What Privacy Isn’t

This chapter cuts through some of the common myths about privacy in our digital society. First, privacy isn’t about hiding dark secrets. Saying that those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear ignores that we all have aspects of our selves we don’t want shared indiscriminately, ignores that privacy matters because privacy is about power, and incorrectly focuses on privacy as an individual rather than a social matter. Second, privacy isn’t about creepiness. Using socially contingent psychological reactions as a trigger for whether privacy is menaced is a trap because it is underinclusive, overinclusive, and malleable by those who collect data. Third, privacy isn’t about “controlling our data.” In our complex world, control of data is an illusion that actually cedes control to powerful companies, thereby completing the creepy trap. Fourth, privacy isn’t dying; it’s the ongoing social conversation about the social power that human information confers.

Rethinking science communication as the social conversation around science

In this essay the authors reflect on some recent trends in science communication research, celebrating it as an inherently interdisciplinary endeavour. Some current tendencies in science communication are more limiting, however: they present theoretical and strategic prescriptions that do not adquately reflect the variety and cultural diversity of science communication internationally. Rethinking science communication in the context of such diverse practices and cultural reorientations, the authors revise some of their own views and revisit notions of communication as conversation to propose an inclusive definition of science communication as the social conversation around science.

A Novel Participant-Empowered Pedagogical Approach to Engage and Retain Control Group Participants in Arts-Based Randomized Controlled Trials

The overall purpose of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to examine the effect of arts classes (ballroom dance and ukulele) on older adults’ well-being compared with a social conversation control group. This article describes a novel participant-empowered pedagogical approach to enhance control group retention and engagement. Sixty-four participants ( M = 71 years) participated twice weekly in a 10-week intervention that included ballroom dancing ( n = 23), ukulele playing ( n = 17), and social conversation ( n = 24). Focus group themes revealed participants felt challenged as they crossed their comfort zones, increased confidence, and enhanced social connections. Community-engaged arts programs for older adults should further examine mechanisms that foster positive social connections during sessions, paying special attention to the design of the control group condition in RCTs where competing arts-based intervention groups may be more desirable to participants.

Using a Question Bank Intervention to Improve Socially Initiated Questions in Adolescents and Adults With Autism

Purpose Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have difficulty asking questions during social conversation, which can negatively impact their interactions with peers. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a question bank intervention would be effective in improving question asking during social conversation. Method In the context of a multiple-baseline experimental design, we implemented an intervention using prepractice with question banks designed to increase the number and diversity of questions asked by adolescents and adults with ASD during social conversations with their peers. Results Following intervention, all participants improved their use of questions in natural settings with their neurotypical peers. Generalization to novel questions occurred, and gains were maintained at follow-up. Finally, supplemental measures of social validity showed that similarly aged neurotypical peers who were naïve to the experimental hypothesis rated two of the three participants with higher social desirability following intervention. Conclusion Individuals with ASD can improve their appropriate question asking during social conversation using a brief question bank intervention with generalization to their peers in natural settings.

Comparative analysis of the broadcaster’s Twitter strategies of the highest-rated British and Spanish TV series

The current interrelation between social media and the audio-visual industry has required traditional broadcasters to extend their programming strategies outside the box. TV fiction is a suitable genre to test new forms of audience loyalty, which is essential in a highly competitive environment. In this article, we present results regarding the actions of the industry through a content analysis of the official Twitter profiles of the most-watched series in Spain and the United Kingdom. We conclude that both market strategies revolve around the linear broadcast. However, Spanish channels are more aggressive in their actions to stimulate social conversation.

A Presentation of Central Communication Aspects in the Patient–Provider Relationship—Potential Learnings for Community Pharmacists

Several studies have shown that communication between patients and HCPs is still not optimal in integrating patients’ perspectives on how best to manage their diseases and their medication. One such area where encounters between patients and professionals still needs to develop to better incorporate the patient’s perspective is pharmacy practice. The aim of this study was therefore to explore and present new typologies and communication aspects of HCP-patient relationships since a comprehensive literature search in 1997 conducted by Sondell and Söderfeldt, and relate the findings to pharmacy practice. In total, 11 articles were identified by applying the techniques of a purposeful literature search. The articles covered aspects of: shifting and adapting roles during the encounter, techniques to ensure individualizing in the encounter, avoiding inappropriate routines, coping with internet-informed patients, achieving mutual goals, dealing with uncertainty including avoiding rigid preconceptions, using social conversation, incorporating patients’ prior experiences, aligning language, adapting greetings and exploring the cultures and communication patterns of patients from other ethnic backgrounds. The variety of these communication aspects points to the immense complexity of communication as a practice discipline. This article has presented some of the literature that pharmacists can consult, in the endeavor of improving their communication practices.

Arts Engagement Programs improves Health in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

We examined how different arts engagement programs compared to control affect health in community-dwelling older adults. 64 adults(71.3 + 4.6years; Dance n=23, Music n=17, Control, n=24) took part in free Dance(Ballroom), Music(Ukulele), or Control(Active social conversation) sessions 2 times/week for 10 weeks. We assessed cognition(Montreal-Cognitive-Assessment-MoCA), physical(Short-Physical-Performance-Battery-SPPB), and Health-Related Quality-of-Life(HRQoL-SF-20) 3 times: (1) before(pre), (2) at the end of 10 weeks(post-1) and (3) 1-month after intervention(post-2). Separate 3(Time)x3(Group) ANOVAs and Bonferroni-pairwise-comparisons examined changes across groups and time(p<.05). Participants’ physical health improved equally across groups(p=.4) and over time(p<.001), specifically from pre(10.5 + 1.4) to post-1(10.7 + 1.3; p=.002), and pre to-post-2(11.3 + 1.0;p<.001). Participants’ cognition improved equally across groups(p=.6) and over time(p<.001) from pre(26.3 + 2.8) to post-1(27.3 + 2.5; p=.002), and pre-to-post-2(27.5 + 2.5;p=.001). Participants’ HRQoL remained similar over time(p=.6) and across groups(p=.7). Overall, participants’ health improved after taking part in arts engagement and social conversation programs. Study findings offer insights about successful implementation of arts-engaged programs in community-dwelling older adults.

Exploring the Effects of Arts Intervention Groups on Well-Being Among Older Adults

Engaging in the arts reportedly improves well-being, but research is limited on the specific effects for community-dwelling older adults. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to examine how taking part in different arts interventions (dance & music), affects older adults’ overall well-being compared to a social conversation control group. Sixty-four participants (mean = 71 years old) participated twice weekly in a 10-week intervention that included ballroom dancing (n=23), ukulele playing (n=17), and social conversation (n=24). At the conclusion, three focus groups were held to assess participants’ experiences and subjective evaluation of the interventions’ impact. Twenty-two out of the sixty-four participants (dance= 8, ukulele = 6, social conversation = 8) took part in focus groups. Transcripts of the recorded focus groups were independently coded and compared. Common themes were agreed-upon by two researchers. Focus groups revealed positive outcomes for participants in all three groups. Several themes emerged across the intervention groups compared to the control group, including participants feeling challenged as they crossed their comfort zones, reporting increased confidence, enhanced social connections, and a sense of accomplishment when learning new skills. Community-dwelling older adults reported improved health-related outcomes after taking part in arts and social conversation sessions. Implementation of community-engaged arts intervention programs for older adults in the future may examine motivators which attract participants, foster positive social connections during sessions, and use participant-empowering pedagogical adaptations to retain participants. These factors can increase the efficacy of arts-engaged programs and help improve well-being in older adults.

Disability and Dating: Exploring the Twittersphere

To better understand how dating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities might be described and explained on social media, a content analysis of tweets was conducted. Fifteen hashtags (#) about dating and disability were used to search Twitter for the time frame of February 2010 to May 2015, generating 781 tweets. These tweets were classified using eight categories. The findings indicate that there is limited content related to dating for people with disabilities, paling in comparison to content around dating with no reference to disability. Content about disability contained several advertisements and offers of advice, absent of opportunities for connections with the potential of leading to actual dates. Essentially, the tweets around disability seemed to be a marketplace of services rather than a genuine social conversation around dating. Implications for future research are discussed. Although the emerging work about relationship development in the online environment continues to grow, much remains to be investigated.