Self In Context Research Articles

Pose-guided self and external attention feature matching and aggregation network for person re-identification

Traditional methods that use pose information for person re-identification (ReID) often focus only on relationships between different parts of the same sample and ignore the correlation between poses of different samples, which hinders further improvement in recognition accuracy. In view of this, this paper proposes a pose-guided self and external attention feature matching and aggregation net which contains a visual context self and external attention module and a pose-guided feature matching and aggregation module. It can divide global features into local features without strict spatial feature alignment, and enables the model to focus on pose correlation between different samples. Thus, it not only learns pose-related identity identification features, but also avoids interference from the samples with large pose changes. The visual context self and external attention module realizes feature embedding through a transformer-based image classification model ViT and a human pose estimation model. Also, it extracts encoder features and local features containing rich pose information by adding an external attention. The pose-guided feature matching and aggregation module obtains a learnable part semantic view through a transformer decoder and pose heat maps. Then, it matches and aggregates with local features, adaptively learns pose-related features, and enhances the robustness of the model to background and occlusion. In this paper, experiments are conducted based on three data sets, including Market-1501, DukeMTMC-reID and MSMT17. The Rank-1 values are 95.3%, 90.1%, and 82.5%, respectively, and the mAP values are 88.3%, 81.1%, and 64.1%, respectively. In conclusion, our method introduces an external attention into the ReID task, and the ReID model can obtain more accurate results by extracting pose-related identity identification features and avoiding interference from samples with large pose changes.

A Comparative Study of Self-Concept of Male and Female Secondary Students of Panipat District

Man is considered to be superior to other living beings. The context of self and identity relates to the environment around us. As man comes out of his childhood, that is, grows up, his self develops. He becomes aware of the environment around him. The context of human self-concept is always related to his parents, guardians, teachers, friends etc. He reacts, interacts etc., he experiences and these experiences give him meaning and these experiences become the basis of his self, due to which his self-reflecting images are formed. The present study aimed to compare the self-concept of the difference between male and female secondary students of Panipat district. For the present study, descriptive survey method was used. Fifty secondary students were selected randomly from various secondary schools of Panipat District. The number of male and female secondary students kept the same. For measurement of self-concept, Self-Concept Questionnaire (SCQ) by Dr. Raj Kumar Saraswat was administered to all fifty students. After the analysis, the result showed a high level of self-concept in both groups and no significant difference in self-concept of male and female secondary students of Panipat district. Thus, the study found the same level of self-concept in male and female secondary students.

A Call to Transform Maternal and Child Health Mentorship to Build Inclusivity, Honor Diversity of Experiences, and Tackle the Root of Health Disparities

IntroductionMentorship should be a transformative experience that propels mentees from one point in their career to another and drives personal growth. Within the field of maternal and child health (MCH), it is considered a critical professional duty. However, MCH has yet to explicitly embrace mentorship practice as a means to address workforce challenges including turnover, knowledge loss, and undue burden on the part of historically oppressed individuals and communities to overturn oppressive systems.Call to ActionWe advocate for public calls for diversity and equity to be met with strategic enhancement of the practice of MCH mentorship. Transformative MCH mentorship should be used to promote positive identity formation, understanding of self in context, efficacy, and sustained commitment to working with MCH populations in ways that are inclusive and prevent the perpetration of the problematic power dynamics that lead to inequitable outcomes.RecommendationsWe present recommendations to strengthen MCH mentorship practice. At the individual level, there should be a refreshment of norms and expectations, where mentorship is seen as a uniquely flexible opportunity for mutual learning. At the organizational level, embedding mentorship in all aspects of practice helps establish and sustain a culture of belonging. This transformative organizational culture can attract and retain future generations of professionals that are not only more representative of the populations that MCH programs support but are prepared to authentically elevate the needs and strengths of those populations. These suggestions incorporate best practices from other fields and include ideas for the MCH field in particular.

Focusing on the self in context as an emotion regulatory strategy: an evaluation of the “self-as-context” component of ACT compared to cognitive reappraisal in managing stress

ABSTRACT Background Self-as-Context (SAC) is one of the six core components of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy model (ACT). Objective The aim of the current study was to investigate whether SAC is effective in reducing negative affect and maintaining positive affect in response to a personally relevant stressor relative to cognitive reappraisal (CR) and spontaneous coping strategies. Method An undergraduate sample (N = 105) completed baseline measures and were asked to discuss a recent personally relevant stressor which was audiotaped, before being randomized to one of three conditions. Participants randomized to the SAC and CR conditions received 5-minutes of training, whilst participants allocated to the control condition were asked to read a brochure for 5-minutes. All participants then listened to their recorded stressful experience before completed follow-up measures. Results The SAC group reported significantly less negative affect than participants in the control group post-training induction; although the CR group did not differ from the SAC or control participants in reductions in negative affect post-induction. There were no significant group differences for positive affect. Conclusions The findings provide preliminary evidence that SAC is an effective emotion regulatory strategy in reducing acute distress in a stress-exposed young adult sample.

The self in context: brain systems linking mental and physical health.

Increasing evidence suggests that mental health and physical health are linked by neural systems that jointly regulate somatic physiology and high-level cognition. Key systems include the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the related default-mode network. These systems help to construct models of the 'self-in-context', compressing information across time and sensory modalities into conceptions of the underlying causes of experience. Self-in-context models endow events with personal meaning and allow predictive control over behaviour and peripheral physiology, including autonomic, neuroendocrine and immune function. They guide learning from experience and the formation of narratives about the self and one's world. Disorders of mental and physical health, especially those with high co-occurrence and convergent alterations in the functionality of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the default-mode network, could benefit from interventions focused on understanding and shaping mindsets and beliefs about the self, illness and treatment.

Further situating learner possible selves in context: A proposal to replicate Henry and Cliffordson (2013) and Lasagabaster (2016)

AbstractResearch conducted over the past 15–20 years has revealed significant insights into the nature and role of learner selves in language learning settings, particularly the importance of considering the interaction between situated contextual factors and the ways learners perceive, imagine, and construe their possible selves. To further advance this active line of investigation, this article first reviews key previous research and argues for the need to address the generalizability of learner possible selves through replication of original research conducted with different types of learners in diverse social and educational contexts, particularly in multilingual settings and in relation to learning target languages (TLs) other than English. Then, two studies are identified as ideal for replication, and their motivation, methods, and findings are reported in detail. To strengthen the validity and reliability of the original studies’ findings, several suggestions are made for ways to replicate the focal studies as a necessary first step in building robust comparative evidence. As an important second step in this endeavor, the article concludes by arguing for the value of case studies that align with current dynamic conceptualizations of the self.

Sexy selves: Girls, selfies and the performance of intersectional identities

Teen girls’ ‘sexy selfies’ have become highly politicised over the last years, and while feminist scholars have comprehensively analysed present day discourses about this topic, research about teen girls’ own reflections is still scarce. Studies that did include girls’ voices demonstrated how girls’ navigations of sexiness are related to the performance of gender and sexuality. The present article, which is based on ethnographic fieldwork among Dutch young people, contributes to and extends this strand of research by exploring how girls’ navigations of sexy selfies are related to the performance of not just gender and sexuality, but also other intersecting axes of social differentiation, including axes that have remained undertheorised such as smartness, maturity and popularity. Through their navigations of sexy selfies, girls perform complex, intersectional identities in interaction with dominant discourses about sexiness, the materiality of their bodies, their social position and the specific context of self(ie)-making practices. Involving this complexity in discussions about sexy selfies can create promising opportunities for interrogating social norms, stereotypes and power inequalities.

Gathering, interpreting, and positioning children’s narratives in environmental education research

Cecilia Caiman and Iann Lundegard’s research highlights that an important goal of education is to equip younger generations with tools for innovation. This specifically applies in the realm of science education, as younger generations will likely require a unique preparation and skillset to tackle the environmental issues they will face in young adulthood and beyond. In their article, the authors position imagination as a tool for innovation and infinite possibility in this realm, and they capture moments of children actively imagining or “blending” their ideas to illustrate their worthiness in the cause of sustainability. In this research, I also realize the value of children’s creative narratives on the path toward building a more collective ethic of environmental care. However, I emphasize that positioning children’s imaginative narratives in an education toward sustainability calls for the study of children’s identities-in-progress, and thus, a rigorous theorization of the context in which these narratives/selves are created. This, in turn, necessitates the use of situated and deep methodological approaches to capture and interpret children’s self-expressions. Through my use of Holland’s figured world concept and an ethnographic case study methodology, this research unpacks narratives similar to those presented in Cecilia and Iann’s research to reveal the complexity of children’s imaginative utterances in a school garden context. I consider the myriad of factors that shape children’s experiences and corresponding expressions to complicate and situate children’s expressions within the larger context of self and care development. Revealing this individualized and layered nature of identity and care development in environmental education research allows for the creation or replication of educational experiences and spaces where innovation and care development can occur.

Shaping a valued learning journey: Student satisfaction with learning in undergraduate nursing programs, a grounded theory study

BackgroundStudent satisfaction is a quality measure of increasing importance in undergraduate programs, including nursing programs. To date theories of student satisfaction have focused primarily on students' perceptions of the educational environment rather than their perceptions of learning. Understanding how students determine satisfaction with learning is necessary to facilitate student learning across a range of educational contexts and meet the expectations of diverse stakeholders. ObjectivesTo understand undergraduate nursing students' satisfaction with learning. DesignConstructivist grounded theory methodology was used to identify how nursing students determined satisfaction with learning. SettingsTwo large, multi-campus, nursing schools in Australia. ParticipantsSeventeen demographically diverse undergraduate nursing students studying different stages of a three year program participated in the study. MethodsTwenty nine semi-structured interviews were conducted. Students were invited to describe situations where they had been satisfied or dissatisfied with their learning. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data. ResultsStudents are satisfied with learning when they shape a valued learning journey that accommodates social contexts of self, university and nursing workplace. The theory has three phases. Phase 1 - orienting self to valued learning in the pedagogical landscape; phase 2 - engaging with valued learning experiences across diverse pedagogical terrain; and phase 3 - recognising valued achievement along the way. ConclusionWhen students experience a valued learning journey they are satisfied with their learning. Student satisfaction with learning is unique to the individual, changes over time and maybe transient or sustained, mild or intense. Finding from the research indicate areas where nurse academics may facilitate satisfaction with learning in undergraduate nursing programs while mindful of the expectations of other stakeholders such as the university, nurse registering authorities, employers and the receivers of nursing care.

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Placebo Effects: Concepts, Predictions, and Physiology.

Placebos have been used ubiquitously throughout the history of medicine. Expectations and associative learning processes are important psychological determinants of placebo effects, but their underlying brain mechanisms are only beginning to be understood. We examine the brain systems underlying placebo effects on pain, autonomic, and immune responses. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), insula, amygdala, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray emerge as central brain structures underlying placebo effects. We argue that the vmPFC is a core element of a network that represents structured relationships among concepts, providing a substrate for expectations and a conception of the situation-the self in context-that is crucial for placebo effects. Such situational representations enable multidimensional predictions, or priors, that are combined with incoming sensory information to construct percepts and shape motivated behavior. They influence experience and physiology via descending pathways to physiological effector systems, including the spinal cord and other peripheral organs.

Observing conversational laughter in frontotemporal dementia

BackgroundWe performed an observational study of laughter during seminaturalistic conversations between patients with dementia and familial caregivers. Patients were diagnosed with (1) behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), (2) right temporal...

Gender, Power, and Satire in Will Self’s Cock and Bull

While Will Self’s Cock and Bull has rightly been seen as a satirical critique of gender and sexuality, this article argues that critics have tended to overlook the intertwining critique of power that accompanies such themes. Placing Cock and Bull within the larger context of Self’s subsequent writings and intellectual influences, this essay examines how these two early novellas self-consciously borrow from and engage with the tradition of British satire, which has long been concerned with questions of gender, sexuality, and power.

Modified CBT using visualization for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), anxiety and avoidance behavior--a quasi-experimental open pilot study.

In recent studies it has been suggested that Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is beneficial to people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but that the method needs to be modified in relation to their cognitive profile. The aim of this study is to measure the effect of modified CBT, that is, using visualized language throughout the entire session for clients with ASD and anxiety and avoidance behavior. The modification of CBT in this study consists of focusing on CBT protocols for anxiety disorders and depression, while visualizing and systematizing “the invisible” in the conversation, in order for the clients to understand the social, cognitive and emotional context of self and others and how they should interact to avoid misunderstandings. ASD clients may need help to detect the invisible code of social interaction and communication. The level of anxiety and the frequency of target behavior were measured. Four assessments were made, two at the pre-assessment, and one in mid-therapy and end of therapy respectively. Generally, results suggest no improvement during pre-treatment period but a significant improvement during treatment. The values of the clients’ psychological, social and occupational ability to function improved on the Global Function Rating scale. The preliminary conclusion of this pilot study indicates that the use of visualized language throughout the CBT therapy sessions is a promising modification of current CBT protocols for individuals with ASD. After manualization, larger studies with randomized controlled study designs can replicate or challenge these results.

A Healthy Perspective to Disease - Through the Scope of New Age Therapies

Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com Int J Complement Alt Med J (2015), 1(5): 00031 as a ‘state of complete physical mental and social wellbeing not merely absence of disease or infirmity. While different cultures have different ways and facets of explaining the term health, there is Sanskrit word for health called as ‘Swasthaya’ which means ‘being centered in own Self ’. In the Indian context Self means Sat chitananda being in bliss of consciousness a true sense of well being. Any deviation from this state of well being is called as disease. This brings it closest to the deeper meaning of health with respect to Self and whole of human being in its true essence.

The Self in Context and Culture

The notion of the self is not so much an illusion as it is a “cultural construction.” The self refers to a set of implicit cultural values that we adhere to and use to guide our lives. These values are reflections of specific sociocultural practices in which we exist and that we learn in everyday interaction from the earliest age. These values not only inform our development, they provide the practice of psychoanalysis and psychology with a set of norms about what human life should ideally look like. As with other central concepts, the notion of the self is a product of a specific time and place. It is a culturally specific term, and refers to a set of norms and assumptions about our contemporary life. I conclude that the notion of the self forms an intractable part of Western, and particularly Anglo-American, culture and is produced by a particular kind of social and cultural practice that is specific to time and place. The self is one interpretation of being human among others.

An Existential Approach to Adoptive Identity Development in Adulthood

As adoption in our society continues to increase, mental health professionals are faced with working with the coexisting intrapersonal, familial, and social issues. The formation of an adoptive identity is one of the more critical and complicated tasks facing adoptees. Existentialism is a counseling theory that is well suited to address the issues related to adoptive identity formation in adulthood. An overview of the philosophy of existentialism as well as a detailed exploration of how to use the givens of existence along with the authentic relationship is provided as a framework for helping adults explore and develop a healthy self in context.

Effects of Elicited Emotions on Cognitive Functioning of Preschool Children With Different Types of Temperament

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of elicited positive and negative emotions on cognitive functioning of preschool children with different temperament types. Emotions were elicited through presentations of video clips before children were asked to perform a series of cognitive tasks. Eliciting positive emotions generated an overall enhancement in children’s cognitive functioning, independent of their temperament. However, specific temperamental characteristics were found to be significantly related to specific cognitive functions. For example, following elicitation of positive emotions, children who were rated high on Attention Shifting performed less well on a “Gestalt Closure” task, whereas performance of children who were rated low on the same subscale was enhanced. Significant differences were found regarding the effect of eliciting emotions on children who rated intermediate as compared with those who rated high or low on several temperamental subscales. These findings are discussed within the contexts of self- and emotion-regulation.

Reflection as learning about the self in context: mentoring as catalyst for reflective development in pre-service teachers

Reflection as learning about the self in context: mentoring as catalyst for reflective development in pre-service teachers

Reflection as Learning about the Self in Context: Mentoring as Catalyst for Reflective Development in Pre-Service Teachers.

Establishing a close alignment between teacher education programmes and the realities of the actual classroom remains a challenge in preparing pre-service teachers at higher education institutions. The literature indicates that reflection is a core quality of effective teachers. We investigate how the development of reflective practice through mentoring programmes can facilitate the inevitable transitions that students have to make to the professional sector. Through a narrative analysis, we report on the insights of a selected group of Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students participating in the initial development phase of a mentoring system during their practice teaching in schools guiding them to reflect critically on their learning and practice. The data suggest that mentoring can act as a catalyst to enhance reflection.The development of reflection as praxis can assist in bridging the gap between theory and practice. Keywords: mentoring; pre-service teacher development; reflection; teacher identity

Using a Cohort Model for School Counselor Preparation to Enhance Commitment to Social Justice

This article describes a cohort model of school counselor preparation designed to enhance graduate student commitment to social justice. Foundational principles of group work are used as the vehicle for understanding self in context and for integrating the tenets associated with social justice advocacy. Key components related to program mission, admissions processes, and course sequence are discussed. Recommendations for other counselor education programs are also identified.