Thesis (MCur)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nursing is influenced by the values of each nurse (Mellish & Paton, 1999: 6). Values form an integral part of human reality; they predict thoughts, feelings, actions and perceptions. Nursing in South Africa, is defined as a "caring profession” (Act No. 33 of 2005) and forms a subculture of the South African population, with nurses coming from different cultural and ethnic groups, being of various ages and both genders. It was identified that a need exists to understand nursing values and the factors influencing these values. Consequently, together with the lack of research data regarding values in South Africa and the factors influencing them, the importance to do an investigation into the factors influencing nursing values was identified. The aim was to do an in-depth study into the factors influencing nursing values of nurses working in nursing facilities in the Paarl district employed by the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape, in the West Coast Winelands Region of the Western Cape. The objectives were to determine the main reason for entering the nursing profession for nurses working in these facilities; to identify the most important part of nursing practice; to identify the core nursing values; to determine the factors influencing nursing values and the factors influencing nursing care. A quantitative research design using a descriptive, explorative survey was conducted. The population included the three categories of nurses, with a total population of 470 nurses (N = 470). Research questionnaires were distributed to 388 participants working on the days of data collection in all nursing departments, excluded nurses not permanently employed by the Provincial Administration Western Cape, including nursing agency staff, students doing practica and personnel on leave. The return rate was 60.56% (n = 235). The questionnaire was based on a literature review and the objectives, and a pilot test ensured reliability and validity. The results of the pilot study (n =10) were included in the findings, leading to 245 respondents (n = 245) being included in the main study. The questionnaire consisted of four sections and was validated by an expert in nursing science and research methodology, a biostatistician, a quality assurance manager and ethical committees. Four open-ended questions were included to provide richer and more diverse data. Only the researcher was involved in data collection that took place during day and night duty. Descriptive statistics and appropriate inferential statistical tests were used in analysing the data. Ethical approval was obtained. Anonymity and confidentiality of respondents were observed and written consent was obtained from respondents. It was identified that nurses enter the nursing profession due to altruism and the most important part of nursing encompasses caring. Differences in values important for behaviour of a nurse, patient care and ethical decision making were identified. Findings depicted that age, years of experience, qualification obtained, job description and department influence different values. Results identified that political and social factors, as well as motivation influence nursing practice. Recommendations include setting a clear value structure for nursing in South Africa; attention to the evaluation of staff performance and management; enhancing motivation of staff and the development of a management-for-nurse strategy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verpleging word beïnvloed deur die waardes van elke verpleegster (Mellish & Paton, 1999:6). Waardes vorm ’n integrerende deel van die menslike realiteit, dit voorspel gedagtes, gevoelens, handelinge en gewaarwordinge. Verpleging in Suid-Afrika word gedefinieer as ’n versorgingsberoep (Wet No. 33 van 2005) en vorm ’n subkultuur van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking, met verpleegsters van verskillende kulturele en etniese groepe wat verskeie ouderdomme en albei geslagte insluit. Dit is geïdentifiseer dat ’n behoefte bestaan om verplegingswaardes en die faktore wat hierdie waardes beïnvloed, te verstaan. Gevolglik, gesamentlik met die gebrek aan navorsingsdata aangaande verpleegwaardes en die faktore wat dit beïnvloed, in Suid-Afrika, is die belangrikheid geïdentifiseer om ’n ondersoek te doen aangaande die faktore wat verpleegwaardes beïnvloed. Die doel was om ’n dieptestudie te doen van die faktore wat die verpleegwaardes van verpleegsters beïnvloed wat in verpleeg instansies in die Paarl-distrik werk in diens van die Provinsiale Administrasie van die Wes-Kaap, in die Weskus Wynlandstreek van die Wes-Kaap. Die doelwitte was om die hoofrede te bepaal waarom verpleegsters wat in hierdie fasiliteite werk die verpleegberoep betree het; om die belangrikste aspek van die verpleegpraktyk te identifiseer; die kern verplegingswaardes te identifiseer; en die faktore te bepaal wat verplegingswaardes en verpleegsorg beïnvloed. ’n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is toegepas deur van ’n beskrywende, ondersoekende opname gebruik te maak. Die bevolking het die drie kategorieë van verpleegsters ingesluit, met ’n totale bevolking van 470 verpleegsters (N=470). Navorsingsvraelyste is versprei aan 388 deelnemers wat op die dae van data-insameling gewerk het in die verpleegdepartemente en het verpleegsters uitgesluit wat nie permanent indiens was van die Provinsiale Administrasie van die Wes-Kaap, asook verpleegagentskap personeel, studente wat praktika verrig en personeel op verlof. Die terugkeerkoers was 60.56% (n=235). Die vraelys was gebaseer op ’n literatuurstudie en die doelwitte van die studie, ’n loodsstudie het betroubaarheid en geldigheid verseker. Die resultate van die loodsstudie (n=10) is ingesluit in die bevindinge, wat gelei tot 245 respondente (n=245) in die hoof studie. Die vraelys het bestaan uit vier afdelings en is geldig verklaar deur ’n spesialis op die gebied van verpleegkunde en navorsingsmetodologie, ’n biostatistikus, ’n kwaliteitversekeringsbestuurder en etiese komitees. Vier oop-vrae is ingesluit om omvattende en meer uiteenlopende data te voorsien. Slegs die navorser was betrokke by data-insameling wat gedurende dag en nag skofte plaasgevind het. Beskrywende statistiek en geskikte afleibare statistiese toetse is gebruik in die analisering van die data. Etiese goedkeuring is verkry. Anonimiteit en vertroulikheid van respondente is behou en geskrewe toestemming is verkry van respondente. Bevindinge het getoon dat verpleegsters die verpleegberoep betree weens hul onbaatsugtigheid en dat die belangrikste aspek van verpleging versorging is. Verskille in waardes wat belangrik is vir die gedrag van ’n verpleegster/verpleër, pasiënt versorging en etiese besluitneming is geïdentifiseer. Daar is bevind dat ouderdom, ondervinding in jare, kwalifikasies behaal, posbeskrywing en die departement verskillende waardes beïnvloed. Resultate het bewys dat politieke en sosiale faktore, asook motivering verpleegpraktyk beïnvloed. Aanbevelings sluit die daarstelling van ’n duidelike struktuur van verpleegwaardes in Suid-Afrika; die nodigheid vir aandag aan die evaluering van personeelprestasie en -bestuur; die verheffing van personeelmotivering en die ontwikkeling van ’n bestuur-vir-verpleegster strategie.

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Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-07-05T19:00:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação del Ana Soraya Vilasboas Bomfim.pdf: 26048886 bytes, checksum: aa35e4f9fbd84e0ed5080dd311a3a5cd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-07-06T12:31:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação del Ana Soraya Vilasboas Bomfim.pdf: 26048886 bytes, checksum: aa35e4f9fbd84e0ed5080dd311a3a5cd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-06T12:31:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação del Ana Soraya Vilasboas Bomfim.pdf: 26048886 bytes, checksum: aa35e4f9fbd84e0ed5080dd311a3a5cd (MD5) / O principal objetivo deste estudo é compreender o trabalho de teleatendimento, partindo-se da hipótese de que o capital se apropria da emoção humana para transformá-la em “habilidade emocional”, como meio e instrumento para produzir mais trabalho e mais riqueza, condição essa que tem levado ao adoecimento crescente dos trabalhadores. Por meio de estudo de caso, que articula estratégias quantitativas e qualitativas, procurou-se captar as peculiaridades do “saber fazer”, na ótica de quem faz, a fim de entender a realidade do trabalho nas centrais de teleatividade, utilizando conceitos e características da Sociologia do Trabalho e da saúde do trabalhador. Realizaram-se 33 entrevistas individuais e formou-se um grupo focal. Dos casos estudados, resultou ser tal população predominantemente do sexo feminino, de moradores em bairros de baixa renda, sob uma organização de trabalho de forte exigência temporal, fluxo informacional intenso, em tempo padrão, obedecendo a um roteiro formatado que eles repetem seguidamente, e ainda, que os serviços/produtos são diversos conforme a empresa contratante. Executa-se o trabalho com emoções contidas, administrando-se também as emoções do cliente usuário, a fim de obter mais lucro. Para os teleoperadores do século XXI, as estruturas das centrais de teleatividades representam a sociedade empresarial das Novas Tecnologias, onde o trabalho continua pouco prazeroso e alienante como o da fábrica, além de constituir uma sobrecarga física e mental com elevada prevalência de doenças osteomusculares, do sistema nervoso, do aparelho respiratório, e transtornos mentais e comportamentais. The main goal of this study is to understand teleassistance work, taking on the general hypothesis that capital appropriates human emotion to transform it in ‘emotional ability’, as instrument and means of producing more work and wealth, and this condition has induced to workers’ increasing condition of sickness. The study of case articulates qualitative and quantitative strategies and points to capture ‘the knowledge of doing’ from the actor’s viewpoint, to understand the reality of work in teleactivity centers. Conceptions and characteristics of Work Sociology as well as about worker’s health conditions have been used, thirty three interviews were carried out and a focal group formed. From the studied cases it turned out to be the population predominantly of female sex, living in quarters of low income, there is high demand of time in work organization, intense informational flow in standard time according to a formatted schedule that they continuously repeat, and that services or products are diverse among the contractual companies. They do their work with contained emotions also managing the clients’/ users’ feelings, aiming at more profit. To XXI century teleoperators, the structures of teleactivity centers represent the enterpriser’s society of New Technologies, where their work stays little pleasing and alienating as the one in factory. It also requires physical and mental overweight with high prevalence of osteomuscular sickness, damages of the nervous system, breathing apparatus diseases and mental and behavior problems.

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Tesis por compendio / [ES] Los seres humanos somos por naturaleza seres afectivos, las emociones, el estado de ánimo, nuestra personalidad, o nuestras relaciones con los demás guían nuestras motivaciones y nuestras decisiones. Una de las principales habilidades cognitivas relacionadas con el afecto es la empatía. La empatía es un constructo psicológico cuya definición ha ido evolucionando a lo largo de los años y cuyo significado hace referencia a un amplio abanico de competencias afectivas y cognitivas que son fundamentales en el desarrollo del ser humano como ser social. El uso de la empatía en el ámbito de la inteligencia artificial puede revolucionar la forma en la que interactuamos con las máquinas así como la forma en la que simulamos el comportamiento humano. Por otro lado, hay que tener en cuenta que los seres humanos habitualmente acudimos al uso de distintas palabras como ``triste'' o ``contento'' para expresar o verbalizar el estado afectivo. Sin embargo, estas palabras son simplificaciones que abarcan un amplio espectro de procesos cognitivos y estados mentales. Además, hay que considerar que estas palabras tienen una alta dependencia del idioma y la cultura en la que se utilizan. Por tanto, los modelos de representación computacional de los estados afectivos deben se capaces de adaptarse a distintos entornos culturales y de permitir que un agente exprese o represente, mediante palabras, un determinado estado afectivo. En esta tesis se propone un nuevo modelo de agente empático capaz de adaptar su comportamiento a distintos entornos culturales. Para ello, en primer lugar, se presenta una nueva metodología basada en la experimentación para adaptar un espacio de representación de emociones basado en las dimensiones del placer y la activación para la simulación y el reconocimiento computacional afectivo a diferentes entornos culturales. Los resultados del experimento realizado con hispanohablantes europeos se utilizan para proporcionar un nuevo modelo basado en la lógica difusa para representar estados afectivos en las dimensiones de placer y activación utilizando un enfoque de coordenadas polares. Para demostrar que las diferencias culturales afectan a los valores de placer y activación asociados a cada emoción, el experimento se repitió con participantes portugueses y suecos. En segundo lugar, se presenta un nuevo modelo de elicitación de emociones en agentes afectivos que utiliza lógica difusa. Las emociones generadas en el agente por las reglas de valoración difusa se expresan en el modelo de representación del afecto resultante de los experimentos previamente descritos. Además, se propone un nuevo proceso de regulación del afecto que adapta el estado de ánimo del agente, representado mediante un vector en el espacio placer-activación, cada vez que una emoción es elicitada. En tercer lugar, se propone una formalización de la sintaxis, la semántica y el ciclo de razonamiento de AgentSpeak para permitir el desarrollo de agentes afectivos con capacidades empáticas. Partiendo de las teorías de valoración empática y regulación empática, se modifica la estructura de razonamiento del agente para permitir que la empatía afecte al proceso de toma de decisiones. Finalmente, se presenta un modelo de agente pedagógico empático para la educación sobre buenas prácticas en el uso de las redes sociales. El agente es capaz de reconocer la emoción del usuario cuando interactúa con la red social. En base a la emoción del usuario y su comportamiento en la red social, el agente estima un plan para educar al usuario en el uso correcto y seguro de las redes sociales. / [CA] Els éssers humans som per naturalesa éssers afectius, les emocions, l'estat d'ànim, la nostra personalitat o les nostres relacions amb els altres guien les nostres motivacions i les nostres decisions. Una de les habilitats cognitives principals relacionades amb l'afecte és l'empatia. L'empatia és un constructe psicològic la definició del qual ha anat evolucionant al llarg dels anys i el significat del qual fa referència a un ampli ventall de competències afectives i cognitives que són fonamentals en el desenvolupament de l'ésser humà com a ésser social. L'ús de l'empatia en l'àmbit de la intel·ligència artificial pot revolucionar la forma en la qual interactuem amb les màquines així com la forma en què simulem el comportament humà. D'altra banda, cal tenir en compte que els éssers humans habitualment acudim a l'ús de diferents paraules com ``trist'' o ``content'' per expressar o verbalitzar l'estat afectiu. Tot i això, aquestes paraules són simplificacions que abasten un ampli espectre de processos cognitius i estats mentals. A més, cal considerar que aquestes paraules tenen una alta dependència de l'idioma i la cultura en què s'utilitzen. Per tant, els models de representació computacional dels estats afectius han de ser capaços d'adaptar-se a diferents entorns culturals i de permetre que un agent expresse o represente, mitjançant paraules, un estat afectiu determinat. En aquesta tesi es proposa un nou model d'agent empàtic capaç d'adaptar el seu comportament a diferents entorns culturals. Per això, en primer lloc, es presenta una metodologia nova basada en l'experimentació per adaptar un espai de representació d'emocions basat en les dimensions del plaer i l'activació per a la simulació i el reconeixement computacional afectiu a diferents entorns culturals. Els resultats de l'experiment realitzat amb hispanoparlants europeus es fan servir per proporcionar un nou model basat en la lògica difusa per representar estats afectius en les dimensions de plaer i activació mitjançant un enfocament de coordenades polars. Per demostrar que les diferències culturals afecten els valors de plaer i activació associats a cada emoció, l'experiment es va repetir amb participants portuguesos i suecs. En segon lloc, es presenta un nou model d'elicitació d'emocions en agents afectius que fa servir lògica difusa. Les emocions generades a l'agent per les regles de valoració difusa s'expressen en el model de representació de l'afecte resultant dels experiments descrits prèviament. A més, es proposa un nou procés de regulació de l'afecte que adapta l'estat d'ànim de l'agent, representat mitjançant un vector a l'espai plaer-activació, cada cop que una emoció és elicitada. En tercer lloc, es proposa una formalització de la sintaxi, semàntica i cicle de raonament d'AgentSpeak per permetre el desenvolupament d'agents afectius amb capacitats empàtiques. Partint de les teories de valoració empàtica i regulació empàtica, es modifica l'estructura de raonament de l'agent per permetre que l'empatia afecti el procés de presa de decisions. Finalment, es presenta un model d'agent pedagògic empàtic per a l'educació sobre bones pràctiques en l'ús de les xarxes socials. L'agent és capaç de reconèixer l'emoció de l'usuari quan interactua amb la xarxa social. En base a l'emoció de l'usuari i el seu comportament a la xarxa social, l'agent estima un pla per educar l'usuari en l'ús correcte i segur de les xarxes socials. / [EN] Human beings are, by nature, affective beings; our emotions, moods, personality, or relationships with others guide our motivations and our decisions. One of the main cognitive abilities related to affect is empathy. Empathy is a psychological construct whose definition has evolved over the years and whose meaning refers to a wide range of affective and cognitive competencies that are fundamental in the development of human beings as social beings. The use of empathy in the field of artificial intelligence can revolutionize the way we interact with machines as well as the way we simulate human behavior. On the other hand, it must be considered that human beings usually resort to the use of different words such as ``sad'' or ``happy'' to express or verbalize our affective state. However, these words are simplifications that cover a wide spectrum of cognitive processes and mental states. Moreover, it should be considered that these words have a high dependence on the language and culture in which they are used. Therefore, computational representation models of affective states must adaptable to different cultural environments and to allow an agent to express or represent, by means of words, a given affective state. In this thesis, a new model of empathic agent capable of adapting its behavior to different cultural environments is proposed. To this end, first, a new experiment-based methodology to adapt an emotion representation space based on the dimensions of pleasure and arousal for simulation and affective computational recognition to different cultural environments is presented. The results of an experiment conducted with European Spanish speakers are used to provide a new fuzzy logic-based model for representing affective states in the dimensions of pleasure and arousal using a polar coordinate approach. To prove that cultural differences affect the pleasure and arousal values associated with each emotion, the experiment was replicated with Portuguese and Swedish participants. Secondly, a new model of emotion elicitation in affective agents using fuzzy logic is presented. The emotions generated in the agent by the fuzzy appraisal rules are expressed in the model of affect representation resulting from the previously described experiments. In addition, a new affect regulation process is proposed to adapt the agent's mood, represented by a vector in the pleasure-arousal space, when an emotion is elicited. Third, a formalization of the syntax, semantics and reasoning cycle of AgentSpeak to enable the development of affective agents with empathic capabilities is presented. Drawing on the theories of empathic appraisal and empathic regulation, the agent's reasoning structure is modified to allow empathy to affect the decision-making process. Finally, a model of an empathic pedagogical agent for education on good practices in the use of social networks is introduced. The agent is able to recognize the user's emotion when interacting with the social network. Based on the user's emotion and behavior in the social network, the agent estimates a plan to educate the user in the correct and secure use of social networks. / This thesis has been partially supported by the Generalitat Valenciana and European Social Fund by the FPI grant ACIF/2017/085 and by the Spanish Government project PID2020- 113416RB-I00. / Taverner Aparicio, JJ. (2022). A BDI Empathic Agent Model Based on a Multidimensional Cross-Cultural Emotion Representation [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/181181 / TESIS / Compendio