Movement Research Research Articles

Students’ Mathematical Thinking in Movement

AbstractMathematics education research is increasingly focused on how students’ movement interacts with their cognition. Although usually characterized as embodiment research, movement research often theorizes the body in diverse ways. Ingold (Making: Anthropology, archaeology, art and architecture, 2013) proposes that thinking and knowing emerge from the entwined, dynamic flows of human and non-human materials in a process called making and, following Sheets-Johnstone (The primacy of movement (Vol. 82), 2011), contends that humans think in movement. The study that this paper draws on employs Ingold’s making to study students’ movement during mathematical problem solving. In this paper I also recruit Laban’s movement elements (Laban & Ullmann, 1966/2011) as a framework to describe and analyse how the body moves in space and time and to incorporate the often-forgotten dynamic qualities of movement. This paper investigates the movement of a small group of tertiary students as they engage with a mathematical prompt (a task in Abstract Algebra), using thick description, to answer the questions: (1) How do students think mathematically in movement? (2) How do Laban’s elements help inform research into students’ movement? Through the lens of Laban’s movement elements, my analysis demonstrates that students think mathematically in movement. These findings suggest that mathematics educators may be overlooking valuable instances of students’ mathematical thinking and knowing: the thinking and knowing in movement which may not be available through verbalizations or artefacts. Although thinking in movement does not fit a traditional conceptualization of undergraduate mathematics, which privileges written communication heavily reliant on notation, to understand students’ mathematical cognition more comprehensively, mathematics educators need to reconsider and appreciate students’ mathematical thinking in movement.

The incipient motion safety factor of sediment considers the coupling between the surface and subsurface flows under multi-motion modes

The incipient movement of sediment particles in natural rivers under the action of water scour has remained a key issue in river sediment movement research. In this study, we establish a mathematical coupling model between surface and subsurface flows for investigating the interface velocity. The Navier-Stokes equation and Darcy's law are employed to describe surface and subsurface water flows, respectively. The interface velocity U between surface and subsurface flows is derived by introducing the Beavers–Joseph boundary conditions. Furthermore, based on the force equilibrium of a single particle, combined with three incipient modes, namely, sliding, rolling, and saltation, analytical solutions are derived for the critical instantaneous bottom velocity u0, and mean incoming velocity. The derived analytical solutions exhibit a higher computational accuracy than existing flume test data and classical flow velocity model results, with relative errors less than 12 %. Furthermore, the incipient motion state of sediment particles can be directly assessed by defining the critical incipient safety factor for particle motion (i.e., k = U/u0). Sensitivity analysis of the safety factor for sediment particle motion reveals a nonlinear positive correlation with the slope angle, riverbed permeability, riverbed porosity, and hydraulic gradient, while indicating a linear positive correlation with the water depth. However, a nonlinear negative correlation is observed with the B-J coefficient, relative exposure degree, and sediment particle dry bulk density. The safety factor shows a rapid decrease followed by a stabilizing trend with increasing B-J coefficient. Additionally, the safety factor first increases and then decreases with increasing in sediment particle size.

Encyclopedia of Relations: Observing through Embodiment and Movement Research

The present paper proposes a (post- and) eco-critical reading of Alexandra Pirici’s ongoing action, Encyclopedia of Relations, staged at the Venice Biennale in 2022. While it addresses a considerable gap within Romanian performance art studies, this article aims to offer a case study of how artistic practice can generate alternative modes of being together. With no doubt, as Rosi Braidotti stated at the Biennale conference, the art exhibited at the 2022 edition works collaboratively with theory to become an imaginative tool of research. Following this lead, the article discusses Pirici’s performative work that takes the task of exploring non-human relational modes through cognitive embodiment. This approach underlines how performance art practices move beyond the aesthetic sphere, projecting solutions to emerging environmental crises and offering a fresh perspective on knowledge production.

New Trends in Civic Activism in Central and Eastern Europe

Transitions, democratization and recent democratic backsliding in CEE provide a rich context for examining the meaning and shifting of civic activism and how people participate and organize in civil society today. This article offers a fresh and comparative analysis based on empirical data on the question of what motivates formal and informal activism, and the potentially transformative role of civil society that has recently faced such challenges as democratic backsliding, shrinking public space and polarization. It looks specifically at the responses of Polish and Hungarian activists and advocacy CSOs to these new challenges. Their strategies bring an important lesson on how civil society actors can adapt, continue their mission, or even turn challenges into opportunities. These new trends indicate that civic space in CEE is shifting which is further influenced by the reactions to new forms of social, economic and political crises. It is argued that this shift and the new trends in civic activism require not only fresh empirical data, but also a revision of normative and methodological approaches that have so far been used in civil society and social movement research.

Militant Research in the Housing Movement: The Community Action Tenants Union Rent Strike History Project

AbstractKnowledge generated by and with radical housing movements is necessary to achieve a more just housing system. This article analyses a militant research project involving collective investigation of the history of rent strikes in Ireland undertaken within the Community Action Tenants Union Ireland. Drawing on the tradition of workers’ inquiry, it explores the relationships between militant research, class composition, and radical history, and how collective investigation of housing movement history might contribute to contemporary organising. The article is based on both oral history and archival research as well as reflections on the research process. The analysis focuses on how the project has or might contribute to current organising efforts through lessons drawn from historical analysis and connections developed through the research process, while also identifying tensions between research and organising. Overall, it highlights the value of radical history research as a form of organising and strategy for political recomposition.

Decreased fetal movements: Report from the International Stillbirth Alliance conference workshop.

Maternal reports of decreased fetal movement (DFM) are a common reason to present to maternity care and are associated with stillbirth and other adverse outcomes. Promoting awareness of fetal movements and prompt assessment of DFM has been recommended to reduce stillbirths. However, evidence to guide clinical management of such presentations is limited. Educational approaches to increasing awareness of fetal movements in pregnant women and maternity care providers with the aim of reducing stillbirths have recently been evaluated in a several large clinical trials internationally. The International Stillbirth Alliance Virtual Conference in Sydney 2021 provided an opportunity for international experts in fetal movements to share reports on the findings of fetal movement awareness trials, consider evidence for biological mechanisms linking DFM and fetal death, appraise approaches to clinical assessment of DFM, and highlight research priorities in this area. Following this workshop summaries of the sessions prepared by the authors provide an overview of understandings of fetal movements in maternity care at the current time and highlights future directions in fetal movement research.

Between Peripherality and Privilege: “Women Wage Peace” as a Case Study of Intersectionality Practices in Women’s Movements

Abstract This article analyzes Women Wage Peace (WWP), an Israeli grassroots peace movement, as a case study of intersectionality in women’s movements. Using an ethnographic model based on semi-structured interviews with previous and current movement members, I investigate the dilemmas and strategies of WWP in its pursuit of a diverse membership base, a goal considered unique in Israeli peace discourse. This study contributes to understanding intersectional theory and practice, explaining why such an approach is not (always) effective in women’s movements despite the best intentions. Examining WWP through the lens of peripherality and privilege highlights the movement’s hierarchical power structure, identifying the places where intersectional awareness does not translate into political practice. By providing examples of the challenges of intersectionality in women’s movements, these findings offer a response to the need for more nuanced analysis in current feminist and social movement research.

94 Digitized Archimedes Spiral Drawing in the NKI-Rockland Sample

Objective:Digital cognitive assessments (DCAs) provide insight into cognition and behavior that remains inaccessible through standard assessment approaches. However, the availability of DCAs and the requisite toolkits to extract and analyze meaningful features from these datasets are largely constrained to technical specialists or through fee-for-service commercial entities. The NKI- Rockland Sample provides a large- scale lifespan data sample featuring DCAs, and also openly shares its DCA tasks through the open-source MindLogger platform along with pipelines for feature extraction and analyses. Here we present normative performance from a digital version of Archimedes Spiral Drawing.Participants and Methods:NKI-RS2 participants were largely drawn from the existing NKI-RS participant pool (n= 1,500), aged 885. The NKI-RS2 is in year 1 of data collection; here, we report on a subset of participants (n= 9) who performed a digitized version of the Archimedes Spiral Drawing task. This graphomotor task with well-established research and clinical utility in movement disordered populations was adapted for use for off-the-shelf tablet devices. The NKI-RS2 implements these tasks on an Apple iPad Pro2, sampling participant drawing at 120Hz, and featuring pixel- and millisecond- level resolution for all tasks. On the Spiral Drawing and Recall Tests participants traced five Archimedes spirals from the center outward through four windings presented on the iPad. They were then asked to replicate the spiral freehand three times. From these spiral drawings, we extracted time to completion, distance covered, speed/ speed variability, rotational smoothness, number of crossings, mean absolute error, bias, and goodness of fit to the ideal Archimedes spiral.Results:Comparing the tracing and recall conditions, participants showed significantly faster drawing speed (t[8]=5.32, p< .001), more variable drawing speed (t[8]=5.93, p< .001), reduced goodness of fit to the template t[8]=4.99, p< .002, and reduced rotational smoothness (t[8]=7.43, p< .0003) in the recall conditions. Collapsing across conditions, age predicted more variable drawing speed: t[8]= 2.77 p< .019, greater tracing error (t[8] = 2.69, p< .0227), and reduced rotational smoothness (t[8] = 2.67, p< .024). Between conditions, age predicts a greater increase in drawing speed variability (t[8] = 9.76, p< .0006).Conclusions:Using the open source MindLogger platform and off-the-shelf digital tablets, we were able to replicate classic paper and pen neuropsychological tests. By adapting these tasks to DCA, we were able to extract meaningful features that are not otherwise accessible (drawing speed, variability, etc.), or that would require additional hardware solutions (e.g., dwell time). By making these tasks and their processing pipelines available, the NKI-RS2 can facilitate the democratization of DCA and DCA analysis to a broader range of researchers and clinicians.

Running From the Union Label? Labor and Business Political Mobilization in the Golden Age

This paper assesses labor's political effectiveness in the industrial Midwest at the peak of union strength during the 1950s—a time and place that should have been ripe for labor mobilization. Comparing labor and business mobilization and outcomes across key labor elections, I find that politicians and business groups were often successful in persuading industrial communities to vote against labor's interests while unions struggled to shed outsider and greedy special interest labels. To make sense of labor's mixed performance, I draw on social movement theory and the inter-related nature of union mobilization, countermovement organization, and the framing of labor issues. Labor struggled when facing a well-organized business countermovement, which effectively weaponized the union label against labor. Union success hinged in part on their ability to downplay union identity and to have other more respected community partners do much of the public-facing work, but only when facing a fractured opposition. The findings point to important vulnerabilities unions faced at their peak and suggest a more nuanced view of postwar labor relations. They also extend social movement research on framing by identifying the important role of countermovements and coalitions in shaping what movements can convey and what will resonate.

Using Animal Movement Theory to Inform Visitor Movement Research: Integrating Movement Ecology and Hierarchical Habitat Selection for Outdoor Recreation Contexts

Visitor movement research in outdoor recreation contexts generates information about recreation activity type, timing, and distribution. Much of this work is descriptive or exploratory, limiting the extent to which findings can be used for movement prediction. This is problematic for practitioners seeking to use information on visitor movement to proactively inform management decisions. Using theory to inform visitor movement research can overcome these limitations, increasing the utility of research to make predictions. Drawing from animal ecology, we present an integrated movement ecology and hierarchical habitat selection framework as a theory-based approach for studying visitor movement. We operationalize framework constructs for visitor movement, identify human dimensions literature congruent with this approach, and provide examples to illustrate application. Using the proposed framework will strengthen visitor movement research by providing theory to guide variable identification, identifying relationships for hypothesis testing, increasing the generalizability of findings, and moving the field toward movement prediction.

Trial frame for evaluating eye movements.

Eye movement research is an established methodology and widely used in fundamental research fields such as psychology or neuroscience. Most research is performed in controlled environments with screen-based eye trackers, but demand for a wearable requirement is on the rise. Yet, a state of the art wearable eye tracking system thus far has not been feasible for subjects with refractive errors; therefore, a trial frame is proposed for researching the eye movement of people with or without refractive errors. Two iris cameras and several infrared radiation LEDs were fixed behind the frame for recording eye images. The images were sent to a host computer using 2.4G wireless, which was also fixed on the frame. The entire electronic system in the trial frame was driven using a battery. Eye position in the images was recognized and segmented by a model that was trained through machine learning. Then the pupil and blinks were detected from the segmented eye area using ellipse fitting and the eye aspect ratio. Experiments showed that the correct rate of pupil and blink detections were 97.24% and 96.14%, respectively.

Toward an integrated analysis of social movements and new religious movements research

AbstractDespite calls from researchers for intersectional studies between religion and social movements over the past few decades, scholars have not engaged in fruitful conversation about integrating the two disciplines. This article aims to facilitate such discussion by examining the topic of new religious movements (NRMs). I first review the existing literature on NRMs and discuss why NRM research has been neglected in social movement studies. Then, I explore a few research areas where both NRM studies and social movement research could intersect and benefit from a synthetic approach. Specifically, I suggest that social movement studies could advance through the examination of some relatively ignored subjects of research, such as persistent participation and disengagement, by drawing on empirical cases of NRMs. I also propose ways in which the application of social movement theories would enhance our understanding of different aspects of NRMs, such as their leadership and coalition practices. In making these arguments, I refer to one of the prominent, long‐term NRMs, the Unification Church or Movement, to help illustrate my ideas.

A review of studies on mass-movements on the Moon

The study of the lunar surface is a significant field in exploring the Moon. As a non-negligible geological process shaping the lunar surface, however, the mass movements on the Moon have not been deeply studied regarding all available datasets. In this paper, we report the results of the literature review and quantitative analysis of 965 articles retrieved from the Scopus, WoS, and Astrophysics Data System databases using keyword search terms between the years 1872 and 2022. The main findings show that the lunar mass movements are a lasting but recent prosperous research topic (since 2009). The top three influential journals in this area are Icarus, JGR, and P&SS. Robinson, Lucchitta, and Carr are the most three productive authors. California Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, and Johns Hopkins University are active institutions leading the lunar mass movements research, and the related institutions are mainly located in the United States, Russia, and China. Articles are primarily published in journals specializing in the fields of astronomy and physics. The index analysis of citation indicates the growth of the academic impact of articles about the lunar mass movements. This article summarizes the datasets, methods, and relevant parameters of lunar mass movements to facilitate future research, as well as discussing the limitations and trends in the field. In addition, four unsolved issues are proposed, including: 1) the lack of a comprehensive global database that records all types of landslides incidents; 2) the need for definite classification indicators to quantify the classification criteria for lunar mass movements; 3) the absence of a mathematical model to explain the triggering mechanism of mass movements on the Moon; and 4) the lack of quantitative indexes to evaluate the modification effect of mass movements on the lunar surface morphology. With the support of big data, the combination of artificial intelligence and traditional GIS methods is expected to become the main approach for addressing these issues such a bibliometric analysis can inspire future researchers by exploring the overall characteristics of the published literature on lunar mass movements.

Melting ice and rising seas – connecting projected change in Antarctica’s ice sheets to communities in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT Changes in global mean sea level are a clear indicator of a warming climate, but local factors including land subsidence or uplift, cause changes in relative sea level that drive shoreline shifts. These local changes and their impact on coastal hazards matter to coastal communities. NZ SeaRise produced relative sea level projections for Aotearoa to include the latest global climate and Antarctic Ice Sheet research and estimates of vertical land movement at high spatial resolution. Research-informed communication to the public and planners included a web-based projections tool supplemented by written and visual narratives, and a media engagement plan. This communication, and analysis of media impact, provided a case study for audience-relevant information on sea-level rise. Information regarding shoreline change and evolving hazards, required for risk assessment, was not included in the NZ SeaRise projections. New research is needed to reduce uncertainty in future Antarctic Ice Sheet contribution to sea level, link changes in sea surface height to our dynamic land surface and enhance communication approaches. Several examples of the required research are presented here but ongoing efforts must refine the timing and magnitude of coastline change, better define coastal hazards and risks, and develop appropriate adaptation strategies for unavoidable climate change impacts.

Environmental movements in a material world. A relational perspective on single-use plastic in Penzance, UK

In the discursive battle about the big and important ideas, some topics are considered more important than others and more likely to mobilize society. More recently, marine plastic pollution has become a key topic for environmental movements. In this study, we aimed to contribute to a more detailed understanding of how specific issues of sustainability are brought forth. Conceptually, we argue that recourse to relational theories from science and technology studies might help to strengthen the conceptualization of social movement research. By drawing on the concept of “boundary objects”, we extend the range of social movement approaches in order to better understand how the process of framing is put to work materially. The focus on boundary objects can therefore explain the selective formation of environmental discourses and policies when applied to the field of environmental protection and sustainability.

Factors that influence the adoption of rehabilitation technologies: a multi-disciplinary qualitative exploration

BackgroundTechnological innovation is recognised as having the potential to enhance rehabilitation for people with disability. Yet, resistance to, and abandonment of, rehabilitation technology is prevalent and the successful translation of technology into rehabilitation settings remains limited. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop an in-depth, multi-stakeholder perspective on what influences the adoption of rehabilitation technologies.MethodsSemi-structured focus groups were conducted as part of a larger research project aiming to facilitate the co-design of a novel neurorestorative technology. Focus group data were analysed using a five-phase hybrid deductive-inductive approach to qualitative data analysis.ResultsFocus groups were attended by 43 stakeholders with expertise in one or more of the following fields: people with disability, allied health, human movement science, computer science, design, engineering, ethics, funding, marketing, business, product development, and research development. Six main themes influencing the adoption of technology in rehabilitation were identified: cost beyond the purchase price, benefits to all stakeholders, trust to be earned in technology, ease of technology operation, ability to access technology, and the ‘co’ in co-design. All six themes were found to be interrelated; in particular, the importance of direct stakeholder engagement in the development of rehabilitation technologies (the ‘co’ in co-design) was prevalent in all themes.ConclusionsA range of complex and interrelated factors influence the adoption of rehabilitation technologies. Importantly, many of the issues that have the potential to negatively impact rehabilitation technology adoption may be addressed during development by utilising the experience and expertise of stakeholders who influence its supply and demand. Our findings state that a wider cohort of stakeholders needs to be actively engaged in the development of rehabilitation technologies to better address the factors that contribute to technology underutilisation and abandonment and facilitate better outcomes for people with disability.

Community Voices on the Experiences of Community-Based Participatory Research in the Environmental Justice Movement

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is increasingly being used by academics to address urban health and inequity. While its foundational literature emphasizes CBPR’s role in eschewing the traditional balance of power between communities and institutions, some scholars and grassroots activists note that it has not consistently delivered community-led, action-oriented strategies. Here we examine gaps between theory and current practice of CBPR. First, we assess its fundamental practices through social movement theory. Second, we examine narratives from grassroots leaders who have utilized CBPR in their environmental justice efforts. Three key facilitating factors are often cited for authentic applications of CBPR: (1) grounding research within community-specific opportunities for change, (2) collaborating with a strong community partner, and (3) facilitating flexibility in research processes. Building on previous scholarship, we investigate the complexity of CBPR implementation that may dampen its potency as a social change strategy and highlight the need for nuanced and critical application of best practices to suit local contexts. This is accomplished by pairing the theoretical framework with the experiences of four community leaders who are members of the Moving Forward Network (MFN). Narratives from their experiences with partnering with academic institutions speak to how theoretical complexities with CBPR occur in practice.

A novel tablet-based software for the acquisition and analysis of gaze and eye movement parameters: a preliminary validation study in Parkinson's disease.

The idea that eye movements can reflect certain aspects of brain function and inform on the presence of neurodegeneration is not a new one. Indeed, a growing body of research has shown that several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, present characteristic eye movement anomalies and that specific gaze and eye movement parameters correlate with disease severity. The use of detailed eye movement recordings in research and clinical settings, however, has been limited due to the expensive nature and limited scalability of the required equipment. Here we test a novel technology that can track and measure eye movement parameters using the embedded camera of a mobile tablet. We show that using this technology can replicate several well-known findings regarding oculomotor anomalies in Parkinson's disease (PD), and furthermore show that several parameters significantly correlate with disease severity as assessed with the MDS-UPDRS motor subscale. A logistic regression classifier was able to accurately distinguish PD patients from healthy controls on the basis of six eye movement parameters with a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.86. This tablet-based tool has the potential to accelerate eye movement research via affordable and scalable eye-tracking and aid with the identification of disease status and monitoring of disease progression in clinical settings.

Three-dimensional volumetric muscle reconstruction of the Australopithecus afarensis pelvis and limb, with estimations of limb leverage.

To understand how an extinct species may have moved, we first need to reconstruct the missing soft tissues of the skeleton, which rarely preserve, with an understanding of segmental volume and muscular composition within the body. The Australopithecus afarensis specimen AL 288-1 is one of the most complete hominin skeletons. Despite 40+ years of research, the frequency and efficiency of bipedal movement in this specimen is still debated. Here, 36 muscles of the pelvis and lower limb were reconstructed using three-dimensional polygonal modelling, guided by imaging scan data and muscle scarring. Reconstructed muscle masses and configurations guided musculoskeletal modelling of the lower limb in comparison with a modern human. Results show that the moment arms of both species were comparable, hinting towards similar limb functionality. Moving forward, the polygonal muscle modelling approach has demonstrated promise for reconstructing the soft tissues of hominins and providing information on muscle configuration and space filling. This method demonstrates that volumetric reconstructions are required to know where space must be occupied by muscles and thus where lines of action might not be feasible due to interference with another muscle. This approach is effective for reconstructing muscle volumes in extinct hominins for which musculature is unknown.

Simulation of 2D ground movement due to tunnel excavation using Finite Element Method (FEM)

Sustainability in construction of tunnel is very important to reduce environmental impact and also minimal use of earth resources. Therefore, numerical modelling is proposing at design stage to achieved this objective. To evaluate the changes in soil settlements during tunnel excavation, empirical, analytical, and numerical methods have been frequently applied movement research and the numerical method is effective in anticipating possible underground excavation scenarios. This paper describes the project on prediction of 2D ground movement due to the tunnel excavation by using Finite Element Method via ADONIS with the soil properties data from certain soil section of Goose Creek Tunnel project. The tunnel is in horse-shoe shape and typically be 1.8 m wide by 2.2 m tall. However, in this paper, the tunnel is assumed as a circular tunnel with diameter 2.2 m. This paper is focus on the effects of the constitutive soil models. The influence of type of soil model to the ground settlement is investigated and discussed. The simulation is confirmed by comparing the output of the settlement with manual calculation. The findings prove the Plastic Hardening (PH) model is more suitable in modelling ground movement due to tunnel excavation. By designing a tunnelling structure with a low prediction error, the engineers can build the most efficient tunnel.