The Social Cure

The Social Cure
Author: Jolanda Jetten
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 409
Release: 2012-01-25
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1136698264

A growing body of research shows that social networks and identities have a profound impact on mental and physical health. With such mounting evidence of the importance of social relationships in protecting health, the challenge we face is explaining why this should be the case. What is it that social groups offer that appears to be just as beneficial as a daily dose of vitamin C or regular exercise? This edited book brings together the latest research on how group memberships, and the social identities associated with them, determine people’s health and well-being. The volume provides a variety of perspectives from clinical, social, organisational and applied fields that offer theoretical and empirical insights into these processes and their consequences. The contributions present a rich and novel analysis of core theoretical issues relating to the ways in which social identities, and factors associated with them (such as social support and a sense of community), can bolster individuals’ sense of self and contribute to physical and mental health. In this way it is shown how social identities constitute a ‘social cure’, capable of promoting adjustment, coping and well-being for individuals dealing with a range of illnesses, injuries, trauma and stressors. In addition, these theories provide a platform for practical strategies that can maintain and enhance well-being, particularly among vulnerable populations. Contributors to the book are at the forefront of these developments and the book’s strength derives from its analysis of factors that shape the health and well-being of a broad range of groups. It presents powerful insights which have important implications for health, clinical, social and organisational psychology and a range of cognate fields.

An Introduction to Cyberpsychology

An Introduction to Cyberpsychology
Author: Gráinne Kirwan
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 331
Release: 2024-02-06
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 100099855X

An Introduction to Cyberpsychology provides a comprehensive introduction to this rapidly growing discipline. Fully updated in its second edition, the book encourages students to critically evaluate the psychology of online interactions and to develop appropriate research methodologies to complete their own work in this field. The book examines cyberpsychology and online research methodologies, social psychology in an online context, practical applications of cyberpsychology, and the psychological aspects of other technologies. This new edition has been carefully updated to include additional coverage of: Expanded content relating to major developments in the field and new content on gaming and screentime A new chapter examining the relationship between older adults and technology Cyberpsychology in focus feature boxes in each chapter that examine topics in depth Interviews with professionals working in fields relating to cyberpsychology Each chapter includes key terms and a glossary, content summaries, discussion questions, and recommended reading to guide further study. Supported by extensive online resources for students and instructors, this authoritative book is an essential core text for undergraduate modules in cyberpsychology, and an ideal primer for students of postgraduate programs in cyberpsychology. To view the additional student and instructor resources for this book, please visit bpscoretextbooks.routledge.com

Personal Connections in the Digital Age

Personal Connections in the Digital Age
Author: Nancy K. Baym
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2015-08-04
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0745695973

The internet and the mobile phone have disrupted many of our conventional understandings of ourselves and our relationships, raising anxieties and hopes about their effects on our lives. In this second edition of her timely and vibrant book, Nancy Baym provides frameworks for thinking critically about the roles of digital media in personal relationships. Rather than providing exuberant accounts or cautionary tales, it offers a data-grounded primer on how to make sense of these important changes in relational life Fully updated to reflect new developments in technology and digital scholarship, the book identifies the core relational issues these media disturb and shows how our talk about them echoes historical discussions about earlier communication technologies. Chapters explore how we use mediated language and nonverbal behavior to develop and maintain communities, social networks, and new relationships, and to maintain existing relationships in our everyday lives. The book combines research findings with lively examples to address questions such as: Can mediated interaction be warm and personal? Are people honest about themselves online? Can relationships that start online work? Do digital media damage the other relationships in our lives? Throughout, the book argues that these questions must be answered with firm understandings of media qualities and the social and personal contexts in which they are developed and used. This new edition of Personal Connections in the Digital Age will be required reading for all students and scholars of media, communication studies, and sociology, as well as all those who want a richer understanding of digital media and everyday life.

Organising during the Coronavirus Crisis

Organising during the Coronavirus Crisis
Author: Mike Healy
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 261
Release: 2022-05-03
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9811919429

This book investigates the use of digital technologies for social organisation during the Covid-19 pandemic, interrogating the specific relationship between digital technologies and social movements. Drawing upon Marx’s theory of alienation and Antonio Gramsci’s concepts concerning common-sense, good sense, hegemony and praxis, the author examines the effectiveness of digital technologies in filling the social void created by the pandemic. A series of in-depth interviews across a spectrum of areas – from community activism, mental health, trade union organisation, the creative arts, and resistance movements – reveal how digital technologies flourished during the pandemic crisis, facilitating new ways to communicate. However, the interviews also throw into sharp relief the inadequacies of digital technologies. The book challenges conventional wisdom concerning the beneficial impact of digital machines on our lives. This book will have a broad appeal to anyone researching or teaching the societal, ethical and political implications of digital technologies, particularly from a qualitative perspective. It also has relevance for a wider readership concerned about the influence of social media.

Virtual Human-Animal Interactions

Virtual Human-Animal Interactions
Author: Christine Yvette Tardif-Williams
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 181
Release: 2023-07-14
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1000914038

Interest in the field of human-animal interactions is burgeoning, and researchers and educators are keen to understand the science undergirding research that helps us understand interactions between people and animals. Recently, exciting and innovative research is focusing on how people’s virtual interactions with animals can enhance their learning, social interactions, and well-being. This research aims to answer questions such as, "What types of interactions do people have with animals in a virtual context? How do people access and experience their virtual interactions with animals? Do virtual interactions with animals hold potential to enhance people’s well-being and learning in the same way that in-person interactions with animals have been documented? What educational strategies could be employed to enhance people’s virtual interactions with animals? How can we respect animals as research participants within a virtual context?" Drawing from seminal and cutting-edge research in the field of human-animal interactions, these questions and others are answered in Virtual Human-Animal Interactions. Research-informed and grounded in critical discussions of theory and practice, this book challenges readers to reconceptualize their understanding of research and practice exploring the complexities inherent in, and arising from, people’s virtual interactions with animals. Further, with an eye to the future, this book illuminates readers’ thinking around the empirical and practical implications of facilitating interactions between people and animals within virtual contexts. Researchers and educators from across disciplines will find Virtual Human-Animal Interactions both scientifically savvy and practical.

The Role of AI, IoT and Blockchain in Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19

The Role of AI, IoT and Blockchain in Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19
Author: S. Vijayalakshmi
Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2023-11-07
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9815080660

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, humanity faced unprecedented challenges that necessitated innovative technological solutions. The Role of AI, IoT, and Blockchain in Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 explores the transformative influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Blockchain technologies in combating the pandemic's effects. Key themes: Technological Pandemic Response: This book delves into how technology played a pivotal role in enabling social distancing, remote monitoring, contact minimization, telecommuting, online education, virus analysis, and predictive modeling, effectively aiding the fight against the coronavirus. Data Precision: Accurate and reliable data are essential for tracking virus spread. The book demonstrates how AI, IoT, and Blockchain can establish digital databases that ensure data accuracy, accessibility, and real-time monitoring, addressing the challenges faced by public healthcare systems. Innovative Applications: Chapters in this book cover a wide array of applications, from AI-driven models for COVID-19 analysis and prediction to the use of 3D printing technologies, IoT tools for virus control, and the impact of AI and IoT in healthcare. It also explores the role of social media in promoting social distancing. Advanced AI Techniques: Readers gain insights into cutting-edge AI techniques applied to COVID-19 in areas such as treatment, diagnosis, prognosis, chest X-ray and CT analysis, pandemic prediction, and pharmaceutical research. Industry 4.0: The book discusses Industry 4.0 technologies and their contribution to sustainable manufacturing, efficient management strategies, and their response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. Contributed by a distinguished panel of national and international researchers, with multidisciplinary backgrounds specializing in Artificial Intelligence, biomedical engineering, machine learning, and healthcare technology, public health and industrial automation. Each contribution includes derailed references to encourage scholarly research. This book serves as a valuable resource for academic and professional readers seeking to understand how modern computing technology has been harnessed to address the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers insights into technological innovations and their potential for the betterment of society, especially in times of crisis. Readers will be introduced to computing techniques and methods to measure and monitor the impacts of medical emergencies similar to viral outbreaks and implement the necessary infection control protocols.

Social Networks and Popular Understanding of Science and Health

Social Networks and Popular Understanding of Science and Health
Author: Brian G. Southwell
Publisher: JHU Press
Total Pages: 148
Release: 2013-10-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1421413256

A data-driven analysis of how different people share information about health through social media. Using social media and peer-to-peer networks to teach people about science and health may seem like an obvious strategy. Yet recent research suggests that systematic reliance on social networks may be a recipe for inequity. People are not consistently inclined to share information with others around them, and many people are constrained by factors outside of their immediate control. Ironically, the highly social nature of humankind complicates the extent to which we can live in a society united solely by electronic media. Stretching well beyond social media, this book documents disparate tendencies in the ways people learn and share information about health and science. By reviewing a wide array of existing research—ranging from a survey of New Orleans residents in the weeks after Hurricane Katrina to analysis of Twitter posts related to H1N1 to a physician-led communication campaign explaining the benefits of vaginal birth—Brian G. Southwell explains why some types of information are more likely to be shared than others and how some people never get exposed to seemingly widely available information. This book will appeal to social science students and citizens interested in the role of social networks in information diffusion and yet it also serves as a cautionary tale for communication practitioners and policymakers interested in leveraging social ties as an inexpensive method to spread information.

Inhuman Networks

Inhuman Networks
Author: Grant Bollmer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2016-08-11
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1501316176

Social media's connectivity is often thought to be a manifestation of human nature buried until now, revealed only through the diverse technologies of the participatory internet. Rather than embrace this view, Inhuman Networks: Social Media and the Archaeology of Connection argues that the human nature revealed by social media imagines network technology and data as models for behavior online. Covering a wide range of historical and interdisciplinary subjects, Grant Bollmer examines the emergence of “the network” as a model for relation in the 1700s and 1800s and follows it through marginal, often forgotten articulations of technology, biology, economics, and the social. From this history, Bollmer examines contemporary controversies surrounding social media, extending out to the influence of network models on issues of critical theory, politics, popular science, and neoliberalism. By moving through the past and present of network media, Inhuman Networks demonstrates how contemporary network culture unintentionally repeats debates over the limits of Western modernity to provide an idealized future where “the human” is interchangeable with abstract, flowing data connected through well-managed, distributed networks.

Big Data Analytics in Cognitive Social Media and Literary Texts

Big Data Analytics in Cognitive Social Media and Literary Texts
Author: Sanjiv Sharma
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2021-10-10
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9811647291

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the theory and praxis of Big Data Analytics and how these are used to extract cognition-related information from social media and literary texts. It presents analytics that transcends the borders of discipline-specific academic research and focuses on knowledge extraction, prediction, and decision-making in the context of individual, social, and national development. The content is divided into three main sections: the first of which discusses various approaches associated with Big Data Analytics, while the second addresses the security and privacy of big data in social media, and the last focuses on the literary text as the literary data in Big Data Analytics. Sharing valuable insights into the etiology behind human cognition and its reflection in social media and literary texts, the book benefits all those interested in analytics that can be applied to literature, history, philosophy, linguistics, literary theory, media & communication studies and computational/digital humanities.