Host-Guest Relationships in Non-Commercial Tourism Settings: WWOOFing in New Zealand

<p>This study investigates host-­guest elationships in a non‐commercial tourism setting within the context of WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) in New Zealand. WWOOF is a worldwide membership network of organic farms, and is comprised of non‐monetary exchange relationships between WWOOF hosts and guests (WWOOFers). It involves tourists offering their help with activities on these farms in exchange for accommodation and food. The purpose of this research is to examine WWOOF hosts and guests’ meanings and understandings of the host‐guest relationship and the dynamics that influence the nature of the WWOOF encounter. An examination of hosts and guests’ expectations and their subsequent effect on the encounter, and of personal outcomes, assist in making sense of the multiple roles of both parties. The study contributes to the limited research that explores non‐commercial host‐guest relationships in tourism. Through consulting literature on the commercial home, it builds on previous work on WWOOFing by focusing on hosts and guests’ perceptions rather than only one perspective. It gives voice to an under‐acknowledged group of hosts and tourists, who are not counted as contributors to economic development of tourism in New Zealand. The research was developed within a social constructivist paradigm. Using phenomenological methodology, in‐depth interviews with hosts and guests in New Zealand allowed for a thorough analysis of their personal narratives of the WWOOF experience, and the host‐guest relationships. Twenty‐eight interviews were conducted during June and July 2011 (some with two interviewees): resulting in data from 24 hosts and 15 WWOOFers. The findings suggest that WWOOF hosts and guests interact within work and social dimensions. The work dimension dictates that the guest offer help with work on the organic property in return for accommodation and food provided by the host. The social dimension demands interpersonal exchange and social bonds are developed. A model is presented, which demonstrates that host‐guest relationships in WWOOFing evolve and are constantly being negotiated and evaluated. Hosts and guests have multiple roles within the two dimensions: employer‐employee, host‐guest, (family) host‐family member, and friends. These roles are dependent on the level of formalisation of the encounter and the level of interpersonal connectedness. The encounter involves the host’s obligation to meet the needs of the guest and the guest’s obligation to adhere to implicit and explicit rules and guidelines determined by the host. Space and time are mostly shared within the host’s home or hosting space. The study shows that the relationships that occur are complex and multi‐faceted. The various dimensions, which are essential in creating closer, interpersonal relationships, are negotiated within various levels of the relationship. The aspects that influence the roles adopted in work and social spheres and the evolution of the relationship require an understanding of the temporal roles of hosts and guests, trust, shared values and stories, as well as work and social exchange elements.</p>

Host-Guest Relationships in Non-Commercial Tourism Settings: WWOOFing in New Zealand

<p>This study investigates host-­guest elationships in a non‐commercial tourism setting within the context of WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) in New Zealand. WWOOF is a worldwide membership network of organic farms, and is comprised of non‐monetary exchange relationships between WWOOF hosts and guests (WWOOFers). It involves tourists offering their help with activities on these farms in exchange for accommodation and food. The purpose of this research is to examine WWOOF hosts and guests’ meanings and understandings of the host‐guest relationship and the dynamics that influence the nature of the WWOOF encounter. An examination of hosts and guests’ expectations and their subsequent effect on the encounter, and of personal outcomes, assist in making sense of the multiple roles of both parties. The study contributes to the limited research that explores non‐commercial host‐guest relationships in tourism. Through consulting literature on the commercial home, it builds on previous work on WWOOFing by focusing on hosts and guests’ perceptions rather than only one perspective. It gives voice to an under‐acknowledged group of hosts and tourists, who are not counted as contributors to economic development of tourism in New Zealand. The research was developed within a social constructivist paradigm. Using phenomenological methodology, in‐depth interviews with hosts and guests in New Zealand allowed for a thorough analysis of their personal narratives of the WWOOF experience, and the host‐guest relationships. Twenty‐eight interviews were conducted during June and July 2011 (some with two interviewees): resulting in data from 24 hosts and 15 WWOOFers. The findings suggest that WWOOF hosts and guests interact within work and social dimensions. The work dimension dictates that the guest offer help with work on the organic property in return for accommodation and food provided by the host. The social dimension demands interpersonal exchange and social bonds are developed. A model is presented, which demonstrates that host‐guest relationships in WWOOFing evolve and are constantly being negotiated and evaluated. Hosts and guests have multiple roles within the two dimensions: employer‐employee, host‐guest, (family) host‐family member, and friends. These roles are dependent on the level of formalisation of the encounter and the level of interpersonal connectedness. The encounter involves the host’s obligation to meet the needs of the guest and the guest’s obligation to adhere to implicit and explicit rules and guidelines determined by the host. Space and time are mostly shared within the host’s home or hosting space. The study shows that the relationships that occur are complex and multi‐faceted. The various dimensions, which are essential in creating closer, interpersonal relationships, are negotiated within various levels of the relationship. The aspects that influence the roles adopted in work and social spheres and the evolution of the relationship require an understanding of the temporal roles of hosts and guests, trust, shared values and stories, as well as work and social exchange elements.</p>

Hybrid Harmony: A Multi-Person Neurofeedback Application for Interpersonal Synchrony

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in studies measuring brain activity, physiological responses, and/or movement data from multiple individuals during social interaction. For example, so-called “hyperscanning” research has demonstrated that brain activity may become synchronized across people as a function of a range of factors. Such findings not only underscore the potential of hyperscanning techniques to capture meaningful aspects of naturalistic interactions, but also raise the possibility that hyperscanning can be leveraged as a tool to help improve such naturalistic interactions. Building on our previous work showing that exposing dyads to real-time inter-brain synchrony neurofeedback may help boost their interpersonal connectedness, we describe the biofeedback application Hybrid Harmony, a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) that supports the simultaneous recording of multiple neurophysiological datastreams and the real-time visualization and sonification of inter-subject synchrony. We report results from 236 dyads experiencing synchrony neurofeedback during naturalistic face-to-face interactions, and show that pairs' social closeness and affective personality traits can be reliably captured with the inter-brain synchrony neurofeedback protocol, which incorporates several different online inter-subject connectivity analyses that can be applied interchangeably. Hybrid Harmony can be used by researchers who wish to study the effects of synchrony biofeedback, and by biofeedback artists and serious game developers who wish to incorporate multiplayer situations into their practice.

Resilience as a Mainstream Clinical Consideration for Speech-Language Pathologists Providing Post–Acquired Brain Injury Neurorehabilitation

Purpose While resilience is seen as fundamental to recovery and rehabilitation processes within the psychology discipline, (Bonanno, 2004), it has received little acknowledgement throughout speech pathology literature. Research suggests that targeting the malleable components associated with the recruitment and development of resilience has the potential to optimize acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation outcomes. This article examines key constructs fundamental to understanding resilience and provides examples of existing evidence-based practices that can be feasibly incorporated into existing neurorehabilitation practices to drive the establishment of resilience. Method Articles describing resilience models and frameworks were examined to identify resilience factors that could be fostered during neurorehabilitation therapy sessions. Results The literature supports a series of common traits across resilience intervention models that enhance the development of resilience including the promotion of optimism, motivation, self-efficacy, and interpersonal connectedness. We describe a number of established communication strategies and counseling techniques that promote these resilience factors and can be integrated into rehabilitation therapy sessions. Conclusions Speech pathologists should consider resilience as a primary and essential clinical ingredient in their rehabilitation interventions. It is important that clinicians are trained in the communication and counseling skills that comprise these ingredients. Bolstering resilience while addressing rehabilitation targets can optimize clinical outcomes.

782 Sleep restriction reduces feelings of interpersonal connectedness and social motivation

Introduction Feeling socially connected with others is essential for promoting and maintaining psychological health. Emerging research suggests that insufficient sleep may result in deleterious social outcomes such as greater reactivity to stressful social situations. However, little is known regarding how sleep may impact motivation to feel connected with others, and experiences of connectedness after positive social interactions. Methods Healthy participants (N = 56; 83.9% female, ages 18–30) were randomly assigned to one night of sleep restriction (SR, 4 h) or a night of typical sleep (TS, 8 h) in a controlled laboratory setting and verified with actigraphy. All participants did not have any known or suspected sleep or psychiatric disorders, were free of medical conditions and current medication use known to impact sleep and/or psychological functioning, and wore an actigraph for one week prior to the experimental night to ensure adequate sleep duration. Following the experimental night, participants reported on their motivation for social connectedness (e.g., “Right now, I would like to be close with friends, family, and significant others.”), and completed a task where they spent 5 minutes writing about a positive interpersonal event. After the task, participants reported on their feelings of interpersonal connectedness. Qualitative text analysis was conducted to extract emotional tone and number of social words used during the task. Results Compared to TS, participants undergoing SR were less motivated to feel connected with others [t(54) = -2.62, p = .01], and reported feeling less social connectedness after the task [t(53) = -2.06, p = .04]. Text analysis revealed no differences in positive or negative emotional tone, but participants in the SR group used less social words when describing their positive interpersonal event [F(1, 53) = 6.65, p = .01], even after adjusting for differences in total number of words used. Conclusion One night of sleep restriction reduces motivation to engage in social interactions, and also results in feeling less connected with others after reflecting on a positive social event. These findings add to a limited body of research on sleep and social experiences and provide further support for the negative psychological effects of sleep loss. Support (if any):

Instrumental Music Educators in a COVID Landscape: A Reassertion of Relationality and Connection in Teaching Practice

For many countries instrumental music tuition in secondary schools is a ubiquitous event that provides situated and personalized instruction in the learning of an instrument. Opportunities and methods through which teachers operate during the COVID-19 outbreak challenged music educators as to how they taught, engaged, and interacted with students across online platforms, with alarm over aerosol dispersement a major factor in maintaining online instrumental music tuition even as students returned to “normal” face to face classes. This qualitative study investigated the practices employed by instrumental music educators in secondary schools in Melbourne, Australia, analyzing teacher perspectives to music tuition amidst the restriction of interaction with students remotely via online means. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed music educational approaches that fostered connection, empathy and receptiveness to relationship-building, guiding students in slower and deeper learner-centered approaches, asserting pedagogical practices that reinforced and promoted interpersonal connectedness in and through musical experience and discovery. These findings provide a framework for how music educators can facilitate connection, motivation and student autonomy generating personal meaning and commitment to music making and the learning relationship, which can translate to significant student learning and value in the learning music. Exploring teachers’ pedagogical practices and behaviors within this dyadic teacher-student relationship is a significant addition to the literature, enabling the consideration of the type of connective behaviors required to stimulate and develop long-term interest in music.

Longing for Home: The Impact of COVID-19 on Cambodian Evangelical Life

In Cambodia, the government's response to the COVID-19 crisis intersected with religious practice this year, as April played host both to the Christian Holy Week and the Cambodian New Year holiday, rooted in Cambodian Buddhism and indigenous religions. Typically, the Cambodian New Year celebration involves the near-complete shutting down of Phnom Penh, allowing for residents of the capital city to spend the New Year with their families in the countryside. Many Christians stay with their parents or other relatives, who remain primarily Theravada Buddhist, in the rural provinces throughout Holy Week, missing Easter Sunday services to participate in New Year's festivities at their ancestral homes. In light of the government's precautionary cancellation of the all-encompassing festivities surrounding the Cambodian New Year this spring, Christians who have previously spent Easter Sunday addressing controversial questions of interreligious interaction notably focused this year, through online broadcasting, on the resurrection of Jesus. In the United States, the near elimination of in-person gatherings has blurred the boundaries between the ministry roles of recognised church leaders and lay Christians, often women, who have long been leading unofficial services and devotionals over the phone and internet. In this article, I argue that the COVID-19 crisis, with its concomitant mass displacement of church communities from the physical to the technological realm, has impacted transnational Cambodian evangelicalism by establishing greater liturgical alignment between churches in Cambodia and in the diaspora, democratising spiritual leadership and increasing opportunities for interpersonal connectedness within the Cambodian evangelical community worldwide.

The parental experiences of caring for children with childhood cancers in Singapore: a pilot focus group study

Background: Research on the parental experiences of caring for children diagnosed with cancer in Singapore are limited and not well understood. Objectives: We conducted a pilot focus group to understand the experiences of Singaporean parents whose child had survived cancer. Methods: Using convenience sampling, five parents were invited to participate in a focus group discussion regarding the psychosocial needs at the time of cancer diagnosis and into survivorship. The discussion was transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s 6-step approach to thematic analysis. Results: The analysis revealed three major themes of intrapersonal impact, interpersonal connectedness and financial implications. Conclusions: The identified themes indicated some universal and unique caregiving experiences among Singaporean parents and those reported in western and other Asian cultures. In particular, the findings provided an update on the parental experiences of caring for children with cancer in Singapore and highlighted the need for ongoing research and the development of early and holistic psychosocial support services for these parents.

Toward a multimodal measurement model for the neurobehavioral trait of affiliative capacity

A growing body of research supports the value of a multimodal assessment approach, drawing on measures from different response modalities, for clarifying how core biobehavioral processes relate to various clinical problems and dimensions of psychopathology. Using data for 507 healthy adults, the current study was undertaken to integrate self-report and neurophysiological (brain potential) measures as a step toward a multimodal measurement model for the trait of affiliative capacity (AFF) – a biobehavioral construct relevant to adaptive and maladaptive social-interpersonal functioning. Individuals low in AFF exhibit a lack of interpersonal connectedness, deficient empathy, and an exploitative-aggressive social style that may be expressed transdiagnostically in antagonistic externalizing or distress psychopathology. Specific aims were to (1) integrate trait scale and brain potential indicators into a multimodal measure of AFF and (2) evaluate associations of this multimodal measure with criterion variables of different types. Results demonstrated (1) success in creating a multimodal measure of AFF from self-report and neural indicators, (2) effectiveness of this measure in predicting both clinical-diagnostic and neurophysiological criterion variables, and (3) transdiagnostic utility of the multimodal measure at both specific-disorder and broad symptom-dimension levels. Our findings further illustrate the value of psychoneurometric operationalizations of biobehavioral trait dimensions as referents for clarifying transdiagnostic relationships between biological systems variables and empirically defined dimensions of psychopathology.