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The study delved into the multifaceted challenges encountered by transgender individuals within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community. It sought to comprehend their lived experiences, encompassing discrimination, social dynamics, familial rejection, mental health implications, and hurdles in personal relationships. Employing a phenomenological research design. The seven transgender participants were given the option of virtual or face-to-face interviews, conducted in a confidential and secure environment in the Mandaluyong area. A semi-structured interviewing technique was employed, with interview questions validated by experts in Psychology. Thematic analysis was utilized to identify emergent themes, with a sample size of seven achieving data saturation. The study identified three superordinate themes: (1) Inclusivity and Setbacks in the LGBTQIA+ Community, (2) Experienced Challenges and Barriers and (3) Impact of Support Systems in Overcoming Hurdles. The findings revealed a complex landscape for transgender individuals, with both inclusivity and setbacks within the LGBTQIA+ community. Discrimination, social dynamics, and challenges in personal relationships emerged as prominent themes. The LGBTQIA+ community offers belongingness, progression, and growth, there are inherent difficulties in fitting into societal norms within the community. Future research is recommended to explore interventions and practices fostering more supportive and inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ individuals, acknowledging the existing challenges and promoting growth and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines and reveals the impact of legal doctrine on law-making and law-enforcement practice. It is noted that today the doctrine lacks a systematic approach to its use in the law-making process. Accordingly, this leads both to a decrease in the value of the doctrine itself and to negative consequences for the legal system as a whole. From these positions, the doctrine continues to occupy its important niche and life source in the legal system. It is the doctrine that forms the legal concepts used by the legislator and establishes the methods by which the law is discovered and laws are interpreted. However, even the systematic interpretation of legal norms cannot always fill the gap in the legal regulation of social relations. Therefore, precisely in this case, the courts turn to the legal doctrine, which is used to reveal the content of the legal norm, which is present in the legislation or is absent in its content. As a rule, in the content of the motivational part of court acts, references to legal doctrine are often found to confirm one’s legal position and to strengthen its effect, which indicates a balanced decision made in the case. Summarizing the analysis of judicial practice materials, it is possible to formulate the purpose for which the legal doctrine is used: filling gaps in the legal regulation of social relations, interpreting legal norms and establishing their legal nature and content. Accordingly, it can be stated that the legal doctrine embodies a system of well-founded, theoretical and scientific provisions that have applied value and are used to eliminate gaps, correctly interpret and apply legal norms and, on this basis, search for optimal legal solutions. It is proved that the legal doctrine is a kind of indicator for relevant events and situations that may arise in the field of legal regulation of social relations. Therefore, during the development of projects of regulatory legal acts, the use of legal doctrine allows analyzing the dynamics of the development of social relations that are subject to legal regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle and Late Bronze Ages can be characterized by an increase in connectivity, and the Balearic Islands are no exception. In order to more deeply explore this phenomenon, we analyze pottery forming processes by studying manufacturing traces, which allow us to observe technological practices and the transfer of technical know-how. Our case study is centered around a technological analysis of the most common type of pottery: a cask shaped vessel. An analysis of the evidence related to the production process allows us to define nine distinct forming processes used at differing intensities across the entirety of the Balearic archipelago. Thus, we are able to identify the technological practices employed and provide a deeper understanding of the contact dynamics related to the transmission of technological knowledge between communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the intersection of family and social problems, complex challenges arise that demand an innovative and profound approach - This article explores how parental competencies, essential for family dynamics, can be better understood and strengthened through the implementation of Neutrosophic Cognitive Maps (NCM) Using a multidimensional approach, real cases are analyzed where family conflicts and tensions are intertwined with broader social problems, revealing the need for advanced analytical tools that allow a detailed and accurate evaluation NCM emerges as a robust methodology, capable of capturing the ambiguity and uncertainty inherent in human interactions, offering a new perspective for intervention and conflict resolution in complex family contexts. The application of Neutrosophic Cognitive Maps not only facilitates a more nuanced understanding of parenting competencies, but which also provides a framework for developing effective conflict resolution strategies By integrating emotional, cognitive and social factors, NCMs allow for a holistic representation of family dynamics, capturing subtleties and variations that escape traditional approaches. This study, Through a rigorous and detailed analysis, it demonstrates how the adoption of this innovative tool can transform the way family problems are addressed, offering more adaptive and resilient solutions. Ultimately, the results underline the importance of incorporating advanced cognitive technologies in the field of psychology and family sociology to effectively confront contemporary challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many nation-states adopted militarized measures for rapid containment. China notably implemented extreme and enduring war-like procedures. This study aims to explore the implications of securitizing the pandemic through a feminist lens and suggest ethical and equitable strategies for understanding emergencies and coping with future crises. Employing discourse-based online ethnography, it analyzes social dynamics in China’s “pandemic war,” examining how gender and (in)security are co-constructed and the role of feminist activism within an authoritarian context. This article argues that framing the pandemic as war reinforces a masculinist stance of dominance, prioritizing state stability over human rights and security. State-centric securitization perpetuates state authority, gendered social hierarchies, and structural violence. The exclusionary nature of this approach created new avenues for feminist activism, both online and offline, advocating for marginalized groups, raising social and gender awareness, challenging state narratives, and fostering collective resistance. Drawing lessons from Chinese feminist initiatives during COVID-19, this study calls for alternative crisis responses focused on care, equity, ethics, and collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Design Methods Results Conclusion Impact Patient or Public Contribution To explore collaboration and social dynamics within paediatric Morbidity and Mortality meetings.Qualitative Exploratory Case Study Methodology incorporating semi‐structured interviews and qualitative observations.Data were collected in a large quaternary paediatric hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Semi‐structured interviews with meeting attendees were conducted after observing and documenting meeting conduct. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret data and generate a thematic map of findings.Forty‐four interviews and 32 meeting observations were conducted between July 2019 and January 2020. Participants valued collaboration between attendees in Morbidity and Mortality meetings, however there were barriers to this. They included differing views about roles and negative impacts of hierarchies and authority. Senior doctors dominated discussion, and participants described this occasionally signalling reverence and respect, but sometimes signified intimidation and feeling unsure about how to contribute. Because of this complexity, successfully achieving positive social dynamics in a meeting required active promotion and management.Morbidity and Mortality meetings mirror the complexity and richness of the clinical environment. Descriptions of how meeting conduct can shape positive workplace culture and address hierarchical obstructions to safe clinical care highlight their far‐reaching potential. Effective collaboration is an intrinsic part of realising this value.This paper addresses a paucity in the literature in understanding how social dynamics and collaboration in Morbidity and Mortality meetings are interpreted and experienced. These findings illuminate challenges and obstacles to achieving a productive and equitable social dynamic in meetings. They also illustrate positive discrimination strategies that may improve participation and widespread engagement of nurses, junior doctors, and allied health professionals. Importantly, fostering constructive social dynamics in the Morbidity and Mortality meeting could positively impact patient safety culture and therefore patient care.No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigated how identity fusion with environmental issues interacts with social norms to shape pro-environmental behaviors, elucidating the psychological structure underlying environmental ideological engagement. Building upon a measure of identity fusion that captures both relational and doctrinal components of Zmigrod ideology framework, we found that higher identity fusion positively predicted donations to an environmental association in a Dictator Game paradigm. Importantly, results revealed an interaction between identity fusion and norm source on donation amounts. For individuals lower in environmental identity fusion, pro-environmental norms had a greater impact when originating from a source sharing their worldview (low-fused) compared to a distant group (high-fused). However, for individuals with high fusion, norm source proximity did not significantly impact donations. By illuminating this interplay between the relational and doctrinal facets of ideological thinking, this research advances understanding of the social and psychological motivators of environmental actions. These findings highlight the importance of considering identity alignment and social dynamics in fostering ecological engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the economic and social dynamics animating kin-like relations amongst workers on the Zambian Copperbelt, their implications in everyday life and broader conceptions of family they engender. The article argues that the ability of mineworkers’ families to cope with the deteriorating economic situation that accompanied the privatisation of the mines in Zambia has, besides their close family members, the house and the union, rested on their ability to craft and maintain kin-like social relationships in the workplace and in their communities. This article draws on ethnographic fieldwork in the underground mines and mineworkers’ families conducted in 2015, between 2016 and 2021 and for a short period in 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the social mechanisms that facilitate the transformation of micro‐level bonds into coherent nationalist narratives of solidarity. The aim is to explain the paradox: while the armed forces are highly nationalist institutions, most ordinary combatants detest nationalist rhetoric on the battlefield. Drawing on the interviews with the combatants who fought in the 1991–1995 wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina together with the analysis of the mass media reports, I examine how deep bonds of micro‐solidarity forged in the violent experiences are transformed into coherent nationalist discourses. I explore how social ties generated in the protracted face‐to‐face interactions can be enveloped by the specific social organisations and then ‘translated’ into nationalist ideologies that project deep comradeship as ‘national solidarities’. I aim to show that the direct war experience does not automatically generate strong bonds of national solidarity. Instead, nationalism is always a product of protracted coercive‐organisational, ideological and micro‐interactional work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that communication range, often termed active space, 1 varies with habitat structure, and this variation can influence individual vocal behavior across taxa. 2,3 While theoretical predictions imply that communication distances can drive the evolution of mammalian alliance sizes, 4 empirical tests of this hypothesis are currently lacking. In Shark Bay, Western Australia, unrelated male bottlenose dolphins form multilevel alliances, where males work together in pairs or trios to herd single estrus females. 5,6,7,8 Here, we use empirical measures of male dolphin vocalizations, ambient noise levels, and high-resolution bathymetry data to estimate variation in active space across the study site. We combine this with long-term data on male alliance behavior to determine how active space influences alliance group size and mating success. We show that the active space of vocalizations used by allied males in a reproductive context predicts the number of preferred alliance partners with whom individuals cooperate over the longer term, ultimately contributing significantly to male access to mating opportunities. These results reveal that variation in sensory ecology driven by heterogeneous habitat influences optimal cooperative group size and mating success within a single population of wild animals. • Spatial variation in communication range quantified in a cooperative dolphin society • Large variation in communication range driven by habitat structure and ambient noise • Active space of a male-specific communication signal predicted dolphin alliance size • Communication range can shape social dynamics in an alliance mating system Sørensen et al. show that variability in male dolphin communication range driven by habitat structure predicts the number of preferred alliance partners in a cooperative mating system. The study provides empirical evidence that variation in sensory ecology is important for shaping social processes such as cooperative group size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social and spatial structures of host populations play important roles in pathogen transmission. For environmentally transmitted pathogens, the host space use interacts with both the host social structure and the pathogen's environmental persistence (which determines the time-lag across which two hosts can transmit). Together, these factors shape the epidemiological dynamics of environmentally transmitted pathogens. While the importance of both social and spatial structures and environmental pathogen persistence has long been recognized in epidemiology, they are often considered separately. A better understanding of how these factors interact to determine disease dynamics is required for developing robust surveillance and management strategies. Here, we use a simple agent-based model where we vary host mobility (spatial), host gregariousness (social) and pathogen decay (environmental persistence), each from low to high levels to uncover how they affect epidemiological dynamics. By comparing epidemic peak, time to epidemic peak and final epidemic size, we show that longer infectious periods, higher group mobility, larger group size and longer pathogen persistence lead to larger, faster growing outbreaks, and explore how these processes interact to determine epidemiological outcomes such as the epidemic peak and the final epidemic size. We identify general principles that can be used for planning surveillance and control for wildlife host–pathogen systems with environmental transmission across a range of spatial behaviour, social structure and pathogen decay rates. This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial–social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past twenty years, research into border externalisation has developed a rich spatial vocabulary to understand these bordering practices as well as critical analyses that challenge the often North-centric views towards externalisation. In this Special Issue, we emphasise that a place-based gaze can lend new mileage to border externalisation research. We emphasise that the place has been under-theorised and under examined in its relation to border externalisation. Existing work often has an implicit framing that understands externalisation as part of a migrant vs. border dialectic, or as part of geopolitical relations between states. By focusing on place, we argue that border externalisation: generates new contexts by connecting previously disparate sites into a border continuum; is place dependent, as its different forms are contingent on situated dynamics; and is place transformative, the border changes the social dynamics of the places where it is implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigates the dynamics of intranational intergroup contact between Arab and Jewish students in a higher education institution in Israel. Guided by the contact hypothesis, the research examines the gap between students’ willingness for intergroup closeness and their reported actual intergroup interactions. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, quantitative data were collected from a total of 733 Arab and Jewish students at two timepoints: in 2016 (n  =  419) and in 2023 (n  =  314). All students were studying to become physical education teachers. Results: The findings revealed both persistent challenges and encouraging trends in intergroup relationships. Despite reported willingness for meaningful connections, the students’ reported actual intergroup interactions remained limited. A significant increase in willingness for academic and friendship relationships was observed from 2016 to 2023, suggesting the potential for constructive change. Arab students consistently reported higher willingness for closeness and more frequent interactions than their Jewish counterparts. Discussion: These findings underscore the importance of structured interventions in higher education settings to foster meaningful intergroup relations, amidst broader societal challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discourses on rural areas and their development concurrently encompass both negative narratives of them dying out and discussions on how to constitute future visions for a ‘living’, ‘good’ and ‘sustainable’ countryside to work towards. As a solution, ‘social innovation’ has been proposed to counter the economic, demographic and sociocultural challenges disadvantaged rural regions are facing. Accordingly, this article contributes to the growing literature on the dynamics of social innovation initiatives by investigating how rural areas and their communities are communicatively re‐constructed, as part of socio‐spatial processes emerging from the work of rural development initiatives, fostering potential social change towards more sustainable societies. Building on fieldwork from the rural Austrian region of Mühlviertel, it is shown how social innovation aiming at instigating positive territorial developments is linked to intertwined processes of the re‐figuration of social bonds and re‐figuration of space, which is centred around the propagation of regional ‘community of values’ founded on ideas about changing values and social sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful adoption of social innovations, such as renewable energy systems or pollution reduction plans in cities, depends, to a large extent, on the willingness and participation of the population in their development and implementation. We present an agent‐based model (ABM) to analyze the process of citizen acceptability of a social innovation that uses a variety of agents to represent individual citizens and relevant groups of citizens. Citizen agents make use of the HUMAT cognitive decision‐making model, based on psychosocial theories, to decide on their support for the social innovation considering how their needs will be satisfied if they decide to support (or not) the innovation project, and the influence exerted by the agents in their environment. The ABM was initially developed to represent the urban and transport planning superblock project in the city of Vitoria‐Gasteiz (Spain). The ABM simulations make it possible to study the evolution of public acceptance of social innovation, with the results providing insights to the social dynamics and individual factors that affect the acceptance of the project, enabling an evaluation of how to devise new policies that increase public acceptance. Sufficiently generic to be easily adaptable to different types of social innovations, the ABM is a powerful tool to explore different scenarios and design strategies that foster the acceptance and sustainable adoption of social innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Electronic cigarettes, or e‐cigarettes, are rapidly gaining popularity throughout the globe as safer alternatives to traditional cigarette smoking. There are significant public health concerns due to the uncertainty of long‐term health consequences. This study aims to examine the experiences, attitudes and social dynamics of e‐cigarette users to provide guidance for public health policies and interventions. Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, semi‐structured interviews were conducted. Fifteen e‐cigarette users were recruited using a snowball sampling strategy, where initial participants referred other suitable users. All participants had at least 6 months of regular e‐cigarette use. Data were collected through face‐to‐face interviews with open‐ended questions. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and reviewed by the researchers. This review identified four main themes and eight sub‐themes. Results: The four main themes identified as a result of the analysis are as follows: (1) initiation and usage experiences; (2) perceptions of health effects; (3) social and environmental factors and (4) addiction and future plans. Participants primarily began using e‐cigarettes out of curiosity, due to the appealing fragrance and the belief that they were less harmful than traditional cigarettes. Usage patterns varied among participants, with some reporting minimal cravings in the early morning hours. Opinions on the long‐term health effects of e‐cigarettes were diverse, with many participants acknowledging uncertainty. Peers and family members perceived e‐cigarettes as more socially acceptable than traditional smoking, resulting in fewer negative reactions. Finally, participants' levels of addiction and intentions to quit varied, with some expressing a desire to reduce or cease usage due to health concerns. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the adoption of e‐cigarettes is influenced by a confluence of factors, including curiosity, the perception of reduced damage in comparison to conventional cigarettes and social acceptance. Notwithstanding these claimed advantages, users have a diverse array of beliefs and understandings concerning the enduring health consequences of e‐cigarettes. The presence of varying levels of addiction and the corresponding aspirations to cease the behaviour highlight the necessity for focused public health interventions. Patient or Public Contribution: E‐cigarette users were actively involved in this study, providing essential insights and feedback throughout. Their first‐hand experiences shaped the interview guide and contributed to the identification of key themes. Participants also reviewed and confirmed the accuracy of the interview transcripts, ensuring the reliability of the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a fresh interpretation of Barrie's narrative, emphasizing the dynamics of affect and class. Topics include the exploration of affective relationships between the narrator and the waiter, the implications of class and social status, and the transformative power of empathy and consideration in human interactions.

The article explores the intertextual relationship between Beaumont's play and the works of Shakespeare. Topics include the parodic elements of Beaumont's play that critique bourgeois drama and chivalric romance, the incorporation of Shakespearean echoes within the character Rafe's plot, and the dynamics of parental interference and romantic rebellion in the subplot involving Jasper and Luce.

Most research on long-term human ecodynamics examines changes in the size and structure of human populations, often in relation to climate change. Here we offer an alternative perspective that draws on recent progress in conservation science, examining the causes and consequences of ecosystem collapse. We identify human actions that can cause abrupt transformation of ecosystems, in relation to key mechanisms and underlying theory. Such ecosystem collapse can in turn affect human societies by altering flows of ecosystem benefits to people. In this way, human ecodynamics can be understood by separately analysing the dynamics of social and ecological sub-systems, which are reciprocally linked. Ecosystem collapse represents a perturbation of these sub-systems, and provides insights into the mechanisms underlying their respective dynamics. We illustrate this approach through four case studies, which examine the spread of agriculture during the Holocene. Four key knowledge gaps emerge through consideration of these case studies: the linkages between social and ecological sub-systems, and how these change over time; the presence of feedbacks between these sub-systems; the relationships between local- and regional-scale collapse; and the relationships with ecological recovery. Increased research on ecosystem collapse could help clarify the relative influence of environmental degradation on societal dynamics, while providing insights into resilience and sustainability. Given the outstanding societal importance of ecosystem collapse, such research could also strengthen the relevance of historical sciences to the contemporary world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three decades of interdisciplinary research within the Sagalassos Archaeological Research Project has provided extensive archaeological, environmental and geoarchaeological datasets. This paper seeks to bring together these datasets to explore diachronic socio-ecological dynamics within the Sagalassos Study Area, SW Türkiye. For this, we will use the Adaptive Cycles and Resilience Theory framework to explore socio-cultural development during changing climatic and environmental conditions. The paper aims to serve as an in-depth case study of these frameworks, integrating archaeological and environmental data, which – despite the increasing popularity of resilience theory – remains underdeveloped within the field of archaeology, especially within Mediterranean and Anatolian archaeology. We will explore the utility of the adaptive cycle framework for reconstructing diachronic human-environment interactions through changing settlement patterns documented during surveys conducted by the Sagalassos Project. Critical phases within the settlement record can be identified during the last 8000 years including apparent periods of 'rupture' during the Middle Chalcolithic, Middle-Late Bronze Age, Hellenistic and Middle-Byzantine periods; representing times of serious upheaval in 'normal' cultural traditions and lifeways. The adaptive cycle framework will help distinguish between the effects of environmental changes and social dynamics, as well as their potential interrelations in causing long-term social transformation in the Sagalassos Study Area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in overt displays of homosocial tactility among men and declines in homophobia and homohysteria are contributing globally to changes in the social dynamics of masculine expressions. Said changes spill over into various social institutions, including that of contact sport. Long regarded as a hypermasculine context, studies show that rugby has become more inclusive. Although research conducted in the US and UK is well-documented, the topic remains under-researched in South Africa. To this end, the article relates findings of a qualitative sociological exploration of seven self-identified gay rugby players and their experiences of homohysteria. The findings showed that the participants mitigate homohysteria through accruing gender and body capital and establishing horizontal homosocial brotherhoods with their gay and heterosexual teammates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study approached preservice teacher identity by drawing on Dialogical Self theory and especially the notion of I-position. The study explored how one preservice subject teacher, Aino, constructed her I-position as a becoming teacher in a dialogue between voices originating from her previous school experiences and voices stemming from her subject teacher pedagogical studies. The results of a dialogically oriented narrative analysis of the interview data showed that Aino constructed her teacher identity in a dialogical process between multiple internal and external I-positions. The pedagogical studies produced both positive and negative boundary experiences that enabled Aino to recognize tensions between internal (e.g., I as a becoming teacher and I as a pupil) and external (e.g., my past teachers) I-positions within her dialogical self. Aino constructed her preservice teacher identity in a critical dialogue and negotiation between different voices and I-positions originating from different times and places. Consequently, teacher education should help students become aware of the dynamics and tensions of the social, cultural, and institutional structures surrounding teachers' work and to develop as agentive teachers who can transform their own thinking and practice in the complex, changing world of teachers' work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given its detrimental impact on a broad spectrum of stakeholders, corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) of multinational enterprises (MNEs) has garnered increasing scholarly interest. The dominant theoretical perspective suggests that the irresponsible practices of MNEs are primarily driven by the deficiencies in institutional frameworks within host countries. The underlying assumption posits that in the absence of regulatory changes in host countries, subsidiaries of MNEs will continue their irresponsible practices and are unlikely to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR). We challenge this long-standing assumption through novel empirical evidence by integrating theories of private politics and competitive dynamics to investigate MNE CSI. Our findings demonstrate that global normative pressures, manifested through a private politics campaign by an international NGO, can drive MNEs operating in pollution havens to adopt CSR practices without changing regulatory demands from host countries. Drawing from an innovative research setting where polluting MNEs face challenges from the private politics of an international NGO, our qualitative research shows how these MNEs competed beyond mere compliance with the international NGO's requirements, actively participating in CSR-oriented competitive dynamics in three global arenas: the product market, the factor market, and sustainability-report discourses, even post-campaign. Our examination of dyadic action-reaction dynamics indicates that to retain global clients who have become more environmentally conscious, MNEs have transitioned from perceiving CSR as a financial burden to embracing it as a contest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the accelerated pace of life in the 21st century, workplaces and education settings have witnessed changing social dynamics, alongside changes to ways in which relationships are built. With the nature of partnerships evolving, children's learning, development and growth could be impacted. This shifting meaning of 'relationships with people, places and things' (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2017, p. 21) puts an extra strain on kaiako (teachers) teams across Aotearoa New Zealand and on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers to prepare kaiako forthe busy Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector. This article, written through the lens of the Pā Harakeke model, considers the importance of authentic relationships with parents and whãnau. It explores the changing meaning of relationships and the ways of understanding such changes in early childhood contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper proposes the use of Pierre Bourdieu's sociological concepts of social fields, capital, and habitus to analyze water management in Colombia. By mapping the social dynamics of water management, this study examines the interactions and power relationships among agents, including government agencies, private companies, academic institutions, non-profits, and local communities. The analysis reveals how various forms of capital, such as economic, cultural, social, and symbolic, influence water management practices, policies, and the distribution of power. Integrating agent-based modeling with hydrological simulations provides a more nuanced understanding of how social dynamics influence water management. This interdisciplinary approach helps develop more adaptive and equitable strategies by capturing the complex interactions between human behavior and environmental factors. This study highlights the need to localize the analysis of the social field to capture regional customs and specific social dynamics. This localized approach ensures that water management strategies are more relevant, context sensitive, and sustainable. This paper advocates for the wider adoption of agent-based modeling in water management, proposing a methodology that combines the engineering principles of practical problem solving and adaptive design with an understanding of the social complexities in water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations face challenges when trying to effectively introduce new operational practices that substitute for existing ones. We study how the dynamics due to social comparisons between employees give rise to individual strategic considerations and eventually shape the organizational adoption outcome. We develop an evolutionary game theory model that accounts for these microlevel individual adoption decisions and their impact on macrolevel population adoption equilibria. Social comparisons invoke dynamics that expand the possible outcomes beyond the traditional nonadoption versus full-adoption dichotomy. Specifically, ahead-seeking social comparisons drive the long-term coexistence of practices because employees seek to differentiate their choices from those of others. Meanwhile, behind-averse comparisons create a bandwagon effect that determines adoption depending on the initial fraction of adopters—that is, employees who are trained upfront. These dynamics are robust to various settings: different conceptualizations of social comparisons, each employee responding to more than one kind of social comparison, and nonhomogeneous social comparisons across employees. Moreover, they are material to organizations that seek to maximize their profit when introducing a new practice, by setting the levels of upfront training and adoption rewards. Our results call for senior managers to account for such behavioral traits when managing the introduction of new practices. Profitable adoption critically relies upon matching rewards and training to the type of social comparison. This paper was accepted by Sridhar Tayur, entrepreneurship and innovation. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.00305. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how a re-interpretation of the socio-technical, socioecological and transition design approaches to transition from the point of view of Niklas Luhmann's general systems theory of society. The need to understand and promote changes that include a technological and ecological dimension has led to different approaches, such as socio-technical or socio-environmental approaches, to incorporate links with society. While these approaches often include sociological insights, they rarely offer a general understanding of how these are embedded into society. We need a new environmental sociology that helps catalyze change processes with a collectively reorganized society, empowering more radically transformative actions to change the current structures and processes that have led us to where we are today. The article offers a cross-sectional look at the socio-ecological and socio-technical systems literature, specifically for what concerns their understanding of the 'systems' in transition and how they can be governed, and re-interpret it from the theoretical lens of the deep sociological knowledge, which refers to the profound understanding of social systems and their dynamics, embedded in Luhmann's theory of social systems. From here, we suggest the second-order coupling for a sociologically grounded understanding of the interactions that comprise socio-ecological and socio-technical systems, heterogeneous and almost self-organizing assemblies of social, technical, and natural elements and processes. At the same time, third-order couplings are analyzed, focused on governance, relationships between operations, and structures mediated by a deliberate attempt to ensure coherence and coordination against the autonomy and heterogeneity of socio-techno-ecological systems. Therefore, this manuscript offers a deeper conceptual and methodological understanding of socio-techno-ecological couplings and systems in the context of sustainability transformation and gives insights into its governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a mouse-sized rodent species, notable for its eusociality and long lifespan. Previously, we reported that demographic aging, i.e., the exponential increase of mortality hazard that accompanies advancing age in mammals and other organisms, does not occur in naked mole-rats (Ruby et al., 2018), a finding that has potential implications for human healthy aging. The demographic data supporting that conclusion had taken over three decades to accumulate, starting with the original rearing of H. glaber in captivity. This finding was controversial since many of the animals in that study were relatively young. In the 5 years following that study, we have doubled our quantity of demographic data. Here, we re-evaluated our prior conclusions in light of these new data and found them to be not only supported but indeed strengthened. We additionally provided insight into the social dynamics of captive H. glaber with data and analyses of body weight and colony size versus mortality. Finally, we provide a phylogenetically proximal comparator in the form of lifespan data from our Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) colony and demographic meta-analysis of those data along with published data from Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli). We found Fukomys mortality hazard to increase gradually with age, an observation with inferences on the evolution of exceptional lifespan among mole-rats and the ecological factors that may have accompanied that evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on regulatory focus and brokerage literatures, we develop new theory that explains individuals' motivation to form and change their relationships in organizational networks. Specifically, we examine how promotion and prevention regulatory foci influence such relational processes as tie formation, maintenance, dissolution, and reconstitution. We further explore the relationship between motivational orientations of regulatory foci and relational orientations to brokerage (i.e., tertius iungens/gaudens) and develop a typology that outlines four major ego-level configurations. Each of the four configurations, labeled dutiful coordinators, aspirational arbitrators, versatile brokers, and indifferent egos, offers distinct predictions on network change and structuring. Overall, our theory contributes to organization theory by elaborating on the important role of ego motivation and strategy in organizational networks, and in so doing, advances research that focuses on individual agency in social networks and complements structuralist approaches to understanding social network dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite abundant research on project management offices and project portfolio management offices (PPMOs), it is still unclear whether PPMOs contribute to business success. This study explores the role of employee voice behavior in the relationship between PPMOs and business success. The findings from 255 portfolios reveal that PPMO contributions and voice behavior positively relate to management quality, which subsequently relates to business success. Moreover, voice behavior enhances the relationships among PPMO contributions, management quality, and business success. These results have important implications for research on voice behavior in a multi-project context and for understanding PPMOs’ performance and social dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I explore a puzzle at the heart of the so-called 'practice theory of rules': how can rules, operating as normative standards, be determined by the very actions they govern? I demonstrate how this puzzle has shaped criticism of the practice theory and limited its ability to account for mistake and disagreement within social practices. I identify the reason for these difficulties: an exclusive focus on individual deliberative attitudes which ignores the dynamic interaction between plural and individual deliberation within social practices. Drawing on recent work in social ontology, I construct a framework to capture this dynamism. I distinguish between two deliberative contexts in social practices: background rule-setting and foreground move-making. Social practices involve a complex interplay between these two contexts. With this, I account for the possibility of divergence between practices and the rules governing them, while at the same time retaining an analysis of social rules' dependence on practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a new, integrative, approach to theorising and research in the field of mediated communication (MC): the Social Dynamics Approach (SoDA). It builds on current developments in the literature that outline MC as a dynamic process where behaviour unfolds in continuous interaction between medium and user. The SoDA extends this view by acknowledging the collaborative and collective nature of interaction, thereby placing special focus on the social dynamics involved. The SoDA integrates the MC literature with theories and empirical findings from related fields, such as philosophy and social psychology. Applying the SoDA can aid MC researchers in developing a more nuanced and deeper understanding of social dynamics within different media and thereby of differences between communication media. We show how the SoDA can lead to methodological and theoretical advancements, and how it can help resolve existing contradictions related to media richness, online disinhibition, and online polarisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People have overlapping identities that impact their experiences. It is, therefore, essential to examine relationships between social identities to understand stereotypes and their effects better. The primary objective of this study was to explore perceptions of sexual orientation, age, gender, ethnicity, and stereotypical attributes of warmth and competence in a Turkish organizational context. The secondary objective was to discern coworker and manager preferences based on the intersection of these categories. A sample of 451 university students rated hypothetical work profiles. Analysis showed that Turkishness was pivotal in shaping social perceptions and workplace relationship preferences. The integration of stigmatized group categories, such as Kurdish identity, with non-stigmatized categories showed adverse impacts on preferences. The research highlights the importance of studying the interplay among diverse identity categories when analyzing social dynamics. We propose practical and theoretical implications concerning workplace diversity and discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life in society revolves around social norms. These norms play a crucial role in regulating and influencing individuals’ behavior, both at the societal and individual levels. They offer a psychological framework that reduces uncertainty, guides behavior, and aids people in adapting to their social surroundings. Moreover, by observing prevailing social norms, individuals gain insights into societal trends that preserve cherished values and traditions across generations, thus mapping the dynamics of social stability and change. Social change is closely tied to shifts in these norms, which can occur at varying speeds, influenced by factors at multiple levels of analysis, including societal, group, and individual levels. In this article, I analyze the various concepts of social norms found in the literature, with a particular focus on their role in psychology. I describe the main sources of normative influence and illustrate, with multiple examples, how they operate in different social contexts. In this way, I address how these norms guide and facilitate participation in collective actions, their intergenerational transmission, and their role in the emergence of radicalization in social protest contexts. Furthermore, I delve into how group norms are linked to intergroup contact experiences involving both advantaged and disadvantaged group members, as well as the expression of prejudice and affective polarization. I conclude by emphasizing the necessity of adopting a multilevel approach to comprehend the connection between norms and social change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the use of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) in international development programs. It discusses the establishment of innovation labs and research centers focused on data for development, as well as industry-driven initiatives. While these technologies offer potential benefits, there are concerns about biases and harms associated with them. The article also delves into ethical issues surrounding machine learning-based poverty targeting and the need for a broader understanding of datafication and development. It references scholarly works that provide historical and analytical perspectives on data platforms and AI. The text discusses the concept of data colonialism and its implications for human life and social knowledge, drawing comparisons to historical colonialism. It emphasizes the importance of critical historical scholarship in responsibly designing data for development applications and challenges the dominant narratives and practices surrounding AI governance. The article also highlights the need for community engagement and addressing global disparities in technology interactions. It argues for a more holistic and sustainable approach to technology development that prioritizes the public interest and common good, considering the impact on the environment and the relationship between humans and the nonhuman environment. [Extracted from the article]

The Eastern Zhou period of China, characterised by complex interactions among vassal states, witnessed significant advancements in bronze production technology. However, the investigation of interactions based on technological comparison among dominant and dependent states remains limited. Focusing on two newly excavated foundry sites, Baidian in Houma, Shanxi, and Xincun in Hebi, Henan, this study provides crucial insights into the bronze production technologies and material sources used by Jin, a major vassal state in Central China, and Wei, a dependent state of Jin, during the Eastern Zhou period. Elemental analysis and microstructural examinations of slags, fragments of crucible wall and furnace wall, show the diversity of bronze production techniques between these two sites: in the Baidian site, bronzes were predominantly produced by co-melting of metallic copper and tin, and remelting of recycled bronzes, whereas in the Xincun site, bronze were probably made by co-melting of copper and tin ore. Furthermore, lead isotope analysis results suggest that the lead materials used for the bronze production at both the sites were likely from the Xiaoqinling region. Integrated with the historical background of complex interactions among vassal states, these findings not only shed light on the technological advancements and resource networks of the Jin and Wei states but also explain the relationships between technology, resources and social dynamics from various perspective. Hopefully this research would promote archeometallurgical study among regions and be applied to other Bronze Age cultures in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to monetary rewards, depressive symptoms are specifically associated with abnormal social reward processing. In addition, individuals with melancholic depression may exhibit more significant reward-related impairments. However, there is still limited understanding of the specific alterations in social reward processing in individuals with melancholic depression. Forty patients with melancholic major depressive disorder (MDD), forty patients with non-melancholic MDD, and fifty healthy controls participated in the social incentive delay (SID) tasks with event-related potential (ERP) recording. We measured one anticipatory ERP(cue-N2) and two consummatory ERPs (FRN, fb-P3). Furthermore, we examined correlation between FRN and consummatory anhedonia. Melancholic MDD patients showed less anticipation of social rewards (cue-N2). Concurrently, melancholic individuals demonstrated diminished reception of social rewards, as evidenced by reduced amplitudes of FRN. Notably, the group x condition interaction effect on FRN was significant (F (2, 127) = 4.15, p = 0.018, η 2 ρ = 0.061). Melancholic MDD patients had similar neural responses to both gain and neutral feedback (blunted reward positivity), whereas non-melancholic MDD patients (t (39) = 3.09, p = 0.004) and healthy participants (t (49) = 5.25, p < 0.001) had smaller FRN amplitudes when receiving gain feedback relative to neutral feedback. In addition, there was a significant correlation between FRN and consummatory anhedonia in MDD patients. Our findings indicated that individuals with melancholic MDD exhibit attenuated neural responses to both anticipated and consumed social rewards. This suggests that aberrant processing of social rewards could serve as a potential biomarker for melancholic MDD. • The blunt neural response to social reward is more special to melancholic MDD. • The aberrant social reward processing in melancholic MDD includes both reward anticipation and reward consummation. • The blunt social reward could serve as a biomarker for melancholic subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the role of mediation and the strategic management of visual and narrative elements in William Shakespeare's play, The Winter's Tale. The author focuses on the climactic moment when Paulina demands Leontes to awaken his faith, examining the implications of this demand in terms of its mediality and the dynamics of power and faith within the play. By analyzing the aesthetic and rhetorical dimensions of Paulina's demand, the author argues that it goes beyond simply bringing Hermione back to life, but also engages both the characters and the audience in a shared exploration of faith, power, and mediation. The article emphasizes the transformative and communal nature of faith and highlights the rhetorical power of mediation in shaping social and cultural dynamics. [Extracted from the article]

Effective animal husbandry aims to produce behavioral profiles consistent with those observed in wild counterparts. However, few studies have examined the impacts of management history on sociality. We investigate social dynamics in a group of Javan gibbons (Hylobates moloch) at Perth Zoo using behavioral and proximity data. The group consists of an aging adult female and her two offspring – a maturing sub-adult female and a juvenile male. This composition diverges from commonly observed groupings in the wild. The study group’s social relationships generally align with species-typical behaviors, with the exception of the patterning of play behavior and resting-in-contact. These results indicate an uncharacteristically close bond between the mother and her maturing same sex-offspring, as well as an unexpectedly distant mother-juvenile bond. These relationships are best explained by the group’s management history and resulting atypical group composition including: the absence of an adult male, the mother’s advanced age, and the hand-rearing of the juvenile male. This study gives insight into the effects of a captive setting on social development and provides further evidence of social flexibility in gibbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review provides an overview of the conduct, origin and distribution of previous peer-reviewed research on children's and adolescents' social media use. Searches were conducted in electronic databases Scopus, Web of Science, and ACM Digital Library, identifying 244 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The review reveals a steady increase in publications over the years, with most originating from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Among these studies, 174 employ quantitative methods, 30 utilize qualitative approaches, 19 use mixed methods, and 21 are review studies. The research predominantly falls within the disciplines of medicine and health, and psychology. The findings highlight a significant imbalance between qualitative and quantitative research, with quantitative, cross-sectional studies relying on self-reported questionnaire results being the most common. However, quantitative studies do not adequately capture the details of the complex and varied nature of social media use, nor do the common cross-sectional nature of those studies enable insights to be drawn on changes and variations over time or establish causal relationships. This scoping review reveals a growing interest in this topic, but also highlights the need for greater geographical and disciplinary diversity, varied methodological approaches, and more heterogeneous participant involvement in future research. This review suggests a pressing need for more empirical, qualitative research that examines situated social media use from the perspectives of children and adolescents. Moreover, additional longitudinal studies are necessary to offer causal explanations and a deeper understanding of the evolving dynamics of social media use among younger populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactive digital platforms have transformed mathematics education by offering students novel opportunities for collaborative engagement with peers and instructors in constructing knowledge. Drawing on the premise that meaningful interpersonal interactions are pivotal to effective learning within discussion boards, this study focuses on the nature of interactions within an online mathematics discussion board. We collected a dataset encompassing 170,000 posts from 14,000 online mathematics discussion threads, involving 4,649 high school students in Florida. Leveraging topic modeling and social network analysis, this study delves into both the content-driven and social exchanges among participants, analyzing their language exchanges and social dynamics on the discussion board. Specifically, we investigated how the mathematics discussion board fosters quality support and participation by enhancing content-specific discussions (cognitive presence) through social interaction (social presence), which are actively supported by peer students acting as facilitators (instructional presence), we evaluated how the discussion board fosters quality support and participation by enhancing content-specific discussions (cognitive presence) through social interaction (social presence), which are actively supported by peer students acting as facilitators (instructional presence). We also aimed to investigate the characteristics of students who were actively engaging in providing support for their peers. The content-focused analysis, using a topic modeling approach, highlighted comparable proportions between content-focused discourse (52%) and social interaction (47%) within the discussion boards. Notably, high-performing students emerged as important instructional facilitators, actively fostering knowledge sharing and supporting their peers. Specifically, the outcomes reveal a trend: students exhibiting high end-of-course performance tend to assume proactive roles in peer facilitation, whereas those with lower performance levels participate less in peer-driven support. Our findings provide empirical insights into how the dynamics of the discussion board can be investigated by integrating multi-methods approaches in natural language processing and social network analysis to understand the different facets of the support structure in discussion boards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the construction of 'tribe' as a socio-political unit of global history, revealing an evolution of ideas and practices, both of which actively sought to limit, by co-opting, the opportunities and agency of Indigenous groups. The category of 'tribe' was, and is, co-constitutive of Euro-American empire. Euro-American empires created two interlinked dynamics in the social history of the 'tribe'. One was external, a process of categorization to facilitate and effect conquest and integration. The other was internal, a process of reimagining social relationships through which locals adapted to the threats and opportunities of empire. By mapping British approaches to ethnic Pashtuns and the state of Afghanistan onto imperial engagement with 'tribal' communities worldwide - and highlighting both similarities and differences with the North American examples more prominent in the existing literature - global patterns of 'tribalism', as defined by Euro-Americans, become apparent. The article illustrates some - but certainly not all - of the impacts of being labelled 'tribal' while demonstrating ways that areas and societies seemingly peripheral to each other became interconnected because of shared Euro-American terminology and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational models of peer interaction, with or without networks, have been applied to opinion dynamics to describe social phenomena. Here, we use the Deffuant–Weisbuch (DW) model of opinion dynamics, where a confidence parameter bounds individuals' interactions, both in paradigmatic artificial networks and some social networks. The interaction of an individual with their immediate neighbors is incorporated into the model using Asch's concept of social conformity. In general, conformity facilitates consensus in networks by reducing the time required to reach a state of equilibrium and by increasing the likelihood of a single opinion value prevailing throughout the network. In real networks, a higher probability of adherence ( p Asch = 0.6 ) to the majority opinion increases the proportion of individuals in consensus within less tolerant networks ( d < 0.5 ). Conformity leads to more nodes agreeing around the same average opinion in a shorter time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of health gaps, considering structural heterogeneity, guides us to focus on the subtle, but complex local variations that influence the use and exploitation of resources and the understanding of social dynamics that create them. Currently, one of the most notable gaps is the distribution of health infrastructure, as well as the organization of individual and collective medical care. The realistic indicators resulting from the analysis of care deserts are a robust element to advance objectives such as the planning of physical infrastructure, the strategic assignment of mobile medical units, the definition of coverage zones, the territorial deployment of public health actions and the development of regions. Making this tool part of the management's work, down to the district level, is key to effectively addressing disparities in medical care and its connection to collective health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relational event models (REMs) are the primary choice for the analysis of relational-event network data. However, the standard REM assumes static parameters, which hinders the modeling of time-varying dynamics. This assumption might be too restrictive in real-life scenarios, making a model that allows for time-varying parameters more valuable. We introduce a state-space extension of the relational event model as a way to tackle this problem. The model has three main attributes. First, it provides a statistical framework of the temporal change of the parameters. Second, it enables the forecasting of future parameter values (which can be utilized to simulate new networks that can account for temporal dynamics in out-of-sample predictions). Third, it requires smaller data structures to be loaded into computer memory compared to the standard REM; this makes the model easily scalable to large networks. We conduct empirical analyses on bike-sharing data, corporate communications, and interactions among socio-political actors to illustrate model usage and applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of digital social media has strengthened the coevolution of public opinions and social interactions that shape social structures and collective outcomes in increasingly complex ways. The existing literature often explores this interplay as a one-directional influence, focusing on how opinions determine social ties within adaptive networks. However, this perspective overlooks the intrinsic dynamics driving social interactions, which can significantly influence how opinions form and evolve. In this work, we address this gap, by introducing the co-evolving opinion and social dynamics using stochastic agent-based models. Agents' mobility in a social space is governed by both their social and opinion similarity with others. Similarly, the dynamics of opinion formation is driven by the opinions of agents in their social vicinity. We analyze the underlying social and opinion interaction networks and explore the mechanisms influencing the appearance of emerging phenomena, such as echo chambers and opinion consensus. To illustrate the model's potential for real-world analysis, we apply it to General Social Survey data on political identity and public opinion regarding governmental issues. Our findings highlight the model's strength in capturing the coevolution of social connections and individual opinions over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper challenges the simplified binary division of suppliers of goods and services into market or state categories and identifies the continued relevance of household, community, and third-sector provision in rural areas. We explain the emergence, survival, and development of place-based and collaborative action using a three-fold typology, reflecting differences in the motivations and rationales for providing goods and services in these ways. In a place-based context, some communities have acted collectively using collaborative agency. Many observers of rural community development have suggested that place-based communitarian action may be unable to break free from class-based controls, but this is contested by some compelling examples. Where supported by effective public policy, place-based communitarianism can offer an alternative mode of provision for a wide range of services. Using Scotland as an example, this paper explores the dynamics of interactions between community and policy actors in land acquisition and management, renewable energy, and social care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]