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Minor differences of narcissism : narcissistic personality in Germanophone Europe and North AmericaDenig, Carl Florian January 2017 (has links)
How can the same object become split when viewed by different groups of observers? What is the relationship between conflict and consensus, and the ritual and the rational? I interrogate these questions through the case of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) in Germanophone Europe and North America. I interviewed forty-five practitioners from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the US and Canada. These conversations were semi-structured and ethnographically inflected. I attempted to take the informant’s perspective earnestly and to read any available works by that author in advance of the interview. To gain a sense of how science differed when not immediately concerned with the treatment of patients, I included an assessment specialist and a social-personality psychologist. Non-expert practitioners, who had not published any books or articles on pathological narcissism, were included to test whether theory is solely alluring to the academician or if it holds sway over the psychotherapist on the street. These respondent pools were matched as closely as possible across the two contexts to facilitate comparison. Approximately six psychotherapeutic schools emerged as important amongst my respondents. After a brief introduction to the different psychotherapies, I begin with the native understandings of NPD or pathological narcissism. These definitions and the wide range of narcissistic patients seen pose the puzzle: How can these definitions be so disparate, and all ostensibly be concerned with NPD as a clinical or scientific object? My concern is less oratorical and more earthy: What precisely do practitioners do? Opening with assessment (Ch. 5), we find some common signs. Diagnostic procedures may employ different technological mixes, but ultimately all follow a single pattern. Chapter 6 addresses empathy and the therapeutic alliance. The notion of a minimal medical model underlying all treatment types I encountered was unearthed despite many methods’ active denial of the ‘medical model.’ The patient-practitioner boundary is, however, far from the final frontier. Conceptualisation helps to guide the ways in which clinicians interact with one another, and ultimately the broader science of psychopathology. Chapter 8 addresses the ways in which different classificatory schemes relate to one another, and how this helps to shape the science of narcissism. What ultimately emerges is a story of (1) the minor differences of narcissism and (2) the narcissism of minor differences. The narcissism (2) can be said to obscure the (1) minor differences. Competition is inherent in the process at multiple levels: between models for both students and patients (attention-space), and through scientific exchange and the effort to gain evidence for one’s theory. I suggest that science serves less to find the best description or explanation for pathological narcissism, and more to legitimate one’s conceptualisation. Evidence of this sort gives a theoretical school means to command more financial and attentional resources. Psychotherapeutic technology is, however, path dependent, limiting the distance between any two methods.
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The rationality of retirement preservation decisions : towards a scientific modelReyers, Michelle January 2013 (has links)
There is worldwide concern that individuals are not saving sufficiently for retirement. Low savings rates, coupled with a lack of preservation of retirement funds when individuals move jobs, could have adverse repercussions on the ability to retire with sufficient funds. The traditional response to low preservation levels has been to impose taxes on cash withdrawals and a move is underway in South Africa to potentially mandate preservation. All these interventions assume that individuals are not acting rationally when they take a cash payout, however this assumption of irrationality has not been tested. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the factors that lead to low preservation levels in order to determine whether intervention is required to increase preservation, and if so, what form it should take. The study consisted of two phases.
Phase one carried out a critical, multidisciplinary literature review to construct a conceptual model of the factors which potentially lead to low preservation levels. According to this model, these factors could arise from rational decision making in line with consumption smoothing behaviour linked to the life cycle hypothesis or irrational decision making arising from behavioural factors linked to bounded willpower or bounded rationality. The resultant model highlighted the distinct differences in the drivers of rational and irrational behaviour and therefore, the distinctly different interventions required.
Phase two of the study focused on the empirical testing of the conceptual model to obtain an understanding of the relative importance of the factors. This phase made use of an analytical survey to test relationships between the predictor variables identified in the conceptual model, and the outcome variable which is whether the individual preserved funds when moving jobs. The data was analysed with logistic regression techniques. The study found that behavioural factors play an important role in explaining the preservation decisions made by individuals. In particular behavioural factors related to bounded rationality as a result of the inherent computational complexity of the decision making environment emerged as important explanatory variables. This appears to indicate that solutions should focus on decision support and guidance to assist individuals in making optimal decisions.
This study makes a unique contribution to the field of retirement finance and decision making as it highlights the role that behavioural factors play in retirement preservation decisions. The implications regarding which interventions are best suited to assist in optimal decision
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making are informative for policy makers, providers of retirement products and financial advisors, as well as sponsors and members of retirement funds. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lk2014 / Financial Management / Unrestricted
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Papel da inferência na relação entre modelos mentais e modelos científicos sobre célula / The role of inference in the relationship between mental models and scientific models of the cellFogaca, Monica 10 April 2006 (has links)
Esta pesquisa fundamentou-se nos pressupostos teóricos da epistemologia genética de Piaget e teve por objetivo principal investigar as relações entre a compreensão do modelo científico sobre célula por alunos de ensino médio e a transformação de seus modelos e operações mentais. Trata-se de uma pesquisa experimental de cunho qualitativo, na qual a metodologia de coleta de dados inspirou-se no método clínico e na metodologia de resolução de situações-problema. Esta foi aplicada por intermédio de um jogo construído especificamente para os propósitos desta pesquisa e denominado \"dominó do ciclo celular\". O experimento foi conduzido em oficinas de jogos oferecidas a alunos de primeiro e terceiro anos de ensino médio. Os dados coletados foram transformados em narrativas que possibilitaram inferir as estruturas do pensamento dos alunos que se ajustavam aos dados empíricos. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a compreensão do modelo científico sobre célula, e talvez de outros conceitos referentes a objetos que não possuem atributos observáveis diretamente, depende diretamente da produção de inferências pelos procedimentos de indução, abdução e dialética. Estes procedimentos permitem aos alunos agir cognitivamente sobre objetos que não poderiam atuar diretamente. Constatou-se também que os modelos mentais dos alunos sobre célula se transformam em função do nível de operações mentais empregadas, e assim os modelos mentais podem ser bons indicadores para a avaliação da aprendizagem do modelo científico e do desenvolvimento das operações mentais. Os resultados indicam também a importância da integração entre a ação e a linguagem na compreensão de conceitos dessa natureza. A linguagem esteve presente tanto no diálogo, essencial para acessar as operações mentais, como na criação das metáforas que constituem os modelos mentais e científicos. Esta pesquisa propõe que a integração e evolução das operações mentais por meio das inferências, associadas à linguagem metafórica, possibilitem a construção da noção de um tipo de objeto permanente pertinente ao estádio das operações formais: a noção do objeto \"invisível\". / This research evaluated the relationship between the comprehension of cell\'s scientific models by secondary level school students and the changes on their mental models and skills. It was based on Piaget\'s theoretical frameworks, Genetic Epistemology, and it deals with an experimental qualitative study. Data was obtained by a procedure based on clinic method and on the principles of problem solving. A game, specifically constructed for the purposes of this investigation and named \"Domino of cellular cycle\" was used to conduct the experiment. First and third class students of secondary level school played this game and the dialogues, occurred at each match, were recorded and transcripted in the style of narratives. Afterwards, the narrative allowed us to infer the students thought structures suitable to the empirical data. The results of the research draw to the conclusions that the comprehension of cell\'s scientific models, and maybe of other concepts relative to objects that do not present observable characters depend on the use of inferences. These were created by procedures of induction, abduction and dialectic, therefore these allow the contact with this type of object because the students could not act directly upon them. We also verify that students\' mental models change accordingly to their level\'s skills. In this way, mental models can be good indicators to evaluate the concept learned and the skills developed. The results also draw to the important role of inference to connect action and language in the process of this type of concept comprehension. Language, in this way, was essential to access mental skills and to create the metaphors, and also constitute mental and scientific models. We propose that the use of inferences associated to the creation of metaphors allow the construction of a type of knowledge related to the formal operatory stage, a type of \"permanent object notion\": the \"invisible\" object notion.
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Papel da inferência na relação entre modelos mentais e modelos científicos sobre célula / The role of inference in the relationship between mental models and scientific models of the cellMonica Fogaca 10 April 2006 (has links)
Esta pesquisa fundamentou-se nos pressupostos teóricos da epistemologia genética de Piaget e teve por objetivo principal investigar as relações entre a compreensão do modelo científico sobre célula por alunos de ensino médio e a transformação de seus modelos e operações mentais. Trata-se de uma pesquisa experimental de cunho qualitativo, na qual a metodologia de coleta de dados inspirou-se no método clínico e na metodologia de resolução de situações-problema. Esta foi aplicada por intermédio de um jogo construído especificamente para os propósitos desta pesquisa e denominado \"dominó do ciclo celular\". O experimento foi conduzido em oficinas de jogos oferecidas a alunos de primeiro e terceiro anos de ensino médio. Os dados coletados foram transformados em narrativas que possibilitaram inferir as estruturas do pensamento dos alunos que se ajustavam aos dados empíricos. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a compreensão do modelo científico sobre célula, e talvez de outros conceitos referentes a objetos que não possuem atributos observáveis diretamente, depende diretamente da produção de inferências pelos procedimentos de indução, abdução e dialética. Estes procedimentos permitem aos alunos agir cognitivamente sobre objetos que não poderiam atuar diretamente. Constatou-se também que os modelos mentais dos alunos sobre célula se transformam em função do nível de operações mentais empregadas, e assim os modelos mentais podem ser bons indicadores para a avaliação da aprendizagem do modelo científico e do desenvolvimento das operações mentais. Os resultados indicam também a importância da integração entre a ação e a linguagem na compreensão de conceitos dessa natureza. A linguagem esteve presente tanto no diálogo, essencial para acessar as operações mentais, como na criação das metáforas que constituem os modelos mentais e científicos. Esta pesquisa propõe que a integração e evolução das operações mentais por meio das inferências, associadas à linguagem metafórica, possibilitem a construção da noção de um tipo de objeto permanente pertinente ao estádio das operações formais: a noção do objeto \"invisível\". / This research evaluated the relationship between the comprehension of cell\'s scientific models by secondary level school students and the changes on their mental models and skills. It was based on Piaget\'s theoretical frameworks, Genetic Epistemology, and it deals with an experimental qualitative study. Data was obtained by a procedure based on clinic method and on the principles of problem solving. A game, specifically constructed for the purposes of this investigation and named \"Domino of cellular cycle\" was used to conduct the experiment. First and third class students of secondary level school played this game and the dialogues, occurred at each match, were recorded and transcripted in the style of narratives. Afterwards, the narrative allowed us to infer the students thought structures suitable to the empirical data. The results of the research draw to the conclusions that the comprehension of cell\'s scientific models, and maybe of other concepts relative to objects that do not present observable characters depend on the use of inferences. These were created by procedures of induction, abduction and dialectic, therefore these allow the contact with this type of object because the students could not act directly upon them. We also verify that students\' mental models change accordingly to their level\'s skills. In this way, mental models can be good indicators to evaluate the concept learned and the skills developed. The results also draw to the important role of inference to connect action and language in the process of this type of concept comprehension. Language, in this way, was essential to access mental skills and to create the metaphors, and also constitute mental and scientific models. We propose that the use of inferences associated to the creation of metaphors allow the construction of a type of knowledge related to the formal operatory stage, a type of \"permanent object notion\": the \"invisible\" object notion.
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Mathematical Pluralism: Constructive Mathematics and Economic TheorySteins, Stefan Arno 09 December 2021 (has links)
Wir schlagen eine praxisorientierte Explikation der philosophischen Position des Mathematischen Pluralismus vor. Dieser Position zufolge existieren mehr als ein legitimes mathematisches System. Wir interpretieren 'legitim' als 'geeignet zur Realisierung wissenschaftlicher Ziele' und wenden die resultierende pluralistische Position auf die Mathematische Ökonomie an. Wir präsentieren ein begriffliches Rahmenwerk, in dem pluralistische Thesen formuliert und evaluiert werden können, stellen ein informelles System der Konstruktiven Mathematik als Alternative zur Klassischen Mathematik vor, und zeigen, dass verschiedene ökonomische Theoreme nicht konstruktiv beweisbar sind. Auf dieser Basis argumentieren wir, dass Pluralismus relativ zu Zielen mit Bezug zu Erklärung und Simplizität in der Ökonomie vorliegt. / We propose a practice-oriented explication of the philosophical position known as mathematical pluralism. According to this position there is more than one legitimate mathematical system. We interpret 'legitimate' as 'suitable for realizing scientific goals' and apply the resultant pluralist position to mathematical economics. We present a conceptual framework within which pluralist theses can be formulated and evaluated, introduce an informal system of constructive mathematics as an alternative to classical mathematics, and point out that central theorems of economic equilibrium theory are not constructively provable. On this basis, we argue that pluralism obtains with respect to goals related to explanation and simplicity in economics.
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Communicating science : developing an exhibit with scientists and educatorsLemagie, Emily 28 October 2011 (has links)
Outreach is a small, but significant component to modern research.
Developing an exhibit for public display can be an effective way to communicate science to broad audiences, although it may be a less familiar method to scientists than writing papers or giving presentations. I outline the process of developing an interactive exhibit for outreach, and evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of a computer exhibit designed to communicate estuary currents and scientific modeling using Olympia Oyster restoration in the Yaquina Bay estuary as a theme. I summarize the results of this project in three primary recommendations: 1) exhibit developers should be deliberate in the decision to use a computer and only select this media if it is determined to be the best for communicating exhibit learning outcomes, 2) the design of visualizations to convey research results should be carefully modified from their scientific forms to best meet the exhibit learning outcomes and expectations of the exhibit audience, and 3) scientists should play an integral role in the development of scientific content-based exhibits, but their expertise, and the range of expertise from other members of the exhibit development team, should be strategically utilized. / Graduation date: 2012
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