Visual Material Research Articles

The Embodied Experiences of Injured Ultra-Runners: A Body-Mapping Study

AbstractThe sport of Ultra-running has seen exponential growth over the past ten years. These athletes attempt to push beyond unknown human limits by running for many hours at a time, often multiple times a week across mountains and trails. While research has begun to consider how injury impacts these athletes from an objective medical perspective, much less is known about their subjective embodied experiences. In particular, the discourses they resist and submit to when they are suddenly unable to run. This study describes the use of body-mapping and narrative interviewing as two forms of research inquiry merged together to explore the embodied experiences of eight ultra-runners who had recently experienced an injury. Plot lines were woven through the visual and textual material resulting in three master plots and eight sub plots. Stories of Body Self-transformation, Machina Carnis or the body-as-machine and senescence or the ageing body were layered by emplacing images and text onto life sized body maps creating vibrant art works. These art works were analysed alongside detailed narratives of endurance, strength, determination and loss. Through the art works participants were able to make visible the invisible, with the injury experience providing a window into former ways of being and current experiences of liminality and fear. This study provides insight into the shifting subjectivities of these extreme athletes brought about by pain and injury, and highlights the importance of using power leveling and emancipatory arts based research methods in accessing subjective experience.

Iconographic Aspects of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact: A Comparative Analysis of Documentary Photographs

Based on the surviving 1939 photographs and their comparative analysis, the article reveals the main visual differences that emerged when photographing two different German-USSR bilateral treaty signing ceremonies. This is important and relevant because in scientific literature, history textbooks and other educational materials, as well as in exhibitions and media articles devoted to history, photographsfrom the signing of the German–Soviet Boundary and Friendship Treaty on 28 September 1939 are often mistakenly used to illustrate the signing of the non-aggression pact concluded between Germany and the USSR in Moscow on 23 August 1939, five weeks earlier. Since these two treaties were signed by the same two people – Vyacheslav Molotov and Joachim von Ribbentrop – at the same desk in the same office of the Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR in the Moscow Kremlin, it is not that easy to distinguish at first glance which treaty is being signed in one photograph or another. The photographs are often confused, arbitrarily choosing the ones that look more expressive for the sake of illustration. The article presents visual material, its analysis, insights and generalisations that will help to avoid the photograph attribution errors that are so common in using old photographs to illustrate the signing of the 23 August 1939 Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Ethnopsychology in the Bismarck Archipelago: Richard Thurnwald and the visual anthropology of German colonialism

Between 1906 and 1909, the Austrian-born German anthropologist Richard Thurnwald undertook an expedition to Germany's Pacific colonies on behalf of the Berlin Museum for Ethnology. There he carried out a series of experimental psychological tests to investigate the mentalities and intelligence of Melanesian subjects. Due to the limitations on verbal communication, Thurnwald privileged non-verbal experiments, especially involving drawings made by his local assistants and guides. His 1913 publication Ethnopsychological Studies on South Seas Peoples reproduces some 200 of those images, which have seldom been studied since. This article examines Thurnwald's experiments in ethnopsychology through the lens of these visual materials and situates his project within larger international trends of scientific colonialism. Despite purporting to further native welfare, his application of experimental psychology to the colonial field was meant to provide solutions to the administration's most urgent problems: pacification, labour recruitment, and a declining birth rate. Yet, as this article argues, the images he collected can also be read against the grain as documents of indigenous response to German colonial rule.

The interactive effects of drawing task, prompt format, and visual aids on video-based learning: Attention and drawing accuracy as mediators

This study investigated the effects of open- and closed-book learning conditions either accompanied by visual aids or without on learners’ attention, drawing accuracy, and learning performance. Participants were 127 undergraduate learners randomly assigned to view either an open- or closed-book prompt, who then watched either a video lecture accompanied by visual aids or one without (i.e. visuals provided vs. no visuals). The results showed that for learners who were provided with visual aids, compared to the open-book condition, those in the closed-book condition demonstrated higher eye blink rate as well as improved immediate and delayed test scores. However, this advantage was not observed in the condition with no visual materials. Mediation analysis showed that increased immediate test scores in the visuals provided condition was due partly to improved drawing accuracy. Multiple mediation analyses showed that the open-book with visuals provided condition led to lower eye blink rate, increased fixation count, and improved drawing accuracy, which collectively resulted in decreased immediate test performance. These findings have implications for educators and instructional designers regarding how to tailor effective learning strategies; specifically, educators could consider using closed-book learning conditions with visual aids to enhance learners’ attention and improve their learning performance.

Using TED Talks to Improve Motivation of Learning English Language Skills among Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities

This study aimed to use TED Talks, which are abundant with real-life examples of English language use, that might improve the public speaking skills of elementary-level Jordanian EFL students with learning disabilities. The study also aimed at identifying the attitudes of the students with learning disabilities toward using TED Talks to increase motivation to learn English. This research used a quasi-experimental approach. The present study included 68 female EFL tenth graders from the Irbid Schools for Girls, a public institution under the Irbid Directorate of Education. The researcher created an educational program based on the TED talks. The pre-post-test was used to measure the students’ progress and a questionnaire was used to measure their attitudes to this strategy. The program seems to have created good levels of interaction among the students and boosted their appetite to participate and engage with the visual and audio materials presented in the TED Talks videos. The students showed positive attitudes toward using the TED Talks program to raise their motivation to learn English language.

Visual supports and informative material not to forget counselling on reproductive health in dialysis: a point of view.

Contraception, pregnancy and fertility are seldom discussed with women receiving dialysis and the medical staff of dialysis centres. Since the majority of women on dialysis are past childbearing age, these themes are not always given proper consideration and this category of patients may be missing important information. Young women of childbearing age who are on dialysis frequently experience sexual dysfunction and hormonal disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. In addition, dialysis often has a relevant psychological impact and affects the person's social role. Physical changes may accompany kidney failure, including the presence of a vascular or peritoneal access. The dialysis ward is not a place that facilitates privacy, and discussing contraception is not always easy, particularly in some cultural contexts, or between a male doctor and a young woman. While pregnancy and contraception are routinely addressed with women waiting for a kidney transplant, they are less frequently discussed with women on dialysis. Numerous studies have found that over half of the pregnancies in women on dialysis are unplanned. How frequently patients are seen (at each dialysis session, or during periodic visits) does not necessarily make things better, as often some issues are taken for granted or discussing them is postponed. In our centre, over 160 patients are on chronic hemodialysis (HD) and 20 are on peritoneal or home HD. Only nine women were of childbearing agein our center, all on HD. We discussed with them on counselling about pregnancy, and to ensure that all women of childbearing age would be offered counselling on contraception and pregnancy, we designed simple leaflets and an infographic, in collaboration with our nursing team and residents, as a guide and a reminder for our staff to discuss these topics with the patients.

Practical Guidance for Preparing for and Conducting Focus Groups and Interviews with Community Members for Cancer Research.

To support meaningful and productive engagement in cancer research, we provide practical guidance for preparing for and conducting focus groups and interviews with community members. We provide 11 recommendations in two printable resources: (a) a checklist for preparing for focus groups and interviews with community members, and (b) a list of practical strategies to use when conducting the focus groups and interviews. These recommendations are based on our experience facilitating 15 focus groups and 20 interviews with 52 community members to codesign the study materials for a population-wide qualitative survey for understanding the needs and experiences of adults affected by cancer in Queensland, Australia. The checklist includes six recommendations: (1) define and document recruitment procedures, (2) use diverse recruitment methods to recruit a diverse sample, (3) implement multiple strategies to prevent and detect fraudulent participant sign-ups, (4) offer flexible options for research participation, (5) develop and pilot visual session materials, and (6) nominate lead and support facilitators (focus groups only). Practical strategies include five recommendations with examples for how to implement these in practice: (1) allow time to get started, (2) invite focused participation, (3) keep track of time, (4) facilitate productive and insightful conversations, and (5) debrief after sessions for continuous quality improvement. These resources can be used by students, researchers, and health care professionals conducting focus groups and interviews with community members to optimize the consumer's experience of participation in cancer research. The recommendations presented may also be applicable in health research more broadly.

Unveiling hybrid culinary cultures in Macao: a corpus-assisted multimodal approach to the translation of Macanese cuisine

ABSTRACT This study investigates the special foodscape and hybrid culinary cultures in Macao through the translation of Macanese cuisine. It employs a corpus-assisted multimodal approach, with the concept of intersemiotic translation and multimodal theories as the theoretical basis for analysis and discussion. The data under investigation is a self-built multimodal database of Macanese cuisine translations. The study first examines the ingredients and cooking methods in Macanese cuisine dish names and then delves into the translation strategies and methods used in the translations across Portuguese, English and Chinese. Multimodal analysis is also conducted to explore the intersemiotic translation between the verbal and visual materials of Macanese cuisine. The research results show that hybrid culinary features are represented in the ingredients, cooking methods and translations of Macanese cuisine, constituting an inclusive, integrated and diversified foodscape in Macao. Moreover, the intersemiotic translation between the verbal and the visual could highlight particular ingredients and cooking methods, showcase the enticing appearance of the dishes, and convey the hybrid culinary cultures in Macanese cuisine. This study holds the potential to enrich research on food translation from a multimodal perspective, while also contributing to the translation and cultural transmission of Macanese cuisine and culinary cultures in Macao.

Penerapan Model Pembelajaran Konstruktivisme Menggunakan Media Google Classroom untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa pada Mata Pelajaran Dasar-Dasar Desain Komunikasi Visual Kelas X di SMKN 3 Kuningan

This study aims to determine the learning outcomes of students using the constructivism method using google classroom media in the subject of Visual Communication Design Basics class X SMKN 3 Kuningan in 2023/2024. The method used was quantitative with the type of quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group design. The population in this study is class X students of SMKN 3 Kuningan. The sample used in this study was divided into 2 classes (experimental and control) with a total of 72 students. The data collection techniques used in this study are tests and questionnaires. The data analysis techniques used in this study are using normality tests, homogeneity tests, hypothesis tests, validity tests, and reliability tests. The results of this study show that the learning outcomes of students in the subject of Fundamentals of Visual Communication Design of CorelDraw material in class X at SMKN 3 Kuningan before using the Constructivism learning model are still lacking with an average score of 77.78. Student learning outcomes in the subject of Fundamentals of Visual Communication Design CorelDraw material in class X at SMKN 3 Kuningan after using the Constructivism learning model are good with an average score of 84.72. There was a change in the learning model of Constructivism on student learning outcomes in the basic subjects of visual communication design

Применение методов интернет-маркетинга для стимулирования агротуризма на сельских территориях

Abstract. In the context of the development of digital technologies and the increasing number of internet users worldwide, internet marketing becomes a powerful tool for attracting and retaining the target audience. For rural areas, the application of internet marketing can significantly enhance the attractiveness and accessibility of agritourism destinations and offerings. Purpose of article is to identify effective internet marketing methods for stimulating agritourism in rural areas. Methods. The study employs analytical and empirical methods, including a review and analysis of existing internet marketing methods such as SEO, content marketing, social media, and email marketing, and their adaptation to agritourism. The study also includes the analysis of successful cases and provides practical recommendations for integrating internet marketing into the development strategy of agritourism. Results. Strategies are identified for creating unique and attractive tourism products that meet the demands of modern tourists and support the sustainable development of rural areas. The study examines aspects of content development that reflect the uniqueness and authenticity of rural regions, including the creation of visual and textual materials, videos, and virtual tours. Special attention is given to the role of social media in promoting agritourism products, which allows for direct communication with potential tourists, creating a loyal community, and improving the reputation of tourism destinations. The impact of reviews and ratings on tourists' decision-making is also analyzed, and methods for managing online reputation are proposed. Scientific novelty. The article presents a new concept for integrating internet marketing into agritourism, which can become a valuable contribution to the practices of regional management structures and entrepreneurs. Unique approaches to the creation and promotion of agritourism products are considered, the importance of integrating Internet marketing into the overall strategy for the development of agritourism in rural areas is emphasized, which helps attract more tourists, support local communities, create jobs and preserve cultural heritage. Special attention is given to the use of data analytics and offer personalization to increase tourist engagement and improve their experience.

Sartorial Sessions

This video article draws on visual and textual materials developed as part of a doctoral research project that examined embodied and sensory encounters with fashion and clothing. The core focus was on understanding the significance of embodiment in fashion and exploring opportunities for redirection through critical approaches to researching embodied experiences and exploring and representing those experiences in the broader context of fashionable representation. To achieve this, the research developed and applied a digital video-based methodology, which allowed for the identification, elaboration, and thematization of sartorial behaviors and actions. This video article presents eight digital video works as a sequential series, developed using the aforementioned methodology. These videos synthesize the primary findings of the research into a visual form and invite viewers to engage in a somatically felt reflection on them. At the same time, the video article details the development and process of the sartorial sessions as specific contexts where body-garment relations can be examined. The audio narration accompanying the visual content is derived from the textual material of the research. It combines contextual information, visual descriptions, and analysis of the images on screen, using selected passages from the written thesis. The aim of the article is to cultivate reflexive forms of sensory knowledge in fashion, encouraging viewers to become more attuned to the sensory dimension of fashion.

The place and role of purgatory in the twenty-first century: a visual content analysis of students’ AI-generated works

This article examines current perceptions of purgatory among young people and its role in society. Architecture students’ visual material explores the evolving concept of purgatory and its importance today. The study analyses how ideas of purification and hybridity are understood in contemporary secular society. Using a structured visual research framework, the study incorporates participatory seminars, art-based methodologies and innovative AI techniques. It investigates young people’s views on purgatory and their understanding of the cosmos, considering contemporary interpretations and the concept of presentism. By combining creative and conventional research approaches, this text aims to enhance understanding and generate new insights. The analysis uncovers how purgatory and transitional spaces are understood in today’s society, revealing individual interpretations of religious teachings. It also highlights the importance of creative research methods in understanding complex religious ideas.

Visual Analysis and the Contentious Politics of the Radical Right

ABSTRACTAlthough images are very important for political actors and social movements, including the radical right (RR), empirical studies still rarely integrate visual material as relevant data for understanding radical right politics. This article outlines this new and growing field of research (i.e., visuality and the RR), critically reviewing existing studies from the perspective of both visual studies of social movements and contentious politics, which are rarely applied to the RR, and the methodology of working with images, offering empirical case studies (European and beyond) to illustrate the argument. The findings reveal the main functions of the use of visuals for the radical right, as well as the benefits (but also the challenges) of studying radical right politics through the lens of visual analysis. A conceptual framework is proposed to capture this dominant visual politics of the radical right. As shown, two dimensions emerge as the most theoretically relevant for the radical right: The discursive meaning of images (the story itself, telling the story, eliciting the story) and the communicative function of images (visual expression by the movement or others, visibility), which combine agency and addressee.

나트륨 줄이기 교육에 대한 유아와 교사의 경험과 교육적 의미 탐색

This study is a qualitative study that explores children’s and teachers’ experiences and educational implications of a sodium reduction education program implemented in a daycare center. The subjects of the study were a teacher and twenty 4-year-old children at a public daycare center located in Gyeonggi Province. The study was analyzed by categorizing program plans activity data, children’s and teachers’ experiences, photographs, and interviews data. As a results, the sodium reduction education program using the play-based approach with the ‘Mainashu’ character to help children understand the importance of sodium intake and acquire healthy eating habits. Children gained knowledge about sodium through play and daily routines and became interested in healthy eating habits. Through the play and daily activities related to home (or home-based activities), children were able to accept sodium reduction as an enjoyable experience and apply it to their real life. Meanwhile, although the teacher used various educational materials and methods to effectively convey the concept of sodium and its eating habits to the children, they still experienced difficulties due to the lack of appropriate models or visual materials. In addition, the lack of cooperation from families and the community led to the limitations of sodium reduction education and its effectiveness. Since the eating habits of young children are shaped by their parents and families, it is essential to engage with families in eating-related activities, and it is necessary to increase the educational effectiveness through continuous interaction.

3D printing for teaching and exploration in astronomy for individuals with blindness/visual impairment: textured representations of imagery

ABSTRACT Astronomy, a captivating field that draws upon science, mathematics, and engineering, has traditionally relied on visual representations to convey the wonders of the cosmos. While this approach effectively engages the sighted population, the use of imagery can exclude individuals with blindness or visual impairment (B/VI). Astronomical research is incorporated into press releases, media, outreach efforts, and educational systems aimed at enhancing public interest and often skill in science, but visual materials can hamper a population with B/VI. This paper explores the potential of 3D printing as an assistive technology providing an alternative to imagery. We produced textured 3D prints of astronomical research data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Useability assessment of materials is an important phase of production before integration into structured programs, and we used a multi-phased approach in our prior research to create and test appropriate textures for 3D astronomical prints. This paper describes the last step of reviewing our 3D prints through informal useability sessions with diverse individuals. The assessment indicated our 3D prints provide reliable, informative representations of astronomical data appropriate for public use especially for public information, outreach programs, and science education for individuals with B/VI.

Post-World War II perspectives on Choi Seung-hee: ideological blind spots in Asia-based and Anglophone scholarship

ABSTRACT During and before World War II, Japanese colonial rule cast a profound impact on the cultural and artistic landscapes of its colonies. Choi Seung-hee (1911–1969), a prominent cultural figure from the pre-war period, skillfully navigated the delicate balance between her roles as a representative of Korean national dancer and an emblematic figure within the Japanese empire. Her dual identity elicited diverse public reactions, ranging from slander to praise. In South Korea, post-Korean War, ideological divisions led to the marginalization of artists like Choi who moved north, ambiguously referred to as “Choi X.” In North Korea, autocratic rule infused her evaluations with strong nationalism. In China and the Soviet Union, Cultural Cold War ideologies impacted her assessments. Japan’s perspective reflected its post-colonial introspection and issues. In contrast to the ideologically saturated research in Asian contexts, contemporary Anglophone scholarship on Choi, transcending nationalist confines, nonetheless exhibits distinct limitations. This study primarily scrutinizes the diverse perspectives reflected in Choi research, drawing upon news reports, visual materials, academic studies, and personal observations in China, South Korea, and Japan. The aim is to chart the trajectory and representative viewpoints of Choi research in post-World War II Koreas, China/Soviet Union, Japan, and the Anglophone scholarship. Through literature review and critical analysis, this research underscores how nationalist, socialist, Aesthetic Orientalist, Sinocentric and (Pan) Asian political/non-political ideologies have shaped perspectives on Choi amidst the Cultural Cold War and decolonization. Moreover, it reveals how transnational ideological constructs and dominant research paradigms have shaped and reshaped Choi’s image.

Histories of the Portuguese colonial war and its (other) images: a photo-text essay

In 1975, my parents-in-law met in Lourenço Marques (Maputo, Mozambique). The period preceding their engagement was marked by profoundly contrasting experiences. Because of his political activities against the Estado Novo dictatorship, he was conscripted into the Portuguese Commandos and participated in the conflict that unfolded in northern Mozambique. Conversely, she travelled from the Portuguese metropolis to Lourenço Marques as a child (following her grandfather’s promotion in public service), and had a happy childhood and adolescence, as documented in a collection of Super 8 films that were entrusted to me. How to reconcile such opposite experiences? And how to honour a legacy of images that do not cease to question me in the critical present? This photo-text essay focuses on a set of images that go beyond the commonly accepted depictions of Portuguese colonialism to problematize issues of resistance, indifference and complicity, showing how private and seemingly insignificant visual materials take part in collective forms of enunciation. It stresses the importance of landscape in conveying unassimilable and traumatic aspects of Portugal’s problematic history, examining how different discourses and imaginal references about war and colonialism reflect various perspectives, experiences and sensibilities, which may or may not align with each other. Ultimately, by drawing on an experimental, self-reflexive and visual approach to history, the essay encourages readers to actively engage in shaping alternative public memories, capable of encompassing the intricacies and diverse facets of history’s manifold manifestations.

In situ growth of curcumin-loaded cellulose composite film for real-time monitoring of food freshness in smart packaging

Visual pH-responsive packaging material is particularly important in food supply chain safety monitoring due to their non-destructive monitoring method and intuitive result. However, it has always been limited by the instability performance of pH-response components and carriers, which further hinders its wide food safety application. To address these challenges, we selected cellulose with remarkable biocompatibility and mechanical properties as the carrier, and high pH-responsive curcumin to develop a smart packaging material (RC/GC composite film) with real-time food safety monitoring. Compared with pure cellulose film, the RC/GC composite film exhibited excellent mechanical properties (4-fold enhancement) and thermal stability (100 °C increasing). Meanwhile, based on the first reported strategy of curcumin in-situ growth during cellulose film formation, the RC/GC composite film exhibited exceptional antioxidant activity (89.2 %), antimicrobial property (91.6 %), and significant pH-responsive sensitivity (within 15 s). This innovative approach offers a new strategy for easy-to-use and effective monitoring of food spoilage in packaging materials.

Affective processing in aphantasia and potential overlaps with alexithymia: Mental imagery facilitates the recognition of emotions in oneself and others

We investigated affective processing in aphantasia (= absent or reduced vividness of mental imagery), considering a possible overlap with alexithymia (= deficits in identifying and describing emotions), as reduced vividness of mental imagery is also reported in alexithymia. Study 1 assessed physiological reactions and self-reported sympathy in n = 30 individuals with aphantasia and n = 75 controls when confronted to visual and verbal material showing people in distress. Results demonstrated that individuals with aphantasia show reduced emotional responses, especially to verbal stimuli. This is of particular importance given the higher prevalence of alexithymic symptoms in aphantasic participants, notably in externally-oriented thinking and difficulties in describing feelings. An additional mediation analysis confirmed that vividness of visual imagery mediated the association between alexithymia and self-reported sympathy. Study 2 extended our exploration to the recognition of emotions in others using the same sample. Despite accurate recognition of emotions, individuals with aphantasia exhibited significantly slower response times, suggesting less efficient strategies that do not involve mental imagery. Our findings highlight the crucial role of mental imagery in the interplay of cognitive functions and affective processes, demonstrating how conditions such as aphantasia and alexithymia can affect sympathy and, more generally, emotions.

Analysis of Prompt Patterns based on Visual Materials: Focusing on Question 53 of TOPIK II

Analysis of Prompt Patterns based on Visual Materials: Focusing on Question 53 of TOPIK II