This dissertation is a philosophical contribution to the theories on trust and on risk communication. The importance of trust in risk communication has been argued for and empirically studied since the 80s. However, there is little agreement on the notion of trust and the precise function of trust. This thesis sets out to study both aspects from a philosophical point of view. The dissertation consists of five essays and an introduction. Essay I is a comment on risk perception theory and the psychometric model in particular. The essay argues that sometimes individuals take risks simply because they are in a vulnerable position and have no other choice. Four factors are identified as crucial in risks from vulnerability: poor outset conditions, lack of reasonable options, hope and liability to disinformation. Essay II addresses the democratic approach to risk communication and the ideal of risk communication as a dialogue between more or less equal stakeholders. The essay develops a typology of different risk communication practices and influence distributions and concludes that the form of risk communication most commonly referred to in the literature is of the most imbalanced kind where all three types of influence falls to the same party. Essay III argues that trust can be understood as comfortable defocusing. Trust as comfortable defocusing means that when a person trusts, he or she is comfortable with letting certain things be in the hands or in the control of the trusted other. Departing from this idea a definition of trust is proposed consisting of three elements: (i) the truster’s comfortable defocusing from the trusted person’s part of caring for X, based on a (ii) belief about the trusted person’s care for X, concerning (iii) something of concern to the truster. Essay IV explores the concept of trustworthiness and under which conditions trust can be betrayed in a morally justified way. It is argued that two aspects are essential for every reasonable notion of trustworthiness: reliability in terms of commitment to trust and predictability in terms of compliance with norms. In order to be untrustworthy in a morally justified way two major conditions need to be fulfilled: first, what is expected from the trustee needs to be either immoral or part of an ongoing immoral or unjust relationship between truster and trustee and, secondly, the trustee must not be in a position to explicitly reject trust. Essay V examines two of the most employed distinctions within the trust literature, that of trust/confidence and of trust/reliance. These distinctions are evaluated against a set of five criteria. It is argued that both these distinctions are employed to cover several distinguishing properties, thus adding to conceptual confusion. / QC 20100712

Assistive mobile robots, such as intelligent wheelchairs, that can navigate autonomously in response to high level commands from a user can greatly benefit people with cognitive and physical disabilities by increasing their mobility. In this work, we address the problem of safe, comfortable, and customizable motion planning of such assistive mobile robots. We recognize that for an assistive robot to be acceptable to human users, its motion should be safe and comfortable. Further, different users should be able to customize the motion according to their comfort. We formalize the notion of motion comfort as a discomfort measure that can be minimized to compute comfortable trajectories, and identify several properties that a trajectory must have for the motion to be comfortable. We develop a motion planning framework for planning safe, comfortable, and customizable trajectories in small-scale space. This framework removes the limitations of existing methods for planning motion of a wheeled mobile robot moving on a plane, none of which can compute trajectories with all the properties necessary for comfort. We formulate a discomfort cost functional as a weighted sum of total travel time, time integral of squared tangential jerk, and time integral of squared normal jerk. We then define the problem of safe and comfortable motion planning as that of minimizing this discomfort such that the trajectories satisfy boundary conditions on configuration and its higher derivatives, avoid obstacles, and satisfy constraints on curvature, speed, and acceleration. This description is transformed into a precise mathematical problem statement using a general nonlinear constrained optimization approach. The main idea is to formulate a well-posed infinite-dimensional optimization problem and use a conforming finite-element discretization to transform it into a finite-dimensional problem for a numerical solution. We also outline a method by which a user may customize the motion and present some guidelines for conducting human user studies to validate or refine the discomfort measure presented in this work. Results show that our framework is capable of reliably planning trajectories that have all the properties necessary for comfort. We believe that our work is an important first step in developing autonomous assistive robots that are acceptable to human users. / text

The purpose of my research was to develop and strengthen my personality in music as a vocalist, so I would be able to freely let it out during any musical encounter. My base for the research was a duet with guitarist Mikael Máni Ásmundsson, but it was during a rehearsal with him that I realised for the first time I even had a musical personality – that I liked. Before, I had often felt uncomfortable and tense when playing music and not sure who I was as an artist. I limited myself to working with West Coast jazz, jazz standards, and lyrical improvisation, and I used various methods such as transcribing, ear-training in multiple forms, and improvisation exercises, to develop my musical personality. The research resulted in a nine-song album that Mikael Máni and I created in 2020 under the artist-name Tendra. That album is my examination project. I learned a great deal from the experience. I gained self-confidence, independence trust and calmness during this journey, and at last I feel comfortable with who I am as an artist – my musical personality has finally moved in.

This thesis proposes a hypothetical building that intends to provide a relatively "private space" while in a public park to facilitate a conversation with therapists, small group-talk sessions, and classrooms to practice yoga. People are encouraged to walk and talk, and exercises are methods of psychotherapy. The architecture plan of this thesis encourages people with depression to evolve with others, and all programs have at least two people as a group. The distance between the two is the main key for all the designing of space. In other words, this thesis is also about a study of human psychology about "comfort zones." / Overall, the project is going to be a two-story building on the empty space of an urban park while its existence does not break the original park's intention which is providing space for the community to relax and enjoy life. It is a project with its form and function that embodies care for humanity physically and psychologically.

A modern person spends most time closed inside houses, offices, schools and other institutions, and if he feels unwell or experiences accute health and comfort effects, his every day life can be highly influenced both mentally and physically. Most symptoms of illnesses or indispositions appear in people living or working inside buildings for no apparent reason. Having left the building, health problems often diminish or even disappear. The complaints mostly include irritation of eye mucous membranes, upper and lower airways and skin, hypersensitiveness, mental and physical fatique, stomach upset and diziness. It is known as a ``sick building syndrome``. ``Sick building syndrome`` (SBS) results into significant decrease of human performance and frequent absences. However, it can lead to worse interpersonal relations, often connected with lower productivity of labour. ``Sick building syndrome`` has been known for many years. Its occurence is numerous but the cause for it have not yet been revealed. More negative factors seem to coincide. The positive moment is that many people are aware of the problem so many new SBS studies and publications have appeared recently. This diploma thesis consists of two parts. The first one, theoretical, and the other is practical. The practical part is focused on research work. The goal of my thesis was to compare a modern air-conditioned building with an older one, without air-conditioning while observing the SBS symptoms which appeared in office occupants in České Budějovice. I also investigated public awareness of this problem together with other issues related. I consider the findings very contributive to professionals in this field, the National Institute of Public Health and common population interested in the problem.

This study investigated the differences between descriptions of the lived experiences of painful loneliness and comfortable aloneness. Loneliness, is documented as a modern-day social problem, associated with psychic pain and suffering and myriad mental and physical health problems. Uncomplicated, comfortable or neutral aloneness, is scarce in the literature, with allusions to the possibility that people may never feel lonely. The 'essences' of the experience ofpainfol loneliness have been gathered from the literature, while the 'essences' of the experience of comfortable aloneness have been gathered interviews with five people who are comfortable or ambivalent about their aloneness. The qualitative methods of heuristic and phenomenological research have been used to interpret and make sense of the raw data generated. It was found that the subjective experiences of aloneness and loneliness are fundamentally different, and that the thoughts, meanings and realities associated with either state are similarly disparate. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:22:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Margareth Guidara Gatto.pdf: 603712 bytes, checksum: 297572ebeedd2f2eaa6d71c76f6e2205 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-15 / This paper aims at critically analyzing the senses of collaboration which are spread in a work group that is composed by English teachers, as well as critically analyzing actions that contribute to the construction of critical collaboration in this group. A formative intervention research was carried out in such a way that, according to Engeström (2011), the construction and change of concepts involve confrontation, questioning and negotiation. This work s theoretical framework is founded on the Social-Historical-Cultural Activity Theory, as discussed by Vygotsky (1930/2008; 1934/2001), Leontiev (1977) and Engeström (1987; 1999; 2001/2005); on the concepts of collaboration and reflection discussed by Magalhães (2003/2007; 2007; 2009; 2010); and, on the discussions about argumentation in school contexts proposed by Liberali (2004a) and Leitão & Damianovic (2011). A questionnaire about collaboration was applied to the participants, who received and answered it by email. Reflexive Sessions among participants, held after class observation, were audio-recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed according to categories that were developed by Liberali (2013), Magalhães (2004), Orsolini (2005), Pontecorvo (2005), Brookfield and Preskill (2005), Magalhães e Fidalgo (2007), concerning the language used by the subjects throughout the intervention. The analysis of the data shows that the sense of collaboration spread in the group of English teachers at the school where the research was done, was the sense of comfortable collaboration. The results also reveal that the actions taken by the teacher-researcher and other participants started to awaken the sense of critical collaboration in the group / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar criticamente tanto os sentidos de colaboração que circulam em um grupo de trabalho constituído por professores de inglês, como ações que contribuem para a construção de colaboração crítica neste grupo de trabalho. Foi realizada uma pesquisa de intervenção formativa em que, segundo Engeström (2011), a formação e a mudança de conceitos envolvem confronto e contestação assim como negociação. Como perspectiva norteando este trabalho, está a Teoria da Atividade Sócio-Histórico-Cultural, tal como discutida nos trabalhos de Vygotsky (1930/2008; 1934/2001), Leontiev (1977) e Engeström (1987; 1999; 2001/2005); nos conceitos de colaboração e reflexão discutidos por Magalhães (2003/2007; 2007; 2009; 2010); e, nas discussões sobre argumentação em contexto escolar propostas por Liberali (2004a) e Leitão e Damianovic (2011). Inicialmente, foi aplicado, aos participantes, um questionário sobre o sentido de colaboração para eles, tendo sido enviado e respondido por e-mail. Foram realizadas e áudiogravadas sessões reflexivas com os participantes, após observação de aulas entre eles. Os dados foram analisados a partir das categorias desenvolvidas por Liberali (2013), Magalhães (2004), Orsolini (2005), Pontecorvo (2005), Brookfield e Preskill (2005), Magalhães e Fidalgo (2007), quanto à linguagem usada pelos sujeitos no decorrer de toda a intervenção, observando se as perguntas da pesquisa foram respondidas e se ocorreu a reorganização da prática, para a construção de colaboração crítica. Os dados apontam que o sentido de colaboração que circulava no grupo de professores de inglês na escola onde a pesquisa foi realizada era o de colaboração confortável, e revelam que as ações da professora-pesquisadora e dos demais professores começaram a despertar no grupo o sentido de colaboração crítica

This study investigated the differences between descriptions of the lived experiences of painful loneliness and comfortable aloneness. Loneliness, is documented as a modern-day social problem, associated with psychic pain and suffering and myriad mental and physical health problems. Uncomplicated, comfortable or neutral aloneness, is scarce in the literature, with allusions to the possibility that people may never feel lonely. The 'essences' of the experience ofpainfol loneliness have been gathered from the literature, while the 'essences' of the experience of comfortable aloneness have been gathered interviews with five people who are comfortable or ambivalent about their aloneness. The qualitative methods of heuristic and phenomenological research have been used to interpret and make sense of the raw data generated. It was found that the subjective experiences of aloneness and loneliness are fundamentally different, and that the thoughts, meanings and realities associated with either state are similarly disparate. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

ВКР (магистерская диссертация) состоит из введения, трех глав, заключения, библиографического списка, приложений. Цель исследования – разработка и оценка финансово-экономического обоснования девелоперского проекта строительства таунхаусов, отвечающего требованиям комфортной городской среды в КП «Заповедник». В первой главе рассмотрены актуальные теоретические основы девелопмента жилой недвижимости. Во второй главе разработана маркетинговая концепция таунхаусов. В третьей главе выполнено финансово-экономическое обоснование эффективности реализации девелоперского проекта для развития жилой недвижимости в качестве эффективного механизма инвестирования предложено использование рассрочки от застройщика. В заключении представлены основные выводы по выполненной магистерской диссертации. В приложениях приведены подтверждающие расчеты. / The master's thesis consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion, a bibliographic list, and appendices. The purpose of the study is to develop and evaluate the financial and economic justification of the development project for the construction of townhouses that meet the requirements of a comfortable urban environment in the KP "Reserve". The first chapter discusses the current theoretical foundations of residential real estate development. In the second chapter, the marketing concept of townhouses is developed. In the third chapter, the financial and economic justification of the effectiveness of the implementation of a development project for the development of residential real estate is carried out. The use of installments from the developer is proposed as an effective investment mechanism. In conclusion, the main conclusions on the completed master's thesis are presented. The appendices provide supporting calculations.

В диссертационном исследовании рассматривается жилой квартал Дворянское гнездо, расположенный в микрорайоне Уралмаш города Екатеринбурга. Объект исследования - дворовая территория ансамбля, которая проанализирована с точки зрения качества и удобства пространства, комфортного ее использования всеми категориями проживающих граждан. Используя методику датского архитектора Яна Гейла выявлены проблемы комплекса по двенадцати критериям и предложены варианты их решений. Дана оценка жилого комплекса с точки зрения устойчивой архитектуры. Разработано концептуальное решение благоустройства прилегающей территории с учетом доступности для всех групп населения. Проведена оценка проекта по критериям устойчивости по системе экологической сертификации GreenZoom. В заключение о важности сохранения жилого фонда первой половины XX века, а также рассматривается вопрос о необходимости проведения реновации на территории общественного пространства Дворянского гнезда. / The dissertation research examines the residential quarter of the Noble Nest (Dvoryanskoe gnezdo), located in the Uralmash microdistrict of the city of Yekaterinburg. The object of the study is the courtyard area of the ensemble, which is analyzed from the point of view of the quality and convenience of space, its comfortable use by all categories of living citizens. Using the methodology of the Danish architect Jan Gale, the problems of the complex were identified according to twelve criteria and options for their solutions were proposed. An assessment of the residential complex from the point of view of sustainable architecture is given. A conceptual solution for the improvement of the adjacent territory has been developed, taking into account accessibility for all groups of the population. The project was evaluated according to sustainability criteria according to the Green Zoom environmental certification system. In conclusion, the importance of preserving the housing stock of the first half of the XX century, as well as the need for renovation on the territory of the public space of the Noble Nest (Dvoryanskoe gnezdo).