Publikationer från Karlstads Universitet
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When government becomes personal : A qualitative interview study on young adults’ experiences of authorities’ collaboration with influencers
No full textSamarbeten mellan myndigheter och influencers blir allt vanligare inom offentlig kommunikation och syftar till att nå ut i ett medielandskap som förändras. Denna studie vill bidra med ett nytt perspektiv genom att fokusera på medieanvändares upplevelser och resonemang kring förtroende. Till skillnad från tidigare forskning som ofta behandlat myndighetskommunikation och influencer marketing som separata områden, undersöker denna studie hur unga vuxna uppfattar samarbetet mellan dessa aktörer och hur det kan påverka myndighetens trovärdighet och legitimitet. Syftet med studien besvaras med hjälp av empiriskt material från två kvalitativa fokusgruppsintervjuer med unga vuxna i åldern 18-25 år. Deltagarna fick under intervjuerna reflektera över samarbeten mellan myndigheter och influencers med stöd av stimuli material. Analysen bygger på teorier om organisatorisk förtroende, autenticitet, parasociala relationer och legitimitet. Resultaten visar att det finns en komplexitet i hur dessa samarbeten uppfattas. Medieanvändare upplever en kognitiv dissonans när myndigheters traditionella roll möter influencers kommersiella intressen. Dessutom påverkas mottagandet av budskapet av tonalitet. Exempelvis uppfattas humoristiska inslag i allvarliga frågor ofta som oprofessionellt, vilket kan minska informationens genomslag. Studien visar även att samarbeten främst bidrar till ökad räckvidd och synlighet snarare än till ökat förtroende, eftersom myndigheter redan har ett högt förtroendekapital. Slutligen framgår det att ansvaret för ett trovärdigt samarbete ligger hos myndigheten. Mot denna bakgrund identifierar studiens analys fyra faktorer för trovärdiga samarbeten mellan myndigheter och influencers, som sammanställs i den vägledande GINT modellen. Modellen omfattar granskning av influencerns bakgrund och värderingar, innehåll med tydliga riktlinjer för budskap och tonalitet, närvaro genom att vara en aktiv och tydlig avsändare, samt tillgänglighet, där samma information som finns i samarbetet även tillhandahålls i myndighetens egna kanaler. Genom att arbeta systematiskt utifrån dessa steg kan myndigheter undvika otydligheter och att samarbeten upplevs som reklam. Istället hjälper det dem att kommunicera på ett ansvarsfullt sätt som bygger förtroende hos målgruppen.Collaborations between authorities and influencers are becoming increasingly common in public communication and aim to reach out in a changing media landscape. This study aims to contribute a new perspective by focusing on media users´ experiences and reasoning regarding trust. Unlike previous research which has often treated government communication and influencer marketing as separate areas, this study examines how young adults perceive the collaboration between these actors and how it can affect the credibility and legitimacy of the government. The purpose of the study is answered using empirical material from two qualitative focus group interviews with young adults aged 18-25. The participants in the interviews were able to reflect on collaborations between authorities and influencers with the support of stimulus material. The analysis is based on theories of organizational trust, authenticity, parasocial relationships, and legitimacy. The results show that there is complexity in how these collaborations are perceived. Media users experience cognitive dissonance when the traditional role of authorities meets the commercial interests of influencers. In addition, the reception of the message is affected by tonality. For example, humorous elements in serious issues are often perceived as unprofessional, which can reduce the impact of the information. The study also shows that collaborations mainly contribute to increased reach and visibility rather than increased trust, as authorities already have a high level of trust capital. Finally, it is clear that the responsibility for credible collaboration lies with the authority. Against this background, the study´s analysis identifies four factors for credible collaboration between authorities and influencers, which are compiled in the GINT guidance model. The model includes reviewing the influencer´s background and values, content with clear guidelines for messaging and tone, presence by being an active and clear communicator, and accessibility, where the same information is also provided through the authority´s own channels. By working systematically based on these steps, authorities can avoid ambiguities and collaborations being perceived as advertising. Instead, it helps them communicate in a responsible manner that builds trust among the target group.
Key events as signifiers for the 'window of opportunity' to reduce car use
No full textLife events have long been discussed as a 'window of opportunity' for promoting pro-environmental behaviors such as car use reduction. However, findings from this study suggest that it is key events, rather than life events per se, that drive the emergence of such windows of opportunity. This distinction is crucial for understanding when and how the psychological prerequisites for desirable behavior change are most likely to arise. While researchers have focused on the relation between life events, habit disruption, and behavior change, less attention has been given to how life events relate to decisive factors for deliberate decision-making. Based on a mobility biography approach and the related Framework of RoUtIne Transitions in daily travel (FRUIT), this cross-sectional study explores how periods of life events relate to the potential for, and motivation for, reducing car usage. Online survey data from a sample of Swedish car users were analyzed using group comparisons and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that changed travel routines relate to stronger motivation for car use reduction and weaker daily travel habits, regardless of whether the change being provoked by life events or triggered for other reasons. It is concluded that life events indeed are associated with the 'window of opportunity' for car use reduction; however, only when they turn into key events and hence, are interconvertible with other events triggering changes in travel routines. We advocate for a broadened perspective on the types of events that may activate preferable psychological prerequisites for reducing car use
Incorporating programming into mathematics education : How using programming shapes upper-secondary students’ mathematical understanding
No full textThis thesis comprises two studies investigating upper-secondary students’ use of programming as a mathematical tool. It aims to examine both the intertwined relationship between students’ use of programming and their mathematical understanding, and how the design of learning activities can support the incorporation of programming into mathematics education. The first study adopts a design-based research approach centred on a problem-solving activity involving programming. The second study examines a teacher’s design of programming activities for numerical calculations and its influence on students’ understanding of limits. The Instrumental Approach provides the theoretical lens for analysing students’ instrumental genesis, describing the relationship between their use of programming and their mathematical understanding. The findings indicate that, as programming is not designed as a mathematical or educational tool, its technical handling may be less intuitive for students than that of digital tools explicitly developed for mathematical purposes. A theoretical contribution of the thesis is that the analysis of students’ instrumental genesis, when programming functions as a mathematical tool, must encompass not only mathematical conceptual aspects but also those required for learning to program. The findings further suggest that using programming as a mathematical problem-solving tool, particularly when students construct their own algorithms, places considerable demands on those with limited programming experience. Conversely, providing pre-designed algorithms for numerical computations, to ease students’ use of programming, may limit the development of deeper mathematical understanding. A practical contribution of the thesis is that teachers designing mathematical learning activities involving programming must balance scaffolding students’ use of programming with allowing them autonomy to use the tool in ways that support their mathematical understanding. This thesis comprises two studies investigating upper-secondary students’ use of programming as a mathematical tool. It aims to examine both the intertwined relationship between students’ use of programming and their mathematical understanding, and how the design of learning activities can support the incorporation of programming into mathematics education. The findings indicate that analyses of how students use programming to support their mathematical understanding must also consider how their grasp of programming concepts shapes their mathematical use of the tool, given that programming is not designed as a mathematical or educational tool. The findings further suggest that using programming as a mathematical problem-solving tool, particularly when students construct their own algorithms, places significant demands on those with limited programming experience. Conversely, providing pre-designed algorithms for numerical computations, intended to ease students’ use of programming, may restrict the development of deeper mathematical understanding. A practical contribution of the thesis is that mathematics teachers must balance scaffolding students’ use of programming with allowing them autonomy to engage with the tool in ways that support their mathematical understanding
An Overview of Technical Aspects and Challenges in Designing Edge-Cloud Systems
No full textEdge-cloud computing has emerged as a key enabling paradigm for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) systems because of the stringent computational and ultra-low-latency requirements of AR/VR workloads. Designing efficient edge-cloud systems for such workloads involves multiple technical aspects, including communication technologies, service placement, task offloading and caching, service migration, and security and privacy. This paper provides a structured and technical analysis of these aspects from an AR/VR perspective. We adopt a two-stage literature analysis, in which Google Scholar is used to identify fundamental technical aspects and solution approaches, followed by a focused analysis of recent research trends and future directions using academic databases (e.g., IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and ScienceDirect). We present an organized classification of the core technical aspects and investigate existing solution approaches, including heuristic, metaheuristic, learning-based, and hybrid strategies. Rather than introducing application-specific designs, the analysis focuses on workload-driven challenges and trade-offs that arise in AR/VR systems. Based on this classification, we analyze recent research trends, identify underexplored technical areas, and highlight key research gaps that hinder the efficient deployment of AR/VR services over edge-cloud infrastructures. The findings of this study provide practical insights for researchers and system designers and help guide future research toward more responsive, scalable, and reliable edge-cloud AR/VR systems
Identity Construction among Alevi Young Adults in Sweden : A Religious Studies Perspective on Lived Religion in the Diaspora
No full textDenna studie undersöker hur unga vuxna aleviter i Sverige konstruerar sin religiösa och kulturella identitet i en sekulär och mångreligiös minoritetskontext. Syftet är att analysera identitetsskapande processer med fokus på emotionella, narrativa och praktiska dimensioner av levd religion. Studien utgår från ett religionsvetenskapligt perspektiv på identitet och levd religion, med teoretiska utgångspunkter i bland annat youth theology samt begreppen dwelling och crossing. Undersökningen genomförs med en induktiv kvalitativ metod i form av en semi-strukturerad fokusgruppsintervju med fem unga vuxna aleviter bosatta i Sverige. Det empiriska materialet analyseras tematiskt med särskild betoning på familjens roll, rituell praktik, musik och poesi samt erfarenheter av att vara religiös och kulturell minoritet. Resultaten visar att alevitisk identitet främst förstås som en praktiserad och relationell iden-titet snarare än som en dogmatisk religiös tillhörighet. Familjen framträder som den viktigaste arenan för religiös och kulturell socialisation, medan ritualer såsom cem, samt musikaliska uttryck som deyiş och semah, fungerar som emotionellt förankrande identitetspraktiker. Studien visar även att identiteten förhandlas i mötet mellan alevitisk tradition, svenska samhällsnormer och individuella tolkningar. Slutsatsen är att unga vuxna aleviter i Sverige konstruerar hybrida och dynamiska identiteter där etik, gemenskap och emotionell mening står i centrum. Studieresultatet presenterar den alevitiska identitetskonstruktionen som praktisk etik.This study explores how young adult Alevis in Sweden construct their religious and cultural identities within a secular and multi-religious minority context. The aim is to analyse processes of identity formation with a particular focus on emotional, narrative, and practical dimensions of lived religion. The study is grounded in religious studies perspectives on identity and lived religion, drawing on theoretical frameworks such as youth theology and the concepts of dwelling and crossing. The study employs an inductive qualitative methodology based on a semi-structured focus group interview with five young adult Alevis residing in Sweden. The empirical material is analysed thematically, with attention given to the role of family, ritual practices, music and poetry, as well as experiences of minority positioning in Swedish society. The findings indicate that Alevi identity is primarily understood as practiced and relational rather than as a fixed or doctrinal religious affiliation. Family emerges as the most significant site of religious and cultural socialisation, while rituals such as cem, and musical practices including deyiş and semah, function as emotionally grounding identity practices. Furthermore, the results show that identity is continuously negotiated at the intersection of Alevi tradition, Swedish societal norms, and individual interpretations. The study concludes that young adult Alevis in Sweden construct hybrid and dynamic identities in which ethics, community, and emotional meaning play a central role. The result of the study presents Alevi identity construction as a form of practical ethics
Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to study neurocognitive function in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, an exploratory study
No full textAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy. Due to the drastic increase in survivor rate over the last 50 years, long-lasting treatment effects on moods and neurocognitive function have become a current issue. Most studies relating to the effects of treatment in ALL survivors investigate patients in their adolescence. This pilot study aims to identify measurements for evaluating late effects of childhood ALL survivors in relation to neurocognitive and mood problems in adulthood. ALL survivors who received neurotoxic treatment with high-dose methotrexate and cranial radiotherapy (n = 10) and ALL survivors only treated with high-dose methotrexate (n = 10), plus age and sex match controls (n = 20), were recruited into the study. The study protocol involved questionnaires, neurocognitive tests and optical brain imaging with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) over the frontal and parietal cortex. The fNIRS results indicate a reduced involvement of the parietal cortex during conflict processing for ALL survivors compared to controls. The study protocol shows promising results for identifying subgroups that suffer from neurocognitive and mood problems. However, since this is a discovery driven pilot study, the results need to be confirmed in a larger study. There is always a possibility that when larger sample sizes are considered, even within the same geographical settings, the results and conclusions may not align with the findings shown here. As our results indicate increased challenges among female ALL survivors, especially pathological fatigue, anxiety and information processing, it is important that future investigations explore the interplay between the risk of hormonal interaction with chemotherapy during development, in addition to occupational and social pressure during adulthood.
Tillhörighet på olika villkor : Förskollärares uppfattningar om modersmålets betydelse för barn i förskolan
No full textThe aim of this study is to illuminate preschool teachers’ perceptions of the significance of the mother tongue for children in preschool and the factors that influence the extent to which mother tongue and multilingualism are made visible in education. The study is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with six preschool teachers in a municipality in central Sweden. The data was analysed using a combination of semantic and latent thematic analysis to identify both explicit and underlying patterns in the participants’ descriptions. The theoretical framework is based on Nira Yuval-Davis concepts of belonging and politics of belonging, including the perspective of situated intersectionality. Findings show that preschool teachers primarily perceive the mother tongue through an instrumental lens, emphasizing its importance as a tool for learning the Swedish language. While its significance for identity, recognition and emotional well-being is acknowledged, these aspects often remain secondary and implicit. Furthermore, the study identifies several factors that condition the work with multilingualism, such as structural and material constraints, pedagogical uncertainty and unexamined linguistic norms. The study concludes that the relationship between mother tongue and belonging is complex and conditional. Children’s opportunities for belonging are shaped by politics of belonging where linguistic hierarchies and majority norms influence which languages are given space. The results suggest a need for a more systematic approach and competence development to ensure that children’s right to their mother tongue is realized as a fundamental part of an inclusive preschool environment.Syftet med denna studie är att belysa förskollärares uppfattningar om modersmålets betydelse för barn i förskolan samt de faktorer som påverkar i vilken utsträckning modersmål och flerspråkighet synliggörs i utbildningen. Studien baseras på kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex förskollärare i en kommun i mellersta Sverige. Datamaterialet analyserades med hjälp av en kombination av semantisk och latent tematisk analys för att identifiera både explicita och underliggande mönster i deltagarnas beskrivningar. Det teoretiska ramverket utgår från Nira Yuval-Davis begrepp tillhörighet och tillhörighetspolitik, inklusive perspektivet situerad intersektionalitet. Resultaten visar att förskollärare i huvudsak uppfattar modersmålet ur ett instrumentellt perspektiv, där dess betydelse som ett verktyg för att lära sig det svenska språket betonas. Även om modersmålets betydelse för identitet, erkännande och emotionellt välbefinnande uppmärksammas, förblir dessa aspekter ofta sekundära och implicita. Vidare identifierar studien flera faktorer som villkorar arbetet med flerspråkighet, såsom strukturella och materiella begränsningar, pedagogisk osäkerhet samt oreflekterade språkliga normer. Studiens slutsats är att relationen mellan modersmål och tillhörighet är komplex och villkorad. Barns möjligheter till tillhörighet formas av ojämlik tillhörighetspolitik där språkliga hierarkier och majoritetsnormer påverkar vilka språk som ges utrymme. Studiens resultat indikerar ett behov av ett mer systematiskt arbetssätt och kompetensutveckling för att säkerställa att barns rätt till sitt modersmål förverkligas som en grundläggande del av en inkluderande förskolemiljö
Pickering or Non-Pickering Dilemma : A Complicated System of Anionic Lignin-Incorporated Oil-Water Emulsions
No full textLignin (L)-stabilized emulsions have gained interest as sustainable systems. Despite their advantages, the interaction of lignin derivatives with oil and water in emulsion systems remains unclear. In this work, we verified a hypothesis that different modification strategies would generate lignin derivatives with different emulsifying performances, even if lignin is anionically charged to a similar degree. To verify this hypothesis, we generated sulfoethylated lignin (SL) and carboxyethylated lignin (CL) softwood kraft lignin (L) as functional emulsifiers for soybean water emulsion systems. It was observed that lignin derivatives with a more negative zeta potential (ζ-potential) and smaller oil particles resulted in more stable emulsions at alkaline pH due to enhanced electrostatic repulsion. Due to well-dispersed oil droplets and a strong electrostatic system, the viscosity of emulsions was lower at alkaline conditions. It was also noted that SL and CL generated Pickering emulsions via depositing on oil droplets and developing steric hindrance with oil droplet sizes of 436 and 452 nm at acidic pH. However, such systems had shorter lifespans under acidic environments, indirectly implying that steric hindrance was insufficient to generate emulsions with long-term stability. These findings verified the involvement of different mechanisms for stabilizing oil emulsions at various pH levels.
Kroppsideal, självbild och självkänsla bland gymnasieelever : En kvantitativ studie med fokus på gymnasieelevers syn på kroppsideal, självbild och självkänsla kopplat till ämnet idrott och hälsa
No full textFörskollärares uppfattningar av de yngsta barnens delaktighet och inflytande i förskolan : En fenomenografisk studie om förskollärares uppfattningar av villkoren för de yngsta barnens delaktighet och inflytande i förskolan
No full textThe aim of this study is to make visible how preschool teachers perceive young children´s participation and influence in preschool. The focus is on children aged one to three years and on the conditions that shape their possibilities to express their will and have an impact on daily activities. The study is conducted using a phenomenographic approach and is based on semi-structured interviews with seven preschool teachers working in preschool settings. The collected material was analysed to identify variations in how preschool teachers understand children’s participation and influence. The results show that preschool teachers perceive the youngest children’s influence as primarily bodily expressed and interpreted in the moment, through gaze, movements, sounds and actions that only become meaningful when noticed and interpreted by an adult. Influence is often understood as taking place within adult-initiated frameworks, where the teacher’s responsibility for structure, safety and routines is central. At the same time, influence is described as relational and age-related, meaning that children’s opportunities to influence are shaped through interaction between the child, the teacher and the preschool environment. Organisational conditions such as routines, group size and the physical environment are also perceived as important factors that can both enable and restrict children’s participation and influence. The main conclusion of the study is that the youngest children’s influence cannot be understood as individual choice alone, but rather as a relational and context-dependent practice that requires a responsive, reflective and responsible approach from preschool teachers