Dean Lusher

Hegemonic and Other Masculinities in Local Social Contexts

This article is a theoretical examination of Connells social theory of gender, discussing how hegemonic, complicit, subordinate, and marginalized masculinities interact and relate to one another in the mens everyday lives in particular social contexts. Connells theory is articulated in global terms that need to be localized to examine the actual interactions of men with one another. The theory implies a multilevel framework that the authors develop more explicitly. They investigate two interrelated theoretical concerns: (a) inadequately detailed interdependencies between structural, individual, and cultural factors with respect to masculinities, and (b) the lack of contextualization of masculinities in specific relational settings. The authors suggest that theoretical insights gained from social network theory and analysis allow such issues to be addressed and assist in local-level accounts of gendered power relations. The authors conclude by specifying Connells theory into particular, testable hypotheses for use with statistical models for social networks.

The neurocognitive components of pitch processing: insights from absolute pitch.

The natural variability of pitch naming ability in the population (known as absolute pitch or AP) provides an ideal method for investigating individual differences in pitch processing and auditory knowledge formation and representation. We have demonstrated the involvement of different cognitive processes in AP ability that reflects varying skill expertise in the presence of similar early age of onset of music tuition. These processes were related to different regions of brain activity, including those involved in pitch working memory (right prefrontal cortex) and the long-term representation of pitch (superior temporal gyrus). They reflected expertise through the use of context dependent pitch cues and the level of automaticity of pitch naming. They impart functional significance to structural asymmetry differences in the planum temporale of musicians and establish a neurobiological basis for an AP template. More generally, they indicate variability of knowledge representation in the presence of environmental fostering of early cognitive development that translates to differences in cognitive ability.

Separating Adaptive Maintenance (Resilience) and Transformative Capacity of Social-Ecological Systems

Many rural communities are vulnerable social-ecological systems (SES) that must do more than become resilient to future environmental and social shocks: they must transform to achieve sustainability. We aimed first to conceptually explore the proposition that SES characteristics (identity, feedbacks, structure, and functions) necessary for transformation may be distinct from those necessary for adaptive maintenance or resilience, and second, to propose metrics that may be used to assess these two types of system changes. We did this by interrogating literature and by investigating two rural towns in Australia using a combination of quantitative methods and focus groups to interrogate community social networks, capitals (human, natural, built, and social) and future scenarios. Results indicated that (1) it is practicable to carry out a holistic assessment of SES characteristics (identity, feedbacks, structure, and functions), and (2) purposeful, positive transformation is supported by vision, identification with place, unhappiness (with the status quo), high personal contribution to social capital, open social networks, and latent capital(s). We conclude that rural communities possess capacities for adaptive maintenance (resilience) and for system-wide transformation, and that the metrics used to assess each are sometimes discrete, sometimes common.

Improving left hemispatial neglect using virtual reality

Background: In hemispatial neglect, space can be dissociated on the basis of “near” peripersonal vs “far” extrapersonal space. The clinical manifestations of neglect can be modified by having patients use a tool to explore “far” extrapersonal space. An explanation for this is that the use of a stick produced an extension of body space resulting in a remapping of “far” space as “near” space. Objectives: To determine whether the remapping of space can be generalized to the amelioration of the “affected” vs the “nonaffected” space, rather than being confined to the selective amelioration of “far” vs “near” neglect; and to determine whether tool use is a necessary condition for the remapping of space. Methods: Using virtual reality, the authors asked six hemispatial neglect patients to reach and grasp a real object while simultaneously observing the grasping of a virtual object located within a virtual environment by a virtual hand. The virtual hand was commanded in real time by their real hand. Results: After a period of adaptation, hemispatial neglect patients coded the visual stimuli within the neglected space in an identical fashion as those presented within the preserved portions of space. Conclusions: It is possible to re-create links between the affected and the nonaffected space. Wielding a tool is not a necessary condition in reopening neglected space.

Psychological outcomes following the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires

Objective: We aimed to map the prevalence and predictors of psychological outcomes in affected communities 3–4 years after the Black Saturday bushfires in the state of Victoria, Australia. Methods: Baseline assessment of a longitudinal cohort study in high-, medium-, and low-affected communities in Victoria. Participants included 1017 residents of high-, medium-, and low-affected fire communities. Participants were surveyed by means of a telephone and web-based interview between December 2011 and January 2013. The survey included measures of fire-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and general PTSD from other traumatic events, major depressive episode, alcohol use, and general psychological distress. Results: The majority of respondents in the high- (77.3%), medium- (81.3%), and low-affected (84.9%) communities reported no psychological distress on the K6 screening scale. More participants in the high-affected communities (15.6%) reported probable PTSD linked to the bushfires than medium- (7.2%) and low-affected (1.0%) communities (odds ratio (OR): 4.57, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.61–8.00, p = 0.000). Similar patterns were observed for depression (12.9%, 8.8%, 6.3%, respectively) (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.17–2.85, p = 0.008) and severe psychological distress (9.8%, 5.0%, 4.9%, respectively) (OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.23–3.55, p = 0.007). All communities reported elevated rates of heavy drinking (24.7%, 18.7%, 19.6%, respectively); however, these were higher in the high-affected communities (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.01–1.89, p = 0.04). Severe psychological distress was predicted by fear for one’s life in the bushfires, death of someone close to them in the bushfires, and subsequent stressors. One-third of those with severe psychological distress did not receive mental health assistance in the previous month. Conclusions: Several years following the Black Saturday bushfires the majority of affected people demonstrated resilience without indications of psychological distress. A significant minority of people in the high-affected communities reported persistent PTSD, depression, and psychological distress, indicating the need for promotion of the use of health and complementary services, community-based initiatives, and family and other informal supports, to target these persistent problems.

Beyond Bushfires: Community, Resilience and Recovery - a longitudinal mixed method study of the medium to long term impacts of bushfires on mental health and social connectedness.

BackgroundNatural disasters represent an increasing threat both in terms of incidence and severity as a result of climate change. Although much is known about individual responses to disasters, much less is known about the social and contextual response and how this interacts with individual trajectories in terms of mental health, wellbeing and social connectedness. The 2009 bushfires in Victoria, Australia caused much loss of life, property destruction, and community disturbance. In order to progress future preparedness, response and recovery, it is crucial to measure and understand the impact of disasters at both individual and community levels.Methods/designThis study aims to profile the range of mental health, wellbeing and social impacts of the Victorian 2009 bushfires over time using multiple methodologies and involving multiple community partners. A diversity of communities including bushfire affected and unaffected will be involved in the study and will include current and former residents (at the time of the Feb 2009 fires). Participants will be surveyed in 2012, 2014 and, funding permitting, in 2016 to map the predictors and outcomes of mental health, wellbeing and social functioning. Ongoing community visits, as well as interviews and focus group discussions in 2013 and 2014, will provide both contextual information and evidence of changing individual and community experiences in the medium to long term post disaster. The study will include adults, adolescents and children over the age of 5.DiscussionConducting the study over five years and focussing on the role of social networks will provide new insights into the interplay between individual and community factors and their influence on recovery from natural disaster over time. The study findings will thereby expand understanding of long term disaster recovery needs for individuals and communities.

The acquisition of perceived descriptive norms as social category learning in social networks

Descriptive norms—what people typically do in a certain setting—play a significant role in peoples behavioural decisions. However, little is known about how people acquire descriptive norms in their community. We postulate that acquisition of descriptive norms can be construed as social category learning in social networks, where people learn social information relevant about community descriptive norms from others with whom they are associated through social network ties. We distinguish two routes to norm acquisition: experiential and conceptual. The experiential route suggests people observe the behaviours of their associates in their social networks, and infer what people typically do; the conceptual route suggests people learn about their community from what their associates say people typically do. We used a novel statistical method of autologistic actor attribute models (ALAAM) on survey responses collected by snow ball sampling in a rural city in Australia, and found that people experientially learn descriptive norms about community engagement. Implications of this finding and the limitations of the current study are discussed.

“Trust Me”: Differences in expressed and perceived trust relations in an organization

Abstract The possibility of resolving the tension between trust as a psychological condition and trust as a general organizing principle depends on assumptions about the convergence of expressed and perceived trust relations. In empirical organizational research these assumptions are frequently left implicit and only rarely modeled directly. Using data that we have collected on trust relations within the top management team of a multiunit industrial group we specify and estimate multivariate exponential random graph models (ERGMs) that reveal important differences in the structural logics underlying networks of expressed and perceived trust relations. Results confirm that trust induces awareness and produces expectations of reciprocity – features that are consistent with the view of trust as a general organizing principle. Results also show that networks of perceived trust relations are characterized by tendencies toward reciprocity and generalized giving of trust. When multivariate network effects are introduced, however, expressed trust relations no longer show a significant tendency toward reciprocation. Interpreted together these results suggest that: (i) the distribution of expressed and perceived trust relations differs; (ii) expressed trust relations in organizations are more hierarchical than are perceived trust relations, and (iii) expressed and perceived trust relations need to be modeled jointly. These findings suggest caution in the adoption and interpretation of trust only as a general organizing principle, and suggest that psychological mechanisms also play an important role in the making and breaking of trust relations within organizations.

Finding your voice: A singing lesson from functional imaging

Vocal singing (singing with lyrics) shares features common to music and language but it is not clear to what extent they use the same brain systems, particularly at the higher cortical level, and how this varies with expertise. Twenty‐six participants of varying singing ability performed two functional imaging tasks. The first examined covert generative language using orthographic lexical retrieval while the second required covert vocal singing of a well‐known song. The neural networks subserving covert vocal singing and language were found to be proximally located, and their extent of cortical overlap varied with singing expertise. Nonexpert singers showed greater engagement of their language network during vocal singing, likely accounting for their less tuneful performance. In contrast, expert singers showed a more unilateral pattern of activation associated with reduced engagement of the right frontal lobe. The findings indicate that singing expertise promotes independence from the language network with decoupling producing more tuneful performance. This means that the age‐old singing practice of ‘finding your singing voice’ may be neurologically mediated by changing how strongly singing is coupled to the language system. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011.

Cooperative and Competitive Structures of Trust Relations in Teams

This article argues that it is not just trust-generating but also trust-inhibiting mechanisms that operate in teams, and that these cooperative and competitive structures of interpersonal relations of trust within teams may affect team performance. Specifically, we propose that the presence of trust-generating structures (e.g., reciprocity, trusting in the referrals of others we trust, trusting in high performers and more experienced people) and the absence of trust-inhibiting structures (e.g., not trusting in the referrals of others we trust) are more likely to be associated with successful teams. Using exponential random graph models, a particular class of statistical model for social networks, we examine three professional sporting teams from the Australian Football League for the presence and absence of these mechanisms of interpersonal relations of trust. Quantitative network results indicate a differential presence of these postulated structures of trust relations in line with our hypotheses. Qualitative comparisons of these quantitative findings with team performance measures suggest a link between trust-generating and trust-inhibiting mechanisms of trust and team performance. Further theorization on other trust-inhibiting structures of trust relations and related empirical work is likely to shed further light on these connections.