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Individualised work and wellbeing: Homeworking, self-employment and creative labour
Get PDFThis thesis examines home-based, self-employed creative labour as an example of individualised work, and investigates its effect on subjective wellbeing. Despite the benefits of autonomy and the potential for meaningful and enjoyable work, questions and concerns remain about the burdens of precariousness, the attainability of self-fulfilling labour, the possibility of isolation, and the repercussions of work-life integration for leisure and home. To contribute to our understanding of these issues that are characteristic of individualised work, the thesis analyses how the intrinsic benefits, precarious freedoms, socialities, and work-life boundary dynamics of this work influence subjective wellbeing. 21 participants took part in the research. Questionnaires measuring emotion, satisfaction, and social-psychological functioning provided an assessment of their wellbeing, while participant-led video diaries and semi-structured interviews enabled an in-depth investigation of their experiences.The questionnaires revealed positive subjective wellbeing across the sample, and an analysis of the interviews and video diaries helps to explain the influence of work to this end. While the vulnerability and uncertainty of work was a source of stress, the benefits of autonomy and to a greater extent the personal enrichment of creative labour evidently contributed to the high levels of wellbeing reported. The socialities of the work-home and independent creative labour as well as individualised networks of social spaces and connections mitigated experiences of isolation. Work-life integration and the precariousness and responsibility of work did have some negative consequences and could undermine the positive relationship between flexibility and leisure time satisfaction. Considering the emotional geographies of homeworking, the home remained a space of rejuvenation and the dynamics of the work-home were mutually enhancing of both domains, although feelings of entrapment and the importance and challenges of getting out of the house also emerged. To conclude, the thesis outlines the contributions made and avenues for future research and methodological design
Cognitive Defusion Versus Cognitive Restructuring for Paranoia in the General Population: A Pilot RCT
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Psychological drivers of prosocial behaviour in global humanitarian contexts
Get PDFThis thesis investigates the psychological factors influencing prosocial behaviour, with a particular focus on the willingness to donate in the context of global humanitarian crises. It begins with a comprehensive review of the current literature on the drivers of prosocial behaviour, followed by a discussion of the methodologies used within the research, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.The core of the thesis is comprised of four distinct papers, each exploring different factors that encourage helping behaviours towards refugees and disaster victims. There are several key findings. Refugees motivated by safety concerns and extreme financial hardships received significantly more empathy and assistance compared to those motivated by moderate financial concerns (3 studies, N = 318, 127 & 120). Moreover, the mode of delivery (text vs. video) did not significantly affect helping intentions towards refugees, suggesting that the content of the message might be more crucial than the medium (1 study, N = 124). Furthermore, enhancing the cognitive salience of oneness with all humanity increased feelings of oneness with refugees, which in turn predicted a greater willingness to donate towards refugees (2 studies, N = 165 & 180). Lastly, individuals perceiving the world as more dangerous, and declining were more likely to experience emotional distress due to world events. This emotional state significantly predicted their willingness to donate to disaster victims (1 study, N= 158).Through a combination of experimental and correlational methodologies, this thesis offers valuable insights into the psychological underpinnings of helping behaviours in humanitarian settings. It contributes to theoretical advancements in social psychology while providing practical implications for policymakers and humanitarian organizations aiming to foster a more compassionate and proactive response to global crises
How multiple dikes facilitate volcanic eruptions, with application to recent events on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
Get PDFVideo Deepfake Classification Using Particle Swarm Optimization-based Evolving Ensemble Models
Get PDFThe recent breakthrough of deep learning based generative models has led to the escalated generation of photo-realistic synthetic videos with significant visual quality. Automated reliable detection of such forged videos requires the extraction of fine-grained discriminative spatial-temporal cues. To tackle such challenges, we propose weighted and evolving ensemble models comprising 3D Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and CNN-Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based network topology and hyper-parameter optimization for video authenticity classification. A new PSO algorithm is proposed, which embeds Muller’s method and fixed-point iteration based leader enhancement, reinforcement learning-based optimal search action selection, a petal spiral simulated search mechanism, and cross-breed elite signal generation based on adaptive geometric surfaces. The PSO variant optimizes the RNN topologies in CNN-RNN, as well as key learning configurations of 3D CNNs, with the attempt to extract effective discriminative spatial-temporal cues. Both weighted and evolving ensemble strategies are used for ensemble formulation with aforementioned optimized networks as base classifiers. In particular, the proposed PSO algorithm is used to identify optimal subsets of optimized base networks for dynamic ensemble generation to balance between ensemble complexity and performance. Evaluated using several well-known synthetic video datasets, our approach outperforms existing studies and various ensemble models devised by other search methods with statistical significance for video authenticity classification. The proposed PSO model also illustrates statistical superiority over a number of search methods for solving optimization problems pertaining to a variety of artificial landscapes with diverse geometrical layouts
Crafting Musical Narratives Around Sociopolitical Issues in the Greater Middle East: Personal Insights and Creative Processes in Constantina Pole and Bacha Posh
Get PDFThis doctoral thesis scrutinises the role of musical theatre in challenging deep-seated sociocultural norms and stimulating discourse on sensitive issues prevalent in the Greater Middle East, particularly within Turkish society. Through the creation of, and critical reflection upon, two seminal musical theatre works – Constantina Pole: A Drag Queen Musical and Bacha Posh: A Hip- Hop Musical – this research elucidates the capacity of artistic expression to confront and dissect themes such as gender fluidity, cross-dressing, femininity, misogyny, the victimisation of women, societal oppression, familial dynamics, and the underlying cultural and moral frameworks of the region. These projects serve as both artistic endeavours and critical examinations of the societal constructs they engage with.In my exploration of Constantina Pole, the thematic fabric is interwoven with the progressive portrayal of LGBTQ+ narratives reflected in significant Turkish theatre works, such as Ali Poyrazoğlu’s Oğlum Çiçek Açtı (‘My Son Blossomed’), which openly addresses the familial and societal implications of homosexuality within Turkish culture. Complementing this contextual framework, The Huysuz Show by Seyfi Dursunoğlu, one of the most seminal works in Turkish entertainment since the 1980s, was a source of inspiration for my project. Its enduring influence has profoundly shaped my approach to musical theatre, infusing the production with a unique blend of cultural critique and performance art that resonates deeply with the audience.The production also pays homage to the historical layers of Ottoman society’s male belly dancers, the köçek, infusing a nuanced exploration of gender roles and identity into the fabric of themusical. The sound of Constantina Pole is a homage to the iconic 1980s pop genre, interwoven with the rich musical traditions of Europe and the Arab world, and is synthesised through virtual analogue renditions of the era’s classic synthesisers and drum machines, crafting a musical score that resonates with a sense of timeless cultural fusion.The second part of the thesis examines Bacha Posh: A Hip-Hop Musical, the first hip-hop musical in Turkey, which utilises all aspects of the culture – from hip-hop dancing to musical sampling – and uses rapping as the sole form of storytelling. The project addresses themes such as gender fluidity, misogyny, and social oppression, focusing on the practice of bacha posh in Afghanistan. The unique storytelling approach, the cultural context, and the production’s contributions to the evolution of musical theatre in Turkey are analysed.The Bacha Posh musical finds its roots in the tradition of hip-hop musical theatre, which emerged in the 1990s and 2000s with productions such as So What Happens Now?, Jam on the Groove, Rent, and Dreamgirls. This genre has gained prominence through successful shows such as In the Heights, Hamilton, The Last Jimmy, and Box, which have all explored themes involving social issues, history, and marginalised communities. Bacha Posh utilises hip-hop’s historical storytelling function and its connection with the street and marginalised people to scrutinise cultural layers in the Middle East. As a composer, I drew inspiration from Turkish hip-hop, where the pessimism of Arabesque and the romance of Turkish pop blend with rap’s ‘coolness’. To create a Middle Eastern soundscape, I used sampled local instruments such as the qanoon and oud and Eastern string sections while incorporating universal hip-hop elements.Furthermore, the thesis investigates the production aspects of these musicals, including collaboration with performers from various disciplines and their reception in society. It also gives a comparative analysis of the two projects, exploring the similarities and differences in their themes, artistic approaches, and impact on audiences and the theatre industry.In conclusion, this research offers valuable insights into the power of musical theatre as a tool for challenging sociocultural norms in the Greater Middle East. By presenting these works, the thesis contributes to understanding the intersection between the region’s art, culture, and social issues and the potential for musical theatre to catalyse dialogue and transformation. The role of artistic innovation in fostering an environment conducive to social progress is underscored as a vital aspect of achieving meaningful change
Revisiting the evidence for precession in GW200129 with machine learning noise mitigation
Get PDFGW200129 is claimed to be the first-ever observation of the spin-disk orbital precession detected with gravitational waves (GWs) from an individual binary system. However, this claim warrants a cautious evaluation because the GW event coincided with a broadband noise disturbance in LIGO Livingston caused by the 45 MHz electro-optic modulator system. In this paper, we present a state-of-the-art neural network that is able to model and mitigate the broadband noise from the LIGO Livingston interferometer. We also demonstrate that our neural network mitigates the noise better than the algorithm used by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration. Finally, we re-analyse GW200129 with the improved data quality and show that the evidence for precession is still observed
Comparing gravitational waveform models for binary black hole mergers through a hypermodels approach
Get PDFThe inference of source parameters from gravitational-wave signals relies on theoretical models that describe the emitted waveform. Different model assumptions on which the computation of these models is based could lead to biases in the analysis of gravitational-wave data. In this work, we sample directly on four state-of-the-art binary black hole waveform models from different families, in order to investigate these systematic biases from the 13 heaviest gravitational-wave sources with moderate to high signal-to-noise ratios in the third Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog (GWTC- 3). All models include spin-precession as well as higher-order modes. Using the "hypermodels" technique, we treat the waveform models as one of the sampled parameters, therefore directly getting the odds ratio of one waveform model over another from a single parameter estimation run. From the joint odds ratio over all 13 sources, we find the model NRSur7dq4 to be favoured over SEOBNRv4PHM, with an odds ratio of 29.43; IMRPhenomXPHM and IMRPhenomTPHM have an odds ratio, respectively, of 4.70 and 5.09 over SEOBNRv4PHM. However, this result is mainly determined by three events that show a strong preference for some of the models and that are all affected by possible data quality issues. If we do not consider these potentially problematic events, the odds ratio do not exhibit a significant preference for any of the models. Although further work studying a larger set of signals will be needed for robust quantitative results, the presented method highlights one possible avenue for future waveform model development
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