Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Social Touch'

Ratten verwenden Schnurrhaare (Vibrissen) zur Berührungswahrnehmung, und die Leitungsbahn von den Vibrissen zum primären somatosensorischen Areal (Barrel Cortex, BC) ist gut untersucht. Ratten zeigen auch vielfältiges Sozialverhalten, u.a. Berührung von Artgenossen mit ihren Vibrissen. Es ist jedoch unbekannt, wie diese sozialen Berührungssignale im Gehirn repräsentiert sind. Deshalb hatte die vorliegende Studie zum Ziel, die neuronale Repräsentation von sozialen Berührungen im BC zu untersuchen und mit anderer somatosensorischer Stimulation zu vergleichen. Mit extrazellulären Einzelzellableitungen in sich frei bewegenden Ratten habe ich gezeigt, dass die Aktivität eines Großteils von Neuronen im BC durch soziale Berührungen moduliert wird. Antworten waren meist erregend und Feuerraten während sozialer Interaktionen unterschieden sich zwischen kortikalen Schichten. Ratten bevorzugten Interaktionen mit Artgenossen gegenüber unbelebten Stimuli. Auch die Berührungsstrategien unterschieden sich, dabei wurden Objekte mit regelmäßigeren Bewegungen abgetastet, und die Vibrissen weiter vorgestreckt. Neuronale Antworten unterschieden sich ebenso, mit leicht aber konsistent schwächeren Antworten auf Objekte. Interessanterweise habe ich geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in neuronalen Antworten beobachtet. Der ausgeprägteste war die stärkere Modulation regulär-feuernder (RF) Zellen in Männchen während sozialer Berührungen. Dieser Unterschied konnte nicht mit sozialem Berührungsverhalten erklärt werden, was eventuell auf eine neurale Grundlage dieser Differenz hindeutet. Zudem feuerten RF-Zellen von Weibchen deutlich seltener, wenn das Weibchen im Östrus war. Zusammenfassend ist dies die erste Studie, die soziale Signale in einem primären sensorischen Areal bei sich frei bewegenden Tieren auf zellulärer Ebene untersuchte. Sie legt nahe, dass die Repräsentationen sensorischer Hirnrinde weniger stimulusabhängig und stärker top-down-moduliert sein könnten, als zuvor angenommen.
Rats use their stiff facial hairs (whiskers) for somatosensation, and the pathway from the whiskers to the primary somatosensory cortex (barrel cortex, BC) is well known. Rats also show diverse social behaviors, including touch of conspecifics with their whiskers. The representation of these social touch signals in the brain is however unknown. Thus, the present study aimed at characterizing the neuronal representation of social touch signals in BC and comparing them with non-social somatosensory stimulation. Using extracellular single-cell recordings in freely-moving rats, I could show that the activity of a large fraction of BC neurons is modulated by social touch. Responses were typically excitatory and the pattern of firing rates during interactions differed between cortical layers. Rats preferred interactions with alive conspecifics over inanimate stimuli. Whisking strategies also differed in that inanimate stimuli were whisked at with more regular movements from more protracted set angles. Neuronal responses were also different, such that objects elicited slightly but consistently weaker responses than alive rats. Interestingly, I observed sex-specific differences in neuronal responses. Prominently, there was stronger modulation by social touch in regular-spikers (RS) recorded from males. This could not be explained by behavioral measures, possibly indicating a neural origin of this difference. Further, RS from females fired much more weakly when females were in estrus. In summary, this is the first study that investigated social signals in a primary sensory area of freely-moving animals at the cellular level. It suggests that representations in sensory cortices might be less stimulus-driven and more top-down modulated than previously thought.

Le interfacce aptiche, ovvero le tecnologie che trasmettono delle sensazioni tattili digitalizzate, si stanno diffondendo in vari contesti sociali come telerobotica, comunicazione mobile, arte, videogiochi e cinema. Queste tecnologie stanno permettendo agli ingegneri di realizzare qualcosa mai fatto prima: la digitalizzazione del tatto (che ora può quindi essere registrato e mediatizzato). L’obbiettivo di questa tesi è di decostruire il tatto digitalizzato come un artefatto tecnologico socialmente costruito, il quale sta prendendo forma in un sistema di pratiche interrelate performate da attori in campi disparati della conoscenza. Questi attori si muovono all’interno e attorno ad una comunità di ingegneri apticisti. Adottando un approccio ispirato alla grounded theory, sono stati raccolti dati qualitativi attraverso interviste presso un campo etnografico multi-situato composto da laboratori europei e conferenze internazionali, in cui la conoscenza riguardo il tatto è collettivamente creata e condivisa. Due framework teorico-metodologici sono stati presi in considerazione: la tradizione dei Science and Technology Studies (STS) è stata scelta come principale guida metodologica; in seguito, l’intreccio tra pratiche sociali e tecnologie è stato approfondito attraverso una prospettiva practice-based tipica della cosiddetta ‘practice theory’. Al fine di cogliere il processo in corso di costruzione sociale e flessibilità che caratterizzano il tatto digitalizzato, lo studio si è concentrato sull'assenza di standardizzazione che caratterizza gli aspetti sia hardware che software di questa tecnologia emergente. Inoltre, è stata prestata attenzione alla distinzione controversa e scivolosa tra feedback tattile simbolico e realistico usata nel gergo degli apticisti. Infine, sono stati analizzati i diversi significati, o potenzialità d'uso, che gli intervistati attribuiscono a questa tecnologia. Questi significati si collegano a specifici immaginari sociotecnici geograficamente situati, ad ampi discorsi sociali riguardo l’innovazione tecnologica, e a diverse visioni riguardo le pratiche che possono beneficiare dell’implementazione di queste interfacce.
Devices that provide tactile feedback, called haptic interfaces, are spreading in various contexts such as tele-robotics, prosthetics, videogames, mobile communication, and arts. These technologies are allowing engineers to accomplish something never done before: the digitization of touch (which can now be stored and mediatized). This dissertation aims to deconstruct the digitized touch as a socially constructed technological product, emerging from a system of interrelated practices enacted by actors performing in disparate fields which revolve around the community of haptics engineers. Using a grounded-theory inspired approach, qualitative data were collected through interviews in a multi-sited ethnographic field consisting in European laboratories and international conferences, where knowledge about touch is collectively created and shared. Two theoretical-methodological frameworks have been taken into consideration: the tradition of Science and Technology Studies (STS) has been chosen as the main methodological guide; moreover, the interlacements between social practices and technology have been deepened through the adoption of a practice-based perspective proposed by different approaches in social sciences gathered under the umbrella term ‘practice theory’. In order to grasp the ongoing process of social construction and flexibility that characterize digitized touch, the study focused on the absence of standardization involving both hardware and software aspects of this emerging technology. Furthermore, attention has been paid to the controversial and slippery distinction between ‘symbolic’ and ‘realistic’ tactile feedback which is used in engineers’ jargon. Finally, the different meanings or potentialities of use, which respondents attributed to this technology, have been analysed. These meanings are connected to geographically located socio-technical imaginaries, to broad social discourses about technological innovation, and to different visions regarding the practices that can benefit from the implementation of these interfaces.

Le interfacce aptiche, ovvero le tecnologie che trasmettono delle sensazioni tattili digitalizzate, si stanno diffondendo in vari contesti sociali come telerobotica, comunicazione mobile, arte, videogiochi e cinema. Queste tecnologie stanno permettendo agli ingegneri di realizzare qualcosa mai fatto prima: la digitalizzazione del tatto (che ora può quindi essere registrato e mediatizzato). L’obbiettivo di questa tesi è di decostruire il tatto digitalizzato come un artefatto tecnologico socialmente costruito, il quale sta prendendo forma in un sistema di pratiche interrelate performate da attori in campi disparati della conoscenza. Questi attori si muovono all’interno e attorno ad una comunità di ingegneri apticisti. Adottando un approccio ispirato alla grounded theory, sono stati raccolti dati qualitativi attraverso interviste presso un campo etnografico multi-situato composto da laboratori europei e conferenze internazionali, in cui la conoscenza riguardo il tatto è collettivamente creata e condivisa. Due framework teorico-metodologici sono stati presi in considerazione: la tradizione dei Science and Technology Studies (STS) è stata scelta come principale guida metodologica; in seguito, l’intreccio tra pratiche sociali e tecnologie è stato approfondito attraverso una prospettiva practice-based tipica della cosiddetta ‘practice theory’. Al fine di cogliere il processo in corso di costruzione sociale e flessibilità che caratterizzano il tatto digitalizzato, lo studio si è concentrato sull'assenza di standardizzazione che caratterizza gli aspetti sia hardware che software di questa tecnologia emergente. Inoltre, è stata prestata attenzione alla distinzione controversa e scivolosa tra feedback tattile simbolico e realistico usata nel gergo degli apticisti. Infine, sono stati analizzati i diversi significati, o potenzialità d'uso, che gli intervistati attribuiscono a questa tecnologia. Questi significati si collegano a specifici immaginari sociotecnici geograficamente situati, ad ampi discorsi sociali riguardo l’innovazione tecnologica, e a diverse visioni riguardo le pratiche che possono beneficiare dell’implementazione di queste interfacce.
Devices that provide tactile feedback, called haptic interfaces, are spreading in various contexts such as tele-robotics, prosthetics, videogames, mobile communication, and arts. These technologies are allowing engineers to accomplish something never done before: the digitization of touch (which can now be stored and mediatized). This dissertation aims to deconstruct the digitized touch as a socially constructed technological product, emerging from a system of interrelated practices enacted by actors performing in disparate fields which revolve around the community of haptics engineers. Using a grounded-theory inspired approach, qualitative data were collected through interviews in a multi-sited ethnographic field consisting in European laboratories and international conferences, where knowledge about touch is collectively created and shared. Two theoretical-methodological frameworks have been taken into consideration: the tradition of Science and Technology Studies (STS) has been chosen as the main methodological guide; moreover, the interlacements between social practices and technology have been deepened through the adoption of a practice-based perspective proposed by different approaches in social sciences gathered under the umbrella term ‘practice theory’. In order to grasp the ongoing process of social construction and flexibility that characterize digitized touch, the study focused on the absence of standardization involving both hardware and software aspects of this emerging technology. Furthermore, attention has been paid to the controversial and slippery distinction between ‘symbolic’ and ‘realistic’ tactile feedback which is used in engineers’ jargon. Finally, the different meanings or potentialities of use, which respondents attributed to this technology, have been analysed. These meanings are connected to geographically located socio-technical imaginaries, to broad social discourses about technological innovation, and to different visions regarding the practices that can benefit from the implementation of these interfaces.

Emotion communication is an important aspect of social interaction. Affect display research from psychology as well as social human-robot interaction has focused primarily on facial or vocal behaviors, as these are the predominant means of expression for humans. Much less attention, however, has been on emotion communication through touch, which, though unique among the senses, can be methodologically and technologically difficult to study. Our thesis investigated the role of affective touch in the social interaction between human and robot. Through a process of design and controlled user evaluation, we examined the display, recognition, and emotional influence of affective touch. To mitigate issues inherent in touch research, we drew from interaction models not between humans but between human and animal, whereby the robot assumes the role of companion animal. We developed the Haptic Creature, a small, zoomorphic robot novel in its sole focus on touch for both affect sensing and display. The robot perceives movement and touch, and it expresses emotions through ear stiffness, modulated breathing, and vibrotactile purring. The Haptic Creature was employed in three user studies, each exploring a different aspect of affective touch interaction. Our first study examined emotion display from the robot. We detail the design of the Haptic Creature's affect display, which originated from animal models, then was enhanced through successive piloting. A formal study demonstrated the robot was more successful communicating arousal than valence. Our second study investigated affect display from the human. We compiled a touch dictionary from psychology and human-animal interaction research. Participants first rated the likelihood of using these touch gestures when expressing a variety of emotions, then performed likely gestures communicating specific emotions for the Haptic Creature. Results provided properties of human affect display through touch and high-level categorization of intent. Our final study explored the influence of affective touch. Results empirically demonstrated the human's emotional state was directly influenced from affective touch interactions with the robot. Our research has direct significance to the field of socially interactive robotics and, further, any domain interested in human use of affective touch: psychology, mediated social touch, human-animal interaction.

Synaesthesia is a condition in which one property of a stimulus results in conscious experiences of an additional attribute. In mirror-touch synaesthesia, the synaesthete experiences a tactile sensation on their own body simply when observing touch to another person. This thesis investigates the prevalence, neurocognitive mechanisms, and consequences of mirror-touch synaesthesia. Firstly, the prevalence and neurocognitive mechanisms of synaesthesia were assessed. This revealed that mirrortouch synaesthesia has a prevalence rate of 1.6%, a finding which places mirror-touch synaesthesia as one of the most common variants of synaesthesia. It also indicated a number of characteristics of the condition, which led to the generation of a neurocognitive model of mirror-touch synaesthesia. An investigation into the perceptual consequences of synaesthesia revealed that the presence of synaesthesia is linked with heightened sensory perception - mirror-touch synaesthetes showed heightened tactile perception and grapheme-colour synaesthetes showed heightened colour perception. Given that mirror-touch synaesthesia has been shown to be linked to heightened sensorimotor simulation mechanisms, the impact of facilitated sensorimotor activity on social cognition was then examined. This revealed that mirror-touch synaesthetes show heightened emotional sensitivity compared with control participants. To compliment this, two transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies were then conducted to assess the impact of suppressing sensorimotor activity on the expression recognition abilities of healthy adults. Consistent with the findings of superior emotion sensitivity in mirror-touch synaesthesia (where there is facilitated sensorimotor activity), suppressing sensorimotor resources resulted in impaired expression recognition across modalities. The findings of the thesis are discussed in relation to neurocognitive models of synaesthesia and of social cognition.

Today multi-touch technology is the basis for many new techniques designed to improveinteractions with computers and mobile devices. It seems that multi-touch screen interfacemakes the user handling very natural in the sense that there is no need for a manual in how tointeract with the object on the screen.The aim with this paper is to establish a fundamental set of design principles intendedspecifically for large multi-touch interfaces. To reach this goal we have implemented a coupleof sub-goals beforehand:It was essential that we acquired a good understanding of the current state of the multi-touchinterface and the different implementations that exist today. To make this possible weconstructed a multi-touch display, "Rosie". Knowing how the hardware is produced today willhelp us understand the limitations and also the possibilities of the design implementationstoday and in the future.We also needed to devise a sound interaction design process that conveys the moderndesigners work. During this design process four methods were implemented that gave usdeeper understanding how to reach the result in this paper (design principles). The methodsare: Qualitative conceptualisation, Qualitative user-testing, Participatory design, and Iterativeprototyping. Doing these methods we gained knowledge through the process and experienceof for example, building, running workshops, doing video-prototypes and etc. Creative designwas very relevant in our design process.The result in this paper is a foundation for a set of design principles with relevance for multitouchinterfaces and a interesting design process for developing multi-touch applications.

The somatosensory system concerns the sense of touch. It is sectioned into various kinds of touch, such as the proprioceptive sense, providing information of sense of self and position of limbs, and the cutaneous sense, informing of the modalities of touching or being touched. The cutaneous sense is further divided into discriminative touch and affective touch. Discriminative touch is an exteroceptive sense of touch that responds to stimuli of pressure and vibration, and affective touch is an interoceptive sense of touch that corresponds to e.g. pleasant and painful stimuli, communicating information to the brain through A-delta and C-fibers. Recent studies investigates affective touch to have emotional affect on the subjective experience of touch, affecting subjective wellbeing. The aim of this thesis is to examine the sense of touch and its relevant neural correlates, focusing on affective touch and its role in subjective wellbeing and social relations. A presentation of physiological and neural aspects of touch will be held as well as a description of subjective wellbeing. The conclusion for this thesis is that affective touch appears to activate brain areas of orbitofrontal cortex, frontal polar cortice, prefrontal cortex and insula cortex, which are brain areas processing subjective wellbeing, e.g. evaluating positive and negative effect and processing emotional information and behavior. Examining correlations between affective touch and positive affect, negative affect, oxytocin release, social relations and affiliative behavior shows influence from affective touch on subjective wellbeing. A discussion of the current findings is provided, including directions for future research.

The somatosensory system concerns the sense of touch. It is sectioned into various kinds of touch, such as the proprioceptive sense, providing information of sense of self and position of limbs, and the cutaneous sense, informing of the modalities of touching or being touched. The cutaneous sense is further divided into discriminative touch and affective touch. Discriminative touch is an exteroceptive sense of touch that responds to stimuli of pressure and vibration, and affective touch is an interoceptive sense of touch that corresponds to e.g. pleasant and painful stimuli, communicating information to the brain through A-delta and C-fibers. Recent studies investigates affective touch to have emotional affect on the subjective experience of touch, affecting subjective wellbeing. The aim of this thesis is to examine the sense of touch and its relevant neural correlates, focusing on affective touch and its role in subjective wellbeing and social relations. A presentation of physiological and neural aspects of touch will be held as well as a description of subjective wellbeing. The conclusion for this thesis is that affective touch appears to activate brain areas of orbitofrontal cortex, frontal polar cortice, prefrontal cortex and insula cortex, which are brain areas processing subjective wellbeing, e.g. evaluating positive and negative effect and processing emotional information and behavior. Examining correlations between affective touch and positive affect, negative affect, oxytocin release, social relations and affiliative behavior shows influence from affective touch on subjective wellbeing. A discussion of the current findings is provided, including directions for future research.

The physiological and subjective effects of touch on individuals confronted with a physical stressor were investigated in a mixed two-factor study of 57 college-age women. Peak values and time course of several indices of autonomic nervous system activity (heart rate, frontalis EMG, and skin conductance) were monitored before, during, and after a 30-sec cold pressor task under three different touch conditions: no touch, touch-during, and touch-after the stressor. Experimental group members received a light stroking touch to their shoulder by the female experimenter for 30-sec. No touch (control) group members were guided through a 30-sec visualization exercise. Data analysis failed to support a theory of attenuated stress responding or facilitated recovery under either touch condition. However, equipment error and large within-subject variability may have masked the touch effects. Touch-during group members reported finding the stressor less aversive. Suggestions for future research contrasting static versus dynamic touch are discussed.

The aim of this investigation was to determine whether i) affective touch has a role in mediating beneficial social influences on resilience to depression and ii) whether affective touch acts through specific skin CT afferents to enhance central serotonin function. To develop and validate the Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire (TEAQ), 117 items about experiences and attitudes to touch were completed online by 618 participants. Principal components analysis reduced this to 57 items and 6 factors. Three factors concerned touch experienced; in social situations (CST), in intimate relationships (CIT) and during childhood (ChT) and 3 factors concerned attitude to touch; in intimate relationships (AIT), with unfamiliar people (AUT) and in Skin Care (ASkC). The shortened TEAQ was completed by a second sample of 704 participants. Confirmatory factor analysis found the 6 factor structure to be a good fit of the data, suggesting the TEAQ to be valid and reliable. Participants completed some demographic questions and some questionnaires to determine their current psychiatric symptoms, social circumstances, recent life events, childhood adversity and personality alongside the TEAQ. Currently depressed participants had lower touch scores for all factors compared to healthy controls. Remitted depressed participants had significantly lower touch scores on all factors except CST, ASkC and AIT compared to healthy controls. A multiple regression analysis found neuroticism, satisfaction with social support, recent life events, CIT and childhood adversity (CHA) to be predictive of depression, whereas extraversion, number of social supports, ChT and CST, did not significantly predict depression score. Logistic regression analysis found ChT, CHA and neuroticism to predict vulnerability to depression, but not AIT or AUT. It was concluded that CIT was the most important aspect of affective touch for promoting resilience to depression. The CNS effects of pleasant and unpleasant touch were investigated using fMRI in healthy female volunteers. It has been hypothesised that a novel class of CT afferent fibres in hairy skin encodes affective touch. Therefore, CNS responses to pleasant stroking of the forearm with stroking of the fingers were compared. No differential CNS effects of forearm stroking over finger stroking were seen. Indeed, more brain regions were activated by pleasant brush stroking of the fingers which lack CT afferents. Pleasant brush responses in left inferior frontal gyrus were attenuated by tryptophan depletion. However, the midbrain raphe was activated by unpleasant brush stroking and de-activated by pleasant and this effect was abolished by tryptophan depletion. This study found little evidence that CT afferents in hairy skin have a specific role in affective touch and serotonin cells of the raphe appear engaged by unpleasant stimuli rather than pleasant. In conclusion, the results of the questionnaire study indicated touch (hugs, kisses, stroking) in intimate relationships may promote resilience to depression whereas touch with other social contacts does not, suggesting type of affective touch to be important. It is suggested that future studies of the role of current social support and of early adversity in depression should include assessments of the correlated dimension of affective touch. The fMRI study found little evidence for a specific peripheral touch receptor encoding pleasant affective touch. The median raphe nucleus was inhibited by pleasant touch and this is in keeping with the idea that that aversive stimuli activate serotonin projections to the forebrain but not that this is strengthened by affective touch. Further investigation is required to identify CNS mechanisms of affective touch.

This project considers the potential impact of learning relations between hobby craft makers and formally educated makers. It questions how the craft based relationship of a formally educated artist and a self taught/amatuer maker can be renegotiated and implemented in a broader learning context. The artistic research aims to propose that a facet of ‘new knowledge’ in the field and future of contemporary art and craft production is one of togetherness; by embracing discomfort and the unfamiliar to affirm and reveal the knowns and unknowns of one's own practice and field. The question is considered in discussion with social/relational art practices, amatuer craft theory and gift theory. The project culminates both in this paper and an exhibition piece as part of Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design Spring Exhibition 2016.

This thesis project is an interaction design study, which studies how finger touch gestures can be used as expressive alternatives to text comments on social networking sites. In the study qualitative research methods and a user-centred approach are used. The study collects literature on how emotion is modeled in Human-computer Interaction and how emotion can be expressed through touch. The popular social networking site Facebook is used as a case study of user behavior on social networking sites and as a starting point for the design of the interaction. A user study was conducted with two participants with much experience of the mobile Facebook application. The results of the study are five design ideas that are based on previous in the research area and from feedback from the participants of the user study. The interaction of two of the design ideas were developed into simple web prototypes to see if the functionality could be implemented. This thesis project is an exploratory beginning on the use of finger touch gestures for expression of emotions social networking sites. These design ideas will have to be developed into usable prototypes and tested with users in future research.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR
PROGRAMA DE EXCELENCIA ACADEMICA
O autismo e um transtorno global do desenvolvimento (TGD) que afeta principalmente a comunicação, a interação social e os comportamentos do indivíduo. Como parte dos TGDs encontram-se outras categorias, entre elas o autismo de alta funcionalidade (AAF) considerado como um autismo leve dentro do espectro autístico. A ciência da computação apresenta muitas vantagens que podem ser usadas para o benefício destas pessoas, permitindo o desenvolvimento de aplicações para contribuir nas suas necessidades específicas. Entre essas aplicações, as aplicações colaborativas de multitoque tem mostrado importantes resultados no que diz respeito a facilidade de uso, interesse, motivação, possibilidade de comunicação e melhora no comportamento social de usuários com AAF. Este trabalho apresenta um jogo colaborativo multi-usuário (PAR: Peco, Ajudo, Recebo) utilizando multi-toque, desenvolvido para avaliar diferentes dimensões de colaboração elaboradas conforme as necessidades de um grupo de usuários com autismo com funcionalidades mais comprometidas do que os AAF, a m de contribuir na sua interação social. Nesse sentido, são apresentadas quatro dimensões de colaboração obtidas a partir das dimensões usadas em aplicações destinadas para AAF e modificadas conforme os requerimentos dos usuários alvo. Essas dimensões são incluídas no PAR e permitiram incentivar um trabalho colaborativo e validar tanto sua utilidade na interação social de autistas quanto os benefícios sobre outras dificuldades que esses usuários apresentam.
Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) that primarily aects communication, social interaction and behaviors. As part of TGDs there exist other categories, including high-function autism (HFA), considered a light autism within the autistic spectrum. Computer science has many advantages that can be used for the benet of these people, allowing application development to contribute to their specic needs. Among these applications, collaborative multi-touch applications have produced some important results regarding ease of use, interest, motivation, ability to communicate and to improve the social behavior of users with HFA. This work presents a multi-user collaborative game (PAR, acronym in Portuguese for Ask, Help, Receive) using multi-touch designed to assess diferent dimensions of collaboration, developed according to the needs of a user group with a degree of autistic impairment higher than that of the HFA, to contribute in their social interaction. In this sense, four dimensions of collaboration are presented, obtained from the dimensions used in applications designed for HFA and modied according to the requirements of target users. These dimensions are included in PAR and allowed to encourage a collaborative behavior and validate its usefulness both in the social interaction and other difficulties the target users have.

This thesis explores adult-child relationships and the use of touch in residential child care. The discourses surrounding touch in residential child care are distinctly polarised: touch is identified as being both fundamental to child development and also feared as a result of increasing risk aversion resulting from the legacy of abuse scandals in the sector (Cooke, 2003; Steckley, 2012). There is currently a dearth of empirical research regarding how touch is used in residential child care, particularly with regards to observations of touch in practice. This research therefore contributes to filling this gap in research by utilising ethnographic methods of participant observation, semi-structured and ethnographic interviews to explore how staff members and children conceptualise, use and/or avoid physical touch in day-to-day practice. This research is examined through a lifespace framework and draws upon theories of intimacy in order to link the findings to wider sociological theories of relationships (Smith, 2005; Jamieson, 1998, 2011). By carrying out sustained observations of practice, this research examines how touch, as a facet of adult-child relationships in residential child care, is negotiated within the lifespace. It shows how intimacy is both cultivated and inhibited, thus contributing theoretically to wider sociological debates concerning adult-child relationships and touching practices, particularly in relation to professional relationships and intimacy (Morgan, 2009; Ferguson, 2011a). The fieldwork for this project took place over 6 months at Sunnydale House, a local authority children’s home in England. The findings suggest that touch is used much more regularly than has been previously suggested in literature (Ward, 1999; Cooke, 2003), that the majority of touch is instigated by children not workers and that recent organisational culture shifts have shaped the way that workers conceptualise touch. The findings also illustrate the complex range of factors which influence how touch is inhibited, including: risk aversion, emotional burn out, bureaucracy and the construction of children in care as ‘moral dirt’ (Ferguson, 2007). The thesis concludes by producing a typology of touching practices which synthesises the range of meanings behind the uses - and avoidance - of touch in residential child care practice. This typology is also used to re-conceptualise intimacy in professional relationships in a way that accounts for the messy ambiguity of adult-child relationships in the lifespace.

The overarching purpose of the study was to examine the effects of infant massage and to put these effects in

context with mother – child attachment. The intention was also to study whether these effects have any relevance

for social work. This was accomplished by studying earlier research, theory and laws but also through interviews

with mothers who have followed through a course in infant massage. The main questions of the study was: After

the completion of the course and after using the massage technique at home, does the mother experience that the

bond with their child is influenced by the technique and are the mothers more apprehensive of their child’s

signals? Has the mothers observed any signals from their infants during the massage and if so what has been

their reaction? Does the mothers experience that the massage has provided any physiological effects? Has the

completion of the course provided the mothers with knowledge that’s had an effect in their ways of parenting? In

what way does the earlier research, reports and laws deal with the benefits and risks of a secure or insecure

attachment, and can the quality of the attachment have any meaning in the social work? A qualitative approach

was chosen with respondent-interviews. The respondents were mothers, currently living in Örebro who

completed a course of infant massage with an instructor within International Association of Infant Massage

(IAIM). All of the mothers experienced positive effects by the massage both within the child as well as

themselves. Earlier research inclines that touch influences the mother – child attachment through bodily

chemical processes but also through emotional experiences acquired by the infant. Touch is the first way of

communicating with the infant, and this is also a way of strengthening attachment. Fogel schneiders (1996)

conclusion by this is that the contact between caregivers and child is strengthen by infant massage. A secure

attachment has positive effects for the child which might motivate the usage of attachment-strengthening

methods, such as infant massage, within social work.

Det övergripande syftet med studien var att undersöka effekter av spädbarnsmassage och att koppla dessa till

anknytning mellan mor och barn och huruvida dessa effekter kunde ha relevans för socialt arbete. Detta genom

att studera tidigare forskning, teori, rapporter och lagar samt genom att utföra intervjuer med mödrar som

genomgått en kurs i spädbarnsmassage. Frågeställningarna var: Upplever mödrarna efter genomgången kurs i

spädbarnsmassage och praktiserande av metoden att kontakten med barnet har påverkats och att sensitivitet

inför barnets signaler ökat? Vilka signaler tycker sig mödrarna ha sett hos barnen under spädbarnsmassagen

och hur har de bemött dessa? Upplever mödrarna att praktiserande av spädbarnsmassage givit fysiologiska

effekter? Tycker sig mödrarna efter genomgången kurs i spädbarnsmassage ha tillägnat sig kunskaper som

påverkat dem i föräldrarollen? Vad säger tidigare forskning, teori, rapporter och lagar om vilka förtjänster och

risker som kan finnas med en stark respektive svag anknytning samt vilken betydelse anknytningens kvalitet kan

tänkas ha för socialt arbete? En kvalitativ metod valdes och respondentintervjuer genomfördes med mödrar som

genomfört spädbarnsmassagekurs i Örebro, med en instruktör utbildad i International Association of Infant

Massages (IAIM:s) metod. Mödrarna kunde alla skönja positiva effekter både hos barnet och hos dem själva

efter genomgången kurs och praktiserande av metoden. Forskning tyder på att beröring påverkar samspel och

anknytning mellan omsorgspersonen och barn. Detta dels genom kroppsliga kemiska processer men också

genom känslomässiga erfarenheter som barnet tillägnat sig. Då beröring ses som ett första sätt att kommunicera

med barnet och beröring anses stärka anknytningen dras slutsatsen av Fogel Schneider (1996) att kontakten

mellan omsorgspersoner och barn stärks vid användning av spädbarnsmassage. Stark anknytning har visat på

positiva effekter hos barn vilket kanske kan motivera till användning av anknytningsstärkande insatser, såsom

exempelvis spädbarnsmassage, inom socialt arbete.

From 2011?2015, The Master?s Touch ministry has been the formal agency for the work of visiting the sick and shut-in at the Mount Moriah A.M.E. Church in New York. The purpose of this study is to determine any correlation between the visitations themselves and the level of local church commitment by the visited family members over these four years. This study is important because persons visited receive the benefits of pastoral care, while the impact on their families may not be as apparent. This research will focus on data from interviews conducted with family members in order to ascertain if there is any change to their level of local church commitment.

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2008.
Includes bibliographical references.
Touch plays a central role in social expression but, so far, research into social touch behaviors for robots has been almost. non-existent. Embodied machines have the unique capability to sense human body language, which will enable robots to better comprehend, anticipate and respond to their human companions in a natural way.This thesis addresses the novel field of sensate touch by (1) creating the first. robot with full Body sensate touch and with on-screen visualization, (2) establishing a library of salient social gestures through behavioral studies, (3) implementing a first-pass touch gesture recognition system in real-time, an(d (4) running a small pilot study with children to evaluate classifications and test the device's acceptance/utility with humans. Such research is critical path to conceiving and advancing thee use of machine touch to better integrate robots in.to human social environments.All of the above will be incorporated into the huggable robotic teddy bear at the MIT Media Lab's Personal Robotics group and makes use of the Sensitive Skins circuit design created in Dan Stiehl's Masters thesis. This implementation substantially reduces his proposed total sensor numbers and type, modularizes sensors into two uniform shapes, and extends his valuable work on a single body sections to an evaluation of sensors over the entire surface of the robot.
Heather-Marie Callanan Knight.
M.Eng.

Abstract According to Bowlby, infants have a universal need to seek close proximity with their caregiver when under distress or threatened. This study seeks to look at attachment in a population that is undergoing extreme distress as they suffer from opioid withdrawal within the first few weeks of life. It aims to explore the role touch (kangaroo care) can have in creating the secure base that attachment theorists describe as the basis for all future attachments, and in reducing the length of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. It is hypothesized that infants born with drug dependencies who receive increased touch and holding throughout their withdrawal will have a shorter duration of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and will be more securely attached at 18 months than those who do not receive increased touch. It is also hypothesized that infants whose caregivers reported high scores of bonding with their infants in the first year of life will be more securely attached than those with lower scores of bonding. Infants who were sent home with their birth parents after discharge are hypothesized to be more securely attached at 18 months with their caregiver than infants who were sent home to a foster family. The results of this study will contribute to attachment literature in a population where research is lacking, and will add to the knowledge on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome treatment.

In the last decade, neuroscience and psychology alike have paid increasing attention to the study of affective touch, which refers to the emotional and motivational facets of tactile sensation. Some aspects of affective touch have been linked to a neurophysiologically specialised system, namely the C tactile (CT) system. While the role of this system for affiliation, social bonding and communication of emotions have been investigated, less is known about the potential role of affective touch in the awareness of the body as our own, i.e. as belonging to our psychological 'self'. This thesis attempted to contribute to the knowledge on affective touch and its relation to body awareness, by exploring the potential role of this modality to the way we perceive and make sense of our body as our own. Specifically, this work aimed to advance the current state of knowledge by investigating: 1) the effect of affective touch on the sense of body ownership, which is a fundamental aspect of body awareness; 2) the relation between interoceptive modalities, originating both internally (i.e. cardiac awareness) and peripherally (i.e. affective touch), and exteroception in body awareness; 3) the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception of affective touch and bodily awareness; 4) the perception and social modulation of affective touch in psychiatric patients who show difficulties in body awareness, namely patients with Anorexia Nervosa, and 5) the modulating role of self-other distinction and of self-other relation in the perception of affective touch and body awareness. In a first experiment (N = 52) the rubber hand illusion paradigm was used to investigate the role played by CT-optimal, affective touch in the sense of body ownership. The results showed that slow, pleasant touch enhanced the experience of embodiment in comparison to faster, neutral touch, suggesting that affective touch might uniquely contribute to the sense of body ownership. The following study (N = 75), used a similar methodology to test whether interoceptive sensitivity as measured by a heartbeat counting task would modulate the extent to which affective touch influences the multisensory process taking place during the rubber hand illusion. The results could not confirm a systematic relation between interoceptive sensitivity and the perception of affective touch, nor its influence on body ownership. The next study (N = 41) included a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, cross-over design testing the effect of intranasal oxytocin on the perception of affective touch and body ownership, as measured by means of the rubber hand illusion. There was no evidence supporting the hypothesis that intranasal oxytocin could influence the CT system as tested in this study. The next study (N = 55) applied some of the above methodologies to investigate the perception of CT-optimal touch in patients with anorexia nervosa and its emotional modulation by top-down factors. The results confirmed the hypothesis that people with anorexia nervosa show a reduced perception of affective touch compared to healthy controls, but its perception was not influenced by top-down affective modulation, in the sense that both patients and healthy controls perceived touch as more pleasant when presented concurrently with positive facial expressions compared to neutral and negative faces. Finally, the last two studies (N = 76 and 35 healthy volunteers, respectively) focused on the relationship between affective touch and body awareness in the context of social cognition. These studies used both online and offline social modulation paradigms to investigate the role of self-other distinction and of self-other relation in the perception of affective touch. The results showed that positive top-down social information can enhance the perceived pleasure of tactile stimulation. Taken together, these studies point to the central role of affective touch in body awareness and social cognition. Finally, they also pave the way for future studies examining the role of disruptions of the CT system in the development of neuropsychiatric impairments of body awareness and social cognition.

Omsorgsfull, välkommen beröring har funnits vara avgörande för barns tillväxt och utveckling. Samspel mellan pedagoger och barn ses som det viktigaste för barns utveckling och lärande i förskolan. I flera förekommande diskurser inom förskolan i Sverige värderas emellertid fysisk distans mellan barn och pedagoger. Dit hör diskursen om det kompetenta barnet som kan mycket mer än de vuxna tror; diskursen om att barn måste tränas i självständighet av vuxna samt No touch-diskursen, vars syfte sägs vara att skydda barnen från sexuella övergrepp. Syftet med denna undersökning är att undersöka hur samspel mellan barn och pedagoger i form av beröring kan komma till uttryck i förskolans vardag. Den övergripande forskningsfrågan handlar om hur beröringsklimatet är på de undersökta förskolorna.En observationsstudie med mixed methods genomfördes på tre småbarnsavdelningar på olika förskolor i en sydsvensk stad, med sammanlagt 29 barn och 15 pedagoger. De teoretiska begrepp som användes vid analysen kommer från anknytningsteori, intersubjektivitetsteori, Educare-modellen och omsorgsetik.Resultatet visade att pedagoger framför allt initierade beröring av barnen i samband med den praktiska fysiska omsorgen med på- och avklädning av ytterkläder samt barnens hygien samt vid förflyttningar. De initierade beröring av barnen i socialt och kommunikativt syfte; i lek, för att påkalla uppmärksamhet samt för att skapa lugn. Vid några tillfällen uppstod situationer när beröring uteblev men möjligen hade ökat barnens fokus om det förekommit. Pedagogerna initierade även beröring i känslomässigt påfrestande situationer, som när barn grät, vid överlämningen från föräldrarna samt i samband med att barnen lades till vila och vaknade efter vilan. Pedagogerna, med undantag för en pedagog, initierade beröring i situationer när de hade en för observatören uppenbar anledning. Barnen å sin sida initierade beröring som till större del handlade om sökande av emotionell bekräftelse. Barnen kunde röra vid pedagogen med en hand eller fot när de var tillräckligt nära eller luta sig mot eller klamra sig intill pedagogen när de befann sig i pedagogens famn eller knä. Olika pedagoger förhöll sig olika inbjudande till beröring.Barnen vidrörde påfallande ofta pedagogernas ben eller fötter, även om pedagogen satt på golvet och hela kroppen var inom räckhåll. Barnen behövde beröring för att återfå jämvikt när de grät. Försök till avledning misslyckades och pedagogerna övergick till att trösta med beröring. I några fall vände sig barnen till en annan pedagog för att få tröst. De barn sin fick mest beröring fanns bland de som såg yngst ut. Dock fick inte alla de yngsta barnen mycket beröring. Några barn förhöll sig mer passiva och då uteblev beröring. Detta blev ytterligare betonat utomhus, där ytorna var större och bemanningen lägre på två av förskolorna. När ingen pedagog fanns till hands hände det att barn vände sig till en främmande vuxen (observatören) eller till äldre barn.Beröringsklimatet kan beskrivas som vänligt och tillåtande, men inom vissa gränser. Barnen fick beröring av pedagogerna i situationer som kan tänkas vara emotionellt krävande som när de grät eller skulle somna eller vakna, men de fick sällan beröring för dess egen skull. För barnens del innebar det att de till stor del hölls ansvariga för att de skulle få beröring i annat än den praktiska omsorgen. En enda pedagog bjöd in till beröring och fysisk kontakt utan att det fanns någon uppenbar anledning, och hen blev också oftare berörd av barn än andra pedagoger. Kompetensdiskursen och den kvardröjande självständighetsdiskursen kan ge vid hand att det är ”duktigt” att avstå från beröring.Ser man relaterande som barns främsta utvecklingsuppgift kan barns sökande efter beröring av pedagogerna kan räknas in i ett vidgat kompetensbegrepp. Kulturella och diskursiva föreställningar om att även små barn ska vara självständiga och fysiskt separerade från föräldrarna och andra omsorgsgivare kan försvåra barns anpassning till förskolan. Föreliggande undersökning ger inte stöd för idén att fysisk närhet blir en (dålig) vana som pedagoger aktivt måste träna bort.Omsorg i form av fysisk och känslomässig närhet har ett eget värde som behöver lyftas och kläs i ord. Eftersom långvarig fysisk kontakt mellan barn och pedagoger framför allt ägde rum när pedagogen satt ner behövs också soffor och andra sittmöbler såväl inomhus som utomhus på förskolorna.Pedagogers och barns beröring av varandra är ett ämne som är angeläget att utforska vidare. Är den diskrepans mellan pedagogers och barns syfte med att initiera beröring generell? Beröring har visats vara avstressande. Blir barn som får rika tillfällen till beröring med pedagogerna mindre stressade än barn med större fysisk distans till pedagogerna? Även pedagogernas förhållningssätt till beröring, och huruvida utbildning eller andra parametrar påverkar om och hur pedagoger berör barnen kan vara föremål för framtida forskning.
Caring, human touch has been found to be crucial for young children’s growth and development. However, in several discourses regarding Swedish preschools value is placed on physical distance between children and caregivers. The aim of this investigation is to increase knowledge about how physical care of young children might be expressed in Swedish preschools, by observing physical interaction between teachers and children. The dominant research question is: What is the touch climate between teachers and young children in Swedish preschools like? An observational study was conducted of 3 preschool groups constituted by 29 children ages 1-2, and 15 teachers. Data was analyzed using mixed methods with several theoretical concepts including care ethics, the Educare framework, attachment theory and inter-subjectivity theory.The results showed that teachers initiated physical contact primarily through their roles as physical caregivers (i.e. in satisfying the children’s physical needs such as helping to put on clothes, toilet training, help with mobility). Touch was also used while teaching and playing, but to a lesser extent, and seemingly not necessarily in a self conscious way, by the teachers. Physical contact also occurred during social interactions between caregivers and children. Of the contact initiated by the teachers, 20% was “emotional”, or comfort giving touch, i.e., touch not related to the execution of other specific duties such as diaper changing or helping to put on clothes. In contrast, 76% of the touch initiated by the children was “emotional”, or comfort seeking. The children strikingly often touched the teachers’ hips, legs and feet. The children initiated physical contact more frequently with teachers who were more receptive and open to physical contact. The youngest children tended to receive the most physical contact. However, children who were vague in the cues used to communicate a desire for physical contact tended to receive less attention in this regard. This was more pronounced during outdoor activities. When a child began to cry, they would eventually be comforted. Attempts to divert the child’s attention tended to fail. Some children experienced extended periods of contact, some as long as 15- 27 minutes, when they were being put to sleep. Older preschool children would sometimes care for the younger children when no teachers were immediately available. There was a discrepancy between the kind of physical contact the teachers offered the children, and the kind of contact the children sought. When children are seen as subjects that actively relate to fellow humans, a greater emphasis on the emotional component of child care is required. The children’s touching of the lower parts of the teachers’ bodies may indicate a slight feeling of distance. Whereas the teachers offered contact mostly in the conduct of practical circumstances, the children sought emotional support. Thus, the children were, to some extent, responsible for physical contact.Touching the children gently, while respecting the childrens’ integrity, can be seen as a means to unite caring and teaching within the Educare framework.

A partire dalla nascita, osserviamo e sperimentiamo quotidianamente le interazioni sociali, ad esempio il contatto visivo, l'essere abbracciati o il sorriso altrui. A volte, i bambini non sono direttamente coinvolti nelle interazioni sociali, ma osservano le interazioni sociali che popolano l'ambiente che li circonda. Utilizzando misure neurofisiologiche (potenziali evocati, ERP; elettromiografia, EMG) e comportamentali (preferenza visiva), ci siamo proposti di indagare le risposte dei bambini nel primo anno di vita ai segnali sociali osservati, esaminando: i) i correlati neurali elicitati dall'osservazione di azioni prosociali e azioni antisociali (Capitolo 1), ii) la capacità dei bambini di cogliere le informazioni emotive veicolate da un gesto che implica un contatto tattile (Capitolo 2) e iii) la modulazione esercitata dal tocco della madre sull'attenzione del bambino agli stimoli emotivi (Capitolo 3). I risultati delle nostre ricerche dimostrano che l'attività neurale dei bambini di 5-6 mesi differenzia le azioni prosociali rispetto a quelle antisociali: l'elicitazione di specifiche componenti ERP ha mostrato che i bambini prestano maggiore attenzione alle interazioni antisociali, dedicando invece maggiori risorse cognitive all’elaborazione delle interazioni prosociali (Capitolo 1). Inoltre, i nostri risultati indicano che, a 11 mesi di vita, l’attività dei muscoli facciali è congruente alle interazioni tattili positive osservate (carezze), poiché è stata riscontrata una attività più accentuata del muscolo zigomatico (ZM, che si attiva quando sorridiamo), ma nessuna attività differenziata dei muscoli facciali in risposta alle interazioni tattili negative osservate (graffio) (Capitolo 2). Infine, abbiamo dimostrato che l’esperienza del tocco materno è in grado di modulare l'attenzione dei bambini agli stimoli emotivi. I bambini che hanno ricevuto un tocco affettivo e hanno avuto una maggiore frequenza di esperienze tattili passate hanno mostrato in minor misura un pattern di evitamento verso i volti arrabbiati; al contrario, coloro che hanno avuto la stessa esperienza passata con il tatto ma hanno ricevuto un tocco non affettivo tendevano ad evitare i volti arrabbiati (Capitolo 3). Nel complesso, questi risultati approfondiscono le nostre conoscenze circa la cognizione sociale precoce, gettando nuova luce circa le modalità attraverso le quali i bambini in età infantile elaborano le interazioni sociali che osservano.
Starting from birth, we daily observe and experience social interactions - i.e., eye contact, being held, or being smiled at. Frequently, infants are not directly involved in social interactions, but they observe the social interactions that populate their surrounding environment. Using neurophysiological (Event Related Potentials, ERP; electromyography, EMG), and behavioral measures (preferential looking procedure), we aimed to further investigate infants’ responses to observed social signals, examining: i) the infants’ neural electrical activity elicited by the observation of prosocial and antisocial actions (Chapter 1), ii) infants’ ability to extract emotional information from an observed touching gesture (Chapter 2), and iii) the modulation exerted by their mother touch on infants’ attention to emotional stimuli (Chapter 3). Our research results found that neural activity of 5-6 months old infants differentiate observed prosocial vs antisocial actions: the elicitation of specific ERP components showed that more allocation of attention was given to the antisocial action, while more cognitive resources were devoted to the processing of the prosocial action (Chapter 1). Additionally, 11-month-olds’ facial muscles activity was congruent to the observed positive tactile interactions (caress of an arm), as shown by increased activity of the ZM muscle (activated in smiling). Conversely, no differential facial responses to observed negative tactile interactions (scratch of an arm) emerged (Chapter 2). Lastly, we demonstrated that experiences of maternal touch modulate infants’ attention to emotional stimuli. Infants who received affective touch and had a greater frequency score of past touch experience had a diminished avoidance of the angry faces; conversely, those in the non-affective touch condition and a higher touch frequency score tended to avoid angry faces more (Chapter 3). Overall, these findings add insights to the topic of early social cognition, shedding new light on how infants process social interactions.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur svenska förskollärare tänker kring och arbetar med beröring mellan vuxna och barn i förskolan. Uppsatsens problem bottnar i ett spänningsfält mellan beröringens positiva effekter för människans välmående och relationer, omsorgens idag lägre status i relation till lärandet och det riskperspektiv som finns gällande beröring internationellt sett. Den teoretiska referensramen består av beröring ur ett biologiskt perspektiv- närhetsmodellen, ur ett psykologiskt perspektiv- anknytningsteorin samt ur ett filosofiskt perspektiv- omsorgsetiken. Studien är kvalitativ med intervjuer som metod. Underlaget grundar sig på intervjuer med fem förskollärare. Då vi även var intresserade av att undersöka förändringar över tid, har fyra av de fem intervjupersonerna 36 års arbetslivserfarenhet eller mer. Resultatet av studien visar att beröring finns med som ett naturligt inslag i intervjupersonernas yrkesutövning och att man svarar på barnens behov av beröring i enlighet med omsorgsetikens tanke om den naturliga omsorgen. Resultatet visar att beröring generellt sett inte är något man pratar specifikt kring samt att det saknas kunskap härom. Vidare visar studien på samband mellan utbildning kring beröring och ökat metodiskt arbete i praktiken. Ytterligare ett resultat visar att riskperspektivet inte verkar förekomma i alls samma utsträckning hos de förskollärare vi intervjuat som i de anglosaxiska länder där “no-touch”-zoner utvecklats på vissa håll.

A soft, light-weight, beige, stuffed toy was placed in direct body contact with stable, 30-34 wk gestation infants. Length of hospitalization, l activity level, length of time to return to birth weight, and parent visiting rate were recorded for the randomly assigned 10 experimental and 10 control infants. Contrary to predictions, significant differences were found in the length of hospitalization and weight gain, with the control group being discharged sooner and returning to birth weight faster. No significant differences occurred in the parent visiting rate, and only minimal positive results were seen in the activity level for the experimental group. The disproportionate number of younger, smaller, sicker infants in the experimental group was believed to be a reason for these unexpected results.

This thesis discusses commensality as a significant social activity, that helps to maintain and strengthen social bonds. It also examines the sense of touch as a communication channel, and provides an insight to how it can be used to communicate affect. Touch as contextualized medium and its relevance to interaction design is investigated. Based on studies made in psychology, physiology, sociology and communication it aims to find an answer to the question: ”How may we create togetherness -with the help of an interactive device- between loved ones separated by distance during dining, through remote communication?” In order to meet the objectives of the above question this research followed the Research Through Design methodology, with series of workshops and prototyping sessions.

This thesis contributes to anthropological discussions on the relationship between production and consumption by engaging in multi-sited ethnography that investigates the design of social robots in cutting-edge Japanese research laboratories and also explores the day-to-day lives of Japanese disabled people who are potential consumers of such devices. By drawing on these disparate groups, located in disparate sites, this thesis traces connections but also disconnections as it analyses the 'friction' between the technical problem-solving of researchers and the organized activist politics of disabled people. It investigates the rationales of robot research, messy and multiple, as well as the material and political impetus behind the 'barrier free' movement for independent living. Social robots hold a special interest in Japan because not only do many people, both inside and outside of Japan, believe that the nation has a unique cultural interest and affinity for robots, but, with an ageing population, the Japanese state has looked toward social robots as potential care-givers and as a solution to the 'demographic crisis'. Through the engagement of both science and technology studies and disability studies, this thesis focuses on the theme of problems to show how the problem-making approach of robotics researchers, which identifies problems of the body as a disability to be solved by a technical fix in the form of a robot, contrasts with the perspective from disabled people themselves, who see disability as a problem of society and the environment rather than the individual and the body.

Touch-tone interfaces are today widely used in help-centers and support services. Studies have shown that interfaces like these have many limitations and are therefore hard to design. MVAS is a voicemail interface using touch- tone input for navigation. Today, shortcomings in the interface limit the users’ ability to use the functionality in a satisfying way. This thesis describes a mainly qualitative study which evaluates and tests the interface of MVAS to come up with how the interface should be designed to be easier to use. The results show that the usability of MVAS is poor but the functionality of the same is both impressive and appreciated. The suggested redesign of the system, based on the identified usability problems, considers both the interaction model used in the interface as well as the conformity to the set of heuristics used in the evaluation. The proposed redesign keeps all the functionality in the system intact and also makes the functionality more explicit through improving the usability. A more explicit structure will facilitate usage of a larger portion of the functionality. However, the limitation of the key-pad affects the redesign so the most favorable design is unreachable. If the interaction model is changed or furthered developed to allow speech input the limitations experienced with the current redesign will diminish and a higher degree of usability can be reached.

Social connection is important to one's health and longevity. However, not only do people need others to survive, we need others to thrive. Researchers call for deeper examination of the functions and processes through which our social partners help us to prosper and thrive, such as through increased physical health and well-being. Over three studies, I examined phenomena theorized to contribute to long-term thriving including positive emotions (i.e., gratitude and positive affect fluctuation), responsive support, affectionate touch, and physical health (i.e., sleep) within the context of nursing work (Study 1) and military relationships (Study 2 & 3). Study 1 provides support for the benefits of received gratitude expressions, an understudied component of gratitude interactions. Specifically, nurses receiving more thanks within their work week were associated with feeling more satisfied with their patient care and in turn positive physical health outcomes including higher sleep quality, for example. Thus, not only is feeling grateful important to well-being but receiving thanks from others benefits one's physical health as well. Study 2 extended research describing the impact of the dynamic and fluctuating nature of emotion and physical health to close relationships by examining how positive affect variability (intra-individual standard deviation) and instability (differences between each successive day's mood) promotes or hinders intimacy. The second study found that greater fluctuations in positive affect over time were associated with greater reports of closeness within military couples. Recent research indicates that variability in positive and negative mood contributes to reduced psychological and physical well-being; however, when applied to the study of close relationships, Study 2 suggests that variation in positive mood may instead benefit military couples. Finally, Study 3 investigated the degree to which affectionate touch enhances the interrelationships among negative event support, gratitude, and sleep within Veterans and their partners over time. Results offer limited support; however, one key finding indicates that Veteran daily reports of affectionate touch were associated with increased sleep quality for their spouses. In addition, Veteran reports of affectionate touch strengthened the degree to which spouses' perceived responsive support predicted Veteran grateful mood. Study 3 supports research showing that positive interactions with one's partner, such as physical touch and responsive support, contribute to sleep and positive relationship maintenance emotions, such as gratitude. Taken together, these studies offer support for the integral role our social connections play in thriving, particularly within the contexts of nursing and military relationships.

The aim of this study was to investigate a sensory intervention of moderate pressure touch on children with sensory modulation disorder on the outcomes of sleep behaviors and social participation. 50 children, aged 6-11 years, with both sensory modulation disorder and sleep difficulties were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group participants received three weeks of nightly massage by their parents. The parents filled out questionnaires reporting on sleep behaviors, sensory modulation, and social participation, as well as recording a sleep log, and determining goal attainment scaling goals. The questionnaires used were the Short Sensory Profile, the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and the Sensory Processing Measure social sub-section. Significant improvement was found between the total and sub-group scores of sleep and social participation measures. While obstructive sleep disorders remained unchanged, behavioral sleep difficulties of sleep onset, sleep anxiety, parasomnias, sleep duration, and daytime sleepiness, as well as the total sleep scores ( F(1,48)=24.71, p

Research shows that physical touch is essential to human well-being. At the same time there is a fear in society about the subject. The preschool curriculum, Lpfö 18, emphasizes that children's integrity must be taken into consideration in parallel with the fact that children should be treated based on their individual needs. Our study is based on examining how educators navigate based on this. The purpose of our research is to investigate how educators talk about physical touch. How do educators reason about which children it is offered to and for what purpose physical touch is given? The study consists of qualitative interviews with five educators. The empirical analysis is analyzed from a care-ethical perspective as well as an intersectional perspective in order to document similarities and differences from the educators' stories. The result shows that the concept of physical touch creates a fear among educators of violating the child's integrity, which can result in a taboo perspective. Despite this, educators use physical touch as a tool to increase the child's well-being. They find the benefits to be greater than their fear. The educators state that the purpose of physical touch is to treat the child well, give love and to guide the child. It is mainly children who give clear signals of being in need of physical touch who are given access to the educator's closeness. Based on the results and from an intersectional perspective, our conclusion is that younger girls are the category that get the most physical touch. Although physical touch is seen as a natural element in the profession, the meaning of physical touch is rarely discussed among educators.

Introduction

Tactile Massage is a generic term that for example includes Massage therapy, Effleurage, Gentle touch, Tactile stimulation, Soft massage and Aromatherapy massage (SBU 2009). Tactile Massage has been proven to activate the perception receptors of the body and stimulates the system of oxytocin and in that way Tactile massage increase wellbeing and decrease pain. The Church of Sweden was formally separated from the state in the year of 2000 and by this means created greater freedom in facilitating its own social and Deaconal programs in separate parishes. Since 2004 a few numbers of deacons have been integrating Tactile massage as a method in Deaconal  ministry within the framework of holistic care in the Church of Sweden.

Aim/Research questions

The aim: From a holistic perspective investigate the use of and to increase the problem-awareness of Tactile massage in the Deaconal ministry within the Church of Sweden.

The research questions: How is Tactile massage being used and how are we to describe the experiences of Tactile massage in the Deaconal ministry? What possibilities and difficulties are related to the use of Tactile massage in the Deaconal ministry within the Church of Sweden?

Method

This study is the first explorative research about Tactile massage in Swedish church diaconal context. The study follows Kvales method as seven steps of qualitative interview studies. 1) Aim and research questions were formulated  according to the acquired theory. 2) Three respondents were chosen for in-depth interviews to be able to understand and describe experiences, possibilities and clarify difficulties with the use of Tactile massage within the Church of Sweden. 3) Qualitative interviews were carried out with the help of semi-structured questions. The interviews were recorded and observations were done. 4) The interviews were transcribed and re-read several times. In the process of research the material was coded and interpreted into experiences, possibilities and difficulties. 5) The process of interpretation and analysis of collected data and applied observations were carried out with the help of hermeneutical approach, ten theoretical perspectives and current research. 6) Results. The results were tested according to requirements of reliability, validity and generalization. 7) Report. In this study the results were reported with methodological, ethical and hermeneutical considerations.

Results

Tactile massage was described as an extraordinary tool where the experiences pointed out a general longing for touch in the lived body. The power of touch released courage, relaxation, new energy, pain relief and balance. Spiritual presence was experienced as Gods presence in the bodies of both massage-givers and massage-receivers. Possibilities with Tactile massage were described as practical care, where the non-verbal intervention could support the communication when words did not last. Quiet and relief was created through the freeing of the internal oxytocin-system of the body giving the massage-receiver social confirmation and renewal of the body. Difficulties in using Tactile massage within the deaconry were described as physical and mental vulnerability and unclear professional identity of the massage-givers. Difficulties where related also to integrity, boundaries and limitations of gender due to the majority of the female massage-givers and massage-takers in the present situation. One more difficulty was pointed out as the organizational unsecurity about what Tactile massage is and this difficulty was partly related to views of Deaconry and Church. ‘Deaconal Touch’ is the new concept and  the practical result of this study. Deaconal Touch can be described  as a deaconal tool to be handled in the context of the Church of Sweden.

Introduktion

Mjuk massage är ett samlingsbegrepp för t.ex. beröringsmassage, effleurage, hudmassage, taktil stimulering, taktil massage och aromaterapimassage (SBU 2009). Forskning och erfarenhet visar att Mjuk massage genom stimulering av kroppens känselreceptorer och oxytocinsystem ökar välbefinnandet och bidrar till stress- och ångestreduktion samt möjliggöra smärtlindring.  Svenska kyrkans skiljande från staten år 2000 möjliggör för varje församling att forma en egen diakonal profil. Efter år 2004 har enskilda diakoner och församlingar börjat använda Mjuk massage som ett diakonalt redskap i syfte att tillgodose människors kroppsliga, själsliga, andliga och sociala behov inom ramen för Svenska Kyrkans helhetssyn.

Syfte/frågeställningar

Syfte: Att utifrån ett holistiskt perspektiv undersöka användningen av och öka problemmedvetenheten om Mjuk massage i Svenska Kyrkans diakonala arbete.

Frågeställningar: Hur används Mjuk massage och vilka är erfarenheterna av Mjuk massage inom Svenska Kyrkans diakoni? Vilka möjligheter och svårigheter kan vara förenade med användningen av Mjuk massage i Svenska Kyrkans diakoni?

Metod

Studien är en första explorativ studie om Mjuk massage inom Svenska kyrkans diakonala kontext. Studien följer Kvales metod som sju steg för kvalitativa intervjustudier. 1) Syfte och frågeställning formulerades utifrån inläst teori. 2) Tre respondenter valdes för att genom djupintervjuer förstå och beskriva erfarenheter, möjligheter och synliggöra svårigheter i användningen av Mjuk massage inom Svenska Kyrkan. 3) Kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med semistrukturerade frågor. Intervjuerna bandades och observationer gjordes. 4) Intervjuerna transkriberades och lästes flera gånger. I forskningsprocessen kodades och tolkades materialet utifrån huvudorden erfarenheter, möjligheter och svårigheter. 5) Bearbetning, analys och tolkning genomfördes utifrån en hermeneutisk ansats med hjälp av tio teoretiska perspektiv och vetenskaplig aktuell forskning. 6) Resultat. Här prövades resultaten inför kraven på reliabilitet, validitet och generaliserbarhet. 7) Rapportering. I föreliggande arbete har resultaten redovisats med metodologiska, forskningsetiska och hermeneutiska överväganden.

Resultat

Mjuk massage beskrivs som ett extraordinärt redskap där erfarenheterna visade att beröringslängtan finns i den levda kroppen och att beröringens kraft frigör till mod, avslappning, ny energi, smärtlindring och balans. Andlig närvaro upplevdes av både givare och mottagare som Guds närvaro i kroppen. Möjligheter med Mjuk massage beskrevs som praktisk omsorg där den ickeverbala interventionen kunde stödja kommunikationen när orden inte räckte till. Lugn och lindring skapades genom att kroppens eget oxytocinsystem frigjordes och gav mottagaren social bekräftelse och kroppens upprättelse. Svårigheterna med att använda Mjuk massage inom diakoni beskrevs som kroppslig och själslig sårbarhet och oklar professionell identitet hos massagegivarna. Svårigheter relaterades även till integritet, gränssättning och könets begränsning, då majoriteten massagegivare och mottagare i nuläget utgörs av kvinnor. Ytterligare en svårighet utgjorde den organisatoriska osäkerheten om vad Mjuk massage är och denna svårighet hörde delvis samman med diakoni- och kyrkosyn. ´Diakonal beröring´ är det nya begrepp som utgör det praktiska resultatet av denna studie vilket beskriver Mjuk massage som diakonalt redskap i Svenska kyrkans kontext. Diakonal beröring tydliggörs i studien som ett värdefullt komplement till annan diakonal och själavårdande verksamhet.

Le toucher dans l’interaction sociale a largement été étudié en coprésence. Ses nombreuses fonctions ont ainsi été mises en évidence dans divers contextes. Contexte qui apparaît comme crucial pour la compréhension des touchers. Cependant, les études réalisées à l’aide de dispositifs technologiques de toucher social médié se font pour la majorité hors contexte. Suivant une approche interactionniste de la communication, nous considérons que le sens du toucher est co-élaboré dans l’interaction par les participants à partir du contexte, et que ce contexte évolue au cours de l’interaction. Nous avons ainsi construit un cadre méthodologique permettant la mise en évidence des significations et fonctions du toucher social médié, ainsi que les processus sousjacents de co-élaboration. Dans une première étude, la récente pandémie de COVID-19 nous permet de constater les processus d’élaboration collective des nouvelles pratiques de toucher social. Deuxièmement, avec l’étude du toucher social médié hors contexte, nous mettons en évidence la possibilité de communiquer des significations émotionnelles à partir de stimuli visuo-tactiles (couleurs et vibrations). Dernièrement, au travers de deux études du toucher médié dans l’interaction sociale, nous soulignons trois catégories de fonctions du toucher médié, avec une redistribution fonctionnelle entre les modalités de l’interaction en comparaison aux interactions en coprésence. De plus, nous relevons les processus de coélaboration de ces fonctions, principalement basés sur le contexte interactionnel, soulignant la construction dans l’interaction des associations formes - fonctions
Touch in social interaction has been widely studied in co-presence. Its numerous functions in interaction have been highlighted in various contexts. Context which is crucial for the understanding of the meaning of touch. However, the studies carried out with mediated touch devices have been conducted without an interactional context. Following an interactionist approach to communication, we consider that meaning is coconstructed in the interaction by the participants ina dynamic context. We have constructed a methodological framework to highlight the meanings of mediated social touch, as well as the processes underlying their co-elaboration in interaction. First, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has allowed us to understand how individuals collectively negotiate their social touch practices. Second, a study of mediated social touch without an interactional context, enable us to show that mediated touch can communicate emotional meanings from visual-tactile stimuli. Third, through two interaction studies using similar technological devices, we were able to highlight numerous functions of mediated social touch, falling into the three categories seen in copresence, with a redistribution of functions between the interaction modalities in comparison to co-presence interactions. We have also highlighted the processes that allow the coelaboration of functions, which are mainly based on contextual cues

Syftet med uppsatsen Hur pedagogernas beröring av barn kan påverka barnens könsroller - en studie om beteendemönster på fritidshemmet är att undersöka om det finns en skillnad på hur de observerade pedagogerna i min undersökning rör vid flickor och pojkar. Resultatet av undersökningen är att de observerade pedagogerna gav flickorna dubbelt så mycket positiv beröring, samtidigt som de gav pojkarna tretton gånger så mycket negativ beröring. Sett till tidigare forskning i området betyder det att pedagogerna bemöter flickor och pojkar olika utefter kön och riskerar att vara medskapare till att befästa stereotypa könsroller. Jag har i uppsatsen använt mig av metoden observation och analyserar dessa observationer med ett socialkonstruktivistiskt och genusteoretiskt synsätt.
The purpose of the bachelor thesis How the pedagogues way of touching children may affect the childrens' gender roles - a study about behavioural patterns in the recreational center of school, is to examine if there is a difference in how the observed pedagogues in my study touch girls and boys. The result of the survey is that the observed pedagogues gave the girls twice as much positive touch, while giving the the boys thirteen times as much negative touch. Considering previous research in the area this means that the pedagogues meet girls and boys differently and run the risk of assisting in establishing gender role stereotypes. I have in my bachelor thesis used the method of observation and analyze these observations with a social constructivist and gender theoretical approach.

Objetivo. Observar e analisar a influência de dois contextos (piscina e sala terapêutica) na interação social entre o terapeuta e crianças com Perturbação do Espetro do Autismo (PEA). Métodos. Participaram seis crianças do sexo masculino com PEA em idade escolar (9,3 ± 1,9 anos). Utilizou-se uma metodologia observacional para a recolha de dados, tendo sido filmadas duas sessões em cada contexto para cada criança. As sessões individuais adotaram uma abordagem livre e lúdica entre a criança e o terapeuta. As variáveis atenção conjunta, envolvimento na tarefa, expressividade facial e tipo de toque, foram analisadas com base num sistema de observação sistemática, criado no âmbito deste estudo. Os vídeos foram codificados num software de observação, designado Observideo. Resultados. Verificaram-se diferenças estatisticamente significativas em duas variáveis observadas, com resultados favoráveis para o contexto piscina, designadamente na expressividade positiva da criança em momento de atenção conjunta (p=0.05) e no toque funcional aceite pela criança (p=0.05). Conclusão. De um modo geral, a piscina parece ser o contexto mais favorável à ocorrência de momentos de expressividade positiva e aceitação do toque funcional durante a interação social criança-terapeuta. Sugere-se a realização de mais estudos que aprofundem a influência dos contextos diferenciados de intervenção nas crianças com PEA; Therapeutic interaction in both aquatic and therapy room environment in school-age children with autism spectrum disorders Abstract: Objective: Observation and analysis of the influence on different environments (swimming pool and therapeutic room) in social interaction between the therapist and the child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Methods: Six male school-age children with ASD (9,3 years old ± 1,9) participated in the presente study. Two sessions were videorecorded in each environment per child, using, this way, an observational methodology to collect the data. The sessions were established individually between the child and the therapist. Sessions followed a spontaneous and playful approach. Joint attention, engagement states, facial expression and type of touch were analysed accordingly to a pre-set categories system. Video recordings were coded by “Observídeo”, an observational system software. SPSS was used as data treatment for the study between environments. Results: Results showed differences between contexts in terms of positive expression during joint attention (p=0.05) and of functional touch accepted by the child (p=0.05). These behaviors were more frequently observed at the swimming pool, as compared to the therapeutic room. Conclusions: Compared to the therapeutic room, the swimming pool was the most beneficial environment to positive expression and functional touch between the therapist and ASD child. These findings suggest future investigations about the influence of several intervention environments in ASD children.

Avec le développement de la robotique grand public apparaît une nouvelle forme de télécommunication : la robotique de téléprésence. Le principe consiste à représenter une personne à distance par l’intermédiaire d’un robot mobile, dont elle peut contrôler librement les déplacements. L’objectif n’est pas simplement de lui permettre de communiquer à distance, mais de lui donner une présence physique et sociale, que le téléphone ou la visioconférence ne suffisent pas à transmettre.Dans ce contexte, il est particulièrement important de parvenir à transmettre au mieux le « toucher social » du pilote du robot : c’est-à-dire lui permettre d’échanger avec ses interlocuteurs un vaste ensemble de signaux socio-affectifs, qui sont les vecteurs du lien social. En particulier, cette thèse s’intéresse à un élément fondamental du toucher social et fortement impacté par la téléprésence : la portée vocale, à travers laquelle un locuteur contrôle qui peut l’entendre, et s’adapte en permanence aux conditions acoustiques de l’environnement.À travers une première étude, nous nous intéresserons au lien entre toucher vocal et proxémie, en nous demandant si la manière dont un auditeur perçoit à l’aveugle un interlocuteur dans l’espace peut être influencée par les socio-affects produits par celui-ci. Ensuite, nous montrerons que la portée vocale peut-être affectée par effet Lombard en cas de téléprésence ubiquïte : le pilote, qui perçoit à la fois son environnement local, et l’environnement du robot, s’adapte au niveau de bruit ambiant, même lorsque ce bruit n’est pas perçu par ses interlocuteurs. Enfin, nous présenterons notre participation à un projet Arts et Sciences : le spectacle Aporia, au cours duquel un acteur unique, aidé d’un logiciel de transformation vocale, incarne plusieurs personnages
The development of consumer robotics comes with a new kind of telecommunications systems: telepresence robots. These are mobile robots representing a person who is able to control their movements remotely. The aim is not only to allow remote communication, but to create a sense of social and physical presence, which are not sufficiently transmitted by telephone or videoconferencing.In this context, it is especially important to ensure that the users’ « social touch » is well transmitted, meaning that they are able to exchange a wide range of socio-affective signals, which are the vectors of social links. In particular, this thesis deals with a key element of social touch, which is deeply impacted by telepresence: vocal earshot, by which speakers are normally able to control who can hear them, and to adapt to varying acoustic environment conditions.In a first study, we will explore the link between vocal touch and proxemics, by asking whether a blind listener’s spatial perception of an interlocutor can be influenced by the expressed socio-affects. We will then show that vocal earshot can be modified by the Lombard effect in ubiquitous telepresence, because the pilot is perceiving both the local and remote environments at the same time, and therefore adapts to noise, even if it is not noticeable by the interlocutors. Lastly, we will present our participation in an Arts-Sciences performance called Aporia, during which a unique actor embodies different characters, helped by a voice transforming algorithm

Esta investigação tem como objetivo: avaliar o impacto do programa “Toque de Chi” ao nível das aptidões sociais em crianças de Jardim de Infância do Concelho de Benavente. Nela participaram 21 educadoras responsáveis pelas 371 crianças (dos três aos seis anos de ambos os sexos) a que diz respeito o estudo. O instrumento utilizado foi a versão portuguesa de Gomes e Pereira, de 2014, da Pré escola e jardim de infância escala de comportamento - PKBS-2, 2ª Edição. “Escalas de Comportamentos para as Crianças em Idade Pré-Escolar” preenchido pelas Educadoras de Infância, em dois momentos distintos. Durante este intervalo de tempo de cerca de sete meses ocorreram, semanalmente, as sessões do programa “Toque de Chi”. Os resultados evidenciam a existência de diferenças significativas em todas as dimensões avaliadas, sendo a dimensão “Interação Social” a que apresenta uma diferença com maior significância. São também as crianças mais velhas (de cinco e seis anos) as que apresentam melhores resultados. No seu todo são os rapazes que apresentam uma maior evolução comparativamente às raparigas. O estudo permite-nos concluir que durante o tempo em que decorreu o programa “Toque de Chi” estas crianças dos Jardins de Infância do Concelho de Benavente desenvolveram significativamente as suas aptidões sociais. Outros estudos serão necessários no sentido de poder controlar todas as variáveis que possam eventualmente ter impacto nos resultados; Abstract: This research aim: to assess the impact of the program “Toque de Chi” on social skills in children of Kindergartens from the Municipality of Benevento. In this research participated 21 educators, responsible for the 371 children (from three to six years old, of both sexes) who constitute de study’s sample? The measure used was the Portuguese version of the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale- PKBS-2, 2nd Edition (Gomes &Pereira, 2014) that was completed by the Kindergarten Educators, at two different moments. Between these 2 moments (seven months), there were weekly sessions of the “Toque de Chi” program. Results shows significant differences in all the dimensions evaluated, with the most significant difference in “Social Interaction” dimension. Data also shows that the oldest children (five and six years old) have the best improvement in the scale’s dimensions. Moreover, there are sex differences, as boys show a greater evolution compared to girls. The study allows us to conclude that during the program “Toque de Chi” these children from Kindergartens of Municipality of Benevento have developed significantly their social skills. Further studies will be necessary in order to be able to control all other variables that may have an impact on the results.

Svenskarna och   internet (2014) points out that the use of smartphones continues to grow,   despite this only 14 percent of the elderly in the age of 60 or more,   interacts with a smartphone daily. The reason why older people do not use   smartphones are thought to be because the technology is difficult and hard. The purpose of this   study was to find shortcomings in usability for older people when interacting   with a smartphone as well as what improvements should be made to increase the   usability. To achieve this purpose five older respondents in the age of 60   years or older were observed and interviewed. Furthermore, a separate model   has been created based on previous research to analyze the results. The analysis   resulted in a revised model with existing shortcomings and pronounced   improvement proposals. The shortcomings found in smartphone user interfaces   are lack of information on how to perform different tasks, which means they   are guessing solutions, another lack is that icons are alike. According to   the study, descriptive texts should be provided to each icon. The   improvements that older people would prefer to increase the usability are   that it should be one gesture to navigate through the phone which is the   dragged gesture, pointed information in a smartphone how they perform their   tasks and icons as well as buttons should be named after performance.   Proposals for future research are to investigate differences between older   novices and older skilled users of smartphones and at what age older people   are getting worse in interacting with smartphones.

The purpose of the essay is to discuss the power narration has over our gender roles. John Fiske and Pierre Bourdieu´s theoretical texts have been used to discuss the connection between power and culture in A.S. Byatt’s novel Possession: A Romance. Possession demonstrates how male academics take part in shaping knowledge about the past and the present from their perspective. Byatt uses allusions to myth and folktales to emphasise both the romance theme of the novel and how the past has formed us and continues to affect us in our relationships and social roles. The novel reveals how women are trapped by cultural myths about women’s roles in society. The female characters’ fates demonstrate the complexity of heterosexual relationships for independent women in a society where women are supposed to be taken care of by men. The roles imposed on women in romance stories in particular can be seen as a reductionist patriarchal view of women. Byatt emphasizes how women who at varying levels do not collaborate with men are punished for their chosen lifestyles and how some, like homosexual women, have been removed or have chosen to remove themselves from society in different ways. Byatt attempts to demythologize social myths concerning women and men by rewriting traditional myths and fairy tales. Still, Possession does not ultimately challenge the importance of the heterosexual relationship or the male and female characters’ gender roles.

This thesis explores the neural mechanisms underlying the observation of touch and tactile processing in adults and typically developing children and speech versus computerized speech processing in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Chapter 1 reviews the literature on mirror functioning, embodied cognition and typical and atypical development of social and speech processing in infancy and childhood. Chapter 2 investigates the neural mechanisms underlying hand and object touch observation in adults. In Chapter 3, a similar procedure is employed to investigate tactile mirroring mechanisms in children. The findings demonstrate that these mechanisms are relatively developed in 4- to 5- year old children. Chapter 4 further explores somatosensory activity during touch in adults and children. The findings reveal the modulation of somatosensory beta (15-24 Hz) activity during touch in adults, but not in children. Chapter 5 examines the neural mechanisms underlying speech versus computerized speech perception in children with ASD. These results suggest an impaired classification of speech sounds preceded by computerized speech, and atypical lateralization of speech processing in children with ASD. Together, these findings make a notable contribution to our understanding of typical development of tactile mirroring and touch processing mechanisms, and social processing dysfunctions in children with ASD.

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This qualitative and bibliographic study conducted in São Paulo has two objectives: understand the emotional and the sentimental aspects that the Touch has in the elderly treatment and support education policy makers in the use of this approach in the health treatment. For the study, it was chosen to use the participative observation in the treatment of five elderly persons, to who one open question was asked. This observation allowed the author to have a better perception about the importance of the Touch in the relation physiotherapy X elderly patience. The bibliographic part of this study, based on Montagu, Leakey, Mauss, Elias, Condillac, Guyton and Gardner theories, enables the understanding of the human being as a psychosocial being and the social and cultural experiences that build this human. It can be noticed, in this study, that the elderly loneness in our society is a recurring fact that leads to emotional problems, degenerating his/hers social relations. Because of that, the actuation model of the health professional should consider the Touch as a humanized tool in his/her work. And this tool should be used not only to improve the health condition, but also to help the psychosocial patience dimension
O presente estudo, de caráter qualitativo e pesquisa bibliográfica, realizado na cidade de São Paulo, teve como objetivo compreender os aspectos emocionais e sentimentais que o toque desencadeia na relação terapêutica com o paciente idoso e contribuir para a formulação de políticas educacionais que enfatizem o toque no trato com o idoso.Optou-se por utilizar como procedimento metodológico a observação participativa no atendimento a cinco idosos, onde era anotado em um diário de campo, sendo feita também a entrevista contendo apenas uma pergunta aberta. Estes procedimentos possibilitaram à pesquisadora a ter maior e melhor percepção sobre a importância do toque na relação terapêutica com estes idosos. A pesquisa bibliográfica sustentou-se em teóricos como Montagu, Leakey, Mauss, Elias, Condillac, Guyton e Gardner, que nortearam as bases deste trabalho e possibilitaram a visão do homem como ser biopsicosocial e toda a gama de experiências externas, sociais e culturais, que giram em torno de si para a sua construção. Pode-se observar, nesta pesquisa, que o isolamento do idoso em nossa sociedade é um fato recorrente, o qual desencadeia, também, carências afetivas, prejudicando suas relações sociais. Desta forma, a atuação do profissional de saúde junto a este idoso requer um novo modelo de atendimento, em que as percepções para com o outro sejam colocadas em prática e a atenção ao ato do cuidar e, principalmente, ao ato do tocar, possam ser vistas como ferramenta mais humanizada no seu trabalho, que deve consistir em resgatar não apenas a saúde biológica, mas também o bem estar psicossocial, que contribuem para a construção do indivíduo idoso e o situam como Serno- Mundo

O trabalho avaliou a percepção tátil de espécies vegetais por uma parcela da população de deficientes visuais em diferentes graus de intensidade, de ambos os sexos e com idades variando entre treze e setenta e sete anos, residentes em Piracicaba (SP), classificando-as de acordo com a maior ou a menor preferência, por meio de análises sensoriais afetivas. As plantas foram escolhidas entre aquelas utilizadas na composição de parques e jardins, instalados nas condições ambientais da região de Piracicaba (SP). No processo de seleção das plantas, considerou-se, também, a escolha daquelas que possibilitassem maior segurança física e psicológica aos deficientes visuais, além da sua disponibilidade no mercado. Foram selecionados, para os testes, indivíduos vegetais adultos, organizados em grupos distintos, de acordo com seu porte, sua estrutura e suas funções específicas na composição paisagística: treze espécies arbóreas; cinco palmeiras; dois tipos de bambus; dezenove arbustos, 34 espécies herbáceas e quatro tipos de gramas, totalizando 77 diferentes plantas. As espécies arbóreas foram avaliadas pelas características do tronco: a circunferência à altura do peito (CAP) e a textura da casca; as arbustivas, segundo o porte da planta, o tipo, a textura e o tamanho das folhas; as herbáceas e as gramíneas, segundo o tipo, a textura e o tamanho das folhas. A partir dos testes realizados, concluiu-se que com relação aos provadores, não houve diferença significativa entre os fatores sexo, idade, grau e tempo da deficiência, no que se refere às preferências sobre as espécies vegetais, dentro de cada categoria. Em relação às espécies arbóreas, constatou-se que, aos menores valores de CAP e à textura mais fina da casca, foram associados os maiores escores médios, refletindo a preferência dos provadores por indivíduos com menores diâmetros e por espécies com texturas macias, lisas e muito lisas. Os resultados sugeriram que a característica textura da casca foi mais importante, do ponto de vista afetivo, que a circunferência do caule à altura do peito. No que se refere aos arbustos testados, verificou-se que o porte foi pouco importante e que a textura e o tamanho das folhas foram os fatores preponderantes na discriminação das espécies, com ampla vantagem para as texturas macias. Os testes com as herbáceas e as gramíneas para relvados também evidenciaram que as características mais importantes, do ponto de vista afetivo, foram a textura e o tamanho das folhas. As herbáceas contempladas com flores ou inflorescências receberam escores médios maiores, exceção feita ao antúrio e à estrelícia, provavelmente, por apresentarem folhas médias e grandes, respectivamente, ou pelas características específicas de suas flores.
The tactile perception of plant species by part of the visual impaired population at different intensity degrees of both genders, and ages ranging 13 to 77 years, residents of Piracicaba (SP) were evaluated, assorted according to higher or lower preference through affective sensorial analysis. The plants were collected from parks and gardens set up under the environmental conditions of the region of Piracicaba (SP). While selecting the plants, the choice of those plants likely to provide more physical and psychological safety to the visual impaired and market availability was also taken into account. Adult individuals were selected for the tests, organized into distinct groups according to size, structure and specific function in the landscape composition: thirteen arboreal species; five palm trees; two types of bamboo; nineteen shrubs; thirty four herbaceous species and four types of grass, in a total of seventy seven different plants. The arboreal species were evaluated according to the trunk characteristics: circumference at breast height (CBH) and bark texture; shrubby plants according to plant size, type, texture and leaf size; herbaceous plants and grasses according to type, texture and leaf size. Regarding the testers, the results showed that no significant difference occurred among gender, age, deficiency degree and time as to the preference for plant species within each category. As to the arboreal species, one verified that lower CBH values and thinner bark texture were associated to the mean scores, thus reflecting the preference of testers for lesser diameters and soft, smooth and very smooth texture species. The results suggested that the bark texture feature was more important, from the affective viewpoint, than the stem circumference at breast height. Regarding the tested shrubs, one verified that the size was not significant and that both leaf texture and size were preponderant in discriminating the species, with soft textures being much more preferred. Tests with herbaceous plants and grasses for grassland also pointed that the more important characteristics, from the affective viewpoint, were leaf texture and size. Blooming herbaceous plants were given higher mean scores, except for the Anthurium and Strelitzia, probably because of their medium and large size leaves, respectively, or due to specific flower features.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES
The dissertation has no abstract
A população mundial nos últimos 50 anos, teve um aumento em números redondos de 2 para 7 bilhões. O Brasil, dos 90 para os 210 milhões; consequentemente o número de idosos avançou, os cuidados melhoraram, as questões sociais, especialmente as gerontológicas, tornaram-se mais presentes. Esta pesquisa constitui um estudo descritivo-exploratório, com coleta e análise dos dados, qualitativa e quantitativa. Diante do tema proposto, questões surgiram que se subsumiram nesta: - A massagem pode trazer reais benefícios aos idosos? Objetivou-se: (i) Verificar a importância do “toque” na vida do idoso; (ii) Analisar e discutir os efeitos proporcionados pela técnica de Massagem Gerontológica Epicrânia (na cabeça) e Dorsal (nas costas), quanto ao bem-estar à pessoa idosa, independentemente de sexo, mas com autonomia de movimentos. A aplicação foi feita em sessão única, em duas partes, uma com 30 minutos de cada massagem, em um total de 5 sessões. Levadas em consideração: a pressão do “toque”, a área a ser aplicada e as posições da pessoa idosa. Os idosos entrevistados responderam a questionários (Ficha de Anamnese, Stress, Satisfação, Dor) antes e após a realização dos procedimentos, a fim de atestar os resultados da massagem. A pesquisa foi realizada com 10 idosos voluntários, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 60 e 74 anos, convidados para os Programas de Massagens da Universidade Anhembi Morumbi-SP. Coleta de dados realizada por meio da aplicação de ficha de Anamnese com informações gerais sobre:- o estado de saúde física e informações sociais, - a importância da massagem na vida destes idosos e – de como se sentiram antes e depois da prática; - suas prioridades na busca desta atividade; - aferições dos sinais vitais antes e após a massagem. Aplicado o questionário de Escala Visual Analógica de Dor (EVA) que registra a intensidade da dor, onde 10 é o máximo e 0 o mínimo, adaptado para buscar informações sobre as principais alterações ocorridas no comportamento desses idosos, após iniciarem esta atividade com massagem, relacionadas a sentimentos, emoções e relacionamentos interpessoais, levantando-se o impacto sobre auto-estima e bem-estar. Em relação ao teste de Perfil de Estado de Humor (POMS), para avaliar estados emocionais e de humor cujos adjetivos da tabela referem-se à tensão, depressão, vigor, hostilidade, fadiga e confusão, com graduação em 5 pontos, sendo: 0=nunca,1= pouco, 2= moderado,3=bastante,4=muitíssimo. Os resultados foram relevantes nesses indivíduos, em que foi possível perceber a diminuição da pressão arterial; após a massagem: 90% confirmaram se sentir bem, mais motivados, mais dispostos; enfim, houve significante resultado positivo nos idosos em relação à queda gradual no nível de stress fisiológico e psicológico pós-massagem gerontológica Epicrânia e Dorsal, podendo ser este um dos melhores tratamentos na redução dos níveis de estresse nos idosos, contribuindo, assim, a uma saúde de qualidade

Nowadays the entire process of creation and communication of knowledge is in the middle of a profound transformation. In the background there is our Web civilization, got used to a technology encapsulated into everyday objects, into multimedia devices and digital artifacts, or embedded within artificial environments and intelligent systems. Technology-augmented tools are offering the possibility of expanding natural boundaries, of enriching our senses and awareness, of pervading every single moment of our life. The thesis tries to approach what is happening in our Knowledge Society, where new technological devices and tools are modifying our lifestyles and activities, pervading the environments where we conduct academic research, read write or publish new cultural contents, teach and learn at school: social and academic networks, virtual and augmented worlds, tablets and e-readers, large interactive screens and Interactive WhiteBoards are populating our space and time, changing our way of generating and sharing knowledge. After deepening the Knowledge Society concept and future perspectives, the aim of the thesis is to describe some of the latest possibilities offered by the mutated technological scenario, such as Ubiquitous Computing paradigm, new interfaces, virtual/augmented world opportunities, and reflect upon the new social behaviors and paradigms that can rise: the description of different case studies and personal experimentations will show new participating opportunities and the deconstruction of established roles within research, cultural and educational contexts.

Dans un contexte de fortes pressions concurrentielles et réglementaires, les constructeurs automobiles introduisent sur le marché des véhicules dont les caractéristiques sont proches. Si les émotions suscitées par l’expérience de conduite constituent un puissant levier de différenciation, les concepteurs de voitures rattachent principalement la dimension affective aux propriétés stylistiques de leurs véhicules. Avec des innovations qui ne sont envisagées que dans une perspective fonctionnelle, les constructeurs proposent ainsi à leurs clients des prestations similaires, sans tenir compte des facteurs relationnels sous-jacents à l’utilisation d’un véhicule. Pourtant, la littérature met en avant l’importance de la dimension émotionnelle des relations sociales, qui représente selon nous une opportunité pour le Groupe Renault de se différencier, en proposant une nouvelle expérience de conduite orientée sur les interactions inter-conducteurs. Nous avons commencé notre travail par un premier terrain d’observation, dont l’objectif a été de déterminer les conditions et les leviers permettant l’établissement d’une relation entre les usagers de la route. Sur la base des premiers résultats valorisant la perception mutuelle de deux conducteurs, nous avons réalisé une expérimentation dite minimaliste comparant deux modalités de perception, appelées information perceptive et activité perceptive, dans le cadre d’une action collaborative. Cette étude souligne le rôle crucial de la dynamique interpersonnelle sur les mécanismes de la compréhension sociale : les résultats montrent l’intérêt, d’un point de vue émotionnel, d’accéder à ce à quoi l’autre est attentif. Nous nous sommes ensuite inspirés de ces résultats pour designer un dispositif de perception et d’interaction et étudier son rôle dans l’apparition d’émotions positives lors de la conduite sur route. Par le biais d’une expérimentation sur simulateur, nous avons pu faire émerger un nouveau type d’expérience de conduite résultant de la manipulation de ce dispositif. Cette thèse, sur la base d’un principe théorique mis à l’épreuve dans une expérimentation de terrain impliquant les usagers de la route, suit un processus itératif propre à une démarche de recherche-projet. Elle s’appuie sur une réalisation conceptuelle qui n’est pas une finalité mais un préalable. Elle propose des pistes de conceptions pour le design d’une nouvelle fonctionnalité intégrée dans le véhicule, tirant parti du contexte social de la conduite pour susciter des émotions positives entre conducteurs
In a context of strong competition and regulatory pressures, the vehicles on the market share common characteristics. Even though emotions elicited by the driving experience are a powerful lever for differentiation, manufacturers mainly attach the affective dimension to the stylistic properties of their vehicles. They only consider innovations in a functional perspective and offer their customers similar services without regarding the relational factor underlying the use of a vehicle. However, the literature highlights the importance of the emotional dimension of social relations, which in our opinion represents an opportunity for the Renault Group to differentiate itself by proposing a new driving experience based on interactions between drivers. We began our work with an observation field. Our purpose was to determine the conditions and levers establishing a relationship between road users. On the basis of the first results valuing the mutual perception of two drivers, we carried out a minimalist experiment comparing two modes of perception, namely the perceptive information and theperceptual activity, within the framework of a collaborative action. This study emphasizes the crucial role of interpersonal dynamics on the mechanisms of social understanding: the results show the interest, from an emotional point of view, of accessing to what the other is attentive to. We then used these results to design a device for perception and interaction purposes and we studied its role in the emergence of positive emotions when driving. Through a simulator experiment, we have been able to bring out a new type of driving experience resulting from the manipulation of this device. This thesis is based on a theoretical principle put to the test in a field experiment involving road users. We follow an iterative process specific to a research-project approach. We propose a conceptual realization that is not a purpose but a prerequisite. Based on the fact that driving is in itself a social interaction, we suggest ideas for the design of a new feature integrated into the vehicle which arouses positive emotions between drivers

Malgré la puissance de nos technologies de communication actuelles pour maintenir du contact social dans des situations extrêmes, elles restent insuffisantes pour totalement combler les sentiments de solitude et d'isolement. Le toucher social, est essentiel au bien-être humain, nous permet de développer et raffermir nos liens relationnels et est un puissant canal de communication des émotions. Le présent travail de thèse s'intéresse à la façon dont on peut munir des agents artificiels de capacités de toucher social. Qu'il s'agisse de robots ou de personnages virtuels, ces nouvelles entités sociales sont déjà équipées de nombreuses modalités d'interaction (paroles, gestes, expressions faciales, etc.), et munir ces nouveaux types d’entités sociales de capacités de toucher pourrait améliorer encore leurs capacités émotionnelles et relationnelles. Plus particulièrement, notre principale question de recherche est de déterminer quand et comment toucher u and allowsn humain de manière utile, autonome et respectueuse. A cet effet, nous proposons une structure théorique et une implémentation fonctionnelle d'un agent touchant capable d'interagir dynamiquement avec un humain en temps réel, au sein d'un environnement immersif. En particulier, nous décrivons un module de perception des comportements de l'humain, un modèle de décision qui prenne en compte la cohérence et l'acceptabilité du toucher en contexte, et une interface haptique SOFTLY qui puisse être utilisée en immersion dans un environnement virtuel. Les évaluations de ces développements mettent en lumière les capacités prometteuses de ce framework, ainsi que ses limites actuelles et perspectives d'amélioration pour des travaux futurs
Despite the current abilities of our communication technologies, they remain unable to completely counterbalance feelings of isolation and loneliness. Social touch is essential to human well-being and allows us to develop and strenghten our relationships. It is also powerful channel of emotional communication. This thesis work is aimed at endowing artificial agents with social touch abilities. Whether they are robotic or virtual artificial agents represent new kinds of social entities and are already equipped with many interactional modalities (speech, gestures, facial expressions, etc.). Endowing them with touching abilities could further enhance their abilities to communicate emotions and to bond with humans. More specifically, our main research question is to determine when and how to touch a human is meaningful, autonomous and respectful way. To answer this question, we propose a theoretical structure and a functional implementation of a touching agent, able to dynamically interact with a human in real-time in an immersive environment. We describe a perception module to detect the human’s behaviour, a decision model able to take coherence and acceptability of touch into account, and a haptic interface (SOFTLY) that can be used in the immersive setup to generate haptic feedback. Evaluations of this framework are discussed and hightlight that its abilities are promising, althought there are still clear avenues of improvement for the model

Mestrado em Gestão
In the last fifteen years, the growth of the global computer network known as the internet has facilitated the rapid emergence of online interactions of dispersed groups of people with shared interests. A new communication approach is required and in this context a new professional comes up: the Online Community Manager. The new mode of communication is not a fad, but it is a sign of a big change. For better understanding the role of the community manager this document aims to show how a community itself is build, what a community is and how can it be managed in virtual world. The scientific method applied to achieve the goal was Participant Observation in which the researcher carried on an internship into an online company for six months and worked as a Community Manager for Brazil and Portugal participating actively inside a real community during this time. A complete Observation was done once the researcher became a member of the group that has been studied. The literature review was based on the central concept of community in the broad sense. Later, it was an effort to understand how the concept is transported to the virtual world and how it fits into the new context. As a result some cases were presented showing how are the real problems faced by the community manager, how they can be solved, and finally some recommendations for a Community Managment policy.
A importante colaboração de diversas personalidades ligadas à área da História da Arquitectura, bem como o levantamento fotográfico realizado contribuem para o conhecimento e valorização de um saber tradicional. Nos últimos quinze anos, o crescimento da rede mundial de computadores conhecida como internet tem facilitado a rápida interação on-line de grupos de pessoas com interesses comuns em vários ambientes. Uma nova abordagem de comunicação é necessária e, neste contexto, um novo profissional surge: o Gestor de Comunidades on-line. O novo modo de comunicação não é um modismo, é sim um sinal de uma grande mudança. Para uma melhor compreensão do papel do Gestor de Comunidades On-line, este documento pretende mostrar como uma comunidade é construida, o que é uma comunidade e como ela pode ser gerenciada em um mundo virtual. O método científico aplicado para alcançar a meta foi a Observação Participante em onde o pesquisador realizou em um estágio em uma empresa on-line por seis meses e trabalhou como gestor da comunidade do Brasil e de Portugal participando ativamente dentro da comunidade real durante este tempo. Assim, a observação pode ser considerada como completa visto que o pesquisador tornou-se membro do grupo que foi estudado. A revisão da literatura foi baseada no conceito central de comunidade no sentido amplo. Posteriormente, foi um esforço para compreender como o conceito é transportado para o mundo virtual e como se encaixa no novo contexto. Como resultado, alguns casos foram apresentados mostrando como são os problemas reais enfrentados pelo Gestor de Comunidades On-line, como eles podem ser resolvidos e, finalmente, algumas recomendações para uma política de comunidades on-line.