In this essay a social perspective on the mind is explored and argued for. The essay moves from a discussion of a social collective foundation for the individual mind to a discussion ofthe main alternative ways of describing the shared social world, namely an action-centred perspective and a power-centred perspective. It is shown that these two perspectives are combinable. A combination of the two perspectives is therefore recommended for a more balanced way of describing the shared social world. In this essay it is argued for that the individuals? mind and her identity is dependent on the surrounding community.

Individuals of today are living in a community that encourages an inactive life. For many individuals exercise is an important part in their life and can be a health factor and contribute to the joy of living. Some environments in the individuals? everyday life are of supportive character. These supportive environments can make it easier for the individual to make healthier choices.

AbstractThe aim of this study is to examine how individuals, part of a rural Christian parish,express their religiosity and beliefs in a Swedish context. Furthermore this study seeksto understand these religious expressions through different views on social construction,secularization and the privatization perspective, such as lived religion, in particular. Byusing qualitative interviews with 8 individuals analyzed with the theories mentionedabove my results show that secularization has provided many individuals with aChristian identity, however, not necessarily a Christian faith. Instead several of theparticipants show a self-developed religious expression not automatically connectedwith Christian religious practices. One of the participants has, despite a Christiansocialization, developed a non-religious identity.

The idea of bringing mindfulness into organizations has become increasingly popular. While previous research has shown positive effects of mindfulness practice in individuals, consequences of introducing mindfulness in organizations remain largely unexplored. This thesis examines those consequences through a qualitative study. We conducted semi-structured interviews with members of two case companies. Based on the effects which mindfulness has been shown to have on individuals, our analysis was especially focused on the areas of efficiency, effectiveness and organizational culture.

Since the brain is an important prerequisite for human language there is a great interest to gain more knowledge about healthy brain activity during language mediated communication. This study examines variations in high level language ability relating to demographic factors like gender and age and relates language ability to neural activity.Eighteen individuals in ages between 22 and 64 were included and divided into groups in relation to gender and age. The material used to assess language ability was derived from Testbatteri för Bedömning av Subtila Språkstörningar (Laakso, Brunnegård, Hartelius & Ahlsén, 2000), Swedish Lexical Decision Test (Almkvist, Adveen, Henning & Tallberg, 2007) and a reading test (Högskoleprovet). The results were correlated with measured brain activity using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and language paradigms. ANOVA was applied to discover possible demographic variances in language ability as well as in brain activity.The results showed no significant differences in language ability.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to better understanding of the importance of social support for physically active individuals' experiences of training residence following an injury.The physical activity's impact on public health is well known. Increased physical activity also increases the risk of suffering an injury related to physical activity. The importance of social support for those individuals who suffer an injury related to physical activity is where increased knowledge is needed.Four interviews to were conducted using a thematic interview guide with the following themes: The experience of the training break, two sides of social support, several ways of dealing with the experience, the design of the support, Varied support providers relationship changes. The most important property of the individual who gave support was an experience similar to that of the injured individuals underwent. That, combined with the close relationship with the individual who gave support was seen as crucial to the experience of the social support role for the injured individual.The Conclusion was that social support is important for the experience of a break from exercise due to an injury related to physical activity..

Abstract      Background: Stroke, caused by a blood clot or a bleeding in the brain, is one of the large endemic diseases in Sweden. The symptoms are very individual and depend on where the stroke is located. The nurse is a key person due to the importance to individualize the rehabilitation of the patient. The consequences after a stroke are not only visible functions reductions but also cognitive and practical problems. Stroke often leads to extensive changes in life, and individuals who get a stroke have to adjust their daily life. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe individuals? experiences of changes in daily life, one year or more after a stroke. Method: An inductive, qualitative approach was used.

The purpose is to illustrate the phenomenon of self-harm from a social psychological and sociological perspective. The purpose is furthermore to examine the role social relationships play in the individuals´ self- imagine and what role does identification play for anyone who harm themselves? We want to examine in what way social relationships are important and how they function for individuals who harm themselves, both once they have started to harm themselves, and if the relationships in any part caused the cutting to begin with.Questions:How do individuals shape their identity based on self- harm? Which self-image do individuals have who self-harm? Is there anything in the person's previous social relationships that have caused them to begin to hurt themselves?Method:In this paper we have analyzed five autobiographies. We have used open coding from grounded theory as analytical method and subject positions based on discourse analysis.Theory:We have used the Cooley concepts looking glass self, Foucault's theory of power, Giddens' concept of ontological security and existential anxiety.Results and Analysis:We found six different categories that we thought were central. These were negative self-image, guilt, lack of family support, negative experiences of others' views, the protective identity as self- harmer and insecure social relationships in school.Conclusion:The self-harming is a very complex behavior.

AbstractTitle: How does people that meet online communicate? -An qualitativestudy of the media use for individuals that date online.Number of pages: 34Autohor: Malin JanssonTutor: Amelie HössjerCourse: Media and Communication Studies CPeriod: Spring term, January 2010University: Informatics and Media, Media and Communication ScienceUppsala UniversityPurpose/Aim: The aim of this essay is to see if mediea use changesthrogh time in a relationship between individuals that have metonline.Material/Method: Qualitative method with nine interviews divided into two groupsdepending whether the person is an actively dejting online or ifshe has a long term relationship with someone she have metonline.Main results: The use of digital media changes thorugh time in therelationship. The individuals stop using the net dejting whenthey meet someone. The digital medias are stage at the begginingof the relationship. Through time they use a multiple ofdigital medias but they have preferenses and prefers to use thetelephone both when they are communicating positive andnegatvie information.Keywords: Online dating, social penetration, process of getting to knoweachother, communication.

The purpose is to illustrate the phenomenon of self-harm from a social psychological and sociological perspective. The purpose is furthermore to examine the role social relationships play in the individuals´ self- imagine and what role does identification play for anyone who harm themselves? We want to examine in what way social relationships are important and how they function for individuals who harm themselves, both once they have started to harm themselves, and if the relationships in any part caused the cutting to begin with.Questions:How do individuals shape their identity based on self- harm? Which self-image do individuals have who self-harm? Is there anything in the person's previous social relationships that have caused them to begin to hurt themselves?Method:In this paper we have analyzed five autobiographies. We have used open coding from grounded theory as analytical method and subject positions based on discourse analysis.Theory:We have used the Cooley concepts looking glass self, Foucault's theory of power, Giddens' concept of ontological security and existential anxiety.Results and Analysis:We found six different categories that we thought were central. These were negative self-image, guilt, lack of family support, negative experiences of others' views, the protective identity as self- harmer and insecure social relationships in school.Conclusion:The self-harming is a very complex behavior.

The Swine flu (H1N1) erupted in 2009 and wasquickly spread over the world and developed into a pandemic, with a great threat against people?s health. It was soon discovered that the H1N1?virus had a different character than the seasonal flu, since it especially affected younger individuals and the consequences from the disease were expected to be more severe. In Sweden it was decided to provide a free of charge vaccination against the H1N1-virus, and the Swedish vaccination ratiobecome relatively high compared to other countries.

AbstractGrowing up with a functionally disabled sibling can bring joy and positive experiences, but also complications. The purpose of this paper is to describe the experience of growing up with a functionally disabled sibling. I have chosen to focus the examination on how individuals with functionally disabled siblings believe they have been affected by their relationship to their functional disabled sibling and whether it has continued to affect them in adulthood.The examination was qualitative and conducted through interviews. The results showed that siblings of functionally disabled individuals tend to grow up with strong feelings of responsibility and anxiety that continue to affect them into adulthood. The investigation further showed that all interviewed chose occupations in care, and that they give great attention to relationships to others.

Background: Loneliness is an ordinary but complex concept which exist of several dimensions. Loneliness can mean and create suffering for the individual but there is sometimes a need to be alone and some individuals who live alone can experience a communion with the existence itself.Aim: To clarify the concept loneliness and its complexity with focus on the experience of loneliness in elderly individuals.Method: Walker and Avants (2005) model for concept analysisResults: The defining attributes the analysis resulted in that the experience of loneliness in elderly individual's is: a subjective and unique experience; positive or negative and ranges in intensity; strongly connected to communion and social relationships with other individuals; connected to loss and miss of one or several elements as meaningful interactions, communion, physical abilities, work, respect, health and quality of life. The attributes were also closely connected to their antecedents and consequences. To clarify the concept further was a model case, a borderline case and a contrary case created. The empirical referents are presented in the discussion.Conclusion: Through clarifying the core of the concept with focus on elderly individual's experience of loneliness is the hope that this concept analysis can support nursing staff to search for understanding for the elderly individual's experience of loneliness and pay attention to its complexity..

This paper is a study of a European citizenship in relation to two different perspectives on citizenship ? universalism and pluralism - from a gender perspective. We discuss a universal citizenship with equal rights and a pluralistic citizenship with different rights (groupdifferentiated rights), in relation to women within the European Union.First, we try to decide whether the European citizenship draws towards a universal or pluralistic direction. Secondly, we discuss problems with the universal and the pluralistic citizenship in relation to women in EU. It's not evident which of them best favours women's needs and interests; both are problematic in its own way.

The purpose of the thesis Masculinities ? Gender and its Impact on the Social conditions of individuals is to perform a critical study of how gendered norms influence the social conditions of individuals. This has been done by a problematization and the attempt to answer the question of how the hegemonical masculinity can be analyzed as a discourse, and how the structural aspects of this discourse inflict on the social conditions of masculinities.The question was divided into the analytical themes: the boarders of the discourse, the institutionalization of the discourse, the actuation of the discourse and the agents of the discourse. The theoretical frame is constituted by the theory of discourse by Michel Foucault, the theory of the hegemonical masculinity by R.W. Connell and a subversive identity theory by Judith Butler.