Intersectionality and Video Games

University Honors Capstone Project Paper and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), University of Minnesota Duluth, 2016. Communication Department. Advisor: Associate Professor Edward Downs.The goal of this study is to determine how the general gaming public perceives women in the gaming culture differently by certain visual criteria portrayed on the internet in the form of a blog. More specifically, it pursues to find out how the same perspective of women in gaming culture is received by the public, despite differences in only gender and racial representation. Under the context of intersectionality, the proceeding criteria were used to determine the perception of women in the gaming culture and issues that surround them. Comments or public reactions of blog pages were analyzed by conditions of race and gender, which then were expert coded and used to conduct a qualitative analysis of “hostility” and “acknowledgment”. The categorized reactions were then used to produce a quantitative measurement to determine the public perception of women within the gaming culture. Results indicate examination of condition (Black female, Black male, White female, White male) revealed statistically significant differences in the pattern of hostile and non-hostile responses. Furthermore, an examination of conditions also revealed statistically different patterns related to acknowledgment of a problem. Noted patterns of hostility and acknowledgement may help to further determine implications of the intersecting aspects of one’s identity in an expanding culture and industry of games

Intersectionality and Video Games

University Honors Capstone Project Paper and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), University of Minnesota Duluth, 2016. Communication Department. Advisor: Associate Professor Edward Downs.The goal of this study is to determine how the general gaming public perceives women in the gaming culture differently by certain visual criteria portrayed on the internet in the form of a blog. More specifically, it pursues to find out how the same perspective of women in gaming culture is received by the public, despite differences in only gender and racial representation. Under the context of intersectionality, the proceeding criteria were used to determine the perception of women in the gaming culture and issues that surround them. Comments or public reactions of blog pages were analyzed by conditions of race and gender, which then were expert coded and used to conduct a qualitative analysis of “hostility” and “acknowledgment”. The categorized reactions were then used to produce a quantitative measurement to determine the public perception of women within the gaming culture. Results indicate examination of condition (Black female, Black male, White female, White male) revealed statistically significant differences in the pattern of hostile and non-hostile responses. Furthermore, an examination of conditions also revealed statistically different patterns related to acknowledgment of a problem. Noted patterns of hostility and acknowledgement may help to further determine implications of the intersecting aspects of one’s identity in an expanding culture and industry of games

Women's Mental Health

Clinical psychology based on gender medicine is a core topic of this Special Issue. In general, consideration of women’s mental health is limited; however, it is important to consider subjective wellbeing factors connected with cultural, environmental, epigenetic and personality aspects. Many factors, such as the roles assigned to women nowadays in social and work contexts, can act as predisposing conditions in the etiology of the psychopathological frame, particularly affective disorders. Furthermore, in the developmental life of a woman, important risk factors can be highlighted, such as the vulnerability to psychological distress in women and couples. In particular, the topic addresses the individual maternal requirements for successful transition to healthy motherhood and innovative programs based on gender medicine in the life cycle considering student and elderly experiences. The connection of psychological vulnerability to the environment and repercussions for relationships have been studied in connection with the COVID-19 lockdown, induced changes in women’s psychological distress and research regarding sexual arousal, self-image and mental wellbeing. Psychological and emotional forms of violence in couples, such as IPV, is another point highlighting new trend of assessments (i.e., Intimate Partner Violence EAPA-P) and ad hoc treatment in emotional regulation and resilience. Psychological support for women is central to the prevention of psychopathology, especially in relation to subthreshold traits; finally, the topic offers an overview of ad hoc treatments in clinical contexts

Viable Knowledge: The Centrality of Practice

This thesis investigates how individual student nurses construct a body of knowledge that is appropriate and able to support or underpin their practical experiences in the early part of their undergraduate pre-registration nursing programme. It is an exploration of how contemporary nursing students link theory, that is fit for purpose, with the art and skills that are pre-requisite for competent nursing practice. The study is written from the perspective of a senior academic and perceived gatekeeper of professional nursing standards, and uses personal and professional writing to illustrate the ontological stance adopted. Working with the core concepts introduced by Bernstein (1975), Von Glasersfeld (1989), Mezirow et al (2000) inter alia, an emergent research methodology is employed. A questionnaire is used to confirm that the Higher Education Institution where the research was conducted was typical in the UK at the time; web logs (blogs) are used to explore the individual experiences of ten student nurses; and this is supplemented by interviews, naturally occurring and other data to illuminate, extend and contextualise the findings. The findings underpin the construction of a recursive model that links heads, hands and hearts with a central focus on viable knowledge, this being the knowledge that guides practice. The contribution of this study to practice relates to the recognition that knowledge must be presented and transmitted in a viable fashion with practice being maintained as pivotal to the educational process, and the recommendations of the study for curriculum design and delivery reflect this. The research concludes that viable knowledge that is dependent upon the centrality of practice in nurse education should become the defining attribute of the nurse of the future

An investigation into factors that affect the decision of parents to use blended diets with their gastrostomy-fed children

Children who are unable to swallow safely, have gastric problems or neurological difficulties may require tube feeding via a gastrostomy to meet their nutritional requirements. Usually commercial formula feeds are used however, more families are opting to use blended diets (BD), which may consist of everyday family meals or other foods blended to a smooth consistency and then passed down the feeding tube. The overall impact of BD is not fully understood and there are varying views amongst professionals involved in the care of those using them. The aim of this research is to identify the reasons for and implications of using BD, and establish whether there are any differences between parents who do and do not use BD, and the outcomes for children and young people who do and do not use BD. A mixed methodology is used in the research, with three phases, the first two being qualitative using thematic analysis with data collected from in-depth interviews and blog posts. The information from phases one and two informed the content of the survey used in phase three. The third phase of the research is the quantitative phase. A survey was distributed to families who were and were not using BD. This enabled the researcher to gauge the prevalence of the viewpoints/ themes from the interviews, and to compare views and characteristics of those who were and were not using BD. The qualitative phase revealed a mismatch between the priorities and perceptions of families and clinicians, which was also identified in the literature. The quantitative phase indicates that parents who opt to use BD have a significantly higher level of concerns about commercial formula and see less need for it. Both phases provided anecdotal evidence suggesting BD have physiological benefits to the children and young people using them. These data are parent-reported, and larger scale studies, with more objective outcome measures are now required

The Influence of Internet Use on the Development of Internet Addiction and Social Isolation among Al-Quds University Undergraduate Students

Background: Internet use including social networking may cause internet addiction and social isolation. The use of internet and social networks, internet addiction and social isolation had been highlighted by different studies as a major concern in the world and particularly among young adult. However, there is a lack of such studies in Palestine. Aim: To assess the use of internet, including social networking, and its effects on internet addiction and social isolation among Al-Quds University undergraduate students aged 18- 22. Method: A cross sectional design was utilized to achieve this purpose. The data was gathered between beginning of August, 2015 and finished at the end of October, 2015. The sample included 219 students from Al-Quds University - Abu Dies Campus. The data was collected using self-administrated questionnaire including the socio-demographic data, Internet Addiction Test for internet addiction and UCLA Loneliness Scale for social isolation. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), version 61.0 and were analyzed by using parametric tests such as frequency, Ttest, ANOVA’s test, Chi-square test and Pearson's test.Findings: Analysis of the participants’ characteristics showed that males were (37.9%) and females were (62.1%). Their ages ranged between (18-22) years old and they were (44%) from the Faculty of Arts and (56%) from Health Complex Building. Findings showed that (57%) of the participants spent equal to or less than 5 hours per day on internet and social networks while (42.9%) spent more than 5 hours. The current study showed a positive correlation between internet use including social networking and internet addiction at PValue =0.01, where those who spent more time on the internet and social networking had higher frequent problem and significant problem of internet addiction. Moreover, the current study showed no relationship between the hours spent on social networking and the social isolation at P-Value (0.635), as severity of isolation and loneliness was almost equal for those who spent more than 5 hours and less or equal to 5 hours per day. The overall result of UCLA Loneliness Scale showed that (52%) of theparticipants had frequent or severe social isolation, compared to (48%) who had average or below average problems. Finally, there was a strong positive relationship between internet addiction and social isolation at P-Value (0.00), which means that those who had higher internet addiction had higher social isolation scores. Conclusion: The study found that the use of social networking may cause internet addiction and social isolation among Al Quds University students and there is a positive relationship between them

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

An investigation into the views of young people with Autism Spectrum Condition (aged 14-19) on their use of social media

Introduction: Young people with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) have been shown to be at higher risk of many negative factors associated with internet use. However, many anecdotal reports have suggested that social media can have a positive impact on young people with ASC, with the emergence of social media for the ASC population being compared to the emergence of sign language in the deaf community. This has been hypothesised to be due to online communication lessening “the emotional, social and time pressures experienced in offline situations” (Benford and Standen, 2009 p.2). Method: This research explored young people (aged 14-19) with ASCs’ digital identity and how they feel it relates to; relationships, psychological well-being and life outcomes. Phase one data collection was through a questionnaire formed of three standardised measures to assess; digital identity (the Autism Digital Identity Scale, adapted from the Deaf Acculturation Scale; Maxwell-McCaw & Zea, 2011), relationship formation (the Friendship Scale; Baron-Cohen & Wheelwright, 2003), and well-being (the Moods and Feelings Questionnaire; Angold & Costello, 1987). Four questions on a Likert scale were used to ascertain views about life outcomes. For phase two, participants were asked to contribute to an online forum, where a qualitative thematic analysis and a systematic qualitative analysis were undertaken to find any phenomena occurring. Two participants were chosen as case studies. Results: A relationship was found between those who identify as non-autistic online and enjoy close relationships. A relationship is found between those with an autistic digital identity and those who feel that the internet will support their life outcomes with regards to forming relationships. A negative correlation was found between non-autistic digital identity and believing the internet will improve both work and life outcomes. A variety of sub-categories arose from the qualitative analysis, including; choosing/disclosing a non-autistic digital identity, advantages to online communication, removal of eye-contact/time pressures online, making new friends, online social support and confidence in online interaction. Discussion: The findings from both phase one and phase two are discussed in relation to previous research. Potential areas of further research are discussed, while highlighting a paucity in research for training appropriate use of social media for young people with ASC

#Becoming: Emergent Identity of College Students in the Digital Age Examined Through Complexivist Epistemologies

This dissertation explores the possibilities and limitations of conducting research on college student identity in the digital age. Utilizing philosophical theories from complexity theory, post-qualitative research, and new materialisms, I interrogate, question, disrupt, and challenge current theories and models of college student identity, largely developed from a positivist, modernist, empiricist perspective. Conducting research on college student identity in the twenty-first century may benefit from discarding the old ‘developmental’ language of the twentieth century, replacing this discourse and understanding with a language drawn from complexity theory. In this regard, I believe educators, researchers, and practitioners should begin talking about identity emergence and becoming. I explore how to embrace more complexivist epistemologies, moving educators, practitioners, and researchers away from traditional research methodologies. Drawing on emerging theoretical work of post-qualitative researchers, particularly Karen Barad (2008a), Alecia Youngblood Jackson and Lisa Mazzei (2012), my post-qualitative research agenda explored in this study used processes of digital immersion, interviewing, theoretical reading, and online blogging tools to create a research process viewed as a living system, exploring college student identities in the digital age as an emergent phenomena. This research highlights seven college students actively engaged in multiple distributed social media spaces. I refer to these seven college students as human becomings. In addition to following and intra-acting with these students in distributed social media spaces, I also conducted two interviews: issues of identity, digital practice(s), digital presentation(s), meaning-making, digital materiality, agency, and discourse were discussed. I conducted a process of dat(a)nalysis, highlighting dialogue, conversation, and observations on each human becoming. Further, I begin a process of entangling with theoretical, philosophical, and discursive research, creating the complexivist epistemologies so critical to understanding research on identity in the digital age. I end this dissertation discussing cyber-currere: viewing digital social media spaces as educational spaces where the processes of human becoming and subjectification occur as emergent phenomena: nonlinearly, non-hierarchically, and synchronously. In my closing remarks, I articulate how educators, particularly college student educators and curriculum theorists, might view digital spaces as always authentic, partial, and ontological – and what such an approach means for practice and future research