate of growth at later timepoints. Contrary to expectations, the latent growth mediation models did not show relationships between MI-consistent skills (i.e., technical predictor) or latent MI Spirit (i.e., relational indicator) and the slope factor for proportion change talk. The slope factor for proportion change talk was also not associated with the slope factors for percent heavy drinking and consequences over follow-up. Conclusions. In this novel population for MI process analysis, the technical and relational hypotheses were not supported. Studies that are exploratory may be needed to further investigate the causal model in populations that are not often represented in MI process research.