Social Ecology Research Articles

Social Ecologies in Court

Rather than explore personal identity from the perspective of Western philosophical traditions—which tend to regard ‘persons’ as human individuals endowed with reason, as the likes of Aristotle and John Locke would have it—this article will introduce personhood as a state of being that is, at once, variegated, culturally constructed, and notably interspecies. By drawing on three ethnographic case studies (North India, Papua New Guinea, and the Amazon), it will outline some of the ways in which ‘persons’ are shaped and reshaped through shared meaningful interactions with(in) their natural environments, hence understood differently from one culture to another. In doing so, it will show how anthropology’s distinct way of accounting for and championing cultural heterogeneity (i.e., through ‘intercultural-glocal glasses’) can bolster religious studies, for as much as the former challenges Eurocentric assumptions that have beset the latter, usually expressed as dyadic categories (e.g., human- and other-than-human entities). I propose that this cross-disciplinary dialogue—seeking to heed pluri-ontological deixis, or bringing multiple voices and life-worlds to the deliberating table—is a timely methodological move for diversifying beyond the apodictic propositions held about personhood, not only in religious studies, but also in legislative frameworks more widely.

Sport in Times of Crisis: Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Sport and Physical Exercise Habits of College Students at SEC Member Institutions

With the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear window, the sport industry ramped up efforts to evaluate the financial and cultural detriment of the global public health crisis. Therefore, this study aimed to assess how the altered sport and physical exercise habits of college students at Southeastern Conference (SEC) member institutions impacted their physical and mental well-being. Drawing from social ecology theory, data were collected through a qualitative online survey consisting of open-ended questions, disseminated via email to SEC college students. Study findings indicate the critical role of access to physical exercise and sports in the overall well-being of society and may prove invaluable for addressing future public health emergencies and crises. Theoretical and practical recommendations include the development of sustainable outdoor recreation activities as well as coping strategies and alternatives to traditional sports and physical exercise (e.g., immersive virtual reality options).

Social media symbiosis: Understanding the dynamics of online political persuasion in social media ecologies

Research has noted that political content on social media, both accurate and fake, may lead users to reconsider their political opinions and be persuaded. This study contributes to this topic by examining how political attitude change in social media unfolds according to users’ perceptions. Our findings, based on in-depth interviews with 30 Spanish social media users, show how the centrality of social media in citizens’ everyday life nudges them into a persuasive relationship in these ecologies. We conceptualize this dynamic relationship as social media symbiosis, an analogy that draws on the biological concept of symbiosis, and that explains the characteristics of perceived online persuasion: (1) the primacy of social media persuasion over other information sources, (2) its gradual and evolutionary nature, and (3) the persuasive relationships in which users may engage: mutualism, in which both sender and receiver reciprocally benefit and persuade each other; and parasitism, in which fake news creators harmfully persuade receivers while benefitting. Our study contributes to extant literature by theorizing about the persuasive relationship in which users perceive to engage in social media, and the rationales that facilitate it.

Study on the Symbols "Sheng" and "Zu" in Hongshan Culture Rock Paintings

Fertility and ancestor worship are important expressions of social ecology and natural views in Hongshan culture. Based on archaeological findings, numerous archaeological remains related to fertility have been found in Hongshan culture sites. These artifacts reflect the worship, respect, and emphasis on female fertility by the people of Hongshan culture. Additionally, Hongshan culture demonstrates reverence for its ancestors. Archaeological studies have uncovered numerous sacrificial sites and offerings, indicating the reverence and sacrificial activities towards ancestors during the Hongshan culture period. Ancestor worship evolved from primitive totem worship in transitioning from matrilineal to patrilineal societies. Recent surveys and field investigations of rock paintings in the Chifeng region have identified 130 individual "Sheng" and "Zu" character rock paintings, meticulously documented through data recording. Comparative studies of similar "Sheng" and "Zu" character symbols in artifacts and rock paintings from the Hongshan culture period reveal the culture's emphasis on fertility, ancestor worship, and reverence for life. These beliefs and cultural traits were fully expressed in Hongshan culture and profoundly influenced subsequent cultural developments and people's values. This study enhances our understanding of the beliefs and values of the people of Hongshan culture, their regard for life, fertility, and ancestors, and the role of these symbols in cultural transmission.

The Politics of Ambiguous Loss: Missing Persons and Social Ecologies after Armed Conflict

Abstract This article seeks to understand how the concept of ambiguous loss can help explain why and how the issue of missing persons becomes a tool of politics, in terms of being instrumentalized to advance particular political agendas. Ambiguous loss is constructed relationally within the social systems that family members of the missing occupy and, as a result, social and political contexts play a crucial role in both defining ambiguity and in mediating the impacts of ambiguous loss. Because ambiguity is discursively and relationally constructed and meaning made from it subject to existing power relations, it is inherently political. The extreme and chronic trauma of ambiguous loss reshapes individuals’, families’ and, potentially, communities’ perspectives on events in which people have gone missing, making the trauma of ambiguous loss one that lends itself to being framed as a collective trauma with impacts for the entire group. More than this, the impacts of ambiguous loss resonate with what have been called ‘chosen traumas’, used to create group identities in the light of extreme experiences. In particular, the importance in ambiguous loss of meaning making and of the challenge of forgetting resonates with what makes collective traumas effective tools of politics.

Global and inclusive considerations for the future of ACEs research

Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can increase the risk of physical, mental, behavioral, and educational difficulties across the lifespan. ACEs research to date has largely had an individualistic approach, considering experience impacting one person within their own family. In order to be more relevant across societies and cultures around the globe, there is a need to build on current ACEs research by also considering broader aspects of the social ecology including individual, societal, and cultural factors. This commentary discusses the limitations of the current ACEs research and the need to also consider social and methodological aspects of adversity. The importance of considering protective factors is also discussed.

An Integrative Model of Alcohol-Facilitated Intimate Partner Aggression Perpetration in Sexual and Gender Diverse Couples.

Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) individuals are at heightened risk for intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration relative to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Alcohol is a well-established cause of IPA perpetration in cisgender, heterosexual couples; however, minimal research has investigated the alcohol-IPA perpetration link in SGD couples. The relative lack of work in this area is a major barrier to addressing this health disparity. SGD individuals experience unique stressors related to their and/or their partner's intersecting minoritized identities that are critical to understanding alcohol-IPA etiology and informing culturally affirming intervention programming. We advance prior work by members of the authorship team (see Parrott et al., 2023a; Shorey et al., 2019) to propose an integrative theoretical model that invokes (1) the I3 Model to organize risk and resilience factors at the individual and dyadic level, and (2) Alcohol Myopia Theory to explain the mechanism by which proximal alcohol use facilitates IPA as a function of individual differences in those factors. This integrative model provides a framework to understand how the confluence of stigma, minority stressors, proximal alcohol use, and other factors contribute to IPA perpetration in SGD couples. Application of this integrative model has potential to facilitate more rigorous research (e.g., intensive longitudinal designs, dyadic analysis) focused on putative risk and resilience factors across the social ecology. Further, the model provides guidance for intervention development by identifying how individual (e.g., minority stress), relationship (e.g., relationship functioning), and structural factors (e.g., SGD stigma) interactively contribute to alcohol-facilitated IPA perpetration.

Leveraging community-based mental health services to reduce inequities for children and families living in United States who have experienced migration-related trauma.

Trauma systems therapy for refugees (TST-R) is a trauma-focused, culturally responsive mental health prevention and intervention model designed to meet the needs of children and families who are fleeing their home countries and seeking humanitarian refuge. TST-R provides trauma-focused mental health treatment and addresses problems in part exacerbated by harsh U.S. immigration policies (e.g., poor mental health, stigma, fear) that have implications for the psychosocial well-being of immigrant children and families, especially those who have experienced migration-related trauma. Informed by a community-based participatory research approach, TST-R was developed as an adaptation of trauma systems therapy to address common barriers to care experienced by those of refugee and immigrant backgrounds, including mental health stigma, distrust of service systems, and cultural and linguistic barriers. TST-R is a multitiered and phase-based intervention that strategically addresses stressors and needs across levels of the social ecology. Most TST-R services are delivered in easily accessible, nonstigmatizing settings (e.g., school) by a cultural broker and a clinician who work in partnership. TST-R has been disseminated and implemented with multiple cultural groups (e.g., Somali, Bhutanese) across the United States and Canada. Given the unique stressors, strengths, and needs of immigrant children and their families, mental health services must be equitable, community based, and sustainable. TST-R demonstrates promise as a prevention and intervention model especially for those experiencing immigration policy-related stressors and may serve as a guide for developing child mental health policies and immigration policies that promote mental well-being for immigrant families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and Unfolding of the Life Course Movement in the Field of Maternal and Child Health: An Oral History.

A life course perspective in maternal, child, and family health allows for integrated exploration of outcomes, incorporating multifactorial determinants of health to interrogate sources of inequity and identify opportunities for intervention. This article explores the historical development, integration, and implications of the contemporary life course perspective in the field of maternal and child health (MCH), and particularly the people and events which institutionalized the framework as central to national and local MCH practice and research over the last decades. Drawing on an oral history approach, key leaders of the life course movement in MCH were interviewed. Lived experiences and personal recollections of six interviewees were recorded and synthesized using a narrative descriptive approach to portray the social ecology of the movement's origins. We documented systematic efforts made in the first two decades of the 21st century to consciously promote life course through convening a National MCH Life Course Invitational Meeting, incorporating life course as a foundational framework for strategic planning at the Maternal Child Health Bureau, and development of tools and resources by MCH professional organizations. The integration of life course theory into the MCH field signified a major shift towards addressing protective and social factors, which aligns with the field's historical emphasis on social justice and rights-based approaches, and parallels the broader public health movement towards social determinants of health and the need to address structural racism. The ongoing relevance of the life course approach in promoting reproductive justice and addressing inequities in health underscores the historical importance of its adoption and use in the current mainstream of MCH research, policy, and practice.

Cold city outdoor space utilisation patterns and constraints: A systematic review of empirical evidence

Urban outdoor spaces, as significant venues for outdoor activities, are closely linked to urban residents' quality of life and physical health. However, evidence suggests that prolonged and cold winters in cold cities, characterised by low temperatures, ice and snow, and frigid winds, profoundly impact residents' engagement in outdoor activities. Understanding the patterns of residents' utilisation of outdoor spaces and the constraints they face in the cold urban environment is crucial. Despite this, there is currently a lack of systematic reviews synthesizing evidence. This study conducts a systematic literature review from the social ecology perspective, organizing relevant evidence on residents' usage patterns, constraints, and preferences for outdoor spaces in cold urban environments. The literature review spans studies published from 2000 to 2023, drawing data from six electronic databases, including Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus. Ultimately, 31 articles (N = 31) were included in the review. The findings indicate that outdoor spaces in cold urban areas are influenced by a range of factors, encompassing individual, social, physical, and perceptual environmental attributes. Consequently, a conceptual framework based on social ecology is developed to comprehend the usage and constraints of outdoor spaces in cold urban environments. This research provides valuable insights for urban planners and designers in designing and planning outdoor spaces in cold cities.

Environmental Ethics and the Philosophy of Sustainability

Purpose: The general objective of this study was to explore environmental ethics and the philosophy of sustainability. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to environmental ethics and the philosophy of sustainability. Preliminary empirical review revealed that integrating ethical principles into sustainability practices was essential for achieving long-term ecological balance and social justice. It found that environmental ethics provided a necessary moral framework, encouraging proactive environmental protection and fostering sustainable behaviors through education. However, the study also identified gaps in current practices, noting that many policies still prioritized short-term economic gains over ecological health. The research emphasized the importance of bridging these gaps by developing comprehensive frameworks that blend ethical principles with practical sustainability strategies, ultimately underscoring the critical role of environmental ethics in realizing the philosophy of sustainability. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Deep Ecology Theory, The Land Ethic and Social Ecology Theory may be used to anchor future studies on the philosophy of sustainability. The study highlighted the need for an integrated theoretical model combining ethical principles with sustainability practices, and suggested incorporating diverse philosophical perspectives. It emphasized embedding environmental ethics into organizational cultures and education curricula to foster sustainable practices and behaviors. The study also advocated for integrating ethical dimensions into policy frameworks and adopting the precautionary principle in environmental policymaking to safeguard against unforeseen impacts. These recommendations aimed to advance theoretical discourse, guide practical sustainability efforts, and inform robust, equitable environmental policies.

Research on ecological restoration and its impact on society in coal resource-based areas: Lessons from the Ruhr area in Germany and the Liulin area in China

The coal resource-based areas rely on coal resources and primary processing as their pillar industries, such as the old industrial areas in China and Germany. Long-term, large-scale coal mining has significantly damaged the ecological environment of mining areas. Environmental restoration refers to repairing, rehabilitating, or revitalizing ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed by human activities or natural disasters. In fact, ecological restoration is not just an environmental issue and it is a societal problem. Ecological restoration is closely linked to natural resources, the environment, the economy, society, and politics. These factors form a social ecological system and it is the basis for local stability and sustainable development in the coal resource-based areas. In this process, the relationship between government, enterprise, and local people is constantly being reshaped and defined, then it causes changes in the local social ecology and political ecology. The paper researches the Ruhr area in Germany and the Liulin County in China, the former is a world-famous old industrial and the latter is a typical coal mining subsidence district. By analyzing and comparing the ecological restoration and significant social changes in the Ruhr area and the Liulin County at different periods, the findings show the unique ecology— social system of the coal resource-based area, then enhances the effective measures for ecological restoration and sustainable development of the coal resource-based areas.

NEET and resilient: The lived experiences of a sample of South African emerging adults.

There is scant understanding of what supports African emerging adults who are not in employment, education or training (i.e., NEET) to show resilience to NEET-related challenges. This article narrows that gap by reporting an iterative phenomenological study with nine African emerging adults (mean age: 23.44; 66% female) who were NEET for the 18-month duration of the study and living in a resource-constrained community in South Africa. We interviewed each young person three times (June 2021; December 2021; June 2022). A reflexive thematic analysis of these interview transcripts showed that being NEET is a multifaceted challenge. Supported by a mix of personal, relational and environmental resources, young people managed this challenge by resisting or recuperating from destructive coping mechanisms and believing in a successful future self. These findings point to the importance of young people and their social ecologies (families, peers, service providers and policymakers) recognising and enacting their co-responsibility for resilience to the compound challenges of being NEET.

Prevalence of major depressive disorder and its determinants among young married women and unmarried girls: Findings from the second round of UDAYA survey.

Depression is a prevalent and debilitating mental illness affecting young women worldwide. This study aimed to identify psychosocial determinants of major depressive disorder (MDD) among young women in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India. Data from "Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults" (UDAYA) study (2018-19) for young women aged 12-23 years, both married and unmarried was used for this paper. MDD was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-9 with a cut-off score of ≤10. The determinants of MDD were identified through multilevel binary logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of MDD was 13.6% (95% CL 12.2-15.2) and 5.1% (95% CL 4.2-6.1) for young married women and unmarried girls, respectively. Among the young married women, community-level variables like dowry-related humiliation (1.74, 95% CI 1.15-2.64), and sexual assaults (2.15, 95% CI 1.24-3.73) were significantly associated with MDD. For unmarried girls, reporting of family violence <10% of participants (0.45, 95% CI 0.24-0.85), family violence (≥10% of participants) % (0.35 95% CI 0.19-0.68) and interpartner violence (>25% of participants) (0.42; 95% CI 0.23-0.74) remain significant predictors of MDD. At individual level, for both the groups, age, participation in decision making (on education), social capital (currently attending school/educational course and number of friends), self-efficacy, telephonic harassment, and physical activity were associated with MDD. Wealth index, job seeking, participation in decision making (on health-seeking), parental interactions and physical abuse (for unmarried girls only) and education, reported last sexual intercourse, pressure from the in-laws' to conceive (for young married women only) were associated with MDD. For young married women, community level targeted interventions should focus on the social ecology to foster a sense of safe community environment. For unmarried girls, additionally, interventions should aim to optimize their family environment for effective mental health outcomes.

Social media ecology in an influencer group: Intersection between Fiji's media and social media

Social media use in Fiji has expanded in recent years and has become a ubiquitous feature in wider society. Social media ecology focusses and examines the dimensions of an online environment and its interplay with human experiences in user engagement. These dimensions with human experiences in user engagement, can provide an insight into how influential social media groups can become in shaping discourses and views. To examine and discuss the social media ecology of an influencer group, the article details one of Fiji’s largest and most influential online groups. To do this, the article uses digital ethnography, supplemented with social media analytics. This study provides key findings in the social media ecology of influencer groups and online behavior. These findings may have implications for further research in media, citizen journalism, viral content creation and online political campaigning.

Leveraging Key Informant Interviews to Inform Intervention Development: The Greater Lawndale Healthy Work Project.

The Greater Lawndale Healthy Work project is a sequential mixed methods community based participatory research project that examines work as a structural determinant of health and builds community capacity for healthy work in a predominantly Black and Latinx community in Chicago known as Greater Lawndale (GL). We interviewed community leaders in GL as key informants to understand the barriers to healthy work and inform intervention development. We conducted a directed content analysis of transcripts from 20 key informants and coded the social ecology and type of intervention. Every key informant mentioned at least one asset in GL, showing an opportunity to employ a capacity-oriented approach to intervention development. Key informants suggested a variety of interventions to address precarious work across levels of the social ecology, with individual and community level interventions being the most salient. Through this approach, we were able to navigate tensions and challenges in conducting research for community-wide change. Key informant stakeholder interviews can be leveraged to meaningfully inform intervention development and support the development of multi-level, sustainable, and culturally acceptable interventions that advance health equity.

Narrative therapy and family therapy in genetic counseling: Ascoping review.

Genetic counseling facilitates psychological and social adaptation in clients and families. Two psychotherapeutic approaches, narrative and family therapy foster client adaptation to adverse situations and may enhance the genetic counseling process. This scoping review aimed to describe the applications of narrative therapy and family therapy in genetic counseling, and to document the actual and perceived value of these approaches in a genetic counseling setting. Nine original research articles and six commentary articles met the study inclusion criteria. Original articles reported on positive client attitudes when these approaches were applied to hereditary cancer and Huntington disease settings. Five studies applied either approach in group sessions, where safety was key to positive outcomes, including sharing lived experiences and coping strategies. Balanced utilization of structured and open elements in group sessions maximized a sense of control, while also allowing for opportunity to self-disclose. Narrative therapy interventions were time efficient and were reported to foster connection with others and shape a new adaptive narrative centered around strengths. Family therapy approaches, based on experiential family therapy, the intersystem model, object relations family therapy, and the social ecology model, required a greater time commitment, but promoted disclosure of complex feelings and diffused tension. Family therapy genogram tools were feasible in practice, easy to implement, and effective at identifying communication barriers. Commentary articles highlighted the alignment of both approaches with genetic counseling goals and their potential value in practice. Utilization of psychotherapeutic approaches can improve counselors' ability to shape sessions, enhance insight and optimize efficacy, and flexibility in moving between models can maximize impact. This review highlights the paucity of studies investigating the efficacy of these psychotherapeutic approaches in the genetic counseling context and the need for more outcomes-based research on the utilization of narrative or family therapy in genetic counseling practice.

Survival and social support networks: visual narratives of labour market integration among highly skilled African immigrants in Quebec

Despite the growing presence of highly skilled African immigrants in Quebec, Canada, there is a paucity of research on their adaptation processes, specifically regarding survival and social support. This study addresses this gap by investigating the survival strategies of highly skilled African immigrants (HSAI) in Quebec, utilising photovoice to vividly capture their social support systems and survival cultivation. Drawing on Ungar's (2012. The Social Ecology of Resilience: A Handbook of Theory and Practice. Springer) ecological perspective of survival, and Tardy’s model (1985. “Social Support Measurement.” American Journal of Community Psychology 13 (2): 187–202) of social support, this research elucidates the strategies employed by HSAIs to thrive. Data collection involved respondents sharing photographs that symbolise their survival while assimilating into Quebec's labour market, revealing that family, cultural groups, religious organisations, recreational activities, and professional networks play pivotal roles in their adaptation. These findings highlight the importance of a multifaceted support system in fostering survival and successful integration, suggesting that policymakers should focus on enhancing these networks to aid HSAIs’ adjustment to life in Quebec.

‘I take the drugs… to make the sickness to move out of me’: key populations’ and service provider perspectives about facilitators and barriers to ART adherence and retention in care in Nigeria

BackgroundAdherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has individual and public health benefits and is critical to improving life expectancy, achieving viral suppression, and reducing the risk of HIV transmission. This qualitative study explored the experience of receiving care as well as perceived facilitators and barriers of treatment initiation, retention in ART care, and adherence to treatment.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted among 28 men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers (FSWs) receiving ART services in Lagos and Benue states. Key informant interviews were also conducted among 16 service providers engaged in counselling, clinical care, and ART treatment for MSM and FSWs. The Social Ecology Model guided the exploration of perceived barriers and facilitators of treatment initiation, retention in ART care and adherence to treatment. Qualitative data analysis was managed using NVIVO 11 software and themes were analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsWe found that the key barriers to ART adherence were low motivation to comply with medication regimen, work commitments, socioeconomic factors, stigma, negative provider attitude and distance to health facilities. Facilitators of adherence identified include the desire to live a productive life, strong family support and participation in support group programs. Comprehensive adherence counselling, support group programs and an effective follow-up system were factors identified by service providers as key to facilitating adherence.ConclusionTo be effective, ART programs must address the unique challenges key populations face in accessing treatment and achieving optimal adherence regarding establishing a strong support system and follow-up. Community level interventions that support a stigma-free environment are critical to sustaining engagement in care.

Porphyrin nanoparticles-based portable smartphone platform for visual monitoring heavy metal Cr (Ⅲ) in the environment

Chromium ions exist in various valence states in the environment, and their pollution poses serious harm to social ecology and human health. The existing detection is mostly focused on Cr6+, while the detection related to Cr3+ is often overlooked. Cr3+ has a certain impact on soil, water, and the growth of animals and plants and even disrupts ecological balance. Accordingly, it is necessary to explore sensitive, convenient, and fast detection devices for Cr3+ in the environment. Here, we have designed a ratio fluorescence probe with porphyrin nanoparticles formed by block copolymers as the sensing core for ultra sensitive detection of Cr3+. The porphyrin nanoparticles can effectively bind with Cr3+ to form metal complexes, leading to ligand metal charge transfer (LMCT), which will result in a significant color change of the probe from red to blue. Furthermore, we have developed two portable fluorescence sensors for Cr3+ in soil and water, respectively. These portable sensing platforms based on designed nanoprobes and smartphones can convert the color information of fluorescent photos into digital information for real-time analysis. Thus, the method reported in this article can provide a possibility for rapid on-site and visual inspection of Cr3+ in soil and water from different regions.