Considering the importance of self-disclosure in building relationships, it is vital to investigate how self-disclosure is affected via avatars in virtual environments, as they are likely to become ...increasingly popular. Previous work has shown that using avatars increases friendliness and honesty. However, issues such as how and what types of avatars affect self-disclosure and reciprocity have not been fully explored. We conducted a study with 108 participants (54 dyads) discussing a personal topic using one of three communication media: videoconferencing, avatars with avatar-self appearance similarity, or avatars without avatar-self appearance similarity. The results showed that self-disclosure is most encouraged via the avatars without similarity. Reciprocity was formed via both types of avatars but not videoconferencing. Interestingly, although the participants disclosed more about themselves via avatars than via videoconferencing, there was no difference in their subjective experiences. It means that avatar users can disclose more about themselves without being particularly aware that they are using avatars, which suggests the usefulness of avatars to understand people's candid thoughts and feelings. Finally, we discuss the design implications for applications requiring self-disclosure.
This is a qualitative case study.
Considering individual patient's perception is an important aspect of rehabilitation according to International Classification of Functioning model (Geneva, 2002).
...The report highlights the importance of patient education and considering individual's perception to achieve rehabilitation outcomes.
A written informed consent for case report was given by a 24-year-old male, a mass media graduate student diagnosed with global brachial plexus injury. Detailed evaluation by a senior therapist was conducted in a tertiary government hospital using the following tools:BMRC GradingDASH and WHOQOL BREF ScoresBRIEF-COPE and SWAP-BPI ScoresIndividual muscle testingActivity limitation and quality of lifeCoping strategies and satisfaction with appearanceBMRC = British Medical Research Council; DASH = Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand; WHOQOL = World Health Organization Quality of Life; SWAP-BPI = Satisfaction with Appearance after Brachial Plexus Injury.Aggressive rehabilitation program and counseling was undertaken.
Patient education and rehabilitation led to signs of clinical improvement at the end of 5 months. In spite of this clinical signs of recovery, patient showed lack of satisfaction in terms of his appearance and body image.
As employment and social life determined our patient's satisfaction level, a negative impact was seen on functional recovery.
Considering an individual's perception regarding the condition in terms of their contextual and personal factors is an important aspect of rehabilitation according to International Classification of Functioning model (Geneva, 2002).
•Functional recovery occurs with customized rehabilitation plan.•Patient perception is a result of impact after traumatic brachial plexus injury.•Self-appearance and body image is affected after brachial plexus injury.•Patient satisfaction determines overall recovery.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Selfie-related activities have become pervasive to the point that they may affect the mental health of people who engage in them. To ascertain this mechanism, this study examined the mediating role ...of selfitis in the associations between self-esteem, problematic social media use, problematic smartphone use, body-self appearance, and psychological distress among young Ghanaian adults. A total of 651 participants completed a questionnaire with measures on self-esteem, body-self appearance, problematic social media use, problematic smartphone use, depression, anxiety, stress, coping skills, and selfitis. There were direct associations between all the variables except between self-esteem and selfitis. In addition, selfitis mediated the associations between problematic social media use, problematic smartphone use, body-self appearance, and psychological distress except between self-esteem and psychological distress. These findings suggest that selfitis can serve as a pathway by which people who overly engage in problematic social media use, problematic smartphone use, and have poor body-self appearance may experience psychological distress. Hence, there is a need for health communicators, school authorities, and opinion leaders to educate young adults on the consequences of the problematic use of technology, especially for selfitis behaviour. Future studies can examine the factors that predict selfitis behaviour among adults.
Assimilation of social standards and values is one of the most important aspects of social cognition. The process of social cognition occurs at an early age and covers various areas of life and ...includes ideas about physical attractiveness. The article describes the results of an experiment dedicated to the study of the formation of ideas about visual appeal for girls of preschool and early school age. It is shown that promoted in today's society values of thinness and slimness children learn very early. 5—6 year old girls prefer the ultra¬thin standards embodied in the image of a mod¬ern fashion dolls (such as Barbie, Bratz, Monster High, Winx et al.) in comparison with the more realistic body image doll with normal proportions. The author has created a technique of "The Choice of a Doll". According to the results of this tech¬nique the lowest rating in the number of choices with a large negative margin of four fashion dolls got exactly this doll. The reasons for her rejection more often is an indication of its corpulence and insufficient length and thinness of her legs and arms. It is concluded that the unrealistic standards of thinness and physical harmo¬ny may be perceived by girls as the corporal norm, while realistic volumes are per¬ceived as as "fat", "big" and "ugly". Analysis of girls' speech production girls shows that the image of fashion dolls correlates them with physical standards and a certain way of life, with entertainment, idleness and social success.
