This blog calls you to develop a piece of writng that explores the intertextual connections between the sources you are working with. Consider James Porter's piece as a jumping off point for understanding this blog posting. Your task is to deliver a piece of writing (narrative, exposition, essay, report, or another genre) showing the conversation taking place between and among sources within your research area. Consider who the major players are (perhaps you keep seeing one or two names in many of the sources you read), and how they relate to one another. You have creative freedom in how you render this piece of writing.
On Thursday of next week, you are expected to deliver a 2-3 minute presentation showing your expertise within your research area. Think of this posting space as a place to have a practice run at showing how well you understand your research conversation.
This posting is due before 11:59pm on Monday, 2/25/2013.
Jake Rosenberg
ReplyDelete2/25/13
Longhany
Week 8 blog
After reading Porter’s Intertextuality and the Discourse Community, I have come to realize that there is a link between the many articles of my research on the mental states of sports spectators. Research has to start somewhere and evolve into a more suitable environment for the current day.
Almost every journal article I have discovered on my research topic points to Cialdini, one of the first researchers on the topic of basking in reflected glory (BIRG), as a starting point for their research. Although the topic of mental states of fans and fan identification has evolved, in the introductions of the articles and studies there is almost always a link to Cialdini and his most notable studies at multiple universities across America. Overall, Cialdini is a big “player” in the world of sport fan identification studies. More current researchers such as Wann and Branscombe have also established a well known reputation in the field because of their research on BIRGing and cutting off reflected failure (CORF), ultimately building off of Cialdini in hope to evolve the phenomena created in the 1970’s. While Cialdini is not currently researching this topic anymore, Wann and Branscombe still seem to be try to “converse” with Cialdini through investigating the gaps left behind from previous studies. Even though Wann and Branscombe’s studies are more current than Cialdini’s being that they were conducted in the 1990’s, Campbell Jr., Aiken, and Kent have brought this topic to a whole new level by introducing two new parts of the theory, cutting off reflected success (CORS) and basking in reflected failure (BIRF) in 2004. Although these researchers have created more current research in order to market sports better, I still think their achievements in this field of research are worth understanding because they fill in gaps that Cialdini, Wann, and Branscombe have left behind.
The real conversation started with Cialdini stating that fans BIRG in order to feel a sense of pride and success even though they have done nothing to aid the organization’s victory. From there CORFing was introduced as a “partner” to BIRGing as a way for fans to escape the feelings of failure. After different experiments proving these theories, researchers, including the ones mentioned above, started to try to fill in the gaps of the initial research by almost conversing with one another through investigating research by previous researchers. As more and more gaps were identified, new research was conducted to fill them. CORSing and BIRFing have been developed more recently to attempt to complete the phenomena about self-identification with sports teams. Although only one side is only doing the “current talking” in the conversation at hand, the other side’s talking is presented through his or her research publications.
In all, while there is very little “face to face” conversation because the researchers often do not match up in the era of their studies, there still is conversation. There is conversation between the researchers in the current era and between other current or past researchers. The only way to evolve a theory is by understanding it well enough to continue researching it, without conversing with other sources and researchers, some in the present and other in the past, no new research can be done.
Week 8
ReplyDelete24 Feb 13
Longhany
VO2 Meets SAC Rates and DCS Modeled With the Haldanean Model Against Navy Dive Tables
Key Terms:
VO2 – The percentage of oxygen that is used from every breath
SAC Rate – Surface Air Consumption Rate, the rate at which air is consumed (volume)
DCS – Decompression Sickness or ‘Bends’, occurs from dissolved Nitrogen gas in the blood
Haldanean Decompression Model – An algorithm (the first) developed to calculate decompression routines to prevent DCS, established No Decompression Limits
NDL – No Decompression Limits, this is where recreational diving stops, divers must decompress if they exceed these limits
Navy Dive Tables – US Navy developed their own algorithm to calculate decompression routines, this algorithm is known for having no safety buffers and must be followed exactly
Dive Dive Dive:
So what are these concepts, and how do they all fit together? Obviously, they all relate to scuba diving in one way or another. However, each of these terms play a major role in how a diver will execute their dive.
The first and most fundamental element to scuba diving is the Haldanean Decompression Model. It is because of the work of John Scott Haldane in 1906 that we understand DCS and how it occurs. Essentially, Haldane took 100 goats, threw them in a pressure chamber and tested his algorithm for decompression on them. This, mixed with data from some of the earliest of divers, established NDL’s and a theoretical model to safely decompress and come back to the surface.
NDL’s are probably the second development in scuba diving that establishes how one will be diving. For the most part, 98% of scuba divers will dive within NDL’s and is considered standard practice for the recreational diving industry. This means that a diver will only dive to specific depths for only the allotted time for that depth.
On the other hand, the other 2% of divers live a little more dangerously. These divers will intentionally violate the NDL’s and cross into the discipline known as Tec Diving. Tec divers dive deeper and longer than the NDL’s allow and, for this, must make a decompression stop prior to surfacing.
That being said, Tec divers essentially have all day to hang out under water, so why don’t they? This brings us around to the importance of SAC Rates. At this level of diving, the only limitation to how long one can dive is strictly based on how much air they can carry with them. While one might say something like “just slap another tank on and dive on,” there is a limit of how much air can realistically be brought. So how does one stay down longer then? It’s pretty simple actually, breathe less!
As nice as that sounds, it is a weird concept to most. How can a person consume less air? This is the question my project is aimed at answering, hopefully. Based on a series of variables, I will attempt to fit data to a correlation and quantify the results. Following that, it should be pretty evident what can be done to consume less air.
But for those who went out and spent $7,000 on a rebreather, this survey may not interest you as much. However, you can focus on your VO2 rate. This is way, you can stay down for two weeks instead of just one. VO2 rates are more important for Athletes, free divers or for people who are in a controlled oxygen environment. Since we do not use all the oxygen in every breath, we have the ability to reuse air for a period of time and is a fundamental principal in creating a controlled oxygenated environment.
In all, there are many ways that different to relate different pieces of data in this community. I have challenged several industry standards for this project by attempting to show the relations between these variables, and have received plenty of discouraging comments from others in the community. It hinders the progress of my survey slightly, but I’m excited to see the results and test for correlations!
Haley Wood
ReplyDeleteLonghany
ENC 1102
My research topic is discussing certain ways that social media and social networks can be an academic tool. As my research progressed throughout the past few weeks, I have found that there is a plethora of sources and other research going on that is similar to what I plan on doing with mine. As I entered the conversation I noticed a few things in particular. One thing is that this “conversation” is also somewhat a debate. Some scholars believe that the use of social media can hinder the ability to learn and others believe that it actually can assist in the learning and that we need to adapt to our ever-growing technological world.
Alyson Jenkins is one of the big players in this topic of research. She has discussed the concept of action research, which is a process that requires honesty and openness and which lends itself to the betterment of one's practice; Action Research has never been more valuable. Alyson Jenkins and her colleagues, however, are not given credit for the discovery of this term. Their extensive research on the matter, in fact, is noted in other author’s research as well.
The concept of Web 2.0 is also a major concept that is mentioned in almost every article that favored social media as a learning tool. Web 2.0 is known to be the newer version of the World Wide Web. A Web 2.0 site allows users to socialize as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to websites where people are limited to the simple viewing of content.
Another major player in tis research topic at the moment Apostolos. Koutropoulos. He is a professor at the University of Hawaii and is very passionate about his research on how to create networking communities outside the classroom.
I have been very lucky in the fact that my research topic is a highly developed study topic that is ever changing. New articles and new ideas are popping up every week and people are very passionate about their work. There seems to be a lot of notes in these articles from authors to other authors. At times the authors in this conversation tend to agree on certain topics and disagree on others, but there is definitely a clear conversation being had here.
Brianne Addison
ReplyDelete2/25/13
Longhany
Week 8 Blog
After reading through my articles, and discussing intertextual relationships in class, I have noticed many of the same authors being listed in the bibliography as well as some common thoughts and terms shared between sources. One author in particular has view points within two different articles. Baumeister from the Journal of Personality states in the first article of Thoughts and attention of athletes under pressure:skill focus or performance worries? that “to date it has repeatedly been shown that adopting such a skill focus of attention impairs expert performance” referring to choking in competition being caused by explicit monitoring or conscious control of the execution of the skill. In the other source called Self Regulation of Elite Athletes , he says “It can trigger or suppress impulse inhibition, temptation resistance, gratification delay, plan making and execution, and changes in behavior made to adapt to social and other standards.”
Within the articles the authors continually wrote about things like mental fatigue, loss of flow, and most importantly the mental state of the athlete. Participants thought that successful self-regulation enables them to focus on game preparation. Ie: not thinking of results before the competition. In comparison to the other article, the author included examples of what the athletes were thinking to themselves during a game or competition. Some of the thoughts relating to that statement from the first article are “I am the one who can do this best”, “We will win this one” and “keep it simple.” A term called positive monitoring was used throughout the sources of articles and seemed to be the key term. It is defined as "a positive form of internal attention referring to positive self- talk statements as well as statements about the attentional focus that athletes adopt to enhance concentration and performance." Having a calm mental state was the most important thing as a psychological role in performance.
Catherine Rucker
ReplyDeleteENC 1102
Week 8 Blog
For my research, it’s been quite difficult to find articles that are relevant to my topic. However, when I do find them, it is a treat. I’m working on a deep analysis on a classic literary character, and there aren’t many current articles that touch on the subject. Nonetheless, with the research I am able to access dealing with the psychology behind the characters, I’m certain that I’ll be able to make a proper analysis with articles that have to do with certain psychological aspects or certain leaders in the psychological field. I’ve learned that there has been little to no mutual consensus on this the analysis of the characters in the novel. There have been many thoughts and ideas on how the main characters portray themselves and why certain behaviors are maintained.
In the articles that I’ve perused I’ve found the subject of the unconscious, loneliness, and rejection to be central in the proper analysis of the main characters in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Of course when one thinks of the unconscious Freud is the first that comes to mind. Right now there is too much to get into involving what I’ve learned about the psychology behind the main character Heathcliff, but I’ll try to give the ‘gist’ of information I’ve found by different authors.
Two of the articles I was very impressed with came from scholarly literary journals. Irving H. Buchen argued that the form of love that borderlines obsession in Wuthering Heights stems from the fact that the characters struggle with the fact that the paradise or ‘Eden’ created in their childhood cannot be fully dealt with because they are in fact children and cannot fully process the actions associated with love. Therefore their thoughts on love and what it entails is warped and difficult to handle even as they grow and mature into adulthood.
The other, by Eric P. Levy, extensively goes into the psychology of loneliness that is portrayed in the novel. He makes his research interesting by introducing to the reader a ‘Brontëan’ method in which to psychoanalyze three of the main characters. This method is basically analyzing the characters from the standpoint of the author by taking symbols she uses in the novel and applying them towards the personalities of said characters. Levy also talks about the idea of how loneliness is formulated by rejection, and although it’s too extensive to explain I think it would be interesting for be to pick up his talk of rejection and analyze it for myself.
The research regarding my topic tends to vary dramatically, some of the sources share some similarities but for the most part each one is significantly different from the next. Diving into some of the articles that suited my search area the best, I found that there is a lot of connection between generalized ideas regarding the factors behind the food choices we make and our food consumption. There are a couple distinct reasons behind our motives to eat the way we do. Whether it is because of advertising, socioeconomic status, cultural influence, political determinants, food scares, or lack of information, there is a well understood pattern in our eating habits.
ReplyDeleteJohan De Tavernier, writes about how the “sustainable, socially conscious, and responsible consumption of food seems to become a new terrain of political action, to which citizen-consumers contribute by presenting their food preferences as expressions of a new kind of social agency,” relating to Ward and de Vreese’s analysis on understanding political consumerism and its relationship to citizenship. For a multitude of reasons, food consumption is completely relevant to our world today, being a developed nation in the United States, we see obesity rates rapidly increasing and numerous food consumption related diseases as well. Sustainability is necessary in all aspects of living, especially food primarily due to scarcity. Action on the political front will be the determinant of how we shape the future of our country let alone planet, food consumption impacts everything from health care to the environment, and there is an ever so present negative slope on where we are heading regarding those aspects.
With regards to food, consumers face a lot of choices, many of them impacted by factors most cannot control such as socioeconomic status, or a lack of information. Investigating these factors and how influential they really are will promote a clearer route to adjusting for healthier, more beneficial food habits.
Nick Borimonoff
ReplyDeleteWeek 8
So far, I have been able to find a couple acceptable articles for my research, but I still want to find more. One of the first articles that I found was about the script making process of a film. When films were first started, the script was used as the blueprint of the film. After so many decades, the use of a script has still been used for the same reasons now as when film first began. Having a script is a necessity if you want to make a film. The script can tell a person a lot of what the film might cost to make or how it will be directed.
Many articles that I have found go into topics of digital filmmaking and how it has become the way to film projects. Digital filmmaking became popular around the early 2000s. Many people believe that because of all the new technology used in the film industry less imagination is going into the filmmaking process. The lack of creativity is definitely seen through all the blockbusters made in the past few years. Most have been remakes of some sort or just use loads and loads… and loads of CGI to make the film look more interesting. People forget to make a great story on paper first, instead they focus on how many explosions the film will have.
Another way filmmaking is evolving is with the independent film industry. Independent films are fairly new, but even independent films have evolved in recent years and a term known as “studio independents” has been created. There are two typed of independents: films that are independently made from the beginning of the filmmaking process and films that have a studio helping along the filmmaking process. Film is evolving and will continue to evolve. There are so many aspects of filmmaking, some traditions will stay the same, but many will change. I want to possibly look for a specific director that has produced many films to be able to show a transition from the wide range of films they have made over many years.
I’m having a very hard time finding articles dealing with the same research topic as mine. I have been looking for articles dealing with sharks in the media and how the shark population is decreasing dramatically. I have found a couple articles though, all being written in the journal of Conservation Biology.
ReplyDeleteThe Conservation Biology was created in 1987 and started because of concern among scientists with tropical deforestation and disappearing species. The purpose of this journal is to help protect species, their habitats, and ecosystems from extinction and erosion. It exists so we can evaluate human impacts on biological diversity and develop ways to prevent the extinction of endangered species. Conservation Biology is published six times a year and accepts papers of high quality and clarity. It has increased its submission rates and revision processes to ensure that it receives the best and most papers possible. In order to be able to submit a paper, it has to be on issues addressing the science of conserving Earth’s biological diversity and approaches to solving these issues.
I can see how Conservation Biology and my topic connect. Humans have an effect on the ocean’s ecosystem because of sharks. With shark’s being endanger, it will have a great effect not only on the octopuses and fishes but the whole ocean itself. Humans are causing this decrease in the shark population because of the negative portrayal given to them through media. If people see sharks in a bad way they won’t see them as the victims which in reality, they are. Shark finning has increased in significant numbers which is making shark populations decrease rapidly. But people don’t see this as a big issue because sharks are getting “what they deserve” right? Wrong. People think this way because of the image of sharks the media sends to it’s viewers. That is why Conservation Biology is getting involved in this issue, because sharks are a species the need protection from human impacts.
Francois J. Turner
ReplyDeleteThe ongoing debate over the efficacy of mental imagery, the mind and body connection and the mind ultimately being the operator whose vehicle is the body, all contain a universal theme; the mind (state of mind) and its effect on the body, if indeed there is such a connection. Oddly enough, the discourses amongst the sources I’ve read through agree with the statement that the mind does in fact contribute to our outcomes, whether it is physical accomplishments to cognitive acuity, there is an associating effect. A fairly significant amount of the sources however, disagree with the claim, upholding the belief that the mind and body doesn’t exist as separate entities but rather as one, while in the back drop, another discourse is slowly making its entrance into the community of sports psychology with the claim that the body in turn shapes the mind. Despite the disagreement amongst researches and writings, the array of perspectives presented by each text, the breath of the argument by each provides valuable detail about the different sides to this discourse, which affords me a three dimensional view. I’m not only getting information that supports my own assumptions but dissenting views, as well as an alternate stance on the subject.
‘’The mental imagery is the most effective performance enhancement.’’ according to Lesley Jones’ article in the Journal of Applied & Preventative Psychology. The article outlines the uses and application of mental imagery and the associated effects it has on: performance enhancement, arousal regulation, affective and cognitive modification and rehabilitation. A piece written in the 1985 issue of Muscle & Fitness magazine makes the claim that ‘’mental training and visualization leads to peak performance’’, also stating that ‘’performance is dependent on mental attitude’’. The lines which these two distinct source draw is parallel, being a buttress for the other despite being published over a decade apart within two separate discourse communities. In addition to the two complementary sources, a third, refers to the job of fitness professionals as ‘’engaging and training the mind to achieve optimal body-mind performance’’, however it disclaims the ‘’body-mind connection’’ stating ‘’there never was’’. These assumptions made by Pamela Peek MD, does support the effective contribution mental connection has on physical performance, although she later bashes preceding thoughts of the mind and body being separate entities that are dependent on the others function. Instead, Peek asserts that ‘’there is no separation of the body and mind’’, an interdependent relationship exists between the two. Despite the being a rebuttal to the claims I’m making about the separation of the mind and body, Peek’s thought cleverly adds another angle of approach. As oppose to simply examining the thought process of my research participants, viewing the associating response the body produces once mental imagery is used will reaffirm the claim of the body-mind whole.
Apart from the interesting discussion about physical performance and mental techniques, I’ve yet to identify any key players whose forward thinking sparked this conversation that I’ll be entering with a fresh view.
Alexis Dickison
ReplyDeleteWeek 8
2/25/2013
Throughout my research of my topic, I have found a lot of articles. This is simply because race is, and will continue to be, a topic of discussion. It’s hundreds of years in the making and I don’t see it stopping any time soon. I know race is not as big of a problem as it used to be, but it still is an issue in present day America. Because of its long and on-going history, I want to talk above the whisper about how being biracial affects one in society.
Last week, I did an interview with a good friend of mine, Michelle, who is mixed with African-American and Caucasian. I wanted to hear what she had to say. I wanted to know what she identified with on a day-to-day basis. It is so funny because many of the ways she answered the questions I had asked her, are the same ways I would’ve answered the same questions. She told me that biracial children need to know “both sides of the coin” when it comes to being black and white. She said that often times, being black and white has put her in a dark place. She remembers as a young child not understanding why she looked the way she did. Michelle grew up in a predominately white part of town. So her views on being biracial are probably going to be different than that of a biracial person who grew up in a predominately black neighborhood. But I’m excited to keep digging and figuring out if that is actually the case.
In another article I read, the author spoke about passing the paper bag test. You’re not considered black. I was surprised that someone was writing about a “test” that I had heard happened back in the days of segregation. It’s 2013!
I believe that I may be overloaded on information. This is only because when it comes to my sources, some are making statements that I find are completely irrelevant to what I believe and these same sources also seem like they are discussing the past too much. I think that the past is very important, but I need it to be molded into something that is relevant in the present day.
I’m very grateful that I have a plethora of sources to work with, this will make for a paper that I genuinely enjoy writing because of the ideas that bounce back and forth between the authors and myself. I’m hoping that even though I may disagree with what someone else has to say, I will be able to give a good and conversational rebuttal.
How does eating affect a person’s mood? Ex: Why is it a typical thing for someone who is upset to say, that they are going to sit around and eat ice cream? Can chocolate be used as an antidepressant?
ReplyDeleteHippocrates, the father of modern medicine, once said: “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food” (Dartmouth 1). There are several studies supporting common problems such as depression, insomnia, hyperactivity, chronic pain and carbohydrate cravings can be therapeutically treated by the means of foods and nutrients. Common foods that have a major affect on people’s energy and temper are carbohydrates, chocolate, and sugar.
A neurotransmitter is a chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse, and by diffusing across the synapse of junction, causes the transfer of the impulse to another nerve fiber, a muscle fiber, or some other structure. Judith Wurtman, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), researched that neurotransmitters, the level of certain brain chemicals, are the products of types of foods altering one’s moods; an example of this are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can produce a temporary increase in brain serotonin (Christie, Catherine 1). Wurtman has reported that people are more alert when their brains are producing the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, while serotonin production in the brain has been associated with a more calming, anxiety-reducing effect, including drowsiness (Christie, Catherine 1). Wurtman and Wurtman (1989) developed a theory suggesting that a diet rich in carbohydrates can relieve depression and elevate mood in disorders such as carbohydrate craving obesity, pre-menstrual syndrome, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) (Dartmouth 1). A stable brain serotonin level is associated with a positive mood state. It appears that women have a greater sensitivity than men to changes in this brain chemical. Mood swings during the menstrual cycle and menopause are caused by hormonal changes that influence the production of serotonin (Christie, Catherine 1).
When someone is not at their highest point they are most likely to turn to chocolate. According to Matthew Lee, chocolate contains healthier compounds that are similar to the ones found in marijuana, such as THC. THC is a chemical that binds to sites in your brain, producing a “high” feeling. Rather than THC, chocolate contains anadamide; that does not contain the negative effects on your brain (Lee, Mathew. 1). However, chocolate (when an appropriate amount consumed) benefits one’s mood and does not contain any addictive stimulates.
Endorphins are the body's natural opiate-like chemicals that produce a positive mood state, decreased pain sensitivity, and reduced stress. Endorphins are released when a person is in pain, during starvation, and during exercise. A food substance related to endorphins is phenylethylamine, which is found in chocolate (Christie, Catherine 1). Chocolate consumption stimulates the release of serotonin and endorphin into the body, which combine to produce a relaxed or euphoric feeling. This may explain why some people crave chocolate when they're feeling depressed (Christie, Catherine 1).
Other compounds that have an affect on people’s moods are caffeine, omega-3, iron, and sugar. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain and can relieve headaches, drowsiness and fatigue. Short-term caffeine deprivation in regular users can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Low blood levels of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are associated with depression, pessimism and impulsivity, according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In addition, they can play a role in major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse and attention deficit disorder. Iron deficiency anemia can result in depressed mood, lethargy and problems with attention. A low iron status is most common among women, children, vegetarians, and people who follow a diet (Dartmouth 1). Sugar makes children hyperactive and that sugar-free diets can curb aggression in prison inmates the use of candy to soothe a crying child and of hot milk and honey to induce sleep (Brody, Jane E. 1).
ReplyDeleteMany things can affect the way one reacts to food. Variables vary depending on the time of day, the type and macronutrient composition of food, the amount of food consumed, and the age and dietary history of the subject. The effects of the meal also are different for change in genders and the age of the consumer (Dartmouth 1).