Interaction event times observed on a social network provide valuable information for social scientists to gain insight into complex social dynamics that are challenging to understand. However, it can be difficult to accurately represent the heterogeneity in the data and to model the dependence structure in the network system. This requires flexible models that can capture the complicated dynamics and complex patterns. Point process models offer an elegant framework for modeling event time data. This dissertation concentrates on developing point process models and related diagnostic tools, with a real data application involving an animal behavior network. In this dissertation, we first propose a Markov-modulated Hawkes process (MMHP) model to capture the sporadic and bursty patterns often observed in event time data. A Bayesian inference procedure is developed to evaluate the likelihood by using a variational approximation and the forward-backward algorithm. The validity of the proposed model and associated estimation algorithms is demonstrated using synthetic data and the animal behavior data. Facilitated by the power of the MMHP model, we construct network point process models that can capture a social hierarchy structure by embedding nodes in a latent space that can represent the underlying social ranks. Our model provides a ranking method for social hierarchy studies and describes the dynamics of social hierarchy formation from a novel perspective – taking advantage of the detailed information available in event time data. We show that the network point process models appropriately captures the temporal dynamics and heterogeneity in the network event time data, by providing meaningful inferred rankings and by calibrating the accuracy of predictions with relevant measures of uncertainty. In addition to developing a sensible and flexible model for network event time data, the last part of this dissertation provides essential tools for diagnosing lack of fit issues for such models. We develop a systematic set of diagnostic tools and visualizations for point process models fitted to data in the dynamic network setting. By inspecting the structure of the residual process and Pearson residual on the network, we can validate whether a model adequately captures the temporal and network dependence structures in the observed data.

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This thesis interrogates my and others?? creative praxis using the tools of the Internet, webcam, blogging and digital video, to elucidate possibilities for communication. I examine whether these tools are productive for my creativity and others?? in increasing communicative spaces and building social networks amongst the complexities of globalised culture. Many cultural commentators consider the Internet as a new kind of public sphere, developing community, strengthening the lifeworld and providing ethical discourse. The Internet, however, is a context not without problems. Still, less that one quarter of the world??s population has access, and computer illiteracy and governance (to name only a few) contribute to its limitations ?? this dichotomy is central to my investigation. I demonstrate that information communication technologies (ICTs) such as the Internet are radically altering our everyday lives and mediation is increasingly pervasive. I argue, therefore, that our globalised context demands alternative communicative spaces to mainstream media that allow diversity, plurality, intersubjectivity and new forms of interrogation. I ask whether the Internet can assist in the development of social networks and newest social movements (NSMs) by increasing civic bonds and communities. I posit communicative action, reflexivity and praxis as productive tools for a critical practice. I suggest that these theories are influential in researching the Internet??s potential in generating social awareness. I argue that the Internet can be used to construct social spaces and, in conjunction with creativity, can increase its productive capacity in developing diverse and ethical communicative contexts.

Abstract not available

Friends are of crucial importance to lesbians� lives, their significance heightened due to lack of acceptance from blood family, work colleagues and society. Despite a proliferation of literature on lesbians� love relationships, lesbians� friendships remain understudied. In the light of theorising about widespread shifts in intimacy patterns in modern industrial societies, this thesis examines the role of friendship for contemporary lesbians. It takes an interdisciplinary approach, using lesbian feminist, feminist psychological and mainstream sociological theories to interpret lesbians� negotiations of their friendships and preoccupations with their own continually developing sense of self. The study finds that firstly, the most significant issue in negotiating friendships is deciding on a lesbian identity despite socialisation to �compulsory heterosexuality�. Friends are expected to be accepting and supportive or they are lost. Discrimination, the fact that the lover is the �best friend�, struggles with difference in lesbian communities, time constraints and a more general shift to individualism mean that community and family contacts are replaced by small, supportive and affirming friendship networks. These meet needs and within them lesbians negotiate a sense of self, but for the most part with no template of political consciousness. Secondly, while friendships are important, they are also difficult. The fluidity of the friendship relationship, blurred boundaries between friends and lovers, and women�s moral �imperative to care� all provide barriers to communication. Thirdly, while lesbians value �the relational self�, a confident sense of self is challenged when close-connected relationships sit at odds both with mainstream, heterocentric culture, and with traditional models of psychology which promote independence and separateness. Lesbians who are confident communicators, who have access to alternative feminist discourses which value relatedness, and who, together with their friends, are open to change, are able to negotiate satisfactory friendships and relationships. The study demonstrates lesbians� complex subjectivities as changing selves are negotiated through friendships, love relationships and communities, particularly through experiences of loss.

Worldwide use of mobile phones has created a new basis for interpersonal communication and has become a ubiquitous feature of youth culture. Hence the examination of global mobile phone adoption is a global challenge for communication researchers as well as for the media industries. Thus far, New Media research in New Zealand (NZ) has focused on children and teenagers. The group of young adults between 18-25 years has rarely been surveyed. This thesis focused on university students� use of mobile communication in NZ in the context of their everyday practices. The Mobile Media Study (MMS) was designed as a cross-national comparative research project with a focus on NZ together with one European and one North American country. The usage behavior, experiences, attitudes, and opinions of young NZers� towards mobile phone use was examined and contrasted to young German and American students. Methodological and data triangulation was applied and data was collected at the University of Otago, the City University of New York, the Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Leipzig. MMS survey research was conducted along with focus group and personal interviews, and qualitative exercises. In addition, the latest data from a longitudinal study of New Media use in Germany, the US and NZ served as a secondary, comparative, and complementary dataset. The research questions focused on general mobile phone use, text-messaging (SMS), the acceptance of Third Generation (3G) cell phones, mobile phone use in public places, gender-specific usages, and the construction of mobile social networks. Altogether, data from 1,316 students at four universities in three countries was analyzed. Results indicated that the number of providers as well as tariff structures appear to influence mobile phone adoption within a country. To adjust to the duopoly situation young people in NZ preferred prepaid cards in connection with a SMS package. This was reflected by extraordinarily high use of SMS in NZ. By comparison German and American students preferred annual contracts. Americans, who had the strongest preference for mobile calling, also had the highest monthly expenses. Additionally, findings revealed that overall user interest in 3G services is not yet very high. It was found that in particular NZ students do not exploit the full range of mobile services already available to them and feel confident that their current cell phone gratifies all their needs. They concentrate on using basic functions, such as calling and SMS. In addition, results suggest a decreasing role of the landline telephone and email for interpersonal communication. Gender differences were found with NZ women in particular being most enthusiastic about SMS. German men had the most negative attitude toward SMS and also used the service the least in comparison to the other students surveyed. In general women had a preference for the communicative functions on their mobile phone including voicemail and more women than men in Germany and NZ were found to play mobile phone games. Finally, evidence of gender specific social network structures were found in NZ with male networks resembling spider webs while female networks were centered so that all persons in the network connected back to the center. Overall, students only used a fraction of the contacts in their mobile phone book and communicated mostly within a limited local area. In conclusion, a replication of the MMS was suggested along with further multi-method research in the field of Asian-NZer�s New Media use.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD), / The confluence of a number of marketplace phenomena has provided the impetus for the selection and conduct of this research. The first is the so called value relevance of intangibles in determining share market performance of publicly listed companies. The growing gap between market and book values has been proposed as an indication of the impact of intangibles on share price values. A second related phenomenon is the increasing reliance on share price appreciation as the principal means for shareholder return as opposed to returns through dividends. This suggests that share prices are becoming an even more critical firm performance measure than traditional accounting-based firm performance measures like return on investment (ROI). A third phenomenon is the rapid growth in marketplace alliances and joint ventures, the number of which has grown rapidly over the past 30 years. The explanation for these phenomena may lie in the concept of corporate social capital (CSC) which, as an intangible asset (IA), has been proposed in several normative studies. CSC has been defined as “the set of resources, tangible or virtual, that accrue to a corporate player through the player’s social relationships, facilitating the attainment of goals” (Leenders & Gabbay, 1999, p3). However, constructs for CSC have only been loosely defined and its impacts on firm performance only minimally empirically tested. This research addresses this gap in the literature. The key aim of this research is to explore the impact of CSC on firm performance. Through the use of CSC as a lens for viewing a firm’s intangibles, several important sub-components of the CSC formulation are exposed. These include a firm’s market centrality (CENT), absorptive capacity (AC), internal capital (INC), human capital (HC) and financial soundness. Therefore, an extended aim for this research is to identify the differential impacts of the CSC sub-components on firm performance. Firm performance was measured as ROI, market-to-book ratios (Tobin’s Q) and total shareholder return (TSR). Overall, the research results indicate that CSC is a significant predictor of firm performance, but falls short of fully explaining the market-to-book value disparity. For this research an innovative computer-supported content analysis (CA) technique was devised to capture a majority of the data required for the empirical research. The use of a commercial news aggregation service, Factiva, and a standard taxonomy of terms for the search, allowed variables for intangible constructs to be derived from a relatively large sample of firms (n=155) from the global information technology services (ITS) sector from 2001 to 2004. Data indices for joint venture or alliance activity, research and development (R&D) activity, HC, INC and external capital (EC) were all developed using this CA approach. The research findings indicated that all things aren’t equal in terms of how the benefits of CSC accrue to different firms in the sector. The research indicated that for larger, more mature firms, financial soundness does not necessarily correlate with improved shareholder return. The inference is that these firms may have reached a plateau in terms of how the market is valuing them. In terms of market centrality, the research indicates that software firms could benefit from building a larger number of alliances and becoming more centrally connected in the marketplace. The reverse is true, however, for larger, more established firms in the non-software sectors. These companies can be penalised for being over-connected, potentially signalling that they are locked into a suite of alliances that will ultimately limit their capacity to innovate and grow. For smaller, potentially loss-making firms, the research indicates that investments in HC are potentially the only investment strategy that could result in improvements in profitability and shareholder return. Investments by such firms in R&D or INC developments are likely to depress shareholder value and therefore should be minimised in favour of HC investments. For larger, more established firms, investment in HC is beneficial for both ROI and TSR. Investments in areas like R&D and INC were found to be only beneficial to those firms who have the financial capacity to afford it. Firms that don’t appear to have the financial resources to support the level of investments they are making in R&D and/or INC were penalised by the market. Overall, the research provides specific insights into the links between firms and their performance, through appropriate investments in CSC. In terms of research practice, this research demonstrates the viability of computer-supported CA. Progress in the development of more intelligent search technologies will provide increasing utility to CA researchers, promising to unlock a vast range of textual source data for researchers that were previously beyond manual CA practices.

Contemporary researchers typically classify negative peer interactions as bullying or conflict. Theoretically, bullying involves exploiting a power imbalance to demobilize a peer(s), and conflict involves using power tactics to exert influence or resolve a dispute. This study attempted to explore the exercise of power between adolescent peers within psychological, social psychological and feminist psychological frameworks of power, and bullying and conflict constructions. Three hundred and fifty-two Melbourne students from Years 7 to 10 completed a �Young People�s School Relationships� survey. Students described their understandings of personal and interpersonal power, and rated their perceived power. The experimenter asked the students to differentiate three recent difficult incidents with peers according to perceived power disadvantage (less power), balance (same power) and advantage (more power). They described the difficulties, their responses and their perceptions of the power balance. Outcomes were rated on affect, relationship quality and overall evaluation. Power construction, gender, and year group differences on perceived personal power were examined. Scenario type (less, same, more power), gender, year group (7/8, 9/10), and relationship closeness (not friends, friends) differences on difficulties, responses and outcomes were evaluated. The power constructions formed three themes (�power-within�, �power-with�, �power-over�). Difficulties were subgrouped into three forms (two-way, one-way, other-way) and three types (physical, verbal, social). Responses were categorised into adapting, distancing, dominating and engaging. There was no support for Falbo and Peplau�s (1980) two-dimensional model for classifying types of interpersonal responses in power-differentiated situations. Power was constructed most frequently as �power-within�. Perceived power ratings formed a Global Power Score (GPS), with males reporting higher GPSs. Males and year group 7/8 reported more physical difficulties in the �same� power, and females and year group 7/8 more social difficulties in the �less� and �more� power scenarios. Students reported more adapting responses in the difficult interpersonal situations. Adapting and distancing responses were more frequent in the less power scenario, and dominating and engaging more frequent in the more and less power scenarios respectively. Affect and relationship status outcomes were rated more positively in same power scenario. Outcomes were more positive for difficulties with friends. Students rated their responses more positively when they used engaging strategies, but less positively when they used distancing or dominating. Power theories provided partial explanations for the findings and alternative frameworks to bullying and conflict for understanding negative peer interactions. This study extends on knowledge of adolescents� school-based relationships and proposes a power model for schools

The population of Australia is increasing in age, consequently the incidence of cancer diagnoses is rising. This rise will have a dramatic impact on hospitals with much of the disease burden extending to psychological support for cancer care. At present few men diagnosed with cancer seek support. This study sought to explore men's perceptions of support and prostate cancer support groups. The benefits of support groups for men with prostate cancer have been well documented in international studies. In Australia however, relatively few men diagnosed with prostate cancer join such groups and few studies have examined the factors that influence membership and attendance. This study investigated the experiences of a sample of 181 Australian men diagnosed with prostate cancer, 80 of whom were members of support groups and 107 who were not. The participants were recruited from prostate cancer support groups and an outpatient department of a major cancer hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. The two groups were compared on a range of factors, including disease characteristics, illness perceptions and views of prostate cancer support groups. Further, members of support groups rated a number of objectives to determine the effectiveness of the groups. The majority of members recommended prostate cancer support groups to other men with prostate cancer (92%), however of the non-members of prostate cancer support groups, almost half (48%) had never heard of them. Factors that discriminated between support group members and non-members were emotional perceptions of the illness, symptom reports and illness coherence, with support group members reporting higher scores on these variables. Length of diagnosis and age were also factors that discriminated between the groups with support group members younger and diagnosed longer than non-members. There were no differences between the groups on personal control, both groups reported high perceptions of control over the disease. Members reported more benefits and less costs associated with prostate cancer support groups than non-members. Benefits included information, support, sharing experiences, and supporting other men with the disease. Costs included negative discussions, other men dying, and the distance required to travel to the groups. Both members and non-members reported distance to travel to the groups as a major barrier to attendance. The majority of members had heard of the groups through friends and, for non-members who had heard of the groups, through hospital staff. General practitioners were one of the least likely sources of information about prostate cancer support groups reported by members. Prostate cancer support group members reported high levels of satisfaction with the groups on a range of objectives outlined by the Cancer Council of Victoria. Making friends and accessing community assistance exceeded men's expectations of attendance, however men reported a desire for more information and communication. A need for more funding, advertising, and recognition of prostate cancer support groups by medical staff was also reported. Many men with prostate cancer are unaware of support groups, however a number of benefits were noted by both members and non-members. Greater recognition of prostate cancer support groups by medical staff may provide men with prostate cancer an opportunity to access those benefits. Health service providers should consider the important role prostate cancer support groups play in the recovery of men from prostate cancer and consider ways of dispelling myths men may hold regarding the notion of support.

<p>Research about social support and social networks has mostly concerned the impact on a person’s wellbeing and health. However an aspect largely neglected is how social support within the social networks can affect the process of giving up a drug abuse. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of what role the social support within different relationships can have on the process of giving up drug abuse. Furthermore the aim is to examine how a self-help group can provide social support in the transitional period after leaving a drug abuse. The study is based on qualitative interviews with staff and participant from a self-help group. System theory and social network theory has been used to interpret the empirical results. The main result shows that the social support from the social networks are viewed as important by all women. However the social support given to the women from close relationships is not necessarily constructive in the process of rehabilitating from a drug abuse. In addition the result has shown that distrust and inequality in power relationships can lead to lack of support within the professional network. In accordance to earlier tudies, a self-help group can be seen as complementary in the rehabilitation of a drug abuse.</p>