Vítor Sérgio Ferreira

Becoming a Heavily Tattooed Young Body From a Bodily Experience to a Body Project

Why some young people start to tattoo their bodies? And why some of them keep going on with this practice, until having all body tattooed? What doing so means to them? These are some of the questions that underlie a qualitative research project carried out in Portugal on heavily tattooed young people. In this article, the author discusses their embodied trajectory from the first experiences to their involvement in a body project, and explains the meanings involved in this extreme corporeality. The analysis takes into consideration the structural dynamics that define how young people live their transitions and their identity construction nowadays to contextualize what appears as individual experiences and projects without reifying the individual as a privileged site of knowledge. Based on in-deph comprehensive interviews, the author demonstrates that the engagement of young people in this permanent body modification project represents an embodied struggle for the maintenance of a desired subjectivity. In an increasingly liquid and uncertain society, some young people ink larges extensions of their bodies searching for social recognition as different, authentic, and autonomous individuals and trying to maintain their core identity during transitional turning points.

Artes e manhas da entrevista compreensiva

O lugar que as entrevistas vieram a ocupar dentro da pesquisa social e muito mais relevante e equacionado de forma substancialmente diferente do passado. Ao sucesso das tecnicas de entrevista ditas “semidirectivas” ou “semiestruturadas” proprias aos paradigmas estrutural-funcionalistas, tem-se seguido o uso de formas mais criativas de entrevistar. Entre estas, da-se destaque neste artigo a entrevista compreensiva, uma tecnica qualitativa de recolha de dados que articula formas tradicionais de entrevista semidiretiva com tecnicas de entrevista de natureza mais etnografica. Isto na medida em que a entrevista compreensiva e o culminar tecnico e epistemologico do processo de criativizacao a que o uso das tecnicas de entrevista tem sido recentemente sujeito na pesquisa social. Ja nao e necessariamente concebida como uma tecnica neutra, estandardizada e impessoal de recolha de informacao, mas como resultado de uma composicao (social e discursiva) a duas vozes, em dialogo reciproco a partir das posicoes que ambos os interlocutores ocupam na situacao especifica de entrevista (de interrogador e de respondente). A aplicacao da entrevista de tipo compreensivo pressupoe a obtencao de um discurso mais narrativo que informativo, resultado da intersubjectividade que se desenrola entre entrevistado e entrevistador. Tal exercicio pressupoe da parte do entrevistador uma postura criativa e de improvisacao na conducao da entrevista, que requer artes e manhas especificas. Refletir sobre as condicoes de interacao da entrevista enquanto situacao excecional de comunicacao, e os respetivos efeitos na producao de conhecimento e na epistemologia da pesquisa social, e o objetivo central deste artigo.

Youth scenes, body marks and bio-sociabilities

Recent research has shown that in contemporary societies, tattoos and body piercing are no longer seen as compulsory signs of collective belonging, but rather as voluntary auto-bio-graphical resources for personal identities constructed around values of individuality, difference and authenticity. More than a trend of narcissist individualism, these new symbolic investments in body marks show how new patterns of sociability among young people are constructed in a more fluid and fragmented way, in which somatic affinities take place amidst other kinds of elective affinities. This contention is underpinned by insights from post-subcultural approaches, and also by the concept of bio-sociabilities proposed by Francisco Ortega (2004). Methodologically, the present study is based on qualitative data from intensive and ethnographic fieldwork on body modification scenes in Lisbon. Indepth interviews with both working professionals and consumers of tattoos and body piercing were conducted.

Aesthetics of Youth Scenes From Arts of Resistance to Arts of Existence

The aesthetic expressions produced and reproduced within post-war spectacular youth (sub)cultures used to be seen as a display of resistance to and subversion of ‘social order’, perceived as opressive of youth life experiences and chances. Under the traditional subculturalist paradigm, both artefacts or performances were subsumed to the class status of their young practicioners and seen as ideological expression of their dominated and disadvantadged social position. Nowadays, however, the stylistic resources used in youth scenes has taken on new meanings for which the concept of resistance is not enough and/or adequate to explain. Therefore, departing from a post-subcultural approach, this essay intends to highlight the social changes recently occurred in the political culture of spectacular youth scenes and, consequently, to contribute to overcome resistance as nuclear concept on the debate, relocating it towards the concept of existence. Following this idea, and to close this essay, I suggest the concept of arts of existence as analytical point of view on the new expressiveness of the aesthetics of contemporary youth scenes. Inspired in Foucault, that concept allows to go further in the understanding of youth scenes aesthetics as arts of a good living (in the consumption sphere), and arts of making a living (in the production sphere).

Examining the validity of the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire (AEQ) in a Portuguese sport setting

La literatura en psicologia del deporte sugiere que la comprension de los niveles de compromiso en la actividad deportiva es importante para la promocion de entornos deportivos positivos entre los atletas. El objetivo del estudio consiste en verificar las propiedades psicometricas del Athlete Engagement Questionnaire entre los atletas portugueses. Trabajamos dos muestras distintas de los atletas portugueses con niveles competitivos diferentes, los resultados del analisis factorial confirmatorio han demostrado un buen ajuste del modelo a los datos. El analisis de las propiedades psicometricas ha indicado que todos los factores tienen una buena consistencia interna, asi como buena validez convergente y validez discriminante. Ademas, el analisis multi-grupos muestra que el modelo es estable en dos muestras independientes, proporcionando evidencia de la validez cruzada. Las implicaciones de estos resultados para los academicos y entrenadores fueron discutidas, siendo igualmente planteadas propuestas para estudios futuros.

Tatuagem, body piercing e a experiência da dor: emoção, ritualização e medicalização

Configurando uma experiencia fisica que desafia tabus fisicos e sociais, a marcacao do corpo atraves da tatuagem e body piercing tem sido bastante explorada no espaco publico mediatizado em funcao das questoes da dor voluntaria e dos riscos de saude individual e publica implicados. Ao pânico moral que ja envolvia estas praticas, associadas a comportamentos tidos como socialmente desviantes, psico-patologicos ou criminosos, junta-se-lhes outra especie de pânico social, o «pânico higienista», associado ao receio de contrair doencas infecto-contagiosas, ou de reagir aos materiais ou tintas encarnados. No sentido de ir alem destes discursos, este artigo pretende analisar: por um lado, como os consumidores actuais de tatuagem e body piercing lidam com a dor que lhe esta associada, que emocoes enquadram essa sensacao e que estrategias convocam no seu controlo; por outro lado, como e que os produtores de tatuagem e body piercing, perante novas e mais alargadas clientelas, lidam com exigencia de disciplinas sanitarias na sua pratica profissional. Em termos metodologicos, a informacao empirica apresentada no artigo foi obtida em situacao de entrevista em profundidade, de natureza biografica, semi-estruturada na sua preparacao e semi-diretiva na sua aplicacao, a portadores de corpos multitatuados e multiperfurados, profissionais ou apenas consumidores de tatuagem e body piercing. Quinze entrevistados com diferentes perfis sociais foram recrutados em estudios de tatuagem e body piercing de Lisboa e arredores, depois de intenso trabalho etnografico nesses mesmos espacos.

Personal and Social Responsibility Among Athletes: The Role of Self-Determination, Achievement Goals and Engagement

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between motivation, engagement and personal and social responsibility among athletes. Based on the literature, a survey was conducted including measures of motivation, considering task orientation and ego orientation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and amotivation. We also measured the components of engagement (dedication, confidence, vigor and enthusiasm) and the components of personal and social responsibility. A total of 517 athletes from different types of sports participated in the study. The results gathered through a structural equation model revealed that task orientation had the strongest relationship with personal responsibility and social responsibility, followed by engagement. Self-determination levels were not associated with personal and social responsibility. These results suggest that monitoring of task orientation and engagement levels should be performed by coaches as a strategy to develop personal and social responsibility among their athletes. Moreover, findings from this study provide scholars with a tool to aid them in managing athletes’ levels of personal and social responsibility.

Ser DJ não é só Soltar o Play: a pedagogização de uma nova profissão de sonho

Neste artigo, argumenta-se que a atividade de DJ’ing tem passado por um crescente processo de pedagogizacao, patente na institucionalizacao de saberes experienciais tradicionalmente produzidos e reproduzidos no contexto informal de culturas juvenis, sob a forma de cultura escolar. A principal hipotese deste artigo e a de que esse processo se encontra relacionado com a crescente revalorizacao simbolica da pratica de DJ’ing como atividade profissional, atualmente uma profissao de sonho para cada vez mais jovens. Por outro lado, decorre ainda da progressiva acumulacao e sistematizacao de conhecimentos no campo da producao de musica eletronica, bem como da crescente sofisticacao e complexificacao dos equipamentos tecnologicos manipulados pelo DJ na sua pratica.

Análise da validade do Questionário de Responsabilidade Pessoal e Social (QRPS) no desporto

El modelo de responsabilidad personal-social (PSR) es un enfoque bien establecido para el desarrollo de comportamientos sociales positivos. Sin embargo, la comunidad de investigacion ha diagnosticado la necesidad de reunir mayor evidencia empirica sobre la consistencia de la herramienta de evaluacion para medir los niveles de responsabilidad personal e social. Por lo tanto, este estudio se oriento a probar la validez y fiabilidad de un modelo de dos factores del Cuestionario de Responsabilidad Personal y Social (CRPS) entre los atletas. Se aplico el cuestionario a 517 deportistas, distribuidos en dos muestras representativas de diferentes niveles competitivos, deportes y regiones. Se utilizaron analisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios para examinar la estructura factorial del QRPS. La escala mostro buenas propiedades psicometricas y la estructura factorial se mantuvo estable en dos muestras distintas, comprobando la validez transcultural. Se discuten las implicaciones y las lineas de investigacion de estos resultados.The teaching personal-social responsibility (TPSR) model is a well-established approach for developing positive social behaviors. However, todays research community has diagnosed the need to gather greater empirical evidence regarding the consistency of the evaluation tool in measuring personal-social responsibility levels. Thus, this study was geared towards testing the validity and reliability of a two factor model of the Personal and Social Responsibility Questionnaire (PSRQ) among athletes. A questionnaire was administered to 517 athletes, distributed into two representative samples of different competitive levels, sports and regions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the PSRQs factor structure. The scale showed good psychometric properties and the factor structure was stable in the two samples, providing evidence of cross validity. Implications and research directions of these results are discussed.

Análisis de la validad del Cuestionario de Responsabilidad Personal e Social (CRPS)

El modelo de responsabilidad personal-social (PSR) es un enfoque bien establecido para el desarrollo de comportamientos sociales positivos. Sin embargo, la comunidad de investigacion ha diagnosticado la necesidad de reunir mayor evidencia empirica sobre la consistencia de la herramienta de evaluacion para medir los niveles de responsabilidad personal e social. Por lo tanto, este estudio se oriento a probar la validez y fiabilidad de un modelo de dos factores del Cuestionario de Responsabilidad Personal y Social (CRPS) entre los atletas. Se aplico el cuestionario a 517 deportistas, distribuidos en dos muestras representativas de diferentes niveles competitivos, deportes y regiones. Se utilizaron analisis factoriales exploratorios y confirmatorios para examinar la estructura factorial del QRPS. La escala mostro buenas propiedades psicometricas y la estructura factorial se mantuvo estable en dos muestras distintas, comprobando la validez transcultural. Se discuten las implicaciones y las lineas de investigacion de estos resultados.The teaching personal-social responsibility (TPSR) model is a well-established approach for developing positive social behaviors. However, todays research community has diagnosed the need to gather greater empirical evidence regarding the consistency of the evaluation tool in measuring personal-social responsibility levels. Thus, this study was geared towards testing the validity and reliability of a two factor model of the Personal and Social Responsibility Questionnaire (PSRQ) among athletes. A questionnaire was administered to 517 athletes, distributed into two representative samples of different competitive levels, sports and regions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the PSRQs factor structure. The scale showed good psychometric properties and the factor structure was stable in the two samples, providing evidence of cross validity. Implications and research directions of these results are discussed.