Abstract Attitudes towards the reference situation and the meetings between library users and librarians have become the subject of much debate in the library setting today. The aim of this two years master´s thesis has been to examine six librarian’s attitudes and apprehensions concerning the interactions between the librarian and the users in the library setting. We were also interested in knowing how a library can work to become more service oriented and customer centred. We conducted six interviews with librarians located at three different libraries in Sweden. We used three theories to explain our aim. These are Jürgen Habermas theory of social communication, theory about professions and Christian Grönroos theory of Service Management. We found that our informants both see the physical meeting with the library and the social exchanges with the librarians as important parts of the user’s experience of the library. The three libraries that we visited work in different ways to improve their customer service. One library has developed a policy for concrete ways to improve the social exchange with the library user. Another library is working with a policy and the third library handle attitude questions more implicit in the daily work and in a specialised group. We could see that the informants who worked at the library which had a policy and an under-standing of the importance of customer service as a central part of the organisation regarded those questions as being very important. Some informants could not see how customer service could get improved in another way than just discussing these issues in groups, meetings or in connection to seminars. The changing of attitudes of members of the staff can be complicated however because it, at some level, is about individual changes. We believe that a person has to be motivated to make these changes. To improve this motivation the organisation has to create opportunities for the staff to critically reflect upon their working situa-tion. In that way we believe that the staff can experience security and motivation to do a good job which then has a positive impact on the customer service provided. The acknowledgement of the importance of customer service within an organization has to engage everybody and the whole organisation at all its levels. We think that customer service in the library setting will become more important in the future as a response to the technical evolution and all the automated elements in our society. The importance of actual meetings in-crease as our society increasingly communicates via digital means.

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This is a thesis about knowledge-intensive work and the organizational con-texts of such work. The specific objective is to analyze the geography of work. The geography of work may diverge from the geography of employ-ment when paid work is undertaken at the premises of client organizations, during commuting, on business trips, in external meetings, at home or in other places. The focus is on work practice and the perspective of everyday life. The study examines where knowledge workers are located and where knowledge work occurs. It is about what knowledge workers actually do. The everyday perspective is about the relationship between paid work and unpaid work. To understand the organization of knowledge-intensive work in a time–space context, different possibilities and constraints must be taken into con-sideration. This thesis has a time–geographical approach. The case study examines knowledge-intensive organizations located in central Stockholm. The organizations are in PR/communications, management consultancy, and research and development sectors. Both private and public sector organiza-tions are considered. The empirical study combines interviews, time diaries and questionnaires. The NVivo software program is employed to analyze the interview data. The main conclusion from the thesis is that in order to under-stand knowledge-intensive work, different factors such as relations, attitudes and norms need to be considered. These factors affect the organization of work, which in turn is affected by the choices, possibilities, constraints, ex-pectations and negotiations of different actors (i.e. employees, employers, family, clients and colleagues). The working time of the knowledge workers investigated in this study is mainly spent at the office of their employers. Social interaction with col-leagues and clients is an important part of their work. Work routines involve many meetings, both face-to-face and virtual. Face-to-face interactions play a crucial role in shaping the geography of work; teamwork is important. The knowledge workers in this study are “working long hours,” and the norm is to work more than what have been expected.

This thesis studies how architecture and planning influence community living through relationships between public spaces, housing, and circulation that focus on stimulating social activities for the betterment of service industry workers’ way of life. Our built environment can not only connect people to one another or to activities or to places, but it can also isolate people. For the service-based populace of Lake Louise, Alberta, isolation is a recurring factor in various aspects of their lives. The design attempts to establish connections between the people and the community, to eradicate the barriers that fragment the community without neglecting the necessity of refuge for the individual.

This thesis investigates estrogens' modulation of three aspects of social cognition (aggression and agonistic behaviour, social learning, and social recognition). Sex-typical agonistic behaviour (males: overt attacks, females: more subtle dominance behaviours) was increased in gonadectomized mice by estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) agonist 1,3,5-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-propyl-1H-pyrazole (PPT), while non-overt agonistic behaviour was increased in male and female gonadally intact mice by ERβ agonist 7-Bromo-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-benzoxazol-5-ol (WAY-200070). Estrogens also affected the social transmission of food preferences (STFP). Acute estrogen and ERβ agonists WAY-200070 and 2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionitrile (DPN) prolonged the preference for the demonstrated food when administered pre-acquisition, likely by affecting motivation or the nature of the social interaction, while acute PPT blocked the STFP. All mice receiving any of the three treatments chronically showed a prolonged demonstrated food preference, suggesting a loss of ER specificity. Individual differences in social recognition may relate to increased oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) mRNA, and ERα and ERβ gene activation, in the medial preoptic area, and decreased mRNA for ERs, OT receptor (OTR), AVP and AVP receptors 1a and 1b in the lateral amygdala. Additionally, dorsolateral septum ERs, progesterone receptor, and OTR may relate to social interest without affecting social recognition. Our and others' results suggest that estrogens, OT and AVP are all involved in social behaviours and mediate social recognition, social learning, social interactions, and aggression. ERs differently modulate the two types of social learning investigated here: ERα is critical for social recognition, but impairs social learning, while ERβ is less important in social recognition, and prolongs the demonstrated food preference in the STFP. This may be due to differences in receptor brain distributions or in downstream neurochemical systems that mediate these behaviours. The results of this thesis suggest that estrogens, through the various systems they modulate, have a key role to play in social behaviour. Further investigations of how estrogens effect change in these systems at the molecular and cellular level, as well as the critical brain areas and downstream effectors involved in these complex behaviours, are needed, and could contribute to therapeutic interventions in socially-based, sexually dimorphic disorders, like the autism spectrum disorders, and women receiving hormone replacement therapy for negative peri- or post-menopausal symptoms. / National Science and Engineering Research Council (PGS-D, CGS-M)

The research reported in this thesis is basically applied in purpose. However the theoretical siqnificance of interactional sociolinquistics is explored by showinq that it is based on a philosophy of science which differs fundamentally from the versions of positivism which have informed linquistics over the years. The research methods consistent with this methodology are also outlined. The applied siqnificance of the sub-field is demonstrated more qenerally at first by examininq its contribution to the understandinq of the relationship between lanquaqe and context. Thereafter the contribution to the understandinq of this relationship is explored in more specific terms by examininq the role of contextual information in the form of culturally-specific interactional styles in the accomplishinq of prejudice and neqative cultural stereotypes in intercultural communication in South Africa. The siqnificance of this explanation is explored further by showinq how such an interactional account fits into a more comprehensive explanation of the causes of discrimination in South Africa, one that includes, also. structural explanations, and explanations in terms of the psycholoqy of individuals. This prepares the way for a consideration of the possible contribution of interactional sociolinquistics to solutions to the problem of discrimination both in South Africa and elsewhere. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1987.

The oral background, ability in English and academic and social interaction of the non mother-tongue student was the focus of this study. The oral background of the African student is an important consideration as it helps one to contextualise his life and educational experiences. A severe lack of knowledge and interest in each others' cultures and backgrounds among all the players at the tertiary institution was apparent. The focus group interview technique was adapted to elicit students' perceptions of their own problems. This technique proved invaluable in allowing participants to express their views freely, thus offering the researcher an in-depth insight into their life at the tertiary institution and an understanding of the problems they encounter. The focus group discussion was supplemented by questionnaires. The study comprised 40 non mother-tongue students who were divided into 8 groups of 5 students each. On completion of the group discussion, a verbatim transcript of each audio-recording was made. Analyses of the focus group discussion and the questionnaire revealed that non mother-tongue students do in fact experience many problems with academic and social interaction due to their cultural background and ability in English. These students feel isolated and misunderstood. Racism, albeit subtle, seems to be a problem on the campus. It was found that with a few exceptions, there is very little difference between the experiences of the first year students as compared to the second year students. Also, the admissions criteria for the different faculties did not 'eliminate' problems.This illustrates that the problems do not 'disappear' after a whole year at the institution, because the underlying causes are not being addressed. One cannot expect the non mother-tongue student to simply adapt to the new experiences, namely, a different environment and a second language as the medium of instruction and communication. Several recommendations were made for the implementation of the research findings in the tertiary environment. Further research possibilities were also suggested. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1995.

This is a cross-cultural communication study which investigates the compliment response behaviour of Indian and African students at the Springfield College of Education. The Springfield College of Education is a desegregating institution where students of Indian origin presently comprise the majority of the student population with African students the minority. Due to the enforced racial divisions of the past students do not mingle freely with each other on the college campus. An additional complication is that the students come from different cultures and are accustomed to different social practices. This results in their responding differently to different communicative situations. These differing responses could be potential sources of miscommunication and conflict and therefore warrant investigation. Compliment response behaviour is one such area where intercultural miscommunication could easily arise. Since compliments are used to initiate, sustain and promote conversational interactions, not responding appropriately to them could result in possible feelings of antagonism and racial hostility. This study investigates the compliment response behaviour of Indian and African students at the Springfield College of Education, identifies areas of diversity and potential sources of intercultural miscommunication and presents a set of recommendations about the teaching of compliment response behaviour at the Springfield College of Education.The findings of this study are also compared with the findings of a similar study conducted by Chick (1991) at the University of Natal, Durban with a view to establishing what changes have occurred in the compliment response behaviour of Indian and African students since the time of Chick's (1991) study. This study reveals that there is a diversity in the compliment response behaviour of different ethnic groups and that this diversity is a potential source of intercultural miscommunication. However, the College lecturers can turn this diversity to advantage by using it in a teaching programme where an understanding of it is fostered. This would result in students understanding why miscommunication arises and would also enable them to react appropriately in different contexts. It is hoped that this study,which is very much pilot in nature, helps highlight issues that can become the subject of more detailed studies in this field. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1995.

The present ethnography documents computer activities in everyday life. The data consist of video recordings, interviews and field notes, documenting (i) 16 students in a seventh grade class in a computer room and other school settings and (ii) 22 children, interacting with siblings, friends and parents in home settings. The thesis is inspired by discourse analytical as well as ethnographic approaches, including notions from Goffman (1974, 1981), e.g. those of activity frame and participation framework, which are applied and discussed. The thesis consists of four empirical studies. The first study focuses on students’ illegitimate use, from the school’s point of view, of online chatting in a classroom situation. It is shown that the distinction offline/online is not a static one, rather it is made relevant as part of switches between activity frames, indicating the problems of applying Goffman’s (1981) notions of sideplay, byplay and crossplay to analyses of interactions in which several activity frames are present, rather than one main activity. Moreover, it is shown that online identities, in terms of what is here called tags, that is, visual-textual nicknames, are related to offline phenomena, including local identities as well as contemporary aesthetics. The second study focuses on placement of game consoles as part of family life politics. It is shown that game consoles were mainly located in communal places in the homes. The distinction private/communal was also actualized in the participants’ negotiations about access to game consoles as well as negotiations about what to play, when, and for how long. It is shown that two strategies were used, inclusion and exclusion, for appropriating communal places for computer game activities. The third study focuses on a digital divide in terms of a generational divide with respect to ascribed computer competence, documenting how the children and adults positioned each other as people ‘in the know’ (the children) versus people in apprentice-like positions (the adults). It is shown that this generation gap was deployed as a resource in social interaction by both the children and the adults. The forth study focuses on gaming in family life, showing that gaming was recurrently marked by response cries (Goffman, 1981) and other forms of blurted talk. These forms of communication worked as parts of the architecture of intersubjectivity in gaming (cf. Heritage, 1984), indexing the distinction virtual/‘real’. It is shown how response cries, sound making, singing along and animated talk extended the virtual in that elements of the game became parts of the children’s social interaction around the screen, forming something of an action aesthetic, a type of performative action for securing and displaying joint involvement and collaboration. As a whole, the present studies show how the distinctions master/apprentice, public/private, virtual/real and subject/object are indexicalized and negotiated in computer activities.

Methamphetamine (MA) abuse is a fast growing drug problem, and is the second most widely abused drug world-wide. MA abuse has been linked to the development of symptoms indistinguishable from schizophrenia, referred to as MA psychosis. MA abusing individuals, who most often comprise adolescents and young adults, are 11 times more likely than the general population to develop psychosis. Of further concern is that in utero exposure to MA is also a growing problem, with more women addicts choosing MA as their primary drug. This has significant implications for the neurodevelopment of the child, with subsequent behavioural deficits later in life. Epidemiological studies suggests that in utero or early life MA exposure places a vulnerable individual at greater risk for developing schizophrenia, although this has never been formerly studied either at clinical or pre-clinical level. Animal models of early life adversity, such as post-weaning social isolation rearing (SIR), can assist in understanding the underlying mechanisms in MA abuse and vulnerability to develop MA psychosis. The aim of the current study was to investigate the long term effects of either prenatal (in utero) or early postnatal administration of MA on the development of schizophrenia-like behavioural and neurochemical abnormalities later in life. In the in utero study, pregnant female Wistar rats received either saline (Sal) or MA 5 mg/kg/day for 16 days by subcutaneous (s.c.) injection , starting on prenatal day 13 (PreND-13) up to postnatal day 2 (PostND02). Male offspring were selected for the study. On PostND 21, the animals were weaned and reared under group or isolation reared conditions for 8 weeks. In the early postnatal study, adult male Wistar rats were divided into group reared and SIR conditions from PostND21. Either group received an escalating dose of MA twice a day (0.2 mg/kg – 6 mg/kg s.c.) or Sal for 16 days, from PostND35 to PostND50. Both in utero and early postnatal groups were then subjected to various behavioural tests on PostND78, including assessment of social interaction (SI) and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle. Following behavioural testing, rats were sacrificed and brains snap frozen for later analysis of cortico-striatal monoamine concentrations, superoxide dismutase activity and lipid peroxidation. In the prenatally exposed group no differences in %PPI was observed, although group reared animals receiving MA and SIR animals receiving Sal or MA showed a decrease in social interactive behaviours, including approaching, time together and anogenital sniffing. SIR animals receiving Sal or MA also showed a decrease in rearing. Regarding self-directed behaviours, group reared animals receiving MA and SIR animals receiving Sal or MA showed an increase in self-grooming. Although some disturbances in regional brain monoamines were observed in the frontal cortex and striatum across the groups, this did not reach significance. A significant increase in malondialdehyde was observed in the striatum in group reared animals receiving MA as well as SIR animals receiving Sal or MA, indicating cell damage, possibly of redox origin. In the early postnatal study, %PPI was significantly reduced in group reared animals receiving MA as well as in SIR animals receiving Sal or MA. Group reared animals receiving MA and SIR animals receiving Sal or MA showed a decrease in social interactive behaviours, including rearing, approaching, time together and anogenital sniffing. Regarding self-directed behaviours and locomotor activity, self-grooming and squares crossed was significantly increased in group reared animals receiving MA and SIR animals receiving Sal or MA. A significant increase in DA was evident in the frontal cortex of SIR and grouped housed animals receiving MA. DA in the MA + SIR combination was elevated but not significantly so. None of the treatments affected striatal monoamine levels. In the group reared animals receiving MA as well as the SIR animals receiving Sal or MA, a significant decrease in SOD activity was observed in the frontal cortex, indicating the presence of oxidative stress in this brain region. None of the parameters indicated an additive effect in MA + SIR treated animals. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to MA led to some evidence of late-life behavioural and neurochemical abnormalities akin to schizophrenia, confirming its penchant for psychotogenic effects. However, chronic postnatal MA exposure was more emphatic, being as effective as SIR, a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia, in inducing deficits in the above-mentioned behavioural and neurochemical parameters. Thus, early adolescent abuse of MA is a significant risk factor for the later development of schizophrenia or psychosis. However, the risk appeared not to be exacerbated in a population at risk, i.e. in SIR animals. / Thesis (MSc (Pharmacology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.