The recent advances in digital communication technologies have altered the way in which people socialize on a day-to-day basis. A question that has arisen in relation to this is what being somewhere together actually means at a time when our interactions are no longer confined to shared physical places. The phenomenon of being somewhere together (also: togetherness) has previously been studied within the fields of social presence theory (which focuses on digitally mediated ‘togetherness’ and primarily departs from a psychological perspective) and microsociology (which takes an arguably more interactional approach to the idea of being together but primarily focuses on face-to-face interaction). Therefore, what is missing is a conceptualization of togetherness that can account both for togetherness in contexts other than those mediated face- to-face and for the ways in which togetherness is potentially ‘created’ in social interaction. The purpose of this thesis is to address this shortcoming by examining the underlying problem of being together and the conceptualizations of being together in the two aforementioned discourses. For the theoretical analyses, the example of online chat conversation is used as the primary focus of study. The thesis comprises three main parts. In the first part, the question of why being together has become difficult to conceptualize since the introduction of electronic and digital communication technologies is explored. The second part of the thesis is a review of what being together stands for in social presence theory and microsociology, respectively. In the third part, the two reviewed understandings of being together are examined. Here, it is observed that social presence theory portrays being together as something that occurs in informational environments, while microsociology portrays it instead as something pertaining to framed (or specified) social situations. Thereafter follows a critical examination of being together in informational situations and being together in framed social situations in which the notions are analysed in relation to online chat. It is concluded that the second view of being together (as a framed activity) is more promising for the future study of togetherness in online chat environments, and potentially also for togetherness in digitally mediated environments more generally.

The increased mobility of people, as they relocate for job or work opportunities, cause some families to be separated for a substantial amount of time. Since this prevents the dinner table from being the natural gathering point for families, other ways of sustaining the relationships must be considered. This thesis finds that the feeling of togetherness is an important quality of eating together, and explores how this can be transferred to a physically distant family member. By exploring ongoing connectedness and symbols of presence, a concept is proposed to aid families in long distance relationships, to feel togetherness.

No existing measure to date captures mother-infant togetherness. A valid measure of togetherness is essential to engage in evidence-based practice, evaluate obstetric delivery models and nursing interventions, and measure the level of togetherness which promotes optimal maternal-infant outcomes. When together and in close proximity, a women and her infant have access to one another to allow for mutual caregiving or caregiving on cue. A new measure entitled the Mother-Infant Togetherness Scale (MITS) was developed based on a review of the literature and conceptual framework of Mother-Newborn Mutual Caregiving. The MITS is a 35- item instrument composed of four subscales that measures the timing, duration, and intensity of togetherness of the mother-infant dyad during entire hospitalization. The purpose of this multiphase study was to obtain support for the validity of the MITS. Phase 1 determined the content validity at the scale (S-CVI), subscale, and item level (ICVI) with a panel of expert judges. The final sample for the content validation consisted of 7 judges from medicine (n = 2), maternal-child nursing (n = 1), nursing research (n = 3), and social work (n = 1). Judges were instructed to use a 4-point Likert scale to rate the relevance of each item (I-CVI) to the construct of togetherness. The S-CVI was calculated from the mean I-CVI scores. The CVI-S of .88 was just slightly below the desired CVI-S ( > .90). Of the four subscales, all had adequate CVI ( > .90) at the subscale level except the delivery affective subscale (CVI = .74) and postpartum affective subscale (CVI = .89). The delivery events and postpartum events subscales had satisfactory CVI scores (CVI > .90), 1.00 and .94, respectively. The CVI-I results identified a total of seven items on the affective subscales that did not meet the desired I-CVI ( > .78). iv Phase 2 pre-tested the readability and understandability of the MITS among eight postpartum women. During the interviews, the women were asked to complete the MITS and provide opinions about the readability and understandability of the directions and items. The audiotapes were transcribed word for word, reviewed for thematic content, and revisions made to the study instrument accordingly. This same sample of postpartum women participated in the content validation of the delivery affective subscale (items #4a-j) and postpartum affective subscale (items #17a-j). The I-CVI results identified that a total of six items on the affective subscales had a CVI-I of .75, just slightly below the desired I-CVI ( > .78). Scale items were deleted or revised and the instrument retested until the desirable CVI at the scale and subscale level was achieved. Phase 3 used a descriptive study design to examine women's ability to accurately selfreport birth events on the MITS delivery events subscale at 4 weeks postpartum, as compared to observer-collected data obtained at delivery to determine the most valid mode of administration. A purposive sample consisted of 45 women having delivered at a community hospital in southwest Florida. The research team completed the MITS delivery events subscale immediately after delivery. Women were sent the MITS for completion 4 weeks after delivery. McNemar Chi-Squares were (χ) were calculated from the self-reported MITS delivery events subscale scores and the observer-collected MITS delivery events subscale scores. No significant difference (p < .05) was found supporting self-reported mode of administration for the MITS. Phase 4 is in-progress and evaluates the reliability and validity of the MITS subscale and total scale scores. The interim analysis was performed on a sample of 113 postpartum participants (composed of the final sample of 31 participants from Phase 3 and the first 82 participants from Phase 4) having delivered at three of the four participating hospital study sites. Adequate internal consistency reliability was found at the scale level with Cronbach’s alpha ( = .89) and split-half reliability results ( = .79 – 81, r = .83 - .88). Of the 35 MITS items, 10 items (28.6%) were found to have item-total correlations less than .30, arguing against treating MITS items as a single total scale measure. Good internal consistency was found at the delivery events subscale level (α = .78). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified a twofactor solution. The two factors were named Taking In and Taking Control and had internal consistency reliability.79 and .65, respectively. Additional work needs to be done to improve the internal consistency of the Taking Control factor. The postpartum events subscale also had low internal consistency ( = .58). This subscale was not factor analyzed because the item response data did not meet the criteria for factor analysis. The items on the postpartum events subscale were assessed to be unique, singular, heterogeneous items that did not correlate well with other items. These results are conceptually logical given the nature of what the items are measuring (occurrence/intensity of specific events in time). The delivery affective subscale had good internal consistency reliability ( = .85) and a two factor solution. The two factors, named Feelings At Delivery and Delivery Concerns, had adequate internal constancy ( = .81 and  = .80, respectively). The postpartum affective subscale had good internal consistency reliability ( = .92) and a one factor solution. Results for known groups testing based on feeding type and mode of delivery found all group differences were in the predicted direction. Higher scores were found for mother-infant dyads who breastfed than for mother-infant dyads who bottle fed. However, only group differences for the events subscales were substantive and statistically significant (p < 001.). Higher scores were found for mother-infant dyads who experiencing a vaginal delivery than for mother-infant dyads who experienced a cesarean delivery. Group differences were substantive and statistically significant (p < .01) for three of the four subscale scores. A post hoc power analysis on the means and standard deviations from the interim analysis and the between-groups comparison effect size observed for feeding type (d = .50) found a sample of 45 adequate to have statistical power at the recommended beta of .80 and alpha of .05. The post hoc power analysis on the effect size for mode of delivery (d = .75), found a sample of 156 are needed to obtain statistical power at the recommended beta of .80 and alpha of .05. Therefore, the desired sample size of 200 women for the final analysis is adequate to obtain statistical power. A third known group testing for the variable of central nursery availability could not be performed with the interim analysis data because no participants in the interim analysis sample reported this experience. However, this analysis will be performed with the final data set. This is the first study to operationalize togetherness during the entire hospitalization and to include all dimensions of the construct. The findings from this multi-phase study provide initial support for the reliability and validity of the MITS. Although the results from Phase 4 are interim and therefore tentative, they provide preliminary psychometric evidence for construct validity.

This study investigates variation in preferences for mutual emotional dependence and togetherness in heterosexual romantic relationships among adults in the United States specifically considering the impact of race, gender, gender ideology, and cohort on preferences. A social structure and personality framework and concepts from exchange theory are used to interpret and predict relationship preference patterns found using binary hierarchical logistic regression analysis of data from the 1996 General Social Survey's (GSS) gender and emotions modules. Gender, gender ideology, cohort, and specific sociodemographic variables, such as education and marital status were found to impact preferences for mutual emotional dependence, however, no racially distinct patterns were found. The variables in the models explain less of the differences in preferences for togetherness than emotional dependence. However, education had a curvilinear relationship with preferences for togetherness, as people with the lowest and the highest educations were least likely to prefer togetherness. / Master of Science

Ländernas gränser blir allt mer genomskinliga. Människor rör på sig och bosätter sig i nya främmande länder. De människor som tar sig till Sverige behöver tas om hand. Kanske kan idrott vara en hjälp i detta fall. Att undersöka om idrotten kan vara en betydande faktor vid en människas integration i samhället, är syftet på den här undersökningen. Med hjälp av en enkätundersökning har 71 personer, med invandrarbakgrund och ett medlemskap i en idrottsförening, fått svara på frågor med koppling till integration och idrott. Personerna ifråga har delats in i tre olika grupper beroende på egen upplevd idrottslig nivå. Överlag var resultaten positiva ur ett integrationsperspektiv. Vissa delar av enkäten hade bättre resultat än andra, men ingen del i enkäten fick ett negativt resultat. Undersökningen bestod visserligen bara av 71 personer och är därför en relativt liten undersökning. Med mer tid och mer resurser tror jag det kan finnas betydligt mer att hämta ut av en liknande undersökning med större utsträckning. Vem vet, kanske kan idrotten vara något mer än bara sport.

Sammanfattning Bakgrund: Diabetes typ-1 är en autoimmun sjukdom och en av de vanligaste kroniska sjukdomarna i Sverige. Diabetes typ-1 kan utvecklas i alla åldrar men bryter vanligen ut under barn- och ungdomsåren. Att leva med sjukdomen innebär även att individen ansvarar för sin egenvård. Syftet: Syftet med studien var att beskriva unga vuxnas upplevelser av att leva med diabetes typ-1 utifrån Orem’s egenvårdsteori. Metod: Denna studie är en kvalitativ studie med en deduktiv ansats. Studien är baserad på tre bloggar. I denna studie användes Orem’s egenvårdsteori. Resultat: Gemenskapen med familj och andra diabetiker upplevs vara ett stort stöd och kan fungera som en hjälp i egenvården. Egenvården kan vara svår att lyckas med och ibland upplevs planering och struktur vara förgäves. Det upplevs som viktigt att inte låta sjukdomen begränsa det sociala livet. Det finns en stor okunskap i samhället om diabetes typ-1 vilket leder till otrygghet och brist på förtroende. Individerna med diabetes typ-1 upplever ensamhet trots en omgivning av stöttande personer. Slutsats: En förståelse för upplevelsen av att leva med diabetes typ-1 är viktig för sjuksköterskan. Förståelsen kan minska konflikter mellan sjuksköterskan och patienten samt förbättra förutsättningarna för en god egenvård. / Summary Background: Diabetes type-1 is an autoimmune disease and one of the most common chronic diseases in Sweden. Diabetes type-1 can be developed at any age, but usually appears during childhood and adolescence. Living with the disease implicates being responsible for their self-care. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the young adult’s experiences of living with diabetes type-1, based on Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory. Method: This study is a qualitative study with deductive approach. The study is based on three blogs. Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory was used in this study. Results: The relationship with family and other diabetics are perceived to be a great support and can serve as an aid in self-care. Self-care can be difficult to achieve and sometimes they can experience that planning and structure be in vain. According to the individuals, it is important not to let the disease limit the social life. There is a major ignorance of diabetes type-1 in the society which leads to insecurity and lack of trust. Despite an environment of supportive people, individuals with diabetes type-1 can experience loneliness. Conclusion: An insight of young adult’s experiences of living with diabetes type-1 is important for the nurse because of the ability to reduce conflicts between nurse and patient and thereby improve conditions for a successful self-care.

Problem: Antalet bemanningsföretag har ökat genom åren. De passar in på dagens önskan om mer effektivisering och en snabbare anpassning till marknadens efterfrågan. Men hur påverkas egentligen företagskulturen och känner korttidsanställda gemenskap och samhörighet med de fastanställda? Syfte: Syftet med vår studie är att öka förståelsen kring korttidsanställdas arbetssituation, hur de ser på frågan om samhörighet på arbetsplatsen och om de är en del av företagskulturen. Metod: Studien utgår från en kvalitativ metod med telefonintervjuer med tio respondenter från ett bemanningsföretag. Slutsatser: Sammanfattningsvis hamnar många korttidsanställda utanför företagskulturen och känner ingen samhörigheten med de fastanställda inom företaget

A gestão de pessoas é um conceito a ser aprendido nas organizações. A nova aprendizagem indica um caminho a ser trilhado pela administração de recursos humanos e por gestores para construção de uma visão ampliada de competência aplicada ao desenvolvimento do potencial do Ser Humano, envolvendo as suas capacidades de pensar, sentir e agir; a introdução dos conceitos de convivencialidade; a comunicação autêntica; a inteligência social, e o alinhamento entre conhecimento e sabedoria. O modelo proposto para gestão COM pessoas refere-se a uma visão inovadora da comunicação como competência de apoio para o grande desafio de administração de recursos humanos gerar resultados humanos. Para alcançar resultados humanos é preciso ir além dos resultados econômicos almejados pelas organizações e pode ocorrer a partir de uma readequação da idéias e conceitos sobre o trabalho compreendido além de um meio para sobrevivência, mas como uma oportunidade de transformação de seres humanos, que podem aprender sobre conduta humana a partir dos cinco A s Abertura, Autenticidade, Anseio pela Inteireza, Atitude e Autoridade Interna. / The management of people is a concept to be learnt at organizations. The new learning indicates a path to be followed by human resources administration and by managers for the construction of a broad view of competence applied to the development of the human being potential, involving the abilities of thinking, feeling and acting; an introduction of living-togetherness concept; the authentic communication; the social intelligence, and the lining of knowledge and wisdom. The proposed model for management with people refers to an innovative vision of communication as a support competence for the big challenge of human resources administration provide human results. In order to achieve human results it is needed to go beyond the economic results aimed by organizations and it may happen upon a reorganization of ideas and concepts about work understood beyond a means of survival, but as a transformation opportunity of human beings, who can learn about human behavior from these five topics Willingness, Authenticity, Desire for the Whole, Attitude and Internal Authority.

A continuing debate within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research is how to elucidate, improve, and optimize the relationship between social context and technology use. Social context is conventionally understood as immediate use context while an understanding informed by social science suggests a wider scope, involving actors and structures. The focus of this thesis is the use of a communication environment using audio and video, established to span and connect three geographically distant call-centre workplaces in the Stockholm archipelago, Sweden. The research was carried out as intermittent fieldwork, spanning unevenly over a period of three years. The fieldwork was carried out at two sites: the premises of the Swedish Police Contact Centre in the archipelago and within the research project Community at a Distance. Methods included participant observation, interviews, and the analysis of documents, everyday talk, and images. This thesis offers a broad analysis of the socio-cultural context of technology use investigating the question how a sense of togetherness is promoted and negotiated at the Swedish Police Contact Centre and around and across the communication environment. The technology served as a means of overcoming the distance between the sites and making everyday encounters between the dispersed staff members possible. The sense of togetherness—fellowship and belonging, caring for each other, fostering a sense of solidarity, and achieving consensus in everyday practices—had an impact on the uses (and non-uses) of the technology. The use of the communication environment reflects the values and arrangements of the workplace and reproduces its conventions. The discussion is explorative, outlining an analytical approach to the socio-cultural context of technology use informed by interpretive social science, and provides a partial analysis of the organizational culture of the Contact Centre and its technology use. The argument is that analysis should aim at exploring the relationship between individual actors and social structures. Rewriting context allows us to understand the socio-cultural embeddedness of technology. While the analytic framework is not comprehensive for the purpose of detailed design implications in HCI research, it does provide a reconsidered terminology that links individual practices to socio-cultural context. / QC 20100629

The aim of this paper is to investigate how teachers in Swedish schools abroad reason about their work developing the Swedish language as the students live in a non-Swedish speaking country although going to a Swedish school. Furthermore the study intends to examine the teachers' attitudes towards the impact the Swedish language has upon the school. Research questions: What thoughts do the teachers signify in reference to the language development of the students? How do the teachers reason about the role of the Swedish language in the school? In order to answer these questions, qualitative measures has been used in terms of observations and interviews. The study is based upon a social constructivist perspective with the idea that reality is socially constructed. I am inspired by Vygotskijs theories regarding children's language development which presents a socio-cultural perspective.  The result shows that the Swedish language has a great influence in school and that the teachers' attitudes towards the Swedish language is of major importance in order to encourage the students' language development. Teachers and the principal highlight the emphasis of working with the Swedish language since the students live in a non-Swedish speaking country and therefore mainly come in contact with it in the school or at home. The teachers' work actively to develop the students language skills through reading Swedish literature, producing own texts and consistently speaking Swedish.