From Play to Art—From Experience to Insight

This article investigates the role of play and playlike activities (imagination, art) in developing and using symbolic tools. We understand processes of development of symbolic tools as coordination between two types of relationships: the subject–object relationships and the subject–subject relationships. This coordination begins when a new, playlike frame of activity is introduced in the interaction. The imaginary frame of activity changes relationships between the participants. Furthermore, the imaginary activity frame may enter into interaction with the out-of-play activity frames (“reality” frames). Structures and relationships built within the imaginary frames are then used to shape the actual understanding of the world (subject–object relationship) as well as the interpersonal relationships and identities of the participants.

Introduction and further development of imaginary frames is a recursive process that takes place on different but related time scales: from microdevelopment through ontogenetic development to cultural development. Our project was designed to demonstrate some of the key moments that occur in the symbolic construction, in an “untangled” manner. To that effect, we designed a drama workshop to outline and illustrate processes that take place at the point of introduction of a new, imaginary frame and at the point when this imaginary frame begins to interact with the out-of-play frames. The aim of the workshop was to magnify each stage in construction of semiotic tools by “walking” professional researchers through a series of playlike activities.     

Revisiting the Association between Pornography Use and Risky Sexual Behaviors: The Role of Early Exposure to Pornography and Sexual Sensation Seeking

Among the suggested problems and harms associated with widespread pornography use among young people, risky sexual behaviors have been frequently mentioned. To further explore this public health concern, this article analyzed sexual sensation seeking (SSS) as a potential confounder of the association between pornography use and sexual risks using data collected in 2010 from a population-based sample of young Croatian adults aged 18 to 25 (n = 1,005). Significant, but small, correlations were found between the indicators of pornography use (age at first exposure, frequency of use in the past 12 months, and personal importance of pornography) and sexual risk taking. However, in a multivariate analysis, only age at first exposure to pornography remained a significant, albeit weak, predictor of sexual risk taking among both women and men. SSS, defined as the dispositional tendency toward the impulsive pursuit of sexual arousal and stimulation, neither confounded nor moderated this association. Overall, the findings do not support the notion that pornography use is substantially associated with sexual risk taking among young adults, but suggest that early exposure to sexually explicit material and high SSS are additive risk factors for sexual risk taking.     

Social stability challenged by Covid-19: Pandemics,inequality and policy responses

The public health measures implemented to limit the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to affect economic inequalities. In this paper we first provide a theoretical framework to analyse how income inequality contributes shaping the trade-off between economic lockdown and contagion. Our empirical analysis on EU countries shows that the lockdown is likely to significantly increase inequality and poverty and that the magnitude of the change is larger in more unequal countries. To avoid social collapse, countries must consider inequality as an additional source of fragility, while supranational, coordinated health and fiscal policies are needed in the interest of all European economies.     

Social policies related to parenthood and capabilities of Slovenian parents

We apply Sen's capability approach to evaluate the capabilities of Slovenian parents to reconcile paid work and family in the context of the transition to a market economy. We examine how different levels of capabilities together affect the work–life balance (WLB) of employed parents. We combine both quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches. The results of our quantitative and qualitative research show that increased precariousness of employment and intensification of work create gaps between the legal and normative possibilities for successful reconciliation strategies and actual use of such arrangements in Slovenia. The existing social policies and the acceptance of gender equality in the sphere of paid work enhance capabilities for reconciliation of paid work and parenthood, whereas the intensification of working lives, the dominance of paid work over other parts of life, and the acceptance of gender inequalities in parental and household responsibilities limit parents’ capabilities to achieve WLB.     

Evaluation of the green supply chain management practices: a fuzzy ANP approach

Environmentally responsible manufacturing, green supply chain management (GSCM), and related principles have become important strategies for companies to achieve profit and gain market share by lowering their environmental impacts and increasing their efficiency. As environment has become a key strategic consideration in supply chains, this study examines the components and elements of GSCM and suggests a novel GSCM evaluation framework. It also provides a real-case study of Ford Otosan, one of the pioneering companies about environmental subjects in Turkey, to illustrate the industrial application of our theoretical assessment model. The identified components are integrated into a strategic assessment and evaluation tool using analytical network process (ANP). The dynamic characteristics and complexity of the GSCM analysis environment make the ANP technique a suitable tool for this study. Moreover, to cope with ambiguity and vagueness of the decision maker's evaluations, the fuzzy extension of the ANP method is preferred.     

私人刑事调查与侦查之比较

私人刑事调查作为自我保护与私力救济的重要手段,它同侦查存在着紧密联系。经过分析比较发现,一方面私人刑事调查与侦查有着明显同质性,这多涵盖最终目的、历史起源和启用手段种类三部分。另一方面它们二者又存在明显异质性,这主要包括基本性质、实施主体、启用手段比重、直接目的、运作范围、具体程序及受众心理七方面。     

Marshall–Olkin q-Weibull distribution and max–min processes

In this paper, we introduce a new probability model known as Marshall–Olkin q-Weibull distribution. Various properties of the distribution and hazard rate functions are considered. The distribution is applied to model a biostatistical data. The corresponding time series models are developed to illustrate its application in times series modeling. We also develop different types of autoregressive processes with minification structure and max–min structure which can be applied to a rich variety of contexts in real life. Sample path properties are examined and generalization to higher orders are also made. The model is applied to a time series data on daily discharge of Neyyar river in Kerala, India.