Social Relations Research Articles

Gendered dimensions of banditry: Women trafficking weapons to armed groups in northwest Nigeria

ABSTRACT The most pressing security threat faced by rural residents in northwest Nigeria is banditry, given its disruptive impact. This study examines the changing role of women in the criminal activities through empirical research. The paper asks pertinent research questions. What are the dynamics of women’s involvement in the trafficking of arms in the context of banditry in northwest Nigeria? Poverty and strong social relations with bandits are the primary reasons motivating women to engage in arms trafficking. The presence of transnational armed groups significantly contributes to the proliferation of arms, with porous borders serving as a key facilitator. Women encounter fewer obstacles in arms trafficking due to factors such as religious beliefs and physical appearance that prevent thorough security checks. Effectively addressing the gender-specific challenges of arms trafficking and violence requires a comprehensive strategy that involves cooperation among security forces, civil society, and the local population.

Centring disabilities in the ecological imagination of the 3/11 disaster through documentaries

ABSTRACT On 11 March 2011, a combination of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident occurred in Tohoku, Japan, resulting in enormous changes to ecological conditions. Subsequently, hundreds of documentaries, along with numerous other linguistic, audio and visual discourses on the disaster, have been made and circulated across various media platforms – constituting, driving and instigating an ecological imagination of the 3/11 disaster. However, disabled people have been largely marginalised in this imagination. Building on the recent scholarship in disability documentary studies and disability studies, this paper analyses disability-centred documentaries in order not only to include disabled people, but to centre them in the imagination of the disaster. This paper takes two disability-centred documentaries as case studies: People Who Are Late to Escape (2012) and Silence on That Day (2021). I argue that each emphasises diversity to challenge the ableist-centred society: beyond the bilateral relationship between humans and nature, these documentaries foreground the complex tripartite interdependence between anthropogenic materials, social relations and more-than-human matters. In pursuing this analysis, this paper aims to contribute to documentary studies by revealing the ways in which documentaries mediate disability and ecology in their particular contexts.

Child Maltreatment and Harsh Parenting: The Role of Maternal Chronic Relational Strains.

While prior research indicates that parents who were maltreated as children are more likely to engage in negative parenting behaviors, less is known about how mothers' social relationships may influence these practices. Yet parenting behaviors are influenced not only by the individual characteristics of the parent and child, but also by the social context that exists around the parent-child dyad. The aim of the current cross-sectional study was to test a model examining the effect of mothers' exposure to child maltreatment on harsh parenting practices, as observed in the lab, and the mediating role of strain in mothers' relationships. Seventy-eight mother-child dyads, with children ranging from 18- to 36-months old, were recruited from the community; mothers completed self-report measures of childhood trauma and relational strains, and were observed during a stressful parent-child interaction in the lab. Results indicated that higher child maltreatment was associated with harsher parenting, indirectly via greater chronic relational strains. These findings contribute important knowledge on how mothers' trauma history may influence their current social context to affect parenting behavior. Therapeutic approaches focused on alleviating maternal relational strains, including interventions that target other important people in a mother's circle, may yield more parenting benefits than parent training without a systemic approach.

The rhythms and rhythmanalysis of household energy demand

Abstract Recent work on energy demand has outlined a series of different factors that determine patterns of energy use and the importance of the social relations that underpin them. Here, we extend calls to recognise that energy consumption is rooted in people’s homes and communities by illuminating the significance of rhythms in contemporary patterns of energy demand. We argue that renewed attention on social relations should also focus analysis on the various rhythms and temporalities that influence how people use energy—and how such tempos and contexts change and evolve over time. To do so, we review recent work to outline a framework of how these rhythms and temporalities influence social relations and vice-versa and methods for more holistic understandings of energy demand and potential interventions.

Factors Affecting the Homesickness of International Students

Attending college far from home can be an exhilarating yet emotionally challenging experience for some students, as they navigate through unfamiliar surroundings and cope with long distances. The separation from their familiar environment often leads to emotional distress among international students, manifesting in symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Moreover, chronic homesickness poses a significant risk to the mental and physical well-being of these individuals, potentially hindering their ability to successfully complete their college studies. This article examines the factors contributing to homesickness among non-local students in Hong Kong and the United States, as well as the impact of each factor. It primarily assesses the degree of homesickness through four dimensions: family harmony, cultural barriers, social relationships, and personal characteristics. The study employs multiple regression analysis to evaluate the significance of these factors on homesickness. The findings offer valuable insights that may inform strategies for addressing homesickness-related mental health issues and suggest potential preventive measures.

Centering peers in design and training for a peer-delivered contingency management program for self-identified harm reduction and treatment goals

BackgroundNovel strategies are needed to engage people who use stimulants into the continuum of addiction care. Contingency management (CM) is the most effective intervention for stimulant use disorder and may engage non-treatment-seeking populations, especially when delivered by peer recovery support specialists (peers). We describe development and training for a novel peer-delivered CM program for stimulant use harm reduction and treatment engagement.MethodsWe used a community based participatory research (CBPR) process to develop a CM program focused on self-identified goals for harm reduction and treatment engagement. A steering committee of peers guided study design, CM rewards, schedule, and incentivized goals. Peers completed coaching-to-criterion of six CM skills based on the CM Competence Scale (CMCS), then completed a one-on-one roleplay with a standardized patient. Coaches rated peer performance of each CMCS skill according to its Likert scale (1 = Very Poor to 7 = Excellent) and an a priori rating criterion of 4 (‘adequate’). Roleplays included feedback and a ‘replay’ of skills, if necessary.ResultsThe steering committee devised two CM interventions: an enhanced standard-of-care incentivizing peer visits ($20 for weekly peer visits) and an intervention that additionally incentivized self-directed goals ($20 for weekly peer visits and $30 for completed goal-related activities). Self-identified goal-related activities were chosen through a collaborative process and organized into 6 domains: (1) overdose/overamping prevention (2) substance use supports/treatment (3) daily living/housing (4) education/employment (5) mental/physical/spiritual health (6) social relationships. Forty-seven peers across nine peer-led organizations (three rural and six urban organizations across Oregon) completed CM training. All 47 peers met the a priori criterion in their roleplay, with seventeen (36%) requiring a ‘replay’ of a skill. Mean CMSC summary scores were 28.51 (SD 4.73) on the first attempt and 29.62 (SD 4.01) on the second attempt.ConclusionsPEER-CM (Peers Expanding Engagement in Stimulant Harm Reduction with Contingency Management) is among the first trials to use peer-delivered CM for stimulant use, incentivizing peer engagement and self-identified goals for harm reduction and treatment engagement. A CBPR approach strengthened the study design by incorporating peer guidance. Peers in this large, multisite sample demonstrated adequate CM delivery skills with acceptable fidelity following training.Trial RegistrationThis study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT 05700994). Registered 26 January, 2023.

Fenomena Chatbot AI Sebagai Teman Curhat: Implikasi Pada Hubungan Antarpribadi di Era Digital

The phenomenon of using AI chatbots as confidants has been on the rise alongside advancements in communication technology. This research examines the increasing popularity of AI chatbots as companions for sharing personal thoughts in the digital era. By referencing the Beyond Human Communication theory, that highlights the connection between people and technology in modern communication, we used a qualitative approach and a systematic literature review to explore how chatting with these bots affects personal relationships and how we perceive communication quality. Results reveal that AI chatbots, by Natural Language Processing (NLP) abilities, can create a communication experience that feels quite like talking with another person. Chatbot AI offer emotional support that readily available. However, relying too much on chatbots can hinder a person’s ability to engage in deeper, more meaningful conversations with other humans. While these bots can provide quick and accurate responses, they lack the depth and significance that come with human interactions. This research highlights the need to strike a balance between using technology and maintaining genuine human connections to keep our social relationships strong.

The ‘crisis’ of fat body in the neoliberal era: the case of obesity in Turkey

Obesity research has been predominantly shaped by biomedical and political economy approaches that emphasize energy imbalance and individual responsibility. While critical perspectives challenge these narratives, they often neglect the structural and socio-economic production of obesogenic environments. This study conceptualizes obesity as a structurally embedded outcome of capitalist social relations and neoliberal restructuring, with a specific focus on the Turkish context. This study adopts a dialectical critical realist approach to analyse obesity at three levels: empirical (observable trends), actual (underlying mechanisms), and deep (structural causes). Quantitative data, obtained from authoritative institutional sources, illustrate rising obesity rates and contributing mechanisms. Qualitative data, systematically selected from academic and institutional sources, are used to examine the structural roots of obesity in capitalist social relations, focusing on how individuals function as both labour and consumers. The findings indicate that flexible labour markets contribute to obesity by increasing stress levels, while agricultural industrialisation promotes the consumption of chemical-laden, low-nutrition food. Furthermore, the commodification of health services frames obesity as an individual issue rather than a societal one, leading to ineffective treatment and prevention policies. Despite increasing scientific evidence on the biological and metabolic complexities of obesity, dominant strategies remain reductionist. Effective public health policies should move beyond profit-oriented frameworks and adopt holistic, interdisciplinary approaches that consider social, economic, and environmental factors. Further research is needed to explore transformative strategies that prioritize collective well-being over capital interests.

Contract, social relations and the outsourcing of publicly funded healthcare

A prominent and consistent element of Chris Newdick’s work can be understood as a focus on the nature of relations in healthcare and healthcare law. Specifically, he has emphasised and defended the importance of social solidarity and community as core values against the dominant focus on and championing of an individual sense of autonomy in those areas. This article takes up the theme of relations in a different context, exploring the nature of the social relations underpinning the increasing role played by the private sector in delivering publicly funded healthcare. It does so by considering two instances of outsourcing – the private finance initiative and the United Kingdom (UK) Government’s awarding of contracts as part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is argued that those examples disclose relations between the state, citizens, and what the sociologist Wolfgang Streeck calls the marktvolk (the people of the market) that cannot be comprehended via the notions of solidarity and community traditionally associated with a publicly funded healthcare system like the UK’s National Health Service. Indeed, the social relations involving the marktvolk – including, for instance, the importance of one’s status and duties of loyalty based on acquaintance – tend to have the effect of, in Newdick’s phrase, ‘corroding [the traditional form of] social solidarity’. Thus, while important, it is not only the stress on individual autonomy and rights that has this corrosive effect; other forms of social relations – including those involving elites and revolving around capital – have this impact too and demand exploration.

Phraseological Representation of the Concept of «Abuse» in the Russian Language

The subject of the study in the article is the peculiarities of the semantics of phraseological units, which can be attributed to the representatives of such a new borrowed concept as «abuse». The purpose of the article is to describe the corpus of units of the phraseological system of the Russian language, revealing the semantic scope of the concept denoted by the lexeme «abuse». The study was carried out on the material of 133 units taken from modern phraseological dictionaries and qualified as linguistic means of nominating the socio-psychological phenomenon of abuse. As a result of the application of the method of semantic analysis, 3 groups of phraseological representatives of the concept of «abuse» were identified: «Psychological violence» (dominant semes in the structure of phraseological meaning: 'torment', 'bother', 'disturb', 'demand', 'pursue', 'scare', 'confuse'), «Physical violence» (dominant semes: 'exploit', 'crack down', 'subjugat') and «Economic violence» ('appropriate', 'ruin'). It is noted that the social and psychological phenomenon of abuse in the Russian language has a wide objectification by phraseological means, which we note within the framework of a more capacious linguocognitive category – «Attitude». The functioning of phraseological units with similar semantics is typical for family, friendly, work and school discourses that define different spheres of interpersonal and social relationships

Tren Penelitian Dampak Pergaulan Bebas pada Remaja

Teenagers, as the future generation of the nation, are facing significant challenges due to the rapid flow of globalization, technological advancements, and the weakening of social control and character education. This study aims to identify the factors contributing to the prevalence of promiscuity among teenagers, analyze its impact on social skills, and propose preventive and educational solutions. Using a literature review method, data were gathered from various relevant scientific sources published in the last five years. The results of the study show that promiscuity has negative effects on the physical and mental health, as well as the social relationships of teenagers, including teenage pregnancies, drug abuse, sexual deviation, and the decline of social skills. The minimal role of the family, the weakness of moral education, low self-control, and inadequate sex education are the main factors exacerbating this issue. On the other hand, the involvement of parents, religious education, and community-based approaches have proven effective in building the moral resilience of teenagers. The implications of this study highlight the importance of synergy between families, schools, and communities in instilling character values and equipping teenagers with healthy social skills to face the challenges of the era.

Study of Psychomotor Agitation Constraint Method: A Systematic Review

Background: Psychomotor agitation is a common psychiatric disorder that often requires physical restraint, consuming significant healthcare resources. Assessing the clinical importance of the correct method of physical restraint for patients with psychomotor agitation presents a challenge for physicians and researchers. This review aims to assess the use of physical restraints in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and other departments, identifying potential factors influencing their use. Methods: Two independent researchers conducted a computerized search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases for literature related to methods of psychomotor agitation restraint. The review focused on the methods of inhibiting psychomotor agitation in the ICU. Results: A total of seven papers met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The restraint rates among patients ranged from 8.7% to 59.07%. Factors influencing patient restraint included gender, marital status, mental and behavioral disorders, emergency referrals, and the use of mechanical ventilation. Conclusions: Restraint is frequently used among patients, particularly among the elderly, males, and those with disorders of consciousness or social relationship issues. This review identifies several factors influencing restraint rates in patients with psychomotor agitation, highlighting the need for further research to develop targeted interventions aimed at reducing the necessity for physical restraints.

Alcohol Dependence and Quality of Life: Role of Gender and Psychiatric Comorbidities.

To address the lack of studies on the impact of gender and psychiatric comorbidities on alcohol dependence (AD) and quality of life (QoL), we conducted a cross-sectional study. We compared QoL between 328 men and 86 women with AD, and 215 healthy men and 120 women. Additionally, we examined the association of alcohol-related variables and psychiatric comorbidity with the QoL of men and women with AD while controlling for sociodemographic variables. A structured clinical interview for sociodemographic and alcohol-related variables, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), and World Health Organization QoL (WHOQoL)-BREF scale, was applied. QoL was poorer for AD subjects compared to healthy controls, with no gender differences. Regression analysis showed that the number of hospitalizations and AD with personality disorder predicted poorer QoL for men, whereas AD with depression predicted poorer social relationships for women. These findings suggest the need for gender-differentiated treatment.

“I Feel the Most Pleasure When I Don’t Have to Worry”: On Sexual Comfort, t4t, and Trans Pleasure

There is little sociological research about trans pleasure, especially trans sexual pleasure. This article fills this gap by turning to the dating and sex lives of trans women and femmes to learn about trans sex and trans pleasure. Based on qualitative interviews with 48 trans women and femmes in the United States, this article shows how comfort is important in experiencing and giving pleasure and how comfort can be crucial to social relations, including within sexual relations. This article also mainly—but not exclusively—turns to trans for trans relations to explore trans sexualities outside of cis desires. In turning to trans folks’ sex lives, this article challenges the cisness within sexuality studies by moving sex and pleasure away from gender stereotypes and genitals. In doing so, this article proffers a comfort turn within sociology and sexualities studies, demonstrating how comfort is a mode of relation that is crucial for care, communication, consent, and community. Ultimately, comfort can challenge cis assumptions about sex, pleasure, and sexuality.

‘What is typhus compared to the Gestapo!’: social reactivity in Vichy France

Abstract This article rethinks social relations in Vichy France through the lens of social reactivity—the full spectrum of behaviours that either accelerated or impeded persecution, from fleeting harm and aid to opportunism and reluctant solidarity. Using the 1957 testimony of Mrs J. Moda, a German Jewish refugee who survived with her husband in southern France, the article challenges fixed moral categories of resistance, rescue, collaboration and indifference. Instead, it foregrounds the shifting pressures that shaped individual decisions in occupied France. Bureaucratic inertia, financial transactions and evolving local power structures all shaped whether harm or protection prevailed in key moments. By analysing the interplay of denunciation, conditional aid and localized defiance, the article reframes Jacques Sémelin’s concept of ‘social reactivity’ to encompass small gestures of aid, acts of harm and opportunism. This case study thus offers a broader framework for understanding the fluid, situational nature of behaviour under Vichy.

Asymmetric polarization: The perception that Republicans pose harm to disadvantaged groups drives Democrats' greater dislike of Republicans in social contexts.

Given growing political polarization in recent years, partisan dislike-defined as the negativity that individuals display at the prospect of having close social relations with supporters of the other party-has received increasing attention. While traditional work in social and political psychology has held that conservatives display greater outgroup hostility than liberals, the worldview conflict perspective suggests that both groups similarly express hostility toward value incongruent outgroups. Contradicting both established perspectives, we present evidence across five preregistered studies (and two additional studies reported in the Supplemental Materials) conducted between 2022 and 2023-two social media field experiments (N = 10,000) examining actual behavior and five survey-based studies (N = 2,443) operationalizing partisan dislike in various ways (e.g., blocking on social media, rating the likability of various targets, and evaluating hiring suitability)-that Democrats (i.e., liberals) dislike Republicans (i.e., conservatives) more than vice versa. We provide a potential explanation for this phenomenon by extending the worldview conflict perspective to account for asymmetries in how moralized specific values are among two conflicting groups at a given point in time. Specifically, we theorize that in light of recent social trends in the modern-day United States, the moralized belief that counter-partisans pose harm to disadvantaged groups, particularly racial/ethnic minorities, has become an asymmetric contributor to partisan dislike among Democrats. We found support for our theory across both measurement-of-mediation and experimental-mediation approaches and in both field experimental and survey data. Overall, this work advances research on ideology and outgroup hostility and extends the worldview conflict perspective to better explain partisan dislike. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Risk Factors for Problematic Social Media Use in Youth: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

Abstract A growing body of research indicates that problematic social media use can have detrimental effects on adolescents' mental health and well-being. This systematic review aims to synthesize evidence on longitudinal risk factors contributing to the development of problematic social media use in adolescents, defined as the use of social media impacting physical or mental well-being. The review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed on PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase databases, including articles published from 2010 onwards. Out of 1,729 screened articles, 23 were included. Findings on risk factors related to individuals and their social environment were categorized into nine groups: motivations for use, parenting factors, adverse childhood experiences, peer factors, emotions, self-regulation, personality, mental health, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Peer factors (e.g., poor social relationships, social comparison, fear of missing out, negative peer pressure, exposure to relational aggression), negative emotions, personality traits (e.g., sensation seeking), and poor mental health emerged as the most common risk factors. Due to methodological limitations in the studies included, further research is necessary. It is essential to use clinical samples, objective measures, and consistent conceptualizations to contribute to a better understanding of problematic social media use as well as its mechanisms and effects.

Strategi Mekanisme Survival Keluarga Buruh Petani Garam dalam Memenuhi Kebutuhan Hidup (Studi Kasus di Desa Gersik Putih, Gapura - Sumenep)

This study examines the Strategy of the Survival Mechanism of Salt Farmers' Families in Meeting the Needs of Life in Gersik Putih Village, Sumenep Regency. The survival strategy is carried out by the family of salt farmer workers to be able to survive and to meet their daily needs. The strategies carried out are active strategies, passive strategies and network strategies. The participation of family members of salt farmer workers can increase the family's economy and can meet needs. In this study using a sociological study of the theory of Survival Mechanism according to James C Scott. The purpose of this study was to find out how the Strategy of Survival Mechanism for Salt Farmers in Meeting the Needs of Life in Gersik Putih Village, Sumenep Regency. Where a farmer does several ways to survive in crisis conditions. Meanwhile, according to James C Scott, tying a tight belt means applying a frugal lifestyle, asking for help from relatives, taking advantage of social relations. The majority of the people of Gersik Putih Village work as salt farmers with difficult economic backgrounds, low education, and are also hereditary jobs. This research uses descriptive qualitative research with a case study approach. Methods of collecting data by means of observation, interviews and documentation. Informants were selected using purposive sampling. Data analysis uses data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The technique of checking the validity of the data uses source triangulation.

Examining the impact of marital status and gender on household income dynamics

Marriage, despite its evolving role in society, has for generations played a fundamental role in shaping social relations. This paper examines household income by gender and the marital status of the head of household, with a focus on assessing the average total incomes for these different groups. The significance of household income in determining a household's poverty status cannot be overstated. While the use of multidimensional measures of poverty, such as the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and other household resources, has increased, it remains true that these measures are directly influenced by the household's income level. Therefore, household income continues to be the primary determinant of poverty. Analyzing income dynamics by gender provides insight into broader household issues, such as gender relations and the significance of marital status in the 21st century. The study employed Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and descriptive analysis to derive the results. The findings indicate that married individuals have higher household incomes compared to all other groups. Notably, never-married single females have the lowest income among these groups. The analysis also reveals that, on average, males have higher incomes than females within the same marital status categories. These results confirm that both gender and marital status continue to influence household income levels. The policy implication is that, while marriage cannot be regulated, gender disparities can be addressed to ensure that individuals with the same qualifications and experience receive equal pay. To address these disparities, it is recommended that policies focus on promoting equal pay for equal work and enhancing women's economic empowerment, particularly for vulnerable groups. Supporting cohabiting households through legal and financial protections will also contribute to improved economic stability. These measures aim to reduce income disparities associated with gender and marital status, ultimately fostering greater social equity and economic growth.

The Quality of Life of South African Homeless Adults Aged 50 and Older in Housing First Facilities: Implications for Service Delivery

Background: The population of homeless adults is on the rise, yet little is known about their well-being and functioning. With the exception of Ghana and Nigeria, there is a hiatus in the existing literature on studies conducted in African countries, focusing on homelessness among adults aged 50 years and older. Aim: To determine how homeless adults (50 and older) in Housing First Facilities in the City of Tshwane, South Africa, perceive their quality of life. Methods: The study followed a quantitative approach to determine the quality of life of homeless adults in Housing First facilities using the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), which measures the quality of life based on the physical and psychological well-being, social relationships, and environment domains on a 5-point response scale. Data was collected from two Housing First facilities within the City of Tshwane, and the WHOQOL-BREF was administered face-to-face with the participating homeless adults. Results: Overall, participants perceived their quality of life (M=3.26) as neither poor nor good and were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with their health (M=3.55). Participants (n=38) scored the highest in the psychological domain (M=3.77), followed by the physical (M=3.64) and environment (M=3.32) domains. The social relationships (M=3.22) domain scored the lowest. The results revealed that participants had a moderate perception of their quality of life across all domains. Considerations and recommendations: The results suggest that the quality of life of homeless adults in Housing First facilities needs improvement. Based on the Biopsychosocial (BPS) perspective, recommendations for improvement are offered to target personal and structural barriers.