A Tale of Self-Monitoring, Social Capital, and Social Media

We examined whether individual self-monitoring differences predict what type of relationships people have on Facebook. In the offline world, high self-monitors have large heterogeneous social networks made up of weak emotional ties, whereas low self-monitors have small homogenous social networks made up of strong emotional ties. In our study, we defined online relationships in terms of bridging and bonding social capital. Bridging social capital refers to large heterogeneous social networks made up of weak emotional ties. People maintain these relationships for social benefits. Bonding social capital refers to small homogeneous social networks made up of strong emotional ties. People maintain these relationships for emotional benefits. We predicted high self-monitors will have more bridging than bonding social capital on Facebook; low self-monitors will have more bonding than bridging social capital on Facebook. We believed attitudes about using Facebook would moderate these relationships. We used Snyder‟s Self-Monitoring Scale, Williams‟ Online Social Capital Scales, and Facebook Intensity Scale to assess our variables of interest. We found support for our hypotheses. For high self-monitors, greater importance placed on Facebook usage predicted increases in bridging social capital on Facebook; for low self-monitors, greater importance placed on Facebook usage predicted increases in bonding social capital on Facebook. Keywords: self-monitoring, social capital, social media, Faceboo

Bystander helping in response to a staged incident of cyberaggression

2012 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.The recent emergence of cyberbullying as a serious problem stands as a reminder that basic principles of social psychology should be retested and re-evaluated in emergent contexts to demonstrate their enduring value. This study sought to test the applicability of Darley & Latane's (1968) Bystander Effect in a chat-room environment. Participants were admitted to a chat-room ostensibly for a series of informal debates which a researcher would record and analyze later as part of an observational study in online communication patterns. Chats included one participant and either 2 (control condition) or 4 (bystander condition) non-participant characters (NPCs) whom the participant was led to believe were other participants. The researcher assigned two of the NPCs to debate informally and then left. In both conditions, the two NPCs engaged in discussion, until one began bullying the other by persistently attacking him with insults, even after the victim voiced distress and asked the attacker to stop. In the bystander condition, the two additional NPCs remained logged in throughout the bullying episode, but took no action to support or discourage the bullying. Participants, free to comment or contact the researcher, demonstrated a clear inclination towards altruism, but the bystander effect was still evident. Participants in the bystander condition were significantly less likely to intervene by attempting to defuse the conflict in the chat, defending the victim, attacking the bully, or contacting the researcher about the problem, OR = 0.39, p = .03, 95% CI [0.17, 0.90], n = 111. Participant suspicion and methodological constraints limit the conclusions that can be drawn from this study, but it supports speculation that the bystander effect may be present but less inhibitory in an online environment

The Effect Of A Positive Story Intervention On Positivity, Stress, Hope, And Trauma Symptomatology: A Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic brought many adverse effects to the global community. One effect was decreases in the mental health of college students due to forced isolations. College counseling centers, which had been experiencing long waitlists pre-pandemic, struggled to meet the demand as most had to switch to offering telehealth therapy services. Thus, the field of college counseling made a call for additional clinicians and interventions to support this population during this period of heightened need. The field of positive psychology, made popular in 2000 by Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, focuses on how positive emotions and positivity influence our wellbeing. Additionally, positive psychology looks to understand the mechanisms of how positive emotions and positivity can build our resilience against adverse experiences, such as stress and trauma. Given these theories, several positive psychology theories (e.g., Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, Broaden and Build) serve as the theoretical framework for the present study. One form of promoting positivity is the cultural art of storytelling. Storytelling has existed for centuries and continues to serve as a tool to pass down generational wisdom and to teach. Storytelling has also been found to increase connection between groups and individuals, build resilience, and even protect against negative mental health outcomes, such as suicidal ideation. Considering the isolations brought on by the pandemic, the aim of the present study was to determine whether listening to short stories of individuals overcoming adversity twice per day for four weeks impacted hope, stress, positivity, and trauma symptomatology. Namely, based on existing literature, the author hypothesized that the story intervention would contribute to increased hope and positivity and decreased stress and trauma symptomatology. The current study used a quantitative daily diary design to answer the research questions. After recruiting the sample through multistage cluster sampling and purposive sampling, the participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or control group. A final sample of college students (n = 159) completed most of or the entire treatment and were thus analyzed. The treatment group was asked to watch a brief video on StoryCorps, an open-access library of digital stories, then answer a brief questionnaire twice per day; the control group complete the questionnaire with no video at the same schedule. Using growth curve analyses and time series analyses to answer the study’s five research questions, the author found that positivity in the treatment group increased at a higher slope when compared to the slope of the control group. Stationary R2 values indicate a potential relationship between the independent and dependent variables; in this analysis, the scores on the Positivity Scale reported by the treatment (R2 = .30) and control (R2 = .38) groups indicate an adequate relationship in the model. In other words, the model accounted for 30% and 38% of the variance between the treatment and control groups, respectively. The results to the rest of the questions did not yield statistically significant results. The results of each research question are discussed, and implications are described with regard to positive psychology and college counseling. Further, limitations of the present study are presented, and areas warranting future research are highlighted

Factors influencing resilience among haematological cancer survivors

Haematological cancers in bone marrow (leukaemia) and the immune system (lymphomas or myeloma) represent the sixth most common adult tumour group in Australia. These cancers often develop without warning and require intensive treatment regimes that last on average eight months, but may continue for a lifetime depending on the diagnosis. Encouragingly, advancing cancer treatments, a key accomplishment of cancer research over the past 40 years, have resulted in a growing community of cancer survivors. Approximately two in three adults diagnosed with haematological cancer (HC) can now expect to survive more than five years. However, they must attempt to navigate the potential side-effects of cancer treatment. Several studies have highlighted the negative physical, social and psychological consequences of a cancer diagnosis such as fear of reoccurrence, infertility, fatigue and depression. However, few studies have explored how these individuals adjust or cope following successful cancer treatment. Cancer survivors who maintain a positive outlook, effectively deal with their health issues and are able to resume normality in their lives are deemed to be resilient. This study aimed to investigate the resilience process that HC survivors adopt following treatment, in order to overcome such adversity. The goal was to enable identification of protective factors that lead to positive mental health outcomes, and risk factors that impede resilience, for the growing HC survivor population. A two-phase, sequential, mixed methods design was adopted. The first (qualitative) developed a model of resilience, by exploring factors that fostered or inhibited HC survivors’ abilities to cope with this health crisis. Data were collected though semi-structured, in-depth, interviews with 23 adult HC survivors from Western Australia (M age = 52.87, SD = 16.72). Thematic and Leximancer software analyses of the interview data identified four main themes and subthemes pertaining to the cancer experience faced by these individuals: (1) the burden associated with a HC diagnosis; (2) resilience: coping with HC; (3) pathways and barriers to resilience; and, (4) survivor outcomes. These themes were then developed into a model, based on the current findings and those that had been identified in the literature. Subsequently, in Phase Two (quantitative), a questionnaire was created using factors that surfaced during the interviews or were identified from the literature. It was first piloted (Stage I) among a convenience sample of 17 mixed cancer survivors to determine clarity, reliability and internal consistency. Afterwards, a large survey was conducted (Stage II) to test the validity of the model developed in Phase One. Twenty-four variables were investigated for their ability to predict resilience and 222 (M age = 54.35, SD = 14.31) eligible questionnaires were obtained. Using a standard multiple regression analysis, the combined effect of the 24 variables accounted for 61% of the variance in resilience scores. Active coping, positive reframing, exercise and support from family and friends were found to positively influence resilience, while self-blame negatively predicted resilience. Only three variables, venting, selfdistraction and substance use, did not contribute significantly. Greater scores on each of the remaining variables; emotional support, instrumental support, planning, acceptance, religion, humour, support (healthcare professional and significant other), appearance, researching information, alternative treatments, time-out and diet, were associated with higher levels of resilience, except for, behavioural disengagement and denial which were negatively correlated. The results identified that higher resilience levels were significantly associated with lower depression and anxiety. In addition, younger participants (\u3c 40 years of age) or those more recently diagnosed (\u3c 5 years) scored significantly higher on depression and anxiety and lower on resilience. The findings highlight that the model developed in this thesis appropriately represented resilience factors identified among other cancer survivor populations. This research contributes to theory, policy and clinical practice, by providing greater insight into the experience of those living with HC and how these individuals cope. Clinicians including psychologists can use the study’s results to improve their clinical assessment and therapeutic approaches to enhance cancer survivor wellbeing. In addition, this information can assist the federal and state governments in formulating improved support infrastructure. Future research should explore how these theoretical findings can be applied practically, and assess the application of this model across cultures

The subjective experience of resilience among divorced african women in Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa

The study aimed at investigating the resilience enhancement factors which promoted well-being among divorced African women in Cradock, the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A qualitative research design was used to investigate the factors which reinforced resilience and promoted well-being following divorce as studies have indicated the risk of not being able to cope following divorce trauma. Purposive sampling was used in recruiting twelve divorced participants (aged 25- 45) from a support group at a local church in Cradock. Data was collected by means of semistructured interviews following the permission of the church and the divorced women who gave their consent to conduct the study. Furthermore, ethical principles were adhered to, throughout the data collection process. Thirteen themes emerged in the study and they include; self-condemnation, self-blame and denial, loneliness depression, anger and embarrassment, stigma, personality change, sexual dissatisfaction, ambivalence, forgiveness, selfcontentment and self-compassion, personal growth, religious coping, social support and positive relations and resilience enhancement factors. Despite the achievement of the research objectives, the sample might not be the true representation of the population of women who experienced divorce. Also, the results might have been different if the study was quantitative in nature. Based on the findings, psychological support is needed for women who underwent divorce. Finally, churches should play a vital role in restoration of resilience among divorced women while the families and communities shift away from cultural beliefs of subjugating women

Family Relationship Hope in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience unique parenting demands. Although these parents often report high levels of mental health challenges, such as depression (e.g., Scherer et al., 2019), they also report resilience factors such as family support and hope (e.g., Ekas et al., 2016). The present study investigated a novel construct, family relationship hope, in parents of children with ASD by examining the psychometric properties of the Family Relationship Hope Scale (FRHS), variables associated with family relationship hope and its link with depression. Factor analyses examined the factor structure and model fit of the FRHS. The post-crisis phase of the Double ABCX model (McCubbin & Patterson, 1983) provided a framework to conceptualize possible predictors of family relationship hope, through three steps in a hierarchical linear regression. Finally, a logistic regression analysis examined the likelihood of participants having clinically significant depression (Kroenke et al., 2001). Findings indicated a single factor structure, good model fit and internal reliability for the FRHS. Increased family support and having an adolescent child with ASD predicted higher family relationship hope, and relationship status and age of diagnosis served as important predictors in the model. Finally, family relationship hope significantly predicted the presence of clinically significant depression in parents of children with ASD. Results of the present study offer implications for counselor educators, mental health counselors, policy, and research that may help enhance the lives of families that include a child with ASD

Agent-Based Modelling of O ensive Actors in Cyberspace

© Cran eld University 2021. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the copyright owner.With the rise of the Information Age, there has also been a growing rate of attacks targeting information. In order to better defend against these attacks being able to understand attackers and simulate their behaviour is of utmost importance. A recent approach of using serious games provides an avenue to explore o ensive cyber attacks in a safe and fun environment. There exists a wide range of cyber attackers, with varying levels of expertise whose motivations are di erent. This project provides a novel contribution in using games to allow people to role play as malicious attackers and then using these games as inputs into the simulation. A board game has been designed that emulates a cyber environment, where players represent o ensive actors, with seven roles - Cyber Mercenary (low and high capability), State-backed (low and high capability), Script Kiddy, Hacktivist and Counter-culture (not motivated by nances or ideology). The facilitator or the Games Master (GM) represents the organisation under attack, and players use the Technique cards to perform attacks on the organisation, all cards are sourced from existing Tools, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs). Along with the game, players also provided responses to a questionnaire, that encapsulated three individual dif ferences: Sneider's self-report, DOSPERT and Barratt's Impulsiveness scale. There was a total of 15 players participating in 13 games, and three key groups of individual di erences players. No correlation was identi ed with the individual Technique card pick rate and role. However, the complexity of the attack patterns (Technique card chains) was modulated by roles, and the players' individual di erences. A proof-of-concept simulation has been made using an Agent-Based Modelling framework that re-plays the actions of a player. One of the aspects of future work is the exploitation of the game data to be used as a learning model to create intelligent standalone agents.PH

A critical examination of the evidence for effective reasonable adjustments for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the workplace

The thesis adopts a critical realist paradigm using mixed methods to scrutinise available evidence of effective reasonable adjustments for adults with ADHD (ADHDers). It makes an empirical contribution to research by examining the efficacy of adjustments. The first four studies synthesised and aggregated the available evidence. A rapid evidence assessment of 12 measures of adult ADHD and a systematic review of 161 studies of interventions revealed a gap in research evidence for work-related support and understanding of ADHD. Most research examining support for ADHD is pharmacological, adopting the medical model of disability. The evidence was then evaluated through a meta-analysis of 12 studies to investigate the effectiveness of the support on work-related outcomes. Findings indicated a small positive effect. Once the research evidence was fully mapped, evidence from practice was compared to research. A template analysis of workplace online advice reflected the practical guidance and placed managers in a central role of support for ADHDers. Findings from these four studies highlighted the need for an adjustment that adopted a social model approach, targeting those around the individual. Therefore, an e-learning programme was administered to 62 managers/HR professionals (crucial gatekeepers in the adjustment decision-making process), 37 in experimental group and 25 in the control group, using a random-control design. The e-learning programme increased knowledge of reasonable adjustments and ADHD while improving overall granting. Consequently, heightened awareness resulting from the programme transferred to other disabilities. Stereotypical comments reduced in the experimental group, and participants were better able to justify why the adjustment would be beneficial. The present thesis contributes to the underdeveloped psychological theory related to adjustments and provides preliminary evidence that educating gatekeepers can increase awareness and improve decision-making regarding adjustments. Implications for research and practice are discussed for a more inclusive workplace for ADHDers

Looking through the kaleidoscope: perspectives on the lived experiences of sport event volunteering.

The staging of many sport events ranging from small to mega-events, increasingly rely on the availability of a workforce of unpaid helpers. Whilst much research has been carried out in the past regarding the reason why people decide to volunteer at sport events, little is known about how this type of volunteering is experienced by the individual. Adopting an experiential focus, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge and enhances the understanding of this particular form of volunteering by exploring the question ―What it is like to be a sport event volunteer?‖ Using different strands of the concept and theory of role to serve as parameters for this study, the lived experiences of volunteers who assisted at the World Firefighters Games 2008 are analysed and discussed. The research approach that was adopted for this study draws from the work of Hans-Georg Gadamer in form of hermeneutic phenomenology which is an interpretative approach towards collecting and analysing data about a specific phenomenon. Incorporating the hermeneutic circle that advocates the idea that understanding of a phenomenon is co-created by both the researcher and the research participants, hermeneutic phenomenology is concerned with exploring rather than merely describing contextual aspects and structures of lived experiences. A total of eighteen semi-structured interviews involving volunteers who helped with the World Firefighters Games 2008 in Liverpool, were conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using the approach of Van Manen towards analysing the collected data, a number of themes and subthemes emerged which are presented in the thesis in manner that reflects the nature of the hermeneutic circle. Besides providing a working definition of the term ―sport event volunteering‖, the findings of the study critically evaluate the meaning that the volunteers attach to the role and how they make sense of their role as helpers involved in staging large sporting events. The interpretation of the collected data suggests that the enactment of the volunteer role is informed by individuals expectations and needs, e.g. with regards to role allocation, trust, recognition and reciprocity, and the experience of anti-climax and loss after their volunteer engagement has come to an end. Furthermore, the critical synthesis of how the individual manages his/her volunteer role suggests that sport event volunteers can be understood as ―bricoleurs‖ who craft rather than merely take and perform this particular role. Beside contributing to existing research on sport event volunteering with these findings and by identifying further research avenues relating to sport event volunteering that can be explored in future, the findings of these studies might inform the work of practitioners in the respective research fields