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Shame-Based Experiences of Homophobic Bullying and Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Self-Compassionate Actions
No full textHomophobic experiences with traumatic characteristics related to shame are more frequent among sexual minority (SM) than heterosexual individuals. Concurrently, SM individuals present higher levels of psychopathology and transdiagnostic processes (e.g., shame) than heterosexual individuals. Self-compassion has been identified as a protective mechanism that counteracts the effects of shame. The current study aimed to analyse which components of self-compassion affect mental health and test the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between feelings of shame in traumatic homophobic bullying experiences (THBEs) and psychopathology indicators (depression, anxiety, and social anxiety symptoms). In this study, 190 Portuguese SM individuals (Mage = 28.3, SD = 7.5) completed self-report measures assessing traumatic experiences, self-compassion, and psychopathology. Data were explored with SPSS and AMOS. Regression analyses showed that internal shame felt during THBE and compassionate actions predicted psychopathology outcomes. Mediation analyses revealed that internal shame during a THBE had a significant indirect effect on all psychopathology outcomes through compassionate actions. In other words, internal shame during a THBE was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and social anxiety, and these relationships were partially mediated by compassionate actions. Our results reinforce the importance of developing compassionate actions towards the self as a possible protective factor for psychopathology among SM individuals
The Tragic and the Heroic in the Art of Musič, Baselitz and Mitoraj
No full textThesis (B.A. in Art History)--John Cabot University, Spring 2022.Tragedy and heroism emerge systematically across the artistic productions of Musič, Baselitz and Mitoraj, establishing as characterizing thematic aspects which regard their individual productions in their integrity. Such union of tragedy and heroism should be seen as the product and reflection of the 20th century society in which the three artists live and operate. Common personal and national traumatic instances, linked with the Second World War and its aftermath, tie the three artists together, resulting in great affinities between them both on conceptual and formal aspects: such as the reference to the classical statue of the Apoxyómenos, the use of nudity and the reliance on memory. This thesis intends to analyze precisely how the union of tragic and heroic plays out in the work of Musič, Baselitz and Mitoraj and investigate how this union relates to their personal experiences. Finally the focus of the research is to identify where the matrix of their artistic poetics ideologically originates from: whether it resides in a postmodernist or in a hermeneutic framework. In doing so we will focus on specific instances from the production of Musič, Baselitz and Mitoraj, acknowledging both the formal and conceptual aspects of their creations to understand how they convey the union of tragedy and heroism. Wider artistic, philosophical and socio-historical perspectives on the overall matter of discussion will be strongly considered, to eventually enable us to argue over the subtle prominence of a hermeneutic attitude of their work. A tendency rooted in and demonstrated by the strong reliance on personal and social memory the three artists express in their creations, as well as by the constant dialogue and exchange they entertain with history and the history of art
Nurturing Compassion in Schools: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of a Compassionate Mind Training Program for Teachers
No full textObjectives
Schools are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis, with teachers reporting high levels of stress and burnout, which has adverse consequences to their mental and physical health. Addressing mental and physical health problems and promoting wellbeing in educational settings is thus a global priority. This study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of an 8-week Compassionate Mind Training program for Teachers (CMT-T) on indicators of psychological and physiological wellbeing.
Methods
A pragmatic randomized controlled study with a stepped-wedge design was conducted in a sample of 155 public school teachers, who were randomized to CMT-T (n = 80) or a waitlist control group (WLC; n = 75). Participants completed self-report measures of psychological distress, burnout, overall and professional wellbeing, compassion and self-criticism at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-months follow-up. In a sub-sample (CMT-T, n = 51; WLC n = 36) resting heart-rate variability (HRV) was measured at baseline and post-intervention.
Results
CMT-T was feasible and effective. Compared to the WLC, the CMT-T group showed improvements in self-compassion, compassion to others, positive affect, and HRV as well as reductions in fears of compassion, anxiety and depression. WLC participants who received CMT-T revealed additional improvements in compassion for others and from others, and satisfaction with professional life, along with decreases in burnout and stress. Teachers scoring higher in self-criticism at baseline revealed greater improvements post CMT-T. At 3-month follow-up improvements were retained.
Conclusions
CMT-T shows promise as a compassion-focused intervention for enhancing compassion, wellbeing and reducing psychophysiological distress in teachers, contributing to nurturing compassionate, prosocial and resilient educational environments. Given its favourable and sustainable effects on wellbeing and psychophysiological distress, and low cost to deliver, broader implementation and dissemination of CMT-T is encouraged
Constructing Herself: Edita Broglio’s Self-Portrait of 1938
No full textMaster of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Spring 2022.The journal Valori Plastici, published in Rome between 1918 and 1921, was a significant contributor to critical debates on the notion of tradition and modernity not only in Italy but also throughout Europe. Historiography overwhelmingly emphasized the magazine's advocates, such as de Chirico, Carrà, and Morandi, often ignoring further members considered less significant. This thesis seeks to identify this gap by focusing on the group's sole resident female artist, Edita Broglio (1886-1977). The co-founder was regarded as the custodian and storyteller of the magazine during her long life, a role that overshadowed her individuality as an artist. Although she was highly appreciated by her contemporaries, her husband's growing influence as a painter soon overshadowed her professional merits. At the Roman Quadriennale in 1939, she exhibited no longer as a prominent artist of Valori Plastici, but under the male pseudonym Rocco Canea. Considering that Edita Broglio's gender always defined her imagery and her career, her self-portrait of 1938 is the subject of present research. Through the careful analysis of the enigmatic Portrait of a Lady with Marquetry Background (1938), I will demonstrate her deliberate and self-conscious strategies of self-expression in a male-dominated and politically complex environment. Guided by feminist and post-feminist analysis and by adopting a critical perspective, I will attempt to correct the dead ends of the existing literature and contextualize Edita's experience as a practicing woman artist. The formal invention embedded in the painting, the circumstances of the exhibition at the III Roman Quadriennale and the use of the male pseudonym will further nuance the story of an artistic exploration of identity that purposefully critiques and subverts pervasive and traditional authorities and institutions in Interwar Italy
Governance of international franchise networks: Combining value creation and value appropriation perspectives
No full textThis study develops a new perspective on the franchisor’s choice of international governance modes as a value creation and value appropriation mechanism. Value creation refers to knowledge creation from the joint use of the franchisor’s intangible system-specific knowhow and foreign partners’ intangible local market knowhow; value appropriation refers to efficient knowledge exploitation based on transaction cost savings under conditions of uncertainty and transaction-specific investments. Based on primary data from 162 international franchise systems headquartered in eight countries, the results highlight the importance of intangible knowledge-based resources (franchisor’s system-specific knowhow and franchise partners’ local market knowhow) and transaction cost factors (transaction-specific investments, environmental uncertainty, and cultural uncertainty) for the franchisor’s choice between equity modes, such as wholly-owned subsidiaries, and joint venture franchising, and non-equity modes, such as single-unit franchising, area development franchising, and master franchising
Vanishing Rome: Weighing the Losses After the Flood of 1870
No full textMaster of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Spring 2022.Following the Unification of Italy and the rededication of Rome as Capital, a major floodinundated the city at the end 1870. As a reaction to these aligning events, major transformationsto the city’s infrastructure soon followed, especially to the Tiber as a direct result of controllingits recurring floods. As a reaction these transformations taking place in Rome, the watercoloristEttore Roesler Franz began a series of one hundred and twenty watercolors, called Roma Sparita,capturing picturesque views of urban and suburban Rome before its complete modernization.Through the work of Ettore Roesler Franz in this series this research investigates thehistoriography of Rome along the Tiber river before and after these public works projects tounderstand how these changes occurred, why it was necessary, and what effect it had on thememory of the past, identity, and heritage of its people. It is through such formal analysis ofphotographic evidence, Franz’s paintings, and historical records, that we may corroborate theintentions of the ruling government to protect the city and its people from floods by transformingthe Tiber, and thus, many historical Roman structures. There remains a general consensus thatFranz’s work constitutes as a historical record of medieval Rome before its modernization.However, this research found the ‘staging’ of his watercolor vistas as less a historical record andmore ‘his’ memories of Rome; and as such, his urban landscapes were often misleadinglyinaccurate to justify fashioning a more ‘picturesque’ and scenic Rome
The Sarcophagus of Sidamara : a Case Study in Object Agency and Cultural Expression within the Global Mediterranean
No full textThesis (B.A. in Art History, Minor in Art and Design)--John Cabot University, Fall 2022.Sarcophagi function not only as a resting place for the deceased, but also as a material trace of funerary rites, conceptions of death and the afterlife. This thesis will focus on the iconographical function and cultural hybridity found in the Sidamara Sarcophagus from the third century CE in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). This elaborate object combines Roman and Asiatic motifs and themes, suggesting an active fusion of cultural expression surrounding visual representation and artistic agency. This thesis focuses on the socio-cultural implications utilized through the global visual language of the Mediterranean as seen in the iconographic and decorative motifs of the Sidamara Sarcophagus. After careful consideration of the extant critical literature on the Sidamara Sarcophagus, this thesis suggests that iconographical analyses and its implications have not been consistent thus far, and thus turns to investigate the object by combining an iconographical approach with that of the modes of cultural expressions, viewership, and object agency of the second and third centuries CE. A comparative analysis of other sarcophagi from Asia Minor and Greco-Roman sites situates the Sidamara Sarcophagus’ iconography as being the result of a proactive fusion of cultures. This thesis extends beyond original iconographical analyses to query the function of viewership, space, and collective memory as it pertains to this funerary object arguing that, here, the Asiatic tradition of high relief ornamental sculpture impacts its standardized Roman iconography, demonstrating a visual language characteristic of the global Mediterranean
The Road of Goals: From Strategies to Tactics Analysis of the Angela Merkel’s Political Success
No full textThesis (B.A. in Political Science, Minor in Legal Studies)--John Cabot University, Spring 2022.This thesis analyses the political success of the ex-German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The analysis of this actor is focused on the political and social tactics used by Merkel that contributed to her success in Germany and all over the world. The examination of political and social tactics is based on sociological, psychological, and political theories. The reason why I chose this topic is based on two main elements. First, I believe that the world of politics is not for everyone. More specifically, I believe that not everyone is made for politics since not everyone is interested in it. Politics is one of the few disciplines that regard every human being but does not interest each one of us. Therefore, my goal is to make this political science thesis not only engaging for political experts, but also every reader. This goal is linked with the second reason why I chose this topic. Indeed, to achieve this goal, I relied on sociological and psychological theories. Even though this choice may seem incoherent, I see sociology and psychology as powerful means to communicate the thesis’ message. Just like politics, sociology and psychology regard every society and individual. However, different from politics, sociology and psychology can engage more. In my opinion, the reason why these two disciplines appear interesting to the majority of human beings is due to the effects that their knowledge produces on people. To be more precise, every sociological or psychological theory- when applied- creates almost immediate and concrete results. Indeed, people who become aware of a certain pattern of behaviors- or a specific social theory- are more likely to concretize them in their everyday life. This mechanism of behavior does not appear when it comes to politics. Although politics has concrete results (elections, laws, treaties, conflicts, etc.), most people do not link these concrete results to their actions, choices, or words. In my view, for ‘ordinary people’ (people who do not have an active role in politics, such as politicians, executives, or officials), politics is a ‘world of its own.’ Indeed, the common view perceives Politics as something separated from Society. This thesis unifies all these worlds together and creates a single world composed of several strategies, tactics, roles, and models, but only one character: Angela Merkel
How Are Patented AI, Software and Robot Technologies Related to Wage Changes in the United States?
No full textWe analyze the relationships of three different types of patented technologies, namely artificial intelligence, software and industrial robots, with individual-level wage changes in the United States from 2011 to 2021. The aim of the study is to investigate if the availability of AI technologies is associated with increases or decreases in individual workers' wages and how this association compares to previous innovations related to software and industrial robots. Our analysis is based on available indicators extracted from the text of patents to measure the exposure of occupations to these three types of technologies. We combine data on individual wages for the United States with the new technology measures and regress individual annual wage changes on these measures controlling for a variety of other factors. Our results indicate that innovations in software and industrial robots are associated with wage decreases, possibly indicating a large displacement effect of these technologies on human labor. On the contrary, for innovations in AI, we find wage increases, which may indicate that productivity effects and effects coming from the creation of new human tasks are larger than displacement effects of AI. AI exposure is associated with positive wage changes in services, whereas exposure to robots is associated with negative wage changes in manufacturing. The relationship of the AI exposure measure with wage increases has become stronger in 2016–2021 in comparison to the 5 years before