Social Groups Research Articles

Ritual networks and the structure of moral communities in Classic Maya society

Ritual plays an important integrative function in the creation, maintenance, and transformation of human society. The shared experience of ritual establishes strong bonds between individuals that defines their membership in certain social groups. However, rituals are not timeless traditions, nor do they simply restore social equilibrium. Rather, rituals are active and ongoing social processes that unite and divide across multiple social categories. This paper applies archaeological network methods to analyze the multiscalar structure of ritual traditions across Classic Maya (ca. 300–900 CE) society using hieroglyphic inscriptions from dated and provenienced monuments cataloged in the Maya Hieroglyphic Database (Looper and Macri 1991–2024). For the Classic Maya, public ritual and performance were highly charged political events where meaning and power could be negotiated, creating opportunities for identity formation and community integration. Such contexts helped establish strong moral bonds in Classic Maya society. However, we know relatively little about the specific forms and content of these ritual practices. In this study we construct ritual similarity networks from hieroglyphic inscriptions to analyze the structure and organization of these moral communities as well as the ritual relations that bound them together.

Arslantepe in the foreground: The economic and social role of the large blades at the end of the 4th millennium BC

This paper focuses on the study of large blade assemblages made from chert raw materials at the site of Arslantepe VI-A period (3500–3200 BCE). By applying an analytical approach combining raw material characterization (NM-PCI protocol), technological and use-wear analyses, and experimental archaeology, we discuss our results from a double perspective. At first glance, we demonstrate the great potential that this proxy offers for the reconstruction of technical systems and routine activities in late prehistoric sites. Secondly, we highlight the contribution of large blades for understanding socio-economic dynamics in case-oriented debates. Specifically, large chert blade study provides further pieces of the puzzle to characterize technical and economic behaviors of the social group settled on the mound of Arslantepe at the end of the 4th millennium BC. At this time, a palatine complex with centralized administration and symbols of power, were tools to boost social inequality.

Effect of frequent smartphone use on children’s cognitive function: An observational study

Background – Children and teenagers use smartphones more actively than adults, they are more prone to get addicted to smartphones. Furthermore, studies show that excessive use of smartphones can lead to psychosocial and physical symptoms in children between age group of 5-15 years. Psychosocial symptoms include decline in cognitive function and Physical symptoms includes faulty habitual posture and temporomandibular disorders. Purpose of the study – To find the effects of frequent smartphone use on children’s cognitive function. Methodology– A self-constructed e-questionnaire based on “Digital Addiction Scale for Children” and “Cognitive Flexibility Scale” was sent randomly to various social groups through various social media platforms. A total of 50 parents responded to the survey and were included in the analysis. Results – From the responses we found out that 23% children use smartphones for more than 4 hours a day and out of them cognitive function was affected in 66.7% of children and faulty cervical posture is seen in 72.2% children. Conclusion – The study concluded that prolong smartphone usage affects cognitive function in children below 15 years of age.

Unveiling the psychological mechanisms of mutual help groups for addiction recovery: The role of social identity factors.

The effectiveness of mutual help groups (MHGs) in promoting addiction recovery has been widely acknowledged. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying the impact of MHGs remain somewhat uncertain. Drawing on a social identity perspective, this study investigated a sequential mediation model in which social support is posited as a driving factor that enhances abstinence maintenance through group identification, recovery identity, and self-efficacy. A sample of 820 smokers, participating in a 6-month collective smoking cessation programme which included access to an online help group, completed measures of social support, group identification, smoker/ex-smoker identity, and self-efficacy at the programme's outset. Smoking abstinence was assessed 6 and 9 months later. The findings supported the proposed model, indicating that social support was positively associated with MHG identification, which, in turn, was related to a stronger recovery identity. Subsequently, recovery identity was associated with increased self-efficacy, and indirectly, with smoking abstinence at both measurement times. Additional analyses testing alternative mediation models further supported the validity of the proposed model. These findings suggest that social identity factors play significant roles in accounting for the effectiveness of MHGs for addiction recovery.

Climate Conscious Communities: Navigating Transformation through Simulation Games and Creative Engagement

In the context of the European Green Deal and rapid climate change, significant changes in people's habits are necessary, transforming their behavior from resource consumers to climate-responsible individuals. Addressing challenges such as biodiversity loss, engagement in the development of a circular economy, responsible energy consumption, and resource sharing requires changes in individuals' attitudes and behaviors. However, individuals often lack understanding of the climate system, its link to quality of life, and the impact of actions based on individual interests on societal transformation processes as a whole. Governments and international organizations implement various complex measures, but the dynamics of climate change far exceed society's ability to adapt.To address these challenges, the authors of this paper propose using simulation games as an effective learning method. These games provide individuals with an opportunity to gain a new, community-oriented decision-making experience without creating negative effects on real systems due to inappropriate decisions. Simulation games help to better understand cause-and-effect relationships, factors influencing individual attitudes and behaviors, evaluate the consequences of decisions made, and motivate practical involvement in mitigating climate change. In order to improve the attractiveness of using the simulation game, cultural and creative industry competences are integrated, which contribute to the improvement of content, visualization and interaction.The paper examines an organizational model for simulation games that assists municipalities and other stakeholders in developing customized simulation games to promote the development of climate-responsible communities. Considering the necessity to engage diverse social groups with varying levels of digital skills, an analog format has been chosen for the simulation game, without excluding the possibility of transforming it into a digital one.The proposed model includes setting objectives, integrating elements into a holistic simulation game, and piloting the framework using examples from municipal practice. To optimize the applicability of simulation games, they need to be adapted to the geographic area and community due to individual processes and structures.

Between Struggle, Forgetfulness, and Placemaking: Meanings and Practices among Social Groups in a Metropolitan Urban Park

Urban spatial segregation in Santiago de Chile, a prevalent feature of Latin American cities, underscores socioeconomic disparities and shapes the city’s socio-spatial dynamics. This segregation, driven by land prices and private ownership, has pushed disadvantaged groups to the periphery and limited their access to desirable areas reserved for wealthier segments of society. Quebrada Macul Park, situated within this segregated urban landscape, serves as an emblematic case that challenges and expands the classical definition of urban segregation. It exemplifies the complex negotiations over space utilization among social groups, defined by socioeconomic, generational, and interest-based differences. This study employs micro-segregation studies in a broad sense, both as a conceptual framework and as a methodological tool to analyze these dynamics. Through qualitative methodologies, including six in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders (social and ecological activists, longtime residents, and park employees) and five participant observations, the research investigates the varied uses and meanings attributed to the park. The findings reveal that the park’s evolution from a space frequented by low-income dwellers to a diverse metropolitan park has sparked debates over its public versus private character, mirroring the power struggles among distinct social factions. The park serves as a profound identity marker for its historical inhabitants, who initially fought for the right to use it and today experience nostalgia due to its widespread popularity. Meanwhile, the struggle to establish the park as a public space challenges the city’s segregation dynamics and might promote social cohesion within urban natural environments.

Determination of immunisation status of children between 2-5 years of age who attending to teaching institute with concern to both national immunization schedule and optional vaccines

Background: In order to know the causes for non-immunisation, search for societal reasons for primary immunisation along with evaluating coverage. Aim of this current study is to determine the immunisation status of children between 2-5 years of age who are attending teaching health care centre with concern to both National Immunisation Schedule and Optional vaccines. Methods: Study analysed the children's immunisation status, factors affecting their immunisation coverage, and reasons for partial or incomplete immunisation. The information was obtained from the parents using a questionnaire. Information such as socio-demographic variables, immunisation status, causes of their partial immunisation and lack of immunisation. The "vaccination card and the recall" approach was used to determine the recipient's immunisation status. Results: Study found that 70.4% of children had received all recommended vaccinations. Lack of information and ignorance are significant contributors to under-immunization. Other statistically significant contributing factors for the low immunisation coverage include female gender, rural background, low socioeconomic status, born at home, lower mother age, and being from a joint household. BCG vaccination coverage was higher than pentavalent vaccine coverage, probably because of multiple doses needed. Only 77% of kids received vitamin A solution. Conclusions: Paediatrician should mention the next vaccination date and dose at each appointment in order to lower the vaccination dropouts. Parents should be informed regarding the date of vaccination of their child through SMS message, calls, and social media groups.

Mitigating Identity Threat in Health Messaging: A Social Identity Complexity Perspective

ABSTRACT Health messages aiming to reduce red meat consumption may threaten multiple social identities because people’s dietary choices are intertwined with personal, social, and cultural aspects of their lives. Leveraging social identity theory and the concept of social identity complexity, this experiment tested how identity-threatening messages affect people’s intention to reduce red meat consumption and how the effect of identity threat may be moderated by messages highlighting the relationships between multiple identities that define a person. Participants (N = 409) read messages that varied identity threat (i.e. the extent to which people feel devalued because of their membership in a social group) and identity complexity (i.e. the extent to which people perceive multiple identities as independent). The study found that identity-threatening messages decreased intentions to reduce red meat consumption when people perceived their dietary identity as overlapping with other identities, but increased the intentions when the dietary identity was seen as independent from other identities. Further, the effects of identity threat and complexity were limited to people with high (vs. low) levels of red meat consumption. We discuss the role of identity complexity in alleviating identity threat and increasing persuasion.

Education, perceived discrimination, and identity voting: evidence from Brazil’s 2018 election

ABSTRACT Brazil’s electoral arena has long been characterized as devoid of identity politics. Recent analyses, however, have uncovered shifting racial subjectivities and effects of race and gender on electoral preferences. This paper leverages Brazil’s 2018 election to reassess conventional wisdom and test whether recent findings derived from racial groups extend to other subordinate social groups in this context, namely women and sexual minorities. I test two hypotheses: (1) that higher levels of education correlate with greater perceptions of group-based discrimination, and (2) that perceptions of group-based discrimination explain within-group variation in support for Bolsonaro. Analysis of national survey data show that education correlates with group consciousness among subordinate groups, and that these individuals are more likely to oppose the far-right populist candidate. This article provides a more complete understanding of the electoral salience of identity in the Brazilian context, and provides evidence that insights derived from one marginalized group can extend to others.

Ecology for the rich? Class aspects of the green transition and the threat of right-wing populism as a reaction to its costs in Poland

This article sheds light on the class determinants of ecological attitudes and, at the same time, tries to emphasize the general importance of class differentiation for the implementation of sustainable development policies. This is particularly important in Eastern European countries where, for financial reasons, a green transition raises concerns among social groups that may feel threatened by additional socioeconomic costs. Using empirical data collected in Poland, we point out that the challenges, implementation, and social costs of a green transition can be used by populist and nationalist right-wing politicians. At the same time, right-wing populists depict ecological activists as a threat to the interests of “ordinary people” and identify them with the liberal metropolitan elites, detached from the worries of people with lower incomes and residents of traditionalist provinces. In the current conditions, the fear of increases in energy and fuel prices may be another source of support for an anti-ecological right-wing agenda against the “global pressure” of the liberal establishment. This narrative may be particularly attractive in peripheral and semi-peripheral countries in Europe and around the world as it refers not only to ideological arguments but also to the economic interests of “ordinary people.”

Sąmoningumo lengvai suprantamos kalbos atžvilgiu svarba socialinei įtraukčiai Latvijoje, Lietuvoje ir Slovėnijoje

Easy Language serves as a communication tool designed for use by a broad spectrum of individuals within our society. Like any tool, it requires development, adjustment, and application standards. Some of these standards are common across languages and societies, while others are unique to specific languages, groups of people, or needs. This implies that language users, developers, and researchers can benefit from cooperation but also need to develop their own language- and situation-specific tools and standards of communication.The aim of this research is to compare the change in Easy Language awareness from 2021 to 2022 among societies in Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovenia within a year, using such tools as surveys, in-depth interviews, and statistical analysis. The findings suggest that awareness levels vary across different countries and social groups. Furthermore, it takes more than two years to reach the levels of legal structures and political readiness necessary to embrace the needs of the entire society.

Individual behavioural variation does not affect social organization or reproductive success in a cooperative small mammal

Abstract Recent evidence indicates that individual behavioural variation in animals, defined as consistent individual differences in behaviour across contexts and time, influence ecological and evolutionary processes, and a growing number of studies demonstrate that individual behavioural variation can play a large role in shaping grouping dynamics among social animals. We studied the common degu, Octodon degus, a social rodent, to evaluate whether individual behavioural variation underlies social organization and the reproductive success of individuals within groups. We examined social groups in a population in central-north Chile during one breeding season, tested 67 adults in an open field test (i.e., the propensity to explore an unfamiliar environment) and 62 adults in a poke test (i.e., the propensity to charge an object) to quantify individual behavioural variation, determined assortment based on individual behavioural differences across 19 social groups, and performed genetic analyses to assess reproductive success. We found that the response to the poke test was repeatable, while none of the behaviours from an open field test were. The repeatable behaviour during the poke test was not associated to components of social organization (group composition), or to reproductive success. These findings imply that individual behavioural variation did not affect grouping patterns or direct fitness in this degu population.

Differential effect of social mobility on tooth loss by race in adulthood: 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study.

To examine the association between social mobility and tooth loss in adults from the 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study and whether race modifies this association. The Oral Health Study used data from 541 individuals who were followed up to 31 years of age. Social mobility, composed of the participants' socioeconomic position (SEP) at birth and at age 30, was categorized as never poor, upwardly mobile, downwardly mobile and always poor. The outcome was the prevalence of at least one tooth lost due to dental caries when the participants were examined at 31 years of age. The effect modifier was race (Black/Brown versus white people). Log-binomial regression models were used to estimate crude and sex-adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and to determine whether the association varied with race. Statistical interactions were tested using an additive scale. The prevalence of any tooth loss was 50.8% (n = 274). In social mobility groups, the prevalence of at least one tooth lost in the never-poor group was about 31% points higher for Black/Brown (68.2%) than for white people (37.4%). Antagonistic findings were found for the interaction between race and social mobility (Sinergy Index = 0.48; 95% CI 0.24, 0.99; and relative excess of risk due to the interaction = -1.38; 95% CI -2.34, -0.42), suggesting that the observed joint effect of race and social mobility on tooth loss was lower than the expected sum of these factors. The estimates for Black/Brown people were smaller for those who were always poor during their lives, relative to their white counterparts. The findings suggest a higher prevalence of at least one tooth lost among people in the downward mobile SEP group and Black/Brown people. Greater racial inequity was found among Black/Brown people who had never experienced episodes of poverty, with Black/Brown people having a greater prevalence of at least one tooth lost than their white counterparts.

Политико-экономическая теория популизма

The paper presents a cross-disciplinary theory of populism. The first part of the article considers a definition of populism, the main electorate of populist forces, and the economic triggers of protest votes for populist parties. The second part deals with the different types of political populism, the reasons for their actualization in the 21st century, and the institutional consequences of populist power. The demand for populism comes from fragmented social groups that lost out in the social transformations following the neoliberal revolution of the 1970s and experienced the negative shocks of globalization. The protest electorate is organized around charismatic leaders who find 'scapegoats' in the form of traditional elites, migrants, or minorities and claim to speak for the «nation». Populism can contribute to democratization in its early stages. However, once in power, populists tend to undermine the system of checks and balances, leading to a decline in the quality of institutions and a slowdown in economic growth. The third part of the paper assesses the impact of economic populism. It is concluded that the definitional approaches used in academic literature do not meet the requirement of universality and do not imply a sufficient level of operationalization necessary for empirical research. An alternative approach is proposed that develops the «classical» definition of R. Dornbusch and S. Edwards: economic policy aimed at provoking economic shocks in order to increase the political ratings of the authorities and downplaying socio-economic risks. This approach enables economic populism to transcend the ideological framework of «right-left» economic policy, separate it from the economic policy of political populists, and evaluate the populist policies of mainstream parties. The theory of economic populism converges with the theory of political business cycles, but is not limited to elections and focuses on assessing demand rather than supply.

Neglected Components in Dominant Accounts of a Good Life? — Disagreements among Maasai Pastoralists

AbstractLists of basic needs necessary for a decent human life have found their way into approaches to sustainable development such as the “Safe and Just Space for Humanity” framework. The “dominant” conceptions of a decent human life have been criticised by social groups which find themselves at the margins of public debates such as the Degrowth or Post-colonial movements. According to the latter, the dominant conceptions neglect certain values which are necessary constituents of a decent human life: meaningful activities, convivial activities, and relationships of certain quality (love, respect, harmony, care) towards human and other-than-human beings. With this paper, we present results of interviews with male Maasai pastoralists in a village in Northern Tanzania in which we elicited what they consider as requirements for a good human life. According to our results, Maasai pastoralists disagree about the necessary constituents of a decent human life as well, replicating the controversy from the international debates between the proponents of the dominant approaches and their critics from Post-colonial and Degrowth movements.

Mediatyzacja parlamentarnej kampanii wyborczej. Przypadek narodowej demokracji w 1922 roku

National Democracy actively participated in the mediatization of the electoral campaign in 1922. The effects of the media mediation process in learning about the world, influencing the world view of individuals and social groups, and creating an image of social reality were measurable because they brought political success in the form of obtaining parliamentary and senatorial seats in the parliament of the first term. To characterise the components of the mediatization of political activities, a case study article was proposed, considering knowledge about National Democracy, its members participating in the process of disseminating knowledge about politics through the media, and about the techniques used to influence recipients. Attention was paid to the variety of directions of propaganda work, to the involvement of brochure and periodical publishers, to the variety of election forms that were intended to promote the national political program, and, above all, to the ways of obtaining votes from the electorate from particular social groups limited by age, gender or profession. The conclusions include the use of communication competences of National Democracy leaders and members. The leadership of the national formation used three types of narrative: factual, sensational, and humorous, stimulating the effect.

Blindspots in the Historiography of Russia’s Colonial Rule over South Ukraine and Crimea

Abstract The rethinking and decolonization of Russian history has become a significant challenge for historians. This process should cover primarily the history of the Russian empire. The study of different regions of the Russian empire is one of the possible approaches because the empire was heterogeneous. The history of imperial institutions would thus move to the sidelines, while the history of regions, cities, different social, ethnic and religious groups, as well as the interaction within and between them should become the primary focus of historians. This approach would foster a shift from a Moscow-centric view.

"Pandemics know no borders," but Responses to Pandemics Do: Global Health, COVID-19, and Latin America.

This article focuses on Brazil and Peru, the Latin American epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic during 2020 and 2021. The pandemic magnified the legacy of years of neoliberal policies, corruption and racism in these countries, the limitations of their poverty-reduction programs, the fragility of their democratic systems, and the insufficient political regard for public health and basic sanitation. I rely on the concepts of negligence and necropolitics. The first refers to the abdication of authorities in providing sufficient basic services to its citizens. The second - coined by Achille Mbembe before the pandemic - is used to explain the banalization by governments of preventable deaths of discriminated social groups. On a global level, the problematic access to medical equipment and vaccines was a failure because of the hoarding of vaccines by rich nations and the blaming of developing countries for their high mortality. The result was that national and international governmental reactions to COVID-19 worsened health asymmetries within countries and between the Global North and South.

Wykorzystanie nowych technologii medialnych przez młodzież i seniorów. Raport z badań

The Internet and new media have become an integral part of everyday life for many people, regardless of age or social status. Young people and senior citizens are two important social groups affected by the development of media technologies, although often in very different ways. People belonging to different social categories may use new technologies in significantly different ways and have different problems related to their everyday use. Therefore, the aim of the analysis in the following sections is to identify the characteristics and ways in which young people and seniors use new media technologies. The analyses of the empirical material obtained in the face-to-face interviews aimed to answer the following research questions: (RQ1) What are the ways, characteristics and problems associated with the use of new media technologies by contemporary users? (RQ2) What are the peculiarities of the use of new media technologies by young people? (RQ3) What are the peculiarities of the use of new media technologies by older people? The results of the research indicate that the ways, characteristics and problems of using media technologies are rarely shared between older and younger people, as significant discrepancies are usually revealed. In particular, the observation of the specifics of the use of new media technologies by young people indicates that for them it is a tool that is indispensable for their daily personal, social and educational needs (permanent connection). Seniors, on the other hand, recognise the benefits of technology, but at the same time value life beyond the screen.

Social Aspects of Smart Urban Mobility

There is a growing interest in sustainable urban transport solutions in cities around the world. These changes, known as “smart urban mobility”, aim to reduce the negative effects of transport on the natural environment and enhance the standard of living for urban dwellers. It should be noted that in addition to this transformation’s technological aspects, modifying the city’s structure and architecture also has a social dimension. The transformation of urban mobility has a significant impact on social relations. Introducing new modes of transport, such as city bikes and electric scooters, creates new ways of moving around the city and can impact social interactions. This can increase social integration and a community’s sense of belonging. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the differences between social groups to ensure equal access to the benefits of these changes in addition to deeper social elements, such as changing the habits and expectations of residents and adapting solutions to the specific needs of each city. This paper aims to look at the social aspects of smart urban mobility, including the impact of these changes on the lives and relationships of city residents.