Situational Domestication and the Origin of the Cafe Worker Species

an article by Ida Marie Henriksen and Aksel Tjora (Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway) published in Sociology Volume 52 Issue 2 (April 2018)

Abstract

Given the pervasiveness of free Wi-Fi zones in cafes, use of laptops, tablets and smart phones supports the transformation of cafes from social spaces to work spaces for many customers.

In this article we analyse, on the basis of an ethnographic study of individuals’ laptop work in urban cafes in Norway and the UK,

1. what it is about cafes that makes people visit them for working purposes, and
2. how individual laptop work changes the social life of such venues.

By linking our analysis to theories of communal processes and the domestication of technologies, we put forward the concept of ‘situational domestication’, encompassing the aspects of socially embedded individual working.

Consequently, the close study of how cafe spaces are being used for work offers insights into how progressively technologised work and work habits influence not only work itself, but also public space at a broader level.

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Institutional culture, social interaction and learning

an article by Harry Daniels (Department of Education, University of Bath) published in Learning, Culture and Social Interaction Volume 1 Issue 1 (March 2012)

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the the development of a theoretical and methodological approach to the study of the cultures of institutions and the patterns of social interaction within them as they exert a formative effect on the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of learning.

It does this through the development of an approach in which a dialectical relation between theoretical and empirical work draws on the strengths of the legacies of sociological and psychological sources to provide a theoretical model which is capable of descriptions at levels of delicacy which may be tailored to the needs of specific research questions.

The paper provides an introduction to a model of description that may be used to study the way in which societal needs and priorities and/or curriculum formations are recontextualised within institutions such as schools. Institutional structures are analysed as historical products which themselves are subject to dynamic transformation and change as people act within and on them.

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Homelessness and access to the informational mainstream

an article by Thomas H. Muggleton and Ian Ruthven (University of Strathclyde) published in Journal of Documentation Volume 68 Issue 2 (2012)

Abstract

Purpose
This paper aims to explore how homelessness affects access to information serving higher-level needs such as identity formation and social interaction.
Design/methodology/approach
A multi-disciplinary literature review informed the design of 18 semi-structured interviews as well as their subsequent analysis. The interview data were intended to be qualitative and exploratory since they addressed a perceived gap in the information and library science literature.
Findings
Findings present the ways in which interviewees managed to access information and the way such information helps socialisation and well-being.
Research limitations/implications
The study focused on individuals who were potentially more confident and resourceful. The study is also limited to Glasgow which has relatively good provision for the homeless. Further research in a different locale and among less confident individuals would be necessary to corroborate findings in this regard.
Practical implications
The findings confirmed a fundamental research assumption that homeless individuals would pursue higher-level needs alongside more basic physiological needs. This has practical implications for public libraries’ service provision to homeless populations, and also suggests there is greater room for collaboration between libraries and homeless service agencies.
Originality/value
The paper addresses a gap in the literature concerning homelessness and higher-level needs. This has implications for the provision of information and services within both public libraries and organisations serving the homeless. Findings also challenge widespread assumptions regarding the “otherness” or distinctiveness of people who are homeless.

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Prosocial behaviour in avatar-mediated interaction: the influence of character gender on material versus emotional help-giving

an article by  Mika Lehdonvirta (PhD candidate at the University of Tokyo), Vili Lehdonvirta (Visiting Scholar at the University of Tokyo and a Researcher at the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology) and Akira Baba, (Professor at the University of Tokyo) published in On the Horizon Volume 19 Issue 3 (2011)

Abstract

Purpose
Research on prosocial behaviour shows that help-giving differs between the sexes. Gender role theory posits that males specialise in material aid, while females specialise in emotional support. Today, people increasingly help and support each other via online environments. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the genders of avatars used in online interactions influence help-giving behaviour in similar ways as physical sex does in face-to-face situations.
Design/methodology/approach
An empirical study was conducted using a unique observational data set from a Japanese massively-multiplayer online game. Instances of help-giving were identified from conversation logs, coded, and analysed statistically to discover differences between male and female avatars and different help types.
Findings
Avatar gender is found to influence help-giving in ways that deviate from expected gender roles: female avatars are more likely than males to provide assistance in the form of material support and labour, and no more likely than males to provide emotional support. Female avatars are more likely to give help to male avatars than other females. The results are explained using behavioural confirmation and self-perception theory.
Research limitations/implications
Physical sex was not controlled for, but most players were male. The study should be repeated in other environments.
Practical implications
The results suggest that designers can prime users towards prosocial behaviours by tuning the available line-up of avatars.
Originality/value
The research question and use of observational data are novel. The study is valuable to online educators, companies seeking to reduce customer support costs through peer help, and policymakers dealing with ICTs and societal change.

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