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Edwin Sandys and the Defence of the Faith: 'I think it my duty to exhort you ... defend the faith of Christ even until blood and unto death'.
No full textDifferentiating Contract Killers: A Narrative-Based Approach
Full text linkPrevious attempts to determine contract killers’ behaviour have not benefited from any formal psychological framework of behavioural distinction. The Narrative Action System model (NAS model; Canter and Youngs 2009) offers an empirical basis for differentiating contract killings and examining the psychological underpinnings of different contract killer styles. The model identifies four major narrative offender types: Professional, Revenger, Hero, and Victim. The present study aims to examine whether these themes can be applied to contract killing. Content analysis of 75 contract killer cases identified 56 crime scene actions. Data were subjected to a non-metric multidimensional scaling procedure, namely Smallest Space Analysis (SSA-I). Findings revealed four distinct types of contract killers that could be related to the four modes of offending proposed by the NAS model. Differences in the thematic structure of contract killing offences are discussed, and implications are offered for clinical and investigative purposes
Guitar profiling technology in metal music production: public reception, capability, consequences and perspectives
Full text linkThis empirical study explores the guitar profiling technology and its consequences for metal music production. After briefly introducing this technology, the article investigates its public reception in reviews and online discussion boards to explore the subjective perspectives. A sub-sequent acoustic experiment tests the capability of the technology. The findings show that many guitar players and producers have been highly skeptical of digital amplification technology because of tonal shortcomings. However, meanwhile many musicians seem convinced of profil-ing technology due to its good sound quality that has been confirmed by the experiment too. Since for most metal music genres the sound quality of the electric guitar is very important, the creative practices and economic conditions of its production may likely be hugely affected by this technology. The article concludes by discussing the consequences of profiling technology regarding issues such as democratisation of production tools, changes in professional services, creative potentials and future applications of the technology that may radically change metal music production
Lean thinking in the highways construction sector: motivation, implementation and barriers
Full text linkThe interest in lean thinking in the UK’s civil construction industry is on the rise. The research presented in the paper evaluates the adoption of lean thinking in the highways construction sector by investigating 7 motivation factors, 20 lean techniques and 16 barriers through in-depth interviews with 20 sector managers and a questionnaire survey of 110 responses. The findings show the existence of strong external motivational factors for lean thinking such as clients’ push and companies’ expectation of winning more contracts alongside lean’s operational benefits. Limited adoptions of the lean techniques, mostly in the stepwise process improvement cycle, the Last Planner System and Visual Management, were determined. This raises concerns about ‘pseudo-lean’ practices in the sector. Lack of standardisation, insufficient benefit capturing, insufficient know-how, insufficient control of the entire value stream and limited view to the techniques were found as the top barriers
Involving young people in drug and alcohol research
Full text linkPurpose: Young people’s involvement should lead to research, and ultimately services, that better reflect young people’s priorities and concerns. Young people with a history of treatment for substance misuse were actively involved in the Youth Social Behaviour and Network Therapy (Y-SBNT) study. This paper explores the impact of that involvement on the study and our understanding of
involving young people in drug and alcohol research.
Methods: The initial plan was to form a young people’s advisory group, but when this proved problematic the study explored alternative approaches in c collaboration with researchers and young people.
Findings: Input from young people informed key elements of the intervention and research process. Furthermore their involvement needed to be dynamic and flexible, with sensitive handling of difficult personal experiences. Engagement with services was crucial both in recruiting young people and supporting their ongoing engagement.
Implications: The dominant discourses and cultures of health services and research (including interpretations of participation in public involvement) often do not sit easily with co-production and young people-centred involvement. There is a need to consider and document how approaches may facilitate exclusion or inclusion of young people in substance use research and more widely. Young people should be involved in influencing how they participate in drug and alcohol research, as well as having the right to choose whether or not they are involved.
Originality/value: The outcomes of this work contributed to innovative thinking and practice and the development of a more flexible and young people centred model for involvement
Group size, misinformation and unanimity influences on co-witness judgments
Full text linkResearchers have typically observed the effects of co-witness influence on eyewitness pairs. However, research suggests that individuals are more likely to witness crimes in larger groups. Additionally, there is an abundance of evidence suggesting that social influence is heavily moderated by group size. Therefore, the present study aimed to gain a more accurate understanding of the risks of co-witness influence in relation to unanimity and group size effects. Participants (N=608) viewed and discussed a CCTV footage of a fight breaking out, with co-witnesses, before giving individual statements, where they were asked to identify which person had started the fight; confederates were used to suggest that the wrong man had started the fight. Results indicated that participants were vulnerable to co-witness influence, but only when exposed to misinformation from a majority of co-witnesses. Misinformation presented by an individual confederate did not have a significant influence over the participants’ responses. This study was the first to investigate the effects of group size on blame attribution. The findings suggest that the true risks of co-witness influence may not be as high as originally predicted from research on eyewitness pairs
Political risk assessment by multinational corporations in African markets: A Nigerian perspective
Full text linkPolitical risk assessment (PRA) is one of the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the competitiveness of multinational corporations (MNCs), yet little is known about its use in African markets. This study critically investigates the PRA techniques used by MNCs in Nigeria and their applicability. It uses a multimethod approach to analyze data collected from MNCs and the data set of the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) PRA annual rating for Nigeria from 2011 to 2015. The findings reveal that most firms use qualitative, rather than quantitative, PRA techniques. Regional variations in the outcome of PRA within Nigeria could also contribute to the low use of quantitative techniques. This article identifies that firms are prepared to invest in Nigeria, in spite of high political risk, due to its economic and financial attractiveness. This article's findings offer some implications for practice with some suggestions on how it could influence firms’ internationalization and their conduct of PRA
How do young Chinese friendship groups make travel decisions? A content and interaction process analysis
No full textYoung Chinese tourists form an increasingly important market and they tend to travel in small friendship or family groups. This study examines how young Chinese friendship groups (aged between 18 and 35) make travel decision. Using the observation approach, this study observes the group travel decision making process of ten small groups. Issues, such as activity, cost, travel timing, transportation, climate, safety, and distance, were found to determine destination choice. The role and function of verbal and non-verbal behaviours in influencing group decision making were also investigated. This study contributes to both general group interaction literature and tourism literature
The End of Mindreading
Full text linkAdvances in neuroscience have formally debunked Cartesian mind/body dualism, ending, in the process, the possibility of mind reading as it has long been depicted in popular culture (Moulton, 2008, pp. 182-192). Gone, now, are the tantalizing possibilities of mental radio waves, psychic vibrations, and disembodied minds, frequently brandished by the mediums, mind readers, and mesmerists of decades past. It is my contention that contemporary mentalists are reacting – both intentionally and unintentionally – not only to these anti-dualist realities, but also to the post-truth condition. This in turn, is giving rise to a new meta paradigm of wink-eye mentalism in which – in contrast to classical mentalism – the lies are less interesting than the lying. In this paper, I explore the relationship between mentalism and two theories advanced by Performance Studies: dark play and make-belief. I further examine the curious relationships between mentalists, professional wrestlers, rock stars, politicians, and method actors; paying specific attention to what is known in the sports entertainment industry as kayfabe
Call for papers
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The Journal of Performance Magic: immersive magic and imaginary world
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