Este trabalho trata da análise da produção da habitação de interesse social implementada pelo BNH (Banco Nacional de Habitação), na busca de subsídios para retomar a produção da habitação social. Foi realizado um estudo comparativo entre quatro conjuntos habitacionais produzidos pela COHAB – Companhia de Habitação do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, na cidade de Montenegro, com o objetivo de compreender de que maneira a implantação do conjunto habitacional, no tocante a dimensão, configuração e localização, afeta a interação social entre os moradores do próprio conjunto e a interação do conjunto com o entorno imediato e a cidade. Os múltiplos métodos de coleta e análise de dados utilizados possibilitaram a complementaridade entre os dados obtidos. Foram realizados levantamentos de arquivo, levantamento físico, aplicação de mapas mentais com entrevistas, observações sistemáticas de uso dos espaços públicos abertos e aplicação de questionários. Adota-se uma abordagem perceptiva que utiliza a satisfação do usuário e o comportamento ambiental como indicadores de desempenho e de interação social. A análise estatística dos dados quantitativos foi realizada através da verificação das frequências e realização de testes não-paramétricos, como Kruskal-Wallis e Spearman. Também foram utilizados mapa figura-fundo, mapa de barreiras com indicação das constituições e análise sintática para medir os níveis de integração. Os resultados confirmam que as características de implantação de conjuntos habitacionais de interesse social (dimensão, configuração e localização) estão relacionadas entre si e tendem a afetar o tipo e a intensidade de interação entre os moradores do conjunto e a interação do conjunto com o entorno imediato e a cidade. Foi também constatado que conjuntos mais integrados podem contribuir para que os moradores se integrem ao bairro/ cidade e sejam reconhecidos como pertencentes à cidade. Ainda, foi constatado que conjuntos mais distantes da área urbana consolidada, geralmente de grande porte, tendem a promover interação limitada aos moradores do próprio conjunto. Os resultados também confirmam que as características fisicoespaciais dos espaços públicos abertos, mais especificamente o conforto decorrente da existência de vegetação e bancos, assim como as características socioeconômicas dos moradores podem afetar a interação social entre os moradores do conjunto e entre o conjunto e o entorno, uma vez que modificam o estilo de vida, os hábitos de compras no dia a dia e as formas de deslocamento, entre outros. Dessa forma, é ressaltada a importância de avaliar os efeitos das características de implantação de conjuntos habitacionais para que se produzam espaços mais qualificados que promovam e facilitem a interação social entre os moradores do conjunto, entre os moradores do conjunto com o entorno e com a cidade, promovendo o sentimento de pertencimento e cidadania. / This study deals with the analysis of the production of social housing implemented by BNH (National Housing Bank), in order to subsidize the future production of social housing. It was realized a comparative study of four housing units produced by COHAB - Housing Company of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, in the city of Montenegro, in order to understand how the performance of housing schemes related to size, spatial configuration and location, can affect social interaction among dwellers as well as interaction between the housing scheme and its urban context. The multiple methods of data collection and analysis used enabled complementarities between the data obtained through archives information, physical measurements, application of mental maps with interviews, systematic observations of the use of public open spaces and questionnaires. It was adopted a perceptive approach that considers user satisfaction and environmental behavior as indicators of environmental performance and social interaction. The statistical analysis of quantitative data was carried out by means of frequencies and nonparametric tests such as Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman correlations. Moreover, figure-ground map, map of physical barriers with indication of spatial constitutions and space syntax analysis were used in order to measure levels of integration. Results confirm that the characteristics of implementation of social housing related to size, configuration and location, are interrelated and tend to affect the type and intensity of interaction among residents in the housing scheme and interaction of the scheme with the immediate surroundings and the city. It was found that smaller housing schemes tend to show higher level of interaction not only among the residents in the scheme, but also with those who live nearby and in the city. Moreover, it was found that housing schemes farther located from the consolidated urban area, usually of large size, tend to promote limited interaction among residents of the housing scheme. The results further confirmed that physical characteristics of public open spaces, more specifically in relation to environmental comfort resultant from the presence of vegetation and benches, as well as socioeconomic characteristics can affect social interaction among the residents in the scheme and the surrounding neighborhood, due to its effect on life style, daily shopping routine and means of locomotion, among other things. Therefore, it is emphasized the importance of assessing the effects of characteristics of housing schemes related to size, spatial configuration and location in order to produce more qualified residential spaces that promote and facilitate social interaction among residents of housing schemes, among the residents of scheme and surrounding neighborhoods and the city, promoting a sense of belonging and citizenship.

Stability of diagnosis, symptoms and functioning across the life span is central to understanding any disorder and yet remains a relatively unexplored area in the study of autism (Sigman & McGovern, 2005). This is particularly apparent in the development of communication, including social interaction and language development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as there is little research on longitudinal development of children with ASD in general. The outlook on ASD has changed throughout the years, and although the emphasis on speech delay and communication problems have been separated from ASD, it is still one of the most common causes of initial referral in autism diagnoses (Pickles, Risi & Lord, 2004). Understanding the trajectory of communication for a child with ASD is fundamental in providing support and intervention in early years development. As communication is also a primary indicator on later development, it can gage outcomes into adaptive skills, school achievement and adult independence in later adult life. Eleven articles were identified in order to systematically review longitudinal studies based on communication development in ASD, or lack thereof, and why it is important to further carry out research in this area. This review seeks to explore: 1. How the development of different communicative functions in children with ASD is related to change over time. And, 2. What aspects of the child’s proximal processes and/or the child’s characteristics are discussed during measurement periods. Communicative functions were the most common form of communication observed in the studies at assessment periods and as for time points; two assessment periods were most common showing a linear trajectory of progress or decline from time point 1 and 2. All studies discussed aspects of child characteristics, most predominantly being gender and I.Q., however lacked insight into the significance of these and factors of proximal process during measurement periods in the studies reviewed. Ultimately, results display a need for more studies with at least three time points. With two time points only comes a “before” and “after” perspective, whereas, three or more time points enables collection of waves of data, showing key predictors of change in communication in children with a form of ASD.

This study analyzes the register of television sports announcers in Major League Soccer broadcasts, based on six 20-minute transcription samples. The first part considers individual linguistic features and inquires whether they fulfill a communicative function or whether they are of stylistic nature. In an effort to attract more viewers in the United States, production companies had originally adopted the duality model of a play-by-play announcer and a color commentary from other American sports, while many other countries traditionally feature only one commentator. Consequently, the second part of this discourse analysis will focus on the cooperative interactional behavior. The conclusion will be drawn that the register of live action announcing, in contrast to halftime as well as pre- and post-game reporting, is based on cooperative principles. Moreover, both the individual and the collaborative linguistic variables mostly reflect an effort to protect one’s own and the colleague’s public image.

Since the end of World War II, American cities have been stuck in the development trend of urban sprawl. The suburban ideal and proliferation of the automobile have fostered this trend, as well as several other negative issues in our society including inefficient land use and isolation of lower social and economic groups. After fifty years as the model by which American cities grow, it has proven itself to be both inefficient in land use and ineffective in bridging the social gaps that have existed since its inception. A new model for city growth is necessary, one that encourages steady and denser development, and the evolution of such a model should begin in a place in which the core of many American cities are built upon: the neighborhood. This thesis will research the ideas present in many traditional American neighborhoods, ideas that have allowed many of these neighborhoods to exist as integrated urban microcosms within cities even into the modern era in which we now live. The goal is not to simply mimic these ideas and the situations which encouraged them, but to reestablish them with consideration to modern issues, lifestyles, and cultures that exist today. Research will be conducted into the nature of neighborhoods as social phenomena as a way to understand, and therefore respond to, how we interact with one another in the places in which we live. Research will also be conducted specific to the city of Tampa, Florida; exploring the structure of existing neighborhoods in Tampa as well as housing types commonly found in the city. The case study of Radburn, New Jersey will be examined as well as New Urbanism ideas to understand how others have approached the idea of neighborhood. Neighborhoods were once the dominant method of development in the United States prior to the Great Depression and World War II. Urban sprawl and suburbia abandoned the idea of neighborhood in favor of a different ideal for living; an ideal which, whether intentional or not, encouraged private living and design decisions which centered around the automobile rather than people and social situations. While design investigations will include macro and micro strategies, a specific goal will be to explore how the design and planning of single family homes can be rethought to provide more frequent opportunities for social interactions with ones neighbor as well as improved relationships with the street. The conclusions of this thesis will aim to prove that reestablishing this phenomenon in urban planning can provide positive growth, encourage social interaction, as well as allow our basic nature as humans to take root.

The fact that adolescents commonly initiate drug use in social settings is well established. Both clinical and preclinical research has investigated how social interaction is altered by a variety of drugs of abuse. What is less understood is how the rewarding value of drugs of abuse is affected by the presence of social peers. This dissertation aimed to investigate the interaction of morphine and social play on conditioned place preference (CPP) in adolescent male Sprague Dawley rats, using both behavioral and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods. Rats were exposed to morphine (0, 1, or 3 mg/kg; s.c.), social interaction, or a combination of both and tested in a modified CPP procedure. Behavioral results indicate that, while doses of morphine used produced only weak CPP across experiments, they were sufficient to reduce the rewarding effect of social interaction. IHC results suggest that this finding may be due to reduced activation in NAc shell. Taken together, the results of this dissertation may help to provide an explanation as to why persons with opioid use disorder spend less time interacting with social peers, compared to non-dependent persons.

When strangers meet, there is a high level of uncertainty due to the infinite number of possible alternatives in behavior between the two people. Previous research indicates that communicators will attempt to reduce the level of uncertainty by using available verbal and nonverbal information of the other, by seeking similarities with the other, and by observing the situation itself. This information is used to predict attitudes and beliefs, as well as to attribute characteristics of the other. Other studies indicate that a person will increase her level of self-monitoring activity when the level of uncertainty is increased.

Beginning at birth, a child's receptive and expressive language skills are developing in stages. Likewise, the child's socialization skills are progressing in stages. However, it does not seem that communication and socialization are developing independently of each other. Rather, it seems that their development is interrelated.Children learn to speak in a social context, and social situations are necessary for the development of a variety of language structure~ On the same note, in order for those language structures to develop normally, it is necessary for the child to participate in different social situations. Social interactionists have theorized for some time that human language develops out of the social-communicative functions that language serves in human relations. Vygotsky (1962) theorized that language development, social development, and cognitive development all overlap. He stated that a child's social means of thought is language and referred to this as "verbal thought." This verbal thought process serves a major social function. It is through this verbal thought process that children have the ability to be socialized by others and to socialize with others: If, in fact,Expressive language skills and socialization skills do develop together, it would then seem logical that the child who is late to begin talking would also experience initial deficits in the development of socialization Subsequently, it would seem that the late-talking child (L T) who has persistent deficits in language would, in turn, maintain chronic deficits in socialization. Results of a study which set out to investigate the differences between two and three-year old subjects with a history of LT and their normal language peers indicated that subjects with a history of LT are, in fact, at risk for persistent delays in both expressive language and socialization (Paul, Spangle Looney, and Dahm, 1991). The purpose of this study was to compare the language and socialization skills of a group of five-year olds with a history of LT to a group of normal subjects of the same age. If significant differences were found between the two groups in either area, the scores of the subjects with a history of LT at age two would be correlated with their scores at age five to investigate whether a significant relationship existed between their scores at both ages. It was hypothesized that the subjects with a history of LTwould be at risk for longterm delays in both language and socialization. More specifically, the group of subjects with a history of LT, as a whole, would show significant delays in the areas of expressive language and socialization as compared to the normal controls. It was further hypothesized that the subjects with a history of LTs' scores at the age of two would reliably predict their scores at five, given a significant deficit in either area. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales VABS (Sparrow, Balla, & Cicchetti, 1984) was the test instrument used to gather the data at both age levels, five years and two years. Parents of 25 subjects with a history of L T and 25 normal subjects were interviewed by a trained graduate researcher on their child's communication, daily living and socialization skills using the VABS. Results of an ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparisons indicated that the subjects with a history of LT, as a whole, scored significantly lower than the normal subjects in the areas of expressive communication and socialization at age five. Since a proportion of the test items in the socialization domain of the VABS require the child to verbalize, an item analysis between the verbal and the nonverbal test items was performed to determine the influence of the verbal test items on the subjects with a history of LTs' socialization scores. Results of the item-analysis indicated that the subjects with a history of L T's poor performance on the socialization scale was due to their deficits in social skills not their deficits in expressive language. Lastly, a Pearson Product Moment Correlational Test was conducted to investigate the relationship between the subjects with a history of LTs' scores at age two on the communication and the socialization scales and their scores at age five on the same scales. Results indicated that the subjects with a history of LTs' scores on both the socialization scale and the communication scale at age two correlated significantly with their scores on the socialization scale at age five. Therefore, the subjects with a history of LTs' socialization and communication scores at age two are good predictors of their adaptive social skills at the age of five.

A common criticism of U.S. citizens today, whether as voters or students or workers, is that they are "lazy and apathetic". It is important to explore the validity of this criticism. This thesis begins with the premise that there are two prerequisites for citizenship in a democracy: (1) that citizens be willing to participate and (2) that citizens are able to participate. The purpose of this research is to examine a particular set of perspectives regarding social conditions which consistently impact the two aforementioned prerequisites. This examination addresses social conditions that undermine a person's ability to participate meaningfully and it addresses perspectives on alternative social conditions which support personal action. Included in this set of perspectives are relevant concepts and ideas derived from Socrates, John Locke, Karl Marx, Anthony Giddens, and Michael Lerner. These prominent thinkers provide likely, but not exclusive examples of how certain themes commonly emerge regarding social conditions and their relationship to communication. Each of these sources, in different ways and to different degrees, demonstrates how social conditions commonly encourage ideology that can undermine personal action. Additionally, each theorist indicates the need for dialogue and critical thinking to penetrate these social conditions and ideologies, thus providing the keys to encouraging personal action. Once established, the potential for dialogue and critical thinking is discussed with regard to several important social arenas and systems of American culture: mass media, education, the workplace, and government. The true test of whether or not Americans are willing to participate depends upon the nature and extent of their ability to participate. As the promotion of dialogue and critical thinking is necessary to assure the second, an exploration of these capacities is necessary to begin assessing the first.

Previous research into the communication of people with amnesia found that they, and their familiar communication partners, used verbal play less frequently than pairs without amnesia (Duff et al., 2009). This study attempts to analyze an additional dimension of playful language use: partner response to verbal play. A rubric was developed to rate verbal play response on a 0-5 scale. The rubric was used to rate partner response in four communication pairs containing one partner with amnesia and one familiar communication partner; and four healthy pairs for comparison. The responses of the experimenter participating in the conversations were also rated. While the study found no differences between the two groups in terms of the familiar communication partners or the experimenter, the participants with amnesia received significantly lower overall scores than participants without amnesia. The participants with amnesia also produced a significantly lower proportion of responses with multiple turns than did healthy participants. This result adds to the body of evidence that memory disorders can affect social interaction. The rubric developed for this study suggests a possible direction for including partner response in analyses of conversational discourse.

The purpose of this study was to determine if male and female communicators utilize different styles of persuasion with an attractive versus an unattractive female target. Forty undergraduate students were asked to persuade a female confederate in either an attractive condition or an unattractive condition to eat M&M's. Perceptions of attractiveness and personality assessments were checked by a post-experimental questionnaire. Influence attempts were rated and categorized by the use of the Social Interaction Scoring System. Individual responses were then factor analyzed to identify profiles of persuasive communication. These behavioral profiles were then statistically compared across experimental conditions by analyses of variance. No significant differences were found for sex or experimental condition. The subjects did, however, perceive the confederate as significantly more attractive when in the attractive condition than when in the unattractive condition. Further, while the confederate was perceived as more curious and perceptive when in the attractive condition, she was perceived as more indifferent and insensitive when in the unattractive condition. From the results of this study, it -was concluded that people do not necessarily alter their persuasive technique according to the attractiveness of the target person. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed, and suggestions for further research are given.