OBJECTS AS A FACTOR IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIAL REALITY

This study constructs an Experiential Learning Management Model (ELMM) for early childhood education, rooted in social cognitive theory (SCT) and constructivist theory. ELMM integrates six key modules: Experiential Learning, Metacognitive Monitoring, Dynamic Assessment, Contextualized Learning, Social Interaction, and Double-Loop Learning Paths. The model emphasizes the synergy of practice, reflection, and strategic self-regulation to enhance early cognitive, social, and emotional development. The study addresses common implementation challenges, including limited metacognitive skills, difficulties in dynamic assessment, and task complexity, offering solutions such as simplified tools, guided training, and progressive task design. This model aims to overcome the limitations of traditional experiential learning by incorporating structured feedback and contextual relevance. ELMM provides a cost-effective, adaptable framework to support holistic child development, fostering lifelong skills and adaptability in diverse educational settings.

Research in parental social support has chiefly examined received social support. Studies have suggested that provided social support may also be protective for child mental health problems. We aim to investigate the association between parental social interaction (both received and provided social support) and offspring behavior problems. We analyzed the data of 982 households, including 1538 children aged 4 to 16years, from the Japanese Study of Stratification, Health, Income, and Neighborhood (J-SHINE) survey conducted over 2010-2011. We used a 5-point Likert scale to assess social interaction including parental emotional and instrumental support received from and provided to the spouse, other co-residing family members, non-co-residing family members or relatives, neighbors, and friends. Behavior problems in offspring were assessed using parental responses to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Associations between parental social interaction and behavior problems were analyzed using ordered logistic regression. We found that higher maternal social interaction is significantly associated with lower odds of both difficult and prosocial behavior problems, while the same associations were not found for paternal social interaction. Further, maternal provided social support showed an independent negative association with prosocial behavior problems in offspring, even when adjusted for received maternal social support and paternal social interaction. This study showed that maternal social interaction, but not paternal social interaction, might have a protective effect on offspring behavior problems. Further study is required to investigate the effect of the intervention to increase social participation among mothers whose children have behavior problems.

Typically, animals spend a considerable portion of their time with social interactions involving mates, offspring, competitors and group members. The social performance during these interactions can strongly depend on the social environment individuals have experienced early in life. Despite a considerable number of experiments investigating long‐term effects of the early social environment, our understanding of the behavioural mechanisms mediating these effects is still limited, mainly for two reasons. (1) Only in few experimental studies have researchers actually observed and quantified the behaviour of their study animals during the social treatment. (2) Even if differences in social interactions between social rearing treatments are reported, these differences might not be causally linked to any observed long‐term effects later in life. The aim of this review was to investigate whether behavioural records of animals during the experimental manipulation of their social environment can help (1) identifying behavioural mechanisms involved in a long‐term effect and (2) obtaining a better understanding of the long‐term consequences of early manipulations. First, I review studies that manipulated the social environment at an early stage of the ontogeny, observed the social interactions and behaviour during the social experience phase and subsequently tested the performance in social and non‐social behavioural tasks at a later life stage. In all reviewed studies, treatment differences were reported both in social interactions during the social experience phase and in social and/or non‐social behaviours later in life. Second, I discuss four classes of behavioural mechanisms that can cause the reported long‐term effects of social experience, namely learning by experience, social learning, sensory stimulation and social cueing. I conclude that social interactions during the social experience phase should always be recorded for at least two reasons. Knowledge about how the social interactions differ between rearing treatments (1) permits researchers to formulate hypotheses about candidate mechanisms causing long‐term effects on behaviour and (2) can help to interpret unexpected outcomes of developmental experiments. Finally, I propose that as a crucial ultimate step towards understanding effects of the early social environment, we should develop targeted experiments testing for the causality of identified candidate mechanism.

Association between a Change in Social Interaction and Dementia among Elderly People

The motor learning process requires the inter-coordination of the cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor stages. Diversity in students' cognitive abilities and emotions is a challenge in physical education. The issue has been stated that physical education is an area of less interest, thus resulting in lower student interaction with the social environment. Peer teaching is a method offered to combine the cognitive and emotional aspects of performing psychomotor tasks. This study investigates whether peer teaching can be used as a solution to the imbalance between psychomotor performance and social interaction in physical education. For 10 years, consecutive international papers published in the years 2012-2022 have been screened and reviewed from the ERIC database website according to PRISMA guidelines with specific keyword criteria. Finally, a total of 10 journals were taken as final summarized in the conclusion explaining the results of this study. Peer teaching has been cited as one of the learning models that can overcome the imbalance between psychomotor skills and social interaction. It has a better transfer of knowledge, skills, and social interactions in multicultural classes. Concerning physical education, peer teaching serves as an effective learning model for improving cognitive skills, motor skills, and social interaction at the same time. In addition to student diversity, this learning model can balance student abilities parallel. The concept of peer teaching with peer assistance makes a positive contribution to the practice of physical education. Students' psychomotor skills that are unevenly distributed are supported by their peers, and so their social interaction skills are. It can be concluded as a novelty that Peer teaching provides a positive contribution to a healthier social life, improved motor skills, and behavioral coordination through physical education interaction. Keywords: peer teaching, physical education, psychomotor, social interaction, school. https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.50.2.2

Neighbourhood environments shape older adults’ social interactions. This research conceptualises a comprehensive set of perceived and objective measures of neighbourhood social and built environments, including third places, with older adults’ social interactions. In Melbourne, based on the person-environment fit framework, mediation analyses showed that the perceived social environment measures of community spirit, participation in community groups and belonging to suburb, were the strongest predictors of social interactions, followed by a few types of perceived third places. Our findings suggest that policymakers should focus on how the objective environment characteristics are interpreted as levers when planning for changes.

A critical aspect of the environment in person-environment models is the nature and density of the social interactions of the members who populate the environment. Because social types solve problems through social mechanisms, it was hypothesized that they would have greatest skills in social coping and that the further the Euclidean distance (in Holland's hexagon) from social, the lower the skill level in these social skills, but that there would be no differences among Holland types in skill level for problem-focused social skills. On the basis of an assessment of vocational interests and self-reported social skills of 134 undergraduates, this hypothesis was corroborated. Chemistry laboratory groups were qualitatively studied to describe the social interaction environment of persons with relative deficits in the social-coping skills. These chemists interacted often, enjoyed and benefited from the interactions, but constrained their social interactions to minimize the dependence on social-coping social skills.

Sociological analysis of up-to-date social practices, communication and interaction forms among community members, local and virtual groups is based on a number of methodological approaches that need to be reconceived today in connection with the digital transformations of social processes and structures. Socio-managerial approaches used in the era of traditional and modern society (modernity) do not cover the total social reality and do not reply to the tasks and social practices of the post-modern information society (“meta-modernity”). In these conditions, the rethinking is required for the implementation of the basic concepts such as democratic instruments of state regulation, once rejected by Plato and Aristotle and then again proposed at a new round of social development by K. Popper. The concept of participation, which returned to sociological, socio-anthropological and socio-economic discourse in the middle of the twentieth century, needs to be developed in the era of total digitalization, additionally accelerated by measures of social isolation in connection with the pandemic (the transition to remote work, the expansion of online services, etc.). The article attempts to present new aspects of the concept of participation in relation to understanding the models of distributed networks of economic relations (sharing) and, in general, to digital forms of social communications in society.

Group-living primates frequently interact with each other to maintain social bonds as well as to compete for valuable resources. Observing such social interactions between group members provides individuals with essential information (e.g. on the fighting ability or altruistic attitude of group companions) to guide their social tactics and choice of social partners. This process requires individuals to selectively attend to the most informative content within a social scene. It is unclear how non-human primates allocate attention to social interactions in different contexts, and whether they share similar patterns of social attention to humans. Here we compared the gaze behaviour of rhesus macaques and humans when free-viewing the same set of naturalistic images. The images contained positive or negative social interactions between two conspecifics of different phylogenetic distance from the observer; i.e. affiliation or aggression exchanged by two humans, rhesus macaques, Barbary macaques, baboons or lions. Monkeys directed a variable amount of gaze at the two conspecific individuals in the images according to their roles in the interaction (i.e. giver or receiver of affiliation/aggression). Their gaze distribution to non-conspecific individuals was systematically varied according to the viewed species and the nature of interactions, suggesting a contribution of both prior experience and innate bias in guiding social attention. Furthermore, the monkeys’ gaze behavior was qualitatively similar to that of humans, especially when viewing negative interactions. Detailed analysis revealed that both species directed more gaze at the face than the body region when inspecting individuals, and attended more to the body region in negative than in positive social interactions. Our study suggests that monkeys and humans share a similar pattern of role-sensitive, species- and context-dependent social attention, implying a homologous cognitive mechanism of social attention between rhesus macaques and humans.

People with intellectual disability (ID) face a variety of barriers to independent travel in their communities. Barriers to independent mobility are related to both individual characteristics and the physical and social environment. This exploratory study explores the perceptions of people with ID about social interactions that may occur during their travels in the community and particularly when using public transportation. Using social information processing theory, we assessed the reading and interpretation of appropriate versus inappropriate social interactions (in the context of bus travel) of 19 adults with ID from 8 video vignettes. Results revealed that ten out of nineteen participants (52.63%) correctly identified all inappropriate social interactions. Eighteen out of nineteen participants (94.73%) correctly identified all appropriate social interactions. Finally, nine out of 19 participants (47.36%) made no identification errors with appropriate and inappropriate social interactions. In addition, there was a tendency for participants to better analyze appropriate, adapted social interactions compared to inappropriate social interactions. Social interactions with other passengers of public transport can be a source of anxiety during travel for people with ID and are one of the reasons why people themselves and those around them (families, professionals) restrict travel. This social dimension, also needed during travels, should further be integrated into mobility training in order to teach problem solving skills to ID people.KeywordsIntellectual disabilityMobilityPublic transportationSocial interactionsVideosVirtual reality

The aim of this research was to explore the use of reflective practice eportfolios as a digital tool to enhance BA Culinary and Gastronomic Science students’ professional learning experiences. A deductive approach was applied to the data where the participants reflective practice entries were coded using Braun and Clarke’s framework for thematic analysis. In line with Vygotsky’s (1978) social constructivist theory, the results depicted the participants were able to learn through social interactions with their lecturer and peers, who assisted with scaffolding knowledge and skills, until the participants were more confident in their learning. By using the reflective practice eportfolio meant that the participants were able to track their improvement and growth related to their reflection process. The results are far reaching in the context of culinary arts education and offer significant insights into embedding a reflective practice eportfolio into the culinary curriculum.

Environmental enrichment (EE) has long been established as an effective method of improving neuroplasticity and reducing behavioral problems in captive mammals. As the creation of an enriched environment includes the effects of social stimuli and novel objects, its translation to humans can be considered reasonable. In this article, the authors suggest that environmental enrichment should be considered as a promising strategy to combat the social isolation caused by the pandemic, providing a better opportunity for behavioral adaptation. Рurpose: The aim of this review is to explore the importance of environmental enrichment as a fundamental component of promoting human well-being in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this paper was to demonstrate the relationship between psychological distress, cognitive impairment and neuropsychological status in patients suffering from COVID-19 and COVID-related isolation, and to describe the benefits of the environmental enrichment approach and propose it as a potential solution to improve brain performance. Methodology: Extensive searches were conducted in academic databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Keywords including 'environmental enrichment', 'nature exposure', 'physical activity', 'social interaction', 'cognitive stimulation', 'well-being', 'mental health', 'COVID-19 pandemic' and related terms were used. The search was limited to articles published in English and focused on human populations. Studies eligible for inclusion included empirical research, review articles, meta-analyses and theoretical papers relevant to environmental enrichment and human well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relevant articles were screened using titles and abstracts to determine eligibility for full text review. Data were extracted from selected articles, including study objectives, methods, key findings and implications for human well-being. Studies were synthesized thematically to identify common themes, trends and gaps in the literature. The review aims to provide a comprehensive and rigorous synthesis of the literature on the role of environmental enrichment in promoting human well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientific novelty: The review presents a new perspective by synthesizing the existing literature on environmental enrichment in the unique context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores how environmental factors such as exposure to nature, physical activity and social interactions can serve as critical resources for maintaining and enhancing human well-being in times of crisis. By specifically addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on human well-being, the review offers a novel examination of the challenges posed by pandemic-related restrictions, isolation and uncertainty. It highlights how environmental enrichment strategies can serve as adaptive coping mechanisms to mitigate the negative psychological and emotional effects of the pandemic. One of the key scientific novelties of the review is its interdisciplinary approach to understanding human well-being. It synthesizes findings from psychology, public health and environmental science to provide a comprehensive analysis of the role of environmental enrichment in promoting holistic well-being during the pandemic. Conclusions. The review highlights the importance of environmental enrichment, which includes exposure to nature, physical activity, social interactions and cognitive stimulation, in promoting human well-being during the pandemic. Environmental enrichment strategies offer valuable resources for mitigating the negative psychological, emotional and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. By providing opportunities for stress reduction, mood enhancement and social support, these interventions contribute to resilience and adaptive coping mechanisms in times of crisis. Exposure to nature is emerging as a particularly powerful form of environmental enrichment, with therapeutic benefits for mental health, emotional well-being and overall quality of life. Encouraging physical activity and facilitating social interactions, albeit within the constraints of public health guidelines, play a critical role in maintaining human well-being during the pandemic.

A closed-loop teleprompter system was used to isolate and manipulate social interactivity in the natural courtship interactions of pigeons Columbia livia. In Experiment 1, a live face-to-face real-time interaction between 2 courting pigeons (Live) was compared to a played back version of the video stimulus recorded during the pairs Live interaction. We found that pigeons were behaving interactively; their behavior depended on the relationships between their own signals and those of their partner. In Experiment 2, we tested whether social interactivity relies on spatial cues present in the facing direction of a partner’s display. By moving the teleprompter camera 90° away from its original location, the partner’s display was manipulated to appear as if it is directed 90° away from the subject. We found no effect of spatial offset on the pigeon’s behavioral response. In Experiment 3, 3 time delays, 1 s, 3 s, and 9 s, a Live condition, and a playback condition were chosen to investigate the importance of temporal contiguity in social interactivity. Furthermore, both opposite-sex (courtship) and same-sex (rivalry) pairs were studied to investigate whether social-context affects social interactivity sensitivity. Our results showed that pigeon courtship behavior is sensitive to temporal contiguity. Behavior declined in the 9 s and Playback conditions as compared to Live condition and the shorter time delays. For males only, courtship behavior also increased in the 3-s delay condition. The effect of social interactivity and time delay was not observed in rivalry interactions, suggesting that social interactivity may be specific to courtship.

The strategy, which aims to promote student participation, peer interaction, and shared knowledge construction, is increasingly called into question by empirical evidence suggesting that this assumption does not consistently hold true, particularly in diverse and resource-constrained contexts. This study investigated group work assessment as a form of collaborative learning in higher education, focusing on the challenges associated with its implementation and the perceptions of both lecturers and students regarding its effectiveness. Guided by Social Constructivism Theory, which emphasises learning through social interaction and mediated collaboration, the study adopted a qualitative approach within an interpretivist paradigm. A case study design was employed, involving ten purposively selected participants, five lecturers and five final-year students, from a Faculty of Education at a selected university in South Africa. Data were generated using reflective instruments and analysed through thematic analysis in accordance with Braun and Clarke’s six-step procedure. The findings revealed that group work assessment is hindered by significant challenges, including poor communication, lack of participation, absence of leadership, and its time-consuming nature, all of which undermine meaningful collaboration. While lecturers generally perceived group work as a valuable pedagogical tool, students’ experiences were more ambivalent, highlighting a disconnect between intention and practice. The study concludes that group work assessment does not automatically foster participation and must be intentionally designed and facilitated. It recommends clear instructional guidelines, structured leadership roles, active monitoring, and assessment designs that balance collaboration with individual accountability to enhance inclusive and effective learning outcomes in higher education.

Modern society is undergoing a period of transformation that affects all fundamental spheres, including the sphere of criminal policy and criminal law. The state of instability and uncertainty of social development is reflected, among other things, in the fact that the practice of current rule-making in the field of constructing criminal law prohibitions often demonstrates a clear contradiction to the rules and principles of criminalization that have developed in the domestic legal doctrine at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. This phenomenon receives a predominantly negative assessment in the scientific literature. Without denying the substantive criticism, at the same time, it is necessary to raise the question that the steady nature of deviations from the usual standard rules of criminalization indicates the gradual formation of a new theory of criminalization, the contours and content of which have not yet been recognized by science to the proper extent. Based on the study of the materials of the legislative process, the authors substantiate the idea that the modern practice of criminalization is based on a coherent system of doctrinal ideas that go back to the theory of psychological coercion of criminal punishment, the theory of criminal education of the individual, the theory of legal moralism, the theory of preventive criminalization and the theory of social constructivism. In their unique configuration, these theoretical concepts constitute a coherent doctrine that allows for the free, unrestricted construction of criminal law prohibitions in order to ensure the safety of the process of social transformation from any minimum possible and potential threats. It is possible to achieve that by means of the formation and maintenance through the threat of criminal punishment of the necessary moral status of individuals and the moral solidarity of society based on the values that are meaning-forming actors of social transformation.