SODA MAPS: A Framework for Understanding Caffeinated Sugary Drink Consumption Among Children

Excess sugary drink (SD) consumption is associated with childhood obesity and development of cardiometabolic disease. In addition to having high added sugar content, many SDs also contain caffeine, which may further encourage excess SD consumption among children. The objective of this study was to develop a conceptual framework of children's caffeinated SD consumption using group concept mapping, an applied social research multimethodology that collectively harnesses qualitative and quantitative data from participants to generate a visual representation of their ideas and input. Children, 8–14 years old, who reported consuming ≥12 ounces of caffeinated SDs (e.g., sodas, sweet teas) per day were recruited throughout Washington, D.C. and invited to participate. Concept mapping included three participant-driven activities: (1) brainstorming (n = 51), during which children reported reasons for their SD consumption, from which 58 unique reasons were identified; (2) sorting (n = 70), during which children sorted each of the reported reasons into categories and named each category; and (3) rating (n = 74), during which children rated the influence of each reason on their own caffeinated SD consumption. Similarity matrices, multidimensional scaling, and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to generate concept maps (hereafter “SODA MAPS”), which display the 58 reasons organized within eight overarching clusters. Among these eight clusters, Taste and Feel, Something to Do, and Energy were rated as particularly influential. Children's caffeinated SD consumption is encouraged not only by the palatable taste and reported preferences for these beverages (e.g., Taste and Feel), but also by psychological (e.g., Mood and Focus), biological (e.g., Energy), social (e.g., Something to Do) and environmental reasons (e.g., Nothing Better Available). Thus, the SODA MAPS can inform the development of tailored, multi-level SD reduction interventions that incorporate strategies to address important and currently overlooked reasons for caffeinated SD consumption among children.

Socio psychological problems arising from the pregnancy of underage girls

The article presents a sociological analysis of the socio-psychological problems that arise in pregnant underage girls. The authors summarize their views on this issue based on the results of theoretical and applied social research. As a result of the study, it was found that the formation of the sexual culture of underage pregnant girls is influenced by their psychological and social environment, which is formed from childhood.

Przestrzeń możliwości. Teatr partycypacyjny jako środek budowania kapitału społecznego

The article is an attempt at examining the possibilities for the development of social capital by means of active cultural engagement, as exemplified by participatory theatre. Narrowing the analysis to this particular area of artistic practice is not a coincidence. Theatre constitutes one of the most exclusive social spaces within the cultural field, requiring a high degree of cultural competency, and taking the inequality of position between artists and spectators for granted. On the other hand, it is defined by their immediate, face-to-face encounter, which, as compared to other areas of art, provides theatre with an exceptional social potential. The so-called participatory turn in contemporary art has moved theatre into a new domain of social functionality, which cannot be adequately described and researched without the sociological “toolbox”. Hence, the article is also an attempt at taking an interdisciplinary stance and connecting the study of art and society, as well as outlining a proposal for a practical application of sociological knowledge, used not only for the sake of understanding, but also organising of the artistic practice. In this respect, it addresses the growing interest in applied social research (both filed work, and theory), as shown by political, cultural, and scientific institutions.

Crisis of masculinity and health of male servicemen

The article looks at the problems of preserving social health and individuality in the context of realizing gender stereotypes. The author suggests the results of social research, which was conducted at the laboratory of applied social research of the department of social science and political science of NTU "KhPI" in 2020. Relevance is stipulated by the need to protect human resources in all forms, so that the shosty riches protect sovereignty and territoriality of Ukraine. The personnel of military formations in Ukraine is composed mainly of men, so it is extremely important to support and preserve the health of men. The problem lies in the fact that social media ideology is often panicky, often sponing people to take away the strategy of special behaviors is not a problem for social health. At the middle of the twentieth century, science at large turned out to be a huge respect for the nutrition of healthy’s health and social problems of complicity. In fact, even more than one studio in the United States has earned respect for up to date realization of masculine and ideological ideas for individual health. Віччнінії науковіці долуджудували вкмі Aspects of the flood of masculine ideology, ale better understanding of the context of the social protection of the form of Ukraine in Ukraine on the cob of the 21st table was not carried out. The author has added to the behavior of those stereotypes such as “do not cry”, “say that you are strong but strong”, “say that you’re the mother of the year of birth” to bring back the negative effects. The results of the previous show showed that ideological masculine formук stereotypes, which can be negatively attributed to a healthy person. Namaganiya cholіkіv, so as not to have more than one resource, follow stereotypes of masculine and ideological ideas to negative insights. That, to the author’s thought, is necessary to formulate more critical criticism to sound stereotypes about the “reference person”.

METHODOLOGY OF PHILOSOPHICAL HERMENEUTICS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

The purpose of the paper is to determine the key strategies for applying the methodology of philosophical hermeneutics in social sciences, which is realized in solving of the following tasks: 1)to determine theoretical conditions for the turn of philosophical hermeneutics towards applied social research; 2)to identify key concepts and techniques of philosophical hermeneutics, relevant to the measurement of actual social phenomena; 3) to outline the logic of application of the elements of philosophical hermeneutics within social science. Methodology of the research is formed by methods of immanent critique of philosophical discourse, adapted to the subject horizon of social studies. Scientific originality of the paper is expressed in the following statements: 1) the theoretical conditions for the applied turn of philosophical hermeneutics include the pragmatic critique of ontologization of the hermeneutic circle, that is, the reinterpretation of philosophical hermeneutics contrary to the key guidelines of its founders (M. Heidegger, H.-G. Gadamer); 2) key concepts and techniques of philosophical hermeneutics, relevant to the measurement of actual social phenomena, are the hermeneutic circle and self-understanding, hermeneutical reduction and destruction; 3) the logic of the applied use of the elements of philosophical hermeneutics in the context of social science involves correlation of the structure of the research with the hermeneutic structure of self-understanding, inherent in the subject under investigation. Conclusion: The study of the conditions of the applied turn of philosophical hermeneutics proved the fundamental importance of setting the problem of the synthesis of fundamental and applied science.

The global development of applied community studies: Comparison and evaluation of trends in psychology, sociology, social work and other community sciences.

The Global Community Studies Project is an ambitious analysis of the development in 105 countries of 12 applied social research disciplines, including community-focused psychology, sociology and social work. Results include that these professional fields and indigenous training resources are lacking or weakest in the countries where they are most needed, that a history and culture of political activism supports the growth of local applied community research, but that foreign aid funding tends to displace or inhibit local growth of applied community sciences. It is important to know which countries need the most assistance developing their own applied community studies research and training infrastructure in different sectors and disciplines.

Applying Social Psychology to Law and the Legal Process

This chapter offers an overview of the early interweaving of law with social psychology and related social sciences on topics such as judicial decision-making, jury decision-making, eyewitness identification, procedural justice, persuasion, negotiation, psychological foundations of evidence, and the psychology of expert testimony and of aspects of the tort litigation system. Briefly discussed are the author’s two books—Social Psychology in Court and The Use/Nonuse/Misuse of Applied Social Research in the Courts—from the founding era that gathered together much of that already rich variety of work. The final third of the chapter describes some of the recent continuing work on a number of those topics.