tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/social-18880/articlessocial – The Conversation2023-06-05T15:57:30Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2013582023-06-05T15:57:30Z2023-06-05T15:57:30ZRetirement reinvented: how to find fulfilment later in life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529124/original/file-20230530-15-95xzx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=57%2C0%2C6397%2C4261&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/elderly-woman-blowing-a-party-horn-7867916/">pexels/rdne stock project</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Retirement can feel like a strange time for many people. Gone is the routine of work, your time is your own – in theory. How to stop chores from taking over can become a tricky balance. Some people retreat and return to work. Often, those that persevere find they are as busy as ever – but not always with the fun leisurely activities they were looking forward to.</p>
<p>It’s strange that this is so often the case because retirement is something many of us look forward to for most of our working lives. Indeed, it’s the one time in life when you can really devote yourself to hobbies and interests, leisure and pleasure.<br>
This uncertain picture means that approaching retirement can be a time of fear – <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkudla/2020/03/13/6-ways-to-ease-your-retirement-anxiety/">retirement anxiety</a> is a real thing. So too are the <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/retirement-stress-taking-it-too-easy-can-be-bad-for-you">retirement blues</a>. </p>
<p>When you add in potential health concerns and financial worries, it’s maybe not surprising that a recent survey found that more than half of <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/more-than-half-of-over40s-feel-anxious-about-retiring-survey-suggests-b2146484.html">over-40s feel anxious about retiring</a>.</p>
<p>One retirement challenge is how to replace the <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ger-2020-0109/html#:%7E:text=We%20find%20that%20retirement%20changes,effect%20on%20the%20network's%20size.">friendships</a> you make through work. Indeed, it seems the people who fare best in retirement find ways to cultivate connections. </p>
<p>The longest-running <a href="https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/">study on human happiness</a> found the thing that makes us most happy in life is our relationships and positive social connections – they also help us to live longer too. Indeed, this 85-year-old Harvard study shows that maintaining quality relationships has a huge benefit for our physical and mental health and wellbeing.</p>
<p>Similarly, the charity The Centre for Better Ageing has found that <a href="https://ageing-better.org.uk/resources/later-life-2015-executive-summary">social connections</a> are just as important as money and health to a good later life.</p>
<h2>Beyond routine</h2>
<p>When it comes to retirement anxiety, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_2">my research</a> with retirees shows that most people who have been retired for several years learn to manage their concerns and develop <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_5">satisfying and interesting lives</a>. </p>
<p>As with a lot of us, most of their time was taken up with home-based chores, self-care, looking after friends and relatives and serving the community – along with working really hard to keep fit, so as to “age well”.</p>
<p>But my research also found that negative notions of ageing can <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1">become internalised</a> and prevent people from having fun and making new connections. </p>
<p>In my study, people said they were conscious that others might judge the <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm:978-3-030-71672-1/1?pdf=chapter%20toc">suitability of their leisure choices</a>. While some rebels could only really enjoy a pastime if they knew their children would disapprove (think daytime drinking, gambling, watching TV, cycling on busy roads in a rainstorm and flirting with strangers), most were limited in their leisure choices by this concern.</p>
<p>Several did not have any pastimes they enjoyed. <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_6">Those who found a balance</a> had rich and varied leisure lives, but they preferred people from their own age group and a similar background, where they were less likely to be told how amazing they are, for their age.</p>
<h2>From anxiety to adventure</h2>
<p>While mixing with people from similar backgrounds and age groups can feel safe and comfortable. It can also mean you miss out on new and interesting experiences or having your worldviews challenged or expanded by spending time with different people</p>
<p>Retirement is the ideal opportunity to mix things up and gently expand your leisure repertoire. It’s a time to embrace the convivial in the presence of others, not just the usual people you see. </p>
<p>If you are happy with your leisure life, great. But if there is a little something missing, a little fun that could enhance it, consider adding in something new. Think outside the box of what’s “<a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_5">suitable for your age group</a>”, (what does that even mean?). Indeed, age should not be a barrier to anything, age discrimination is illegal. So if you’re interested then it’s suitable.</p>
<p>If you have limited resources learn a language with <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/">Duolingo</a> in five minutes a day. Then when you’re ready, find a language conversation group and join them for a social event. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Collage of older people doing fun activities." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529122/original/file-20230530-17-fp17wr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529122/original/file-20230530-17-fp17wr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529122/original/file-20230530-17-fp17wr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529122/original/file-20230530-17-fp17wr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529122/original/file-20230530-17-fp17wr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529122/original/file-20230530-17-fp17wr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529122/original/file-20230530-17-fp17wr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Think of all the things you could do – then go and try one of them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.pexels.com">Pexels</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Learn a song, you can do it yourself using YouTube tutorials. If you enjoy that, you could join a community choir, or drag your friends and family to a karaoke night. You could even pick up an instrument and see how it feels to add percussion. Alternatively, perfect a dance at home and if you like it try a dance class – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe4xqYSoiUo">pole dancing</a> has become very popular.</p>
<p>If you have a bit more time to spare, explore taking an interest to the next level. There are local groups for many activities, including rowing, climbing, circus skills, martial arts and horse riding – what takes your fancy?</p>
<p>Not an “organised group” person? Try Frisbee, a boomerang, kite flying, bike rides, skateboarding or roller skating. You don’t have to be with people, just being around them is interesting. </p>
<p>For more sedate options consider a cinema club, jazz club, poetry group, or start a quiz team. If you like the TV show <a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-pottery-throw-down">The Great Pottery Throw Down</a> join a ceramic studio and unlock your inner creativity. If you have a free afternoon or evening, look at <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/">Eventbright</a> and try something random, because we don’t really know what we love until we find it.</p>
<p>Nothing has to be a lifelong commitment. If you like it, carry on, if not, then move on to something else. Anything you try will make a good story to tell the younger people in your life – they need to know that later life is an adventure worth working towards. </p>
<p>So defy expectations, knock down those mental barriers and try something different. Start today and see where it takes you.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201358/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tania Wiseman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Unlocking the full potential of retirement: embracing fun, connections and new experiences.Tania Wiseman, Associate Professor, Head of Therapies , Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1870382022-07-28T19:32:41Z2022-07-28T19:32:41ZMaintaining friendships after a dementia diagnosis can spur feelings of joy and self-worth<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/475642/original/file-20220722-24-yhsedy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C0%2C2991%2C1994&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The need for friendship does not diminish with age.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>What would our lives be like if we could no longer depend on our most cherished friendships? The people who know us best, who have been there through our ups and downs, and share a history with us? </p>
<p>For many people living with dementia, this is a reality. Over 500,000 Canadians <a href="https://alzheimer.ca/en/about-dementia/what-dementia/dementia-numbers-canada">are currently living with dementia</a>, and a diagnosis often leads to <a href="https://www.alzscot.org/news/friendship-and-dementia">a loss of friendships</a> and social opportunities. </p>
<p>The reactions of friends greatly affect the experience of someone living with dementia. When friends distance themselves because they don’t know what to say or presume they no longer know how to interact with their friend, a person with dementia can experience <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275353356_Friendships_for_People_Living_with_Dementia_in_Long-Term_Care">feelings of isolation and loneliness</a>. </p>
<p>When people living with dementia can depend on their friends, they continue to enjoy meaningful leisure activities, experience <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afx186">feelings of joy and self-worth</a>, and see themselves as <a href="https://alzheimer.ca/en/take-action/become-dementia-friendly/meaningful-engagement-people-living-dementia">valued members of their social circles</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://dementiaandfriendship.ca/">Our research</a> had us interview friends together, asking them to share tips and strategies for navigating dementia. We heard moving stories of deepened bonds of friendship, genuine acceptance and the joy of simply being together. </p>
<h2>Adapting to changes</h2>
<p>Our research allowed us to speak with people who shared a 70-year friendship and couldn’t imagine life without each other. We learned that for some, a neighbourhood walk together was an opportunity to say a quick hello and how a weekly trip to the pub enabled some friends to connect and re-connect in a familiar space. </p>
<p>People living with dementia and their friends <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980821000301">may adapt to changes</a> brought about by the diagnosis in several ways. For example, they may prioritize their friendship by setting aside time for regular phone calls and visits. They may alter the way they think about the friendship by being accepting of the changes. They may also use practical strategies, like providing reminders for plans, and offering additional support when spending time together. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two older men play chess" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475645/original/file-20220722-26-74pto6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When people living with dementia can depend on their friends, they continue to enjoy meaningful leisure activities.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Friends of individuals living with dementia may seek ways to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301220980898">continue enjoying meaningful time together</a>. Sometimes this involves identifying activities that are comfortable and familiar. It may also involve providing direction and encouragement to support the continuation of enjoyable experiences, such as visiting a favourite restaurant. </p>
<p>For some, additional comfort may come from hanging out as a group because there is extra support available if needed.</p>
<h2>Open and honest communication</h2>
<p>Open and honest communication is key to maintaining any friendship and becomes particularly important following a diagnosis of dementia. Yet, that may be the biggest challenge. </p>
<p>Below are <a href="https://dementiaandfriendship.ca/">some questions that friends might find helpful</a> to ask over a cup of coffee, on a walk or in a quiet, shared moment:</p>
<ul>
<li>What do you value about our friendship? Can I tell you what our friendship means to me? </li>
<li>What is one thing I do that makes you laugh? Here’s something you do that makes me laugh…</li>
<li>How can we make sure we maintain our friendship (i.e., talk on the phone, over the internet, go for coffee)? How often do you want to connect? How do we need to change our time together? What can stay the same? </li>
<li>How can we support each other to continue enjoying the leisure activities that are meaningful to us? </li>
<li>What are the best times and days to plan activities (i.e., morning, afternoon, weekday, weekend)? Are there exceptions?</li>
<li>Do we need to schedule something in advance (need time to prepare, or get more rest the day before) or can we be spontaneous?</li>
<li>Where do you feel safe and able to be yourself?</li>
<li>When we are in public and you need me to step in for you, how will I know? What is “our” signal?</li>
<li>What do I do if I notice you’re starting to make decisions that are not like you? </li>
<li>Can I ask you these same questions in a few weeks?</li>
</ul>
<p>The need for friendship <a href="https://alzheimer.ca/en/help-support/im-living-dementia/living-well-dementia/staying-socially-connected">does not diminish with age</a> and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/happiness-in-world/201312/the-true-meaning-friendship">friendships continue to deeply enrich our lives</a>. </p>
<p>Given that a dementia diagnosis often puts individuals at an increased risk of social isolation, we must pay careful attention to understanding ways to ensure that friends remain engaged with their networks in personal and meaningful ways. </p>
<p>The first step is to trust in the friendship and begin to explore how it can be sustained over time.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187038/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Colleen Whyte receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Darla Fortune receives funding from SSHRC. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Genoe receives funding from SSHRC. </span></em></p>The first step is to trust in the friendship and begin to explore how it can be sustained over time.Colleen Whyte, Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Brock UniversityDarla Fortune, Associate Professor, Applied Human Sciences, Concordia UniversityRebecca Genoe, Professor, Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of ReginaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1607552021-06-03T18:48:26Z2021-06-03T18:48:26ZWhen it comes to social networks, bigger isn’t always better<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403238/original/file-20210527-20-1quf0xx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=46%2C0%2C5184%2C3445&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">It’s when we use our online networks as pipes, not prisms, that small matters and seems to be valuable.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Bigger is always better</em>. Many of us think this is true when it comes to building our online networks of social media friends, connections and followers. But <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.032">new research suggests</a> the opposite may be closer to the truth: curating small networks of trusted connections may be smarter in the long run. While this may seem counterintuitive, it also comes with a caveat.</p>
<p>We often feel compelled, and are even encouraged by social media platforms, to grow our networks. Consider all the prompts about “someone else you might know” and “who to follow.” We all want the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.00409.x"><em>sociometrics</em></a> (that number of friends or followers posted in the corner of your profile) to look good.</p>
<h2>Offline and online social networks</h2>
<p>Both offline and online, our social networks can function as either <a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/323038"><em>prisms</em> or <em>pipes</em></a>.</p>
<p>As <em>prisms</em>, they broadcast to others our likes, dislikes, opinions, interests, activities and more. They signal who we are, or want to be, to our network of social connections.</p>
<p>As <em>pipes</em>, they act as conduits through which help and resources can flow. Using our networks as pipes is an important part of how we build relationships. We give and receive advice, advocacy, endorsement, emotional support and tangible things (<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/0300000052">like entrepreneurs do, for example</a>).</p>
<p>Studies of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-2963(95)00161-1">face-to-face networks</a> have generally shown that, whether we use our networks as prisms or pipes, bigger is better. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Group of business people sitting at a table" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403861/original/file-20210601-663-unv024.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403861/original/file-20210601-663-unv024.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403861/original/file-20210601-663-unv024.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403861/original/file-20210601-663-unv024.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403861/original/file-20210601-663-unv024.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403861/original/file-20210601-663-unv024.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403861/original/file-20210601-663-unv024.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People don’t always have the willingness to ask their online networks for something.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But what about online?</p>
<p>We flock to social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram because it’s easy to view, share and store our connections, allowing us to communicate with them whenever we want. That’s what makes connecting online and offline so different. We can’t search and find a comment we made six days ago to a friend over coffee. We can, however, find and reshare a conversation we had with our Facebook “friends” three years ago. It turns out that’s a really important distinction.</p>
<p>It’s when we use our online networks as pipes, not prisms, that small matters and seems to be valuable. In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.032">recent study of Canadian entrepreneurs</a>, our team of researchers uncovered this counterintuitive point and shed light on the reasons why. </p>
<p>We think it suggests some broader insights.</p>
<h2>Using our online networks</h2>
<p>For people to actually use their online networks as pipes for resources and support, three things need to come together. First, we need to believe we have the ability to ask for or give a resource or support (termed <em>exchange</em>). Second, we need to have a way to actually make the exchange happen. And finally, we need to want to conduct the exchange. </p>
<p>All those digital viewing, scanning, sharing, searching and storing capabilities of our social media networks make it really easy for us to believe we have the ability and arrangements to use our networks as pipes. I can quickly and easily ask my online network for something I need and get a quick response. But our research suggests that we don’t always have the willingness to ask.</p>
<p>Through interviews with entrepreneurs, we uncovered that the reason is likely that people are really worried about what others will think. This perceived <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2009.0382">social judgment risk</a> can get in the way of entrepreneurs getting helpful resources from their online networks. We suspect it’s not just entrepreneurs who are worried about this. That’s because perceived social judgment risk is a product of audience collapse, which reduces our willingness to reach out online.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444810365313">Audience collapse</a> happens when we add people to our online networks from all aspects of our lives. These might be people we know well and people we barely know; personal connections, work acquaintances, volunteer connections, hometown connections and those with shared interests and hobbies. </p>
<p>By building these varied and oversized networks, and inviting so many different people to join, our willingness to ask for help goes down. With all that searching, viewing and sharing, who knows where our request might land? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Ipad shows images of multiple people in a web to illustrate a social network" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403240/original/file-20210527-17-1rvs6l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403240/original/file-20210527-17-1rvs6l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403240/original/file-20210527-17-1rvs6l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403240/original/file-20210527-17-1rvs6l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403240/original/file-20210527-17-1rvs6l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403240/original/file-20210527-17-1rvs6l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403240/original/file-20210527-17-1rvs6l1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to social media networks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our research reveals that many of us likely perceive a lot of social judgment risk in asking for anything but information from our online networks. We are worried that others will judge our asks as weak, needy, unsure, confused, too personal or otherwise inappropriate, making us less willing to seek help. This dark side implication of <em>bigger is better</em> social media networking is rarely discussed. </p>
<p>If this resonates, what can you do?</p>
<p>To make our social media networks useful as pipes, we suggest creating <em>trust networks</em>. These are purpose-built to stay small — yes, small. Only add people who will support, not negatively judge, any ask for help you might make — these are the people you trust. </p>
<p>A trust network is likely to be very high in <em>reciprocity</em>, or the giving and getting of help, because all members feel it is a safe place to ask for and give help. It becomes a really useful pipe network where small, not big, is valuable.</p>
<p>So, if you want to use your online networks as a prism to signal things to the world — stay big. But if you want to give and get help, then create a purpose-built, small trust network on social media. We think you’ll be glad you did.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160755/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Claudia Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>If you want to give and get help from your online network, new research suggests keep your “friend” count low.Claudia Smith, Assistant Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of VictoriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1335152020-03-26T01:46:51Z2020-03-26T01:46:51ZThe power of proximity and the theatre of touch: what losing live audiences may mean for theatre<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322211/original/file-20200323-22610-19ysq1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=31%2C23%2C5141%2C3422&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/people-children-adults-parents-theater-260nw-582510067.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Being close to others is intrinsically associated with theatre. </p>
<p>In Shakespeare’s London, theatre gatherings were condemned by the Puritans as evil.
They thought the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/24/shakespeares-great-escape-plague-1606--james-shapiro">plague spread by theatre crowds</a> was God’s punishment on the wicked for indulging in pastimes such as acting. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/12/theater/coronavirus-broadway-shutdown.html">shutting down of Broadway</a> and the West End gives an eerie historical parallel to a world we thought was well in the past. Meanwhile, COVID-19 poses as an <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/coronavirus-will-cause-irreparable-damage-to-arts-industry-expert/news-story/0bd165fe8a6f81f3ba5cdd50f22a0e25">existential threat</a> for Australia’s fragile performing arts sector. </p>
<p>While some artists look to <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/culture/music/online-and-on-song-mso-keep-the-music-going-20200322-p54cm2.html">stream performances</a> online, there is something missing without others “being there” to witness performance in the flesh. Proximity and touch are crucial to “liveness”.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/322210/original/file-20200323-22622-1oqyf7s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Queen Elizabeth viewing the performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Globe Theatre of London. David Scott (1840).</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://uploads8.wikiart.org/images/david-scott/queen-elizabeth-1533-1603-viewing-the-performance-of-the-merry-wives-of-windsor-at-the-globe-1840.jpg!Large.jpg">Wikiart</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Festivals of togetherness</h2>
<p>Touch is commonly associated with ritual through what anthropologist Victor Turner calls “<a href="http://faculty.trinity.edu/mbrown/whatisreligion/PDF%20readings/TurnerVictor-%20Liminality%20and%20Communitas.pdf">communitas</a>” – a shared and equal feeling of togetherness. In the Catholic mass, members of the congregation shake hands during the “sign of peace” creating a feeling of community. The Maori pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony) culminates in the “hongi” (pressing noses together). The Hajj is characterised by close embodied proximity of believers at the holy site in Islam. </p>
<p>Touch can be important to cultural festivals too. Performance anthropologist <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=XYOYAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=lowell%20lewis%20anthropology%20of%20performance&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false">J. Lowell Lewis notes</a> that in Brazil’s Carnival:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the degree of close contact is quite important to the sense of a successful festival, for many, and is directly related to a positive valuation of what they call movimento (literally, movement; figuratively, something like the English colloquial sense of “where the action is” at a party scene or perhaps a “happening” situation) …</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Live arts and theatre might not be founded in grand narratives of religious and cultural belief, but they do bring people together in a common experience.</p>
<h2>Touching histories in theatre</h2>
<p>From the ancient Greeks through to the Romans and Middle Ages, there was a theory we are always in contact through an invisible “ether” that exists between bodies. </p>
<p>The famous Russian director and father of actor-training, Constantin Stanislavski, wrote about a “<a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=RbYtCwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT37&ots=cd_hURSH7z&dq=stanislavski%20radiation&pg=PT37#v=onepage&q&f=false">communion</a>” between actors and audience through invisible rays of communication linking by what he called “irradiation”. He also talked about “grasp” on an audience in moments of inspiration.</p>
<p>Avant garde French poet and theatre-maker, Antonin Artaud, speculated about “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25069776?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">theatre and the plague”</a> and dreamt of a direct communication of thought and meaning through the body in live performance.</p>
<p>Brazilian theatre-maker and political activist, Augusto Boal, developed theatre games in which touch was crucial for bringing a community together through what he called <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1356978042000255076">Theatre of the Oppressed</a>. Proximity and feeling were important for participants understanding each other’s perspective and exploring different ways we might engage in social and political change.</p>
<p>More recently, we have seen the rise of <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=o_EcBQAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=immersive%20theatre&pg=PA21#v=onepage&q&f=false">immersive theatre</a> which breaks the fourth wall and allows audiences and performers to interact in specific surroundings, often through improvisation.</p>
<p>Tactility is part of what ethnographer Clifford Geertz calls our “<a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=9lYYDQAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=editions%3Al_rBhEjbc-gC&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false">matrix of sensibility</a>”. Skin-to-skin contact is crucial to the mother-infant relationship and our very first awareness of the world. </p>
<p>But with new media, seeing is the dominant way we tend to consume entertainment. The risk is that we might lose a sense of feeling and responsibility.</p>
<h2>Philosophy and Ethics</h2>
<p>In many ways, touch is fundamental to the way we come to know the world as theorised by <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=WngCbLanl-8C&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false">Maurice Merleau-Ponty</a>. The phrase, “getting a handle on something” can mean practical and emotional knowledge about the world. So when we say a performance was “touching”, it can also be an embodied feeling of change.</p>
<p>Arts and theatre companies are already finding <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-one-door-closes-open-a-window-14-sites-with-great-free-art-134153">innovative ways</a> of reaching audiences. Part of the thrill of being at a live event is a sense of danger. Audience members see each other. Things might go wrong. You might be handpicked as a volunteer from the audience. And there is a mutual obligation developed through laughter, silence and applause. </p>
<p>How these dangers will transmit via Zoom, Skype or Instagram Live remains to be seen. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/virtual-zoos-museums-and-galleries-14-sites-with-great-free-art-and-entertainment-134153">Virtual zoos, museums and galleries: 14 sites with great free art and entertainment</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Evolution</h2>
<p>Perhaps limiting touch will serve to increase the meaning of proximity on the occasions that it does occur. </p>
<p>Our heightened awareness of touch and proximity might have benefits in terms of staying away from others if we are unwell, washing hands and maintaining personal hygiene. Lady Macbeth’s untimely demise might serve a double purpose if we say her famous “Out damned spot!”<a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2020/mar/the-history-behind-the-lady-macbeth-coronavirus-meme/">speech twice while scrubbing and rinsing</a>. </p>
<p>In the meantime, new norms around touch and proximity will emerge and performance will play an important part in reflecting and changing social attitudes.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/133515/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Daniel Johnston does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Physical proximity is intrinsic to performance and communicates considerable meaning. Social isolation has implications for artistic connection.Daniel Johnston, Research Affiliate, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1084432018-12-14T12:22:54Z2018-12-14T12:22:54ZHow an app can help fight loneliness in old people at Christmas<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250635/original/file-20181214-185246-evyttb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-senior-woman-sitting-home-christmas-1222015321?src=glmgAktEBJHvGgh7QxkXKg-1-1">Halfpoint/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Loneliness, as a leading cause of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032711007993">depression</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4225959/">obesity</a>, is believed to cost <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-41349219">£6,000 per person</a> in health and social care services. Loneliness is especially prevalent during the winter holidays, perhaps intensified by the short days, bad weather and the impression that everyone else is enjoying the festive season with family and friends.</p>
<p>While loneliness is experienced by all ages, it is especially pronounced in older people. In the UK, 51% of all people aged 75 and over live alone and approximately 6% of older adults leave their house <a href="https://www.ageuk.org.uk/brandpartnerglobal/oxfordshirevpp/documents/loneliness%2520the%2520state%2520we%2520are%2520in%2520-%2520report%25202013.pdf">once a week or less</a>. An increasing proportion of these older adults live in <a href="http://www.ruralyorkshire.org.uk/webfm_send/218">rural areas</a>. </p>
<p>In an age when services and information are increasingly available online, might technology play a role in addressing loneliness and social isolation?</p>
<p>Our research was conducted in South Lakeland – a rural community of Cumbria in Northern England. Residents aged 65 years and older <a href="https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/eLibrary/Content/Internet/536/642/1750/4130310250.pdf">account for 24.2%</a> of the population here, against a national average of 17%. While there are two towns, the majority of the population live in villages, hamlets and isolated dwellings. </p>
<p>We ran 26 workshops and conducted 93 interviews over a period of two years with people living in the area who were aged 65 years or older and with staff and volunteers that work for the government and charities. Our study tried to find out what older adults do to maintain social interaction, how they plan for it and what role technology could play to help them.</p>
<p>We found that older people believe meeting face-to-face with people is especially meaningful compared to telephone and online interactions. Take the example of Jack, who is 80 years old and who lives in a rural village. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250650/original/file-20181214-185234-1js0wp1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250650/original/file-20181214-185234-1js0wp1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250650/original/file-20181214-185234-1js0wp1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250650/original/file-20181214-185234-1js0wp1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250650/original/file-20181214-185234-1js0wp1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250650/original/file-20181214-185234-1js0wp1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250650/original/file-20181214-185234-1js0wp1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Going out during winter in rural areas can often be hindered by bad weather and difficult driving conditions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/wooden-footpath-signpost-langdale-valley-lake-717635992?src=LKeHUf8mheRX-_MKSwsGuQ-1-2">Shaun Barr/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>His wife had a spinal stroke recently and doesn’t like him leaving her alone at home for more than a few hours each day. He actively looks for social opportunities outside the house and has joined exercise classes and organised a monthly lunch for friends. This gives him a chance to relax and alleviate the burden of care and his story shows the value of regular activities to older people.</p>
<p>Most of the older adults in the study found out about social events through printed adverts in public places such as libraries, through talking to people or via the internet. Since the information was spread across different sources and in different formats, it made finding out about social events challenging for older adults.</p>
<p>Crucially, we found that being socially connected means more than just knowing what is taking place, as Margaret explained:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If I do find out something is going on, I then need to find out how to get there, what the facilities are, what the weather will be and who else might be going.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>How technology can help</h2>
<p>Transport, weather, daylight and toilet facilities all determined whether our respondents could get out and enjoy themselves. Public transport was a popular choice for people in the district, but was said to be plagued by limited routes, infrequent services, long journey times and high costs. The different transport providers also make their timetables available separately and in different formats. </p>
<p>As a result, social events were often inaccessible. Travelling during the winter months by car was difficult due to the distances and dark country roads. While planning to attend an event, many wanted to know the weather forecast and if they would be home before dark. They also liked to know about toilet facilities en route and at the venue. They wanted to know the distance and route they would need to walk from the bus stop or car park. Without these assurances, social situations were difficult to plan and manage.</p>
<p>One striking statistic provided by the charity Age UK South Lakeland suggested that only 17% of their clients currently access the internet. As Jack explains:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Family and friends often use technology to find out things for me when I am stuck. However, most of my friends do not have internet access. They did not use technology in their working lives, as they were either farmers or manual workers. They still just ring people up or ask their children or grandchildren to use technology for them.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250645/original/file-20181214-185237-1yrexdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250645/original/file-20181214-185237-1yrexdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250645/original/file-20181214-185237-1yrexdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250645/original/file-20181214-185237-1yrexdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250645/original/file-20181214-185237-1yrexdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250645/original/file-20181214-185237-1yrexdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250645/original/file-20181214-185237-1yrexdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The residents of South Lakeland helping develop the app.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Niall Hayes</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Technology can help, as long as it focuses on helping older people with overcoming the concerns that hold them back from meeting people outside the house. Using the insights from the research, we developed an app that draws on open data about events and volunteering opportunities nearby.</p>
<p>Older people can create user profiles to set their preferences for events according to cost and location. They can then review the transport options and routes to the event on an age-friendly map which includes the location of bus stops and car parks as well as nearby toilets and benches. If they select an event they want to attend, it’s recorded in a calendar. The app can also be accessed by family, friends or carers who can search and plan on their behalf. This allows for the app to also be beneficial to older adults that do not have internet access.</p>
<p>But, even with this support, it’s striking how few listings of events and transport options were available for older people over the festive period. Without more efforts to remedy the crisis of loneliness and isolation in the elderly, the festive season may still be anything but a season of cheer for many.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108443/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Niall Hayes receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 693319. This material reflects only the author’s view and the Research Executive Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
</span></em></p>Christmas can be a lonely time for older people, particularly the growing number who live in rural areas. Technology could help the crisis of social isolation in old age.Niall Hayes, Professor of Information & Organisation, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1003812018-07-25T20:10:00Z2018-07-25T20:10:00ZIt’s not about money: we asked catfish why they trick people online<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228986/original/file-20180724-194158-zeswib.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Our likelihood of falling victim to catfish scams is increasing along with our screen time.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/modern-design-fingerprint-catfish-word-term-204911647?src=iWpwU1cetXL4Ds5iuak2zw-1-1">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you have engaged with internet culture at all in recent years, you have probably come across the term “catfish”, first coined in the 2010 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1584016/">documentary</a> of the same name. </p>
<p>A catfish is someone who uses false information to cultivate a persona online that does not represent their true identity. This commonly involves using stolen or edited photos, usually taken from an unwitting third party. </p>
<p>Catfish will use this information to create a more appealing version of themselves, then engage in continued one-on-one interactions with another person (or people) who are unaware of the deception. </p>
<figure>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/facebook-is-fighting-social-media-identity-theft-in-india-but-its-a-global-problem-81471">Facebook is fighting social media identity theft in India, but it's a global problem</a>
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<hr>
<h2>Falling prey to catfish</h2>
<p>In the 2010 documentary, Nev Schulman learns that a woman with whom he has developed an online relationship over nine months is actually fake. Another married woman (who originally claimed to be her mother) has used pictures from a model’s account to create the complicated, phoney relationship.</p>
<p>There have been several high-profile cases of catfishing reported in the media since then. </p>
<p>Singer Casey Donovan, in her 2014 memoir, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/casey-donovan-i-spent-six-years-in-a-fake-relationship-20140226-33gz2.html">wrote</a> about a six-year relationship that turned out to be fake – in her case, the catfish even lied about her gender. </p>
<p>In 2011, NBA star Chris Andersen became embroiled in a <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/nba-star-aspiring-model-victims-massive-catfishing-scheme/story?id=46755887">catfishing scandal</a> that ended in prison time for the catfish. </p>
<p>Then there is the popular <a href="http://www.mtv.com.au/catfish-the-tv-show">MTV reality docuseries</a>, hosted by catfish victim Nev Schulman himself. It is currently in its seventh season of “[taking] online romances into the real world”.</p>
<h2>A complicated problem</h2>
<p>Since 2016, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (<a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/">ACCC</a>) has collected and published data on dating and romance scams. </p>
<p>Its <a href="https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/dating-romance">website</a> provides detailed statistics of reported romance fraud in Australia, yet there is little information available about social catfishing – deception in the absence of financial fraud. There are also questions about the legality of impersonating someone who does not exist.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-record-340-million-lost-to-fraud-in-australia-says-latest-accc-report-96912">A record $340 million lost to fraud in Australia, says latest ACCC report</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Until these issues are resolved, there is no clear avenue to pursue for victims of social catfish. Victims may remain unaware of the deception for months or years – another reason catfishing often goes unreported – making it even harder to quantify.</p>
<h2>The personality traits of catfish scammers</h2>
<p>As smartphones and connected devices become ever more pervasive, the chances of falling victim to deception are increasing along with our <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/30/health/americans-screen-time-nielsen/index.html">screen time</a>. </p>
<p>But what sort of person becomes a social catfish? </p>
<p>We have begun psychological research to investigate this question. In the past year we have recruited 27 people from around the world who self-identified as catfish for online interviews. </p>
<p>The interviews focused mainly on their motivations and feelings about their catfishing behaviour. Some of our key findings included:</p>
<ul>
<li>Loneliness was mentioned by 41% of the respondents as the reason for their catfishing. One respondent said:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>I just wanted to be more popular and make friends that could talk to me, some part of the day. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Others claimed that a lonely childhood and ongoing struggles with social connection were contributing factors.</p>
<ul>
<li>Dissatisfaction with their physical appearance was also a common theme, represented in around one-third of responses:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>I had lots of self-esteem problems … I actually consider myself ugly and unattractive … The only way I have had relationships has been online and with a false identity. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another respondent said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If I try to send my real, unedited pictures to anyone that seems nice, they stop responding to me. It’s a form of escapism, or a way of testing what life would be like if you were the same person but more physically attractive.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Some reported using false identities or personas to explore their sexuality or gender identity. For example:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>I was catfishing women because I am attracted to women but have never acted on it … I pretend to be a man as I would prefer to be in the male role of a heterosexual relationship than a female in a homosexual relationship.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>More than two-thirds of responses mentioned a desire to escape:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>It could seem magical, being able to escape your insecurities … But in the end, it only worsens them.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Many reported feelings of guilt and self-loathing around their deceptive behaviour: </li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>It’s hard to stop the addiction. Reality hit, and I felt like a shitty human.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>More than one-third of participants expressed a desire to confess to their victims, and some had continued relations with them even after coming clean.</p></li>
<li><p>Somewhat surprisingly, around a quarter of respondents said they began catfishing out of practicality, or because of some outside circumstance. One said:</p></li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>Being too young for a website or game meant I had to lie about my age to people, resulting in building a complete persona.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>No simple solution</h2>
<p>What does it take to become a catfish, and how should we deal with this growing problem? Unsurprisingly, our initial research suggests that there’s no simple answer. </p>
<p>Social catfishing seems to provide an outlet for the expression of many different desires and urges. Although not yet officially a crime, it is never a victimless act. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-all-online-catfish-are-bad-but-strong-communities-can-net-the-ones-that-are-47981">Not all online catfish are bad, but strong communities can net the ones that are</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>As we move further online each year, the burden of harmful online behaviour becomes greater to society, and a better understanding of the issues are needed if we are to minimise harm in the future. From our small survey, it appears that catfish themselves aren’t universally malicious.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/">Psychologist Jean Twenge has argued</a> that the post-millenial generation is growing up with smartphones in hand at an early age and are thus spending more time in the relatively “safe” online world than in real-life interactions, especially compared with previous generations. </p>
<p>Catfishing will likely become a more common side-effect for this generation in particular. </p>
<p>The next phase of our research is to learn what we can do to help both victims and the catfish themselves. We hope to recruit at least 120 people who have catfished so that we can develop a more thorough picture of their personalities. If you have been a catfish, or know someone who has, please contact us to participate in our research: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/catfishstudy">tinyurl.com/catfishstudy</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>The author would like to acknowledge the contribution to this article of Samantha Lo Monaco, an honours student at the University of Queensland.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100381/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Eric Vanman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As younger generations spend more time interacting with people online and less time in real life, they are more likely to experience catfishing – both as victims and instigators.Eric Vanman, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/801692017-06-30T05:20:26Z2017-06-30T05:20:26ZIn India, a legislative reform is needed to push corporate social responsibility<p>The corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00705587">began</a> as a response to advocacy for corporations to play a role in ameliorating social problems due to their economic power and overarching presence in daily life.</p>
<p>Now, the movement is transitioning from its reliance on purely voluntary activity to the greater use of laws. The push for legalisation came because voluntary CSR presented problems such as free-riding (companies taking advantage of benefits without actually spending), <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1045235412000998">greenwashing</a> posing as CSR, and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danpontefract/2016/09/24/faking-corporate-social-responsibility-does-not-fool-employees/#6e2f68b67994">false disclosures</a>.</p>
<p>Governments are now modifying their <em>laissez faire</em> approach and considering <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/eshachhabra/2014/04/18/corporate-social-responsibility-should-it-be-a-law/#536df93f3736">legal rules</a>.</p>
<p>The US Securities and Exchange Commission, for instance, has moved beyond its mandate as a market regulator to issue rules on <a href="https://www.sec.gov/news/public-statement/piwowar-statement-court-decision-conflict-minerals-rule">conflict minerals</a>, <a href="https://www.sec.gov/news/pressrelease/2016-132.html">resource extraction payments</a>, and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/sec-drafting-rule-requiring-firms-reveal-board-diversity-1467078153">gender diversity</a>. And, in 2014, the European Union issued a <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0095">directive</a> on disclosure of non-financial and diversity information. </p>
<p>Similarly, Australian companies are required to <a href="http://www.asx.com.au/documents/asx-compliance/cgc-principles-and-recommendations-3rd-edn.pdf">disclose</a> how they will manage their environmental and social sustainability risks.</p>
<h2>India at the forefront</h2>
<p>India has gone further than any other country. In 2013, it enacted <a href="https://www.mca.gov.in/Ministry/pdf/FAQ_CSR.pdf">Section 135</a> of the Indian Companies Act prescribing a mandatory “CSR spend of 2% of average net profits … during the three immediately preceding financial years” for all companies meeting specified financial thresholds. In other words, companies “having net worth of rupees five billion or more, or turnover of rupees ten billion or more or a net profit of rupees fifty million or more during any financial year” have to ensure that they spend 2% of average net profits made during the three preceding years on CSR activities. </p>
<p>In order to assess the effectiveness of this unique experiment in mandating CSR spending and disclosure, we studied the reporting practices of the four largest banks by market capitalisation in India compared with banks from Australia, China, and Japan where there is no such <a href="http://ssrn.com/abstract=2993772">law</a>. In order to do so, we assessed annual and CSR reports of our sample of companies from 2012, one year before the law was passed.</p>
<p>Indian banks did not have CSR reports before 2012. The CSR committees formed by the banks function in the spirit of the law within defined targets, monitoring CSR spend, and reporting reasons for shortfalls in spending.</p>
<p>Of the Indian banks evaluated, only the State Bank of India (SBI) disclosed its CSR spend prior to the promulgation of the new Companies Act; all banks disclosed this spend from 2013.</p>
<p>Despite the new law mandating a CSR spend of 2% of pre-tax profit for corporations of this size, only ICICI Bank met the target in 2014. But it fell to 1.9% in 2016.Kotak Mahindra Bank reported a CSR spend of less than 0.69% of pre-tax profits in 2016. </p>
<p>In spite of not meeting the targeted CSR spend, none of the banks reported any fines or proceedings for breaching the law.</p>
<p>During this period (2012-2016), Australian banks had the highest disclosures, followed by Japan, China and India.</p>
<p>There’s a marginal difference in Indian bank disclosures after the new law was passed in 2013. But these differences may well be due to the different cultures and other non-market factors at play.</p>
<h2>Different programs</h2>
<p>Indian banks spend on educational and health promotional CSR activities, as prescribed by the new law. Additionally, all Indian banks use in-house foundations and centres, and promote staff volunteering at high-profile events. All these activities are designed to obtain maximum positive media coverage.</p>
<p>Less popular CSR activities, such as programs for eradicating malaria or combating other major communicable diseases – also defined in the Act as designated CSR activity – do not get any attention.</p>
<p>Another popular CSR activity is contributing to natural disaster relief funds, which is probably aimed at scoring brownie points with the political party in power. Then there’s lip service to environmental sustainability by the development of “ideal” bank branches with small environmental footprints. But the vast majority of offices languish with old energy-hungry, environmentally dated structures and activities.</p>
<p>In contrast – and despite the absence of a legislative mandate – Australian banks have been disclosing their CSR expenditure since at least 2010. CBA and Westpac spend more on CSR as a percentage of pre-tax profits than the other two major Australian banks.</p>
<p>Chinese and Japanese banks report on targets and achievements to meet their respective environmental laws, albeit not in as much detail as Australian banks. As there’s no legal requirement to report on their actual CSR spends, Japanese banks did not disclose this in their reporting media till 2015.</p>
<p>In 2016, Japanese banks Nomura and Mizuho started reporting their CSR spend. Similarly, Chinese banks started voluntarily reporting their CSR spend in 2016. </p>
<p>But all fall below 0.25% of post-tax profits.</p>
<h2>Time for reform</h2>
<p>Our analysis shows that the law in its current form is failing to promote CSR activity. Its poor design and lack of clear obligations, set in a milieu of poor law enforcement, is also not generating an ethical obligation to obey the law in spirit.</p>
<p>Our findings are of value to policy makers and suggest it’s time to reform laws – to socialise corporations and CEOs in terms of their legal obligations and the benefits of CSR activity, to design enforcement mechanisms, and to generate ethical behaviour.</p>
<p>India’s legal provisions contain vague language and permit a high degree of self-interpretation that undermines legislative intent. For example, it allows banks to list “staff training in fire safety” as part of CSR even though this should be a strictly mandatory workplace safety activity.</p>
<p>Indian banks’ annual and CSR reports do not show a major shift in the nature of disclosures after 2013. The law is perhaps purely expressive as the provision stipulates minimal penalties for non-compliance and relies on a comply-or-explain philosophy. This exacerbates the lack of ethical obligation to obey laws in India where there’s a level of high <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/india/corruption-rank">corruption</a>, low levels of <a href="http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/09/19/1-how-is-india-doing/">public confidence</a>, <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/W5Fx1zCQNdnmCRDx9AAQ6O/Weak-public-institutions-behind-Indias-low-state-capacity.html">weak institutions</a>, low levels of <a href="http://hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/IND">development</a>, and <a href="http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/education-index">education</a>, among other such issues.</p>
<p>The provisions also appear to be formulated based on a traditional understanding that top management is solely responsible for ethical behaviour and CSR activity, without making the connection between the company and its stakeholders. There is no explanation for how the CSR provision fits within the wider ambit of a corporation’s role and purpose, the duties expected of its directors, or the information it is expected to disclose.</p>
<p>Until such time that the law is made more precise and backed up by effective enforcement and penalties for non-compliance, it will not promote CSR or make companies engage more with stakeholders. Section 135 is merely a stealth tax and will impose unnecessary compliance burdens.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/80169/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>India has gone further than any other country in legislating for corporate social responsibility. But the law should be redrafted to enhance precision and stakeholder orientation.Ameeta Jain, Senior Lecturer in Finance, Deakin UniversitySandeep Gopalan, Professor of Law, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/793462017-06-14T20:07:47Z2017-06-14T20:07:47ZLeaving school early means you’re likely never to return to study and training in adult life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173543/original/file-20170613-32034-76ew1m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">To the taxpayer, each long-term early school leaver costs $335,000.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from shutterstock.com </span></span></figcaption></figure><p>One in eight Australians will never get Year 12 qualifications. Some, but not all of these people, make up the one in eight Australians who will be disengaged from full-time work, study or training for most of their lives. </p>
<p>These groups are the subject of Mitchell Institute’s <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/reports/costs-of-lost-opportunity/">Counting the Costs of Lost Opportunity report</a>. The report paints a picture of Australians who, from a young age, miss out on opportunities to reach their full potential so, as adults, struggle to contribute to society and find success.</p>
<p>The Australians caught in these statistics represent a level of failure in the education system. This failure carries a huge cost for the individuals, their families, the economy and the country. </p>
<h2>Early school leavers</h2>
<p>Completion of Year 12 or an equivalent qualification is an indication of whether young people have developed knowledge and skills to prepare them for further study or participation in the workforce. </p>
<p>It is one of the benchmarks that separates those who will proceed to further study and training from those who will not. </p>
<p>But it is not as simple as students reaching Year 10 or 11 then deciding school isn’t for them. <a href="http://www.mitchellinstitute.org.au/reports/educational-opportunity-in-australia-2015-who-succeeds-and-who-misses-out/">Evidence suggests</a> paths towards dropping out and disengagement begin early, and certain segments of the population are particularly at risk. </p>
<p>Failure to complete Year 12 can also be in response to difficulties that emerge late in the schooling years, such as health problems (including mental health), family disruption and severe bullying or victimisation. </p>
<h2>Disengaged young people</h2>
<p>Looking solely at early school leavers who did not complete Year 12 does not accurately or fully identify those on a trajectory to a lifetime of disengagement, as some return to study later in life. </p>
<p>A better picture is gained from looking at those not fully engaged in employment, education or training by the age of 24. </p>
<p><a href="http://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda/publications/hilda-statistical-reports">By tracking</a> 25 to 44 year olds from 2001-2014, we found that almost 90% of men and 82% of women who had not completed Year 12 did not return to study and training. </p>
<p>They were early leavers in their teen years, and as adults they still had no qualifications.</p>
<p>About 18% of early leavers remain disengaged from education, training and work their entire adult lives. This is about two and a half times higher than the rate for people who complete Year 12. </p>
<p>It is clear that achievement is largely locked in by the age of 25 and if you don’t have a Year 12 qualification by then, you are unlikely ever to. </p>
<h2>Cost of missing out at age 19</h2>
<p>To the taxpayer, each long-term early school leaver costs $335,000. </p>
<p>Across that cohort of 38,000 early leavers, the annual fiscal burden amounts to over $315 million for those who will remain without Year 12 or equivalent qualifications across their adult lives. </p>
<p>The full lifetime cost to the taxpayer of this cohort is $12.6 billion. </p>
<p>From the social perspective, each early leaver costs the Australian community $616,000. This equates to over $580 million annually for the cohort of long-term early leavers. The full lifetime burden amounts to $23.2 billion.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173683/original/file-20170613-8123-1ac2nvt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173683/original/file-20170613-8123-1ac2nvt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=290&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173683/original/file-20170613-8123-1ac2nvt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=290&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173683/original/file-20170613-8123-1ac2nvt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=290&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173683/original/file-20170613-8123-1ac2nvt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=365&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173683/original/file-20170613-8123-1ac2nvt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=365&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173683/original/file-20170613-8123-1ac2nvt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=365&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fiscal and social costs of early school leaving at net present value.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lamb and Huo (2017)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Cost of missing out at age 24</h2>
<p>The cost to Australian taxpayers for each person who will remain disengaged from work for more than half their lives is $412,000 over a working lifetime. Across the cohort of 46,000 disengaged young people, this amounts to over $471 million each year or $18.8 billion over a working lifetime.</p>
<p>For communities, each disengaged young person costs about $1 million over a lifetime. This is almost $1.3 billion annually per cohort and $50.5 billion for the group’s full lifetime cost. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173684/original/file-20170613-11089-1lyhf30.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173684/original/file-20170613-11089-1lyhf30.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173684/original/file-20170613-11089-1lyhf30.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173684/original/file-20170613-11089-1lyhf30.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173684/original/file-20170613-11089-1lyhf30.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173684/original/file-20170613-11089-1lyhf30.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/173684/original/file-20170613-11089-1lyhf30.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fiscal and social costs of long term disengagement at net present value.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lamb and Huo (2017)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Employment, crime, welfare and health impacts</h2>
<p>Disparities in educational attainment lead to major differences in many areas of life: people who miss out face increased likelihood of experiencing unemployment or underemployment, crime, public welfare dependency and poor health. </p>
<p>In 2016, employment levels were <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6523.0">far better</a> for those with degrees or diplomas compared with early leavers. 80% of people with a Bachelors degree or above and 75% of people with an Advanced Diploma or Diploma were employed, compared with 67% for people with Year 12 and only 44% of those with Year 11 or below. </p>
<p>In 2009, prisoners aged 25-34 years were much less likely to have a Year 12 qualification than people of the same age in the general population (14% compared to 63%), and significantly more likely to have completed less than Year 9 (17% compared to 1%). </p>
<p>Similarly, people aged between 15-64 with no qualifications are almost two and a half times more likely than those with university degrees to be dependent on government income support. </p>
<p>And, lower levels of educational attainment are associated with poorer health, including conditions such as strokes, hypertension, high cholesterol, depression and diabetes. </p>
<h2>What needs to be done?</h2>
<p>The costs of having young Australians grow up without the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century emphasises an urgent need for educational reform – we simply cannot afford to do nothing. </p>
<p>In the determination of how much economic potential is being lost, it is equally vital to identify the policies that might harness the lost potential. </p>
<p>It’s important to look at the strategies that are needed to transform our schools and make our education system work well for all. </p>
<p>This is an important next stage of the work. It will need to look at the benefits of interventions such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>providing targeted access to high-quality programs in early childhood education</p></li>
<li><p>better addressing the welfare and schooling needs of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds</p></li>
<li><p>ensuring access to high quality programs and support as young people ascend school</p></li>
<li><p>investing in the vocational education and training (VET) system to ensure high quality training pathways and equitable access as a priority.</p></li>
</ul><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/79346/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephen Lamb co-authored the Counting the Costs of Lost Opportunity report. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shuyan Huo co-authored the Counting the Costs of Lost Opportunity report. </span></em></p>Achievement is largely locked in by the age of 25, so those who do not have a Year 12 qualification by then are unlikely ever to have one.Stephen Lamb, Research Chair in Education and Director of the Centre for International Research on Education Systems, Victoria UniversityShuyan Huo, Senior Research Fellow, Victoria UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/711652017-04-12T09:36:07Z2017-04-12T09:36:07ZFour signs you have high emotional intelligence<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164718/original/image-20170410-31875-bifkjb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels.</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Emotional intelligence can mean the difference between behaving in a socially acceptable way and being considered to be way out of line. While most people will have heard of emotional intelligence, not many people really know how to spot it – in themselves or in others. </p>
<p>Emotional intelligence is essentially the way you perceive, understand, express, and manage emotions. And it’s important because the more you understand these aspects of yourself, the better your mental health and social behaviour will be.</p>
<p>It might be these are things you do without even really thinking – which can be the case for a lot of people. Or it might be that these are skills you know you need to work on. </p>
<p>Either way, improved emotional intelligence can be very useful in all sorts of circumstances – be it in work, at home, in school, or even when you’re just socialising with your friends.</p>
<p>So if you want to know if you’re emotionally intelligent, simply check the list below.</p>
<h2>1. You think about your reactions</h2>
<p>Emotional intelligence can mean the difference between a good reaction and a bad reaction to circumstances. Emotions can contain important information that can be useful to personal and social functioning – but sometimes these emotions can also overwhelm us, and make us act in ways we would rather not.</p>
<p>People who lack emotional intelligence are more likely to just react, without giving themselves the time to weigh up the pros and cons of a situation and really thinking things through.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164722/original/image-20170410-31893-1nv44e7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164722/original/image-20170410-31893-1nv44e7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164722/original/image-20170410-31893-1nv44e7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164722/original/image-20170410-31893-1nv44e7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164722/original/image-20170410-31893-1nv44e7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164722/original/image-20170410-31893-1nv44e7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164722/original/image-20170410-31893-1nv44e7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Think first.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>People who are less able to regulate their negative feelings are also more likely to have difficulty functioning socially – which can exacerbate depressive feelings.</p>
<p>People with <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/depression-signs-and-symptoms.htm">major depression</a> have been shown to have <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1754073916650494">difficulties</a> understanding and managing their emotions. And research has also shown that more depressive symptoms are present in people with lower emotional intelligence – even if they are not clinically depressed.</p>
<h2>2. You see situations as a challenge</h2>
<p>If you are able to recognise negative emotions in yourself and see difficult <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1754073916650497">situations as a challenge</a> – focusing on the positives and persevering – chances are that you’ve got high emotional intelligence.</p>
<p>Imagine for a moment you lost your job. An emotionally intelligent person might perceive their emotions as cues to take action, both to deal with the challenges and to control their thoughts and feelings. </p>
<p>But someone with poor emotional skills might <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov05/cycle.aspx">ruminate</a> on their job loss, come to think of themselves as hopelessly unemployable, and spiral into depression.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164724/original/image-20170410-31893-ogwifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164724/original/image-20170410-31893-ogwifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164724/original/image-20170410-31893-ogwifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164724/original/image-20170410-31893-ogwifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164724/original/image-20170410-31893-ogwifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164724/original/image-20170410-31893-ogwifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164724/original/image-20170410-31893-ogwifa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People with high emotional intelligence don’t give up.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>3. You can modify your emotions</h2>
<p>Of course, there are times when your feelings can get the better of you, but if you are an emotionally intelligent person, it is likely that when this happens you have the skills needed to modify your emotions.</p>
<p>For example, while average levels of anxiety can improve cognitive performance – probably by increasing focus and motivation – too much anxiety can block cognitive achievement.</p>
<p>So knowing how to find the sweet spot, between too much and too little anxiety, can be a useful tool.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164719/original/image-20170410-31873-172vwnu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164719/original/image-20170410-31873-172vwnu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164719/original/image-20170410-31873-172vwnu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164719/original/image-20170410-31873-172vwnu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164719/original/image-20170410-31873-172vwnu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164719/original/image-20170410-31873-172vwnu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164719/original/image-20170410-31873-172vwnu.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Emotionally intelligent people can regulate their emotions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It is clear that <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-brain-and-emotional-intelligence/201203/the-sweet-spot-achievement">moderation</a> is the key when it comes to managing our emotions. Emotionally intelligent people know this and have the skills to modify their emotions appropriately. </p>
<p>And this is probably why emotional intelligence has been shown to be <a href="http://emotional.intelligence.uma.es/documentos/pdf60among_adolescents.pdf">related</a> to lower levels of anxiety. </p>
<h2>4. You can put yourself in other people’s shoes</h2>
<p>If you are able to extend these skills beyond your own personal functioning, then that’s another sign that you have high levels of emotional intelligence.</p>
<p>Emotional intelligence can be particularly important in workplaces that require heavy “<a href="https://hbr.org/2016/09/managing-the-hidden-stress-of-emotional-labor">emotional labour</a>” – where workers must manage their emotions according to organisational rules. </p>
<p>This can include customer service jobs, where workers may need to sympathise with customers – despite the fact that customers may be yelling at them. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164720/original/image-20170410-31882-y7w8bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/164720/original/image-20170410-31882-y7w8bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164720/original/image-20170410-31882-y7w8bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164720/original/image-20170410-31882-y7w8bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164720/original/image-20170410-31882-y7w8bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164720/original/image-20170410-31882-y7w8bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/164720/original/image-20170410-31882-y7w8bg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Emotions are not fixed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is why workplace emotional intelligence training is now common – with the <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1754073916650496">most effective training</a> focusing on management and expression of emotions, which are directly linked to communication and job performance. </p>
<p>It’s also worth pointing out that emotional intelligence is a cognitive ability that can improve across your <a href="http://www.livescience.com/37134-emotional-intelligence-improve-aging.html">lifespan</a>. So if you haven’t recognised much of yourself in the traits listed above, fear not, there’s still time for you to work on your emotional intelligence.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/71165/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jose M. Mestre works for the University of Cadiz, Spain, as an associate professor at Department of Psychology. He receives funding from Spanish State Plan for Scientific, Technical, and Innovation Research. Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. European Regional Development Fund of European Union.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kimberly A. Barchard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>And if you don’t, there’s still time to change.Jose M. Mestre, Professor of Emotion and Motivation, Universidad de CádizKimberly A. Barchard, Associate Professor in Quantitative Psychology, University of Nevada, Las VegasLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/446822015-07-23T04:20:58Z2015-07-23T04:20:58ZChildren exercising is a necessity for development, but there are limits<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/89354/original/image-20150722-1442-1mis1f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">To grow into healthy adults, children need lots of exercise. The best kind is when they are playing freely – even better when it is with their parents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Play, or what scientists like to call informal physical activity, serves an extremely important role in the physical, social and cognitive or intellectual <a href="http://www.ornes.nl/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Play-in-children-s-development-health-and-well-being-feb-2012.pdf%20Pg11">development</a> of children.</p>
<p>Play is so important to the optimal development of a child that it has been recognised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as a right. It is through <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182.full">play</a> that children at a very early age engage and interact with the world around them. </p>
<p>That is why children should be encouraged to take part in active play or unstructured physical activity as often as possible. </p>
<h2>Children are playing less</h2>
<p>The association between exercise/physical activity and health is well <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr4606.pdf">documented</a>. Globally, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201497/">research</a> shows a trend in which children are increasingly becoming less active. This has led to a rise in lifestyle diseases, known as hypokinetic diseases, in children. </p>
<p>Some of these traits, such as atherosclerosis, hypertension and <a href="http://reference.sabinet.co.za/webx/access/electronic_journals/mp_safp/mp_safp_v54_n2_a27.pdf">obesity</a> are shown to track into adulthood. <a href="http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/media/en/gsfs_obesity.pdf">Statistics</a> from the World Health Organisation show that Africa has the fastest growing rates of overweight and obese people.</p>
<p>There are various factors that have contributed to the trend of lower levels of physical activity.</p>
<p>One of the biggest contributing factors is that children often prefer to use their free time engaging in sedentary activities such as computer, handheld and console games, or watching television. Frequently, they would choose these type of activities ahead of playing sport outside.</p>
<h2>What’s optimal</h2>
<p>The National Association for Sport and Physical Education <a href="http://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/encyclopedia/n/national-association-sport-and-physical-education">recommends</a> that pre-school children should get at least two hours of physical activity per day. This should be divided between structured physical activity and unstructured free-play settings.</p>
<p>To get maximum benefit out of exercise, certain principles should be followed. For example, the overload <a href="http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/glossary/g/Overload_def.htm">principle</a> suggests that to achieve progress and get fitter an individual has to do more than they are accustomed to.</p>
<p>But there is no single activity recommended for children. Rather, they should take part in a variety of outdoor and sporting activities without specialising in one code of sport too early. </p>
<p>For most sports, intense training to the exclusion of others should be delayed until adolescence. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3658407/">Intense</a> training and exercising in children can lead to injuries, psychological stress, burn out and quitting sports at a young age. All of which is counter-productive in creating a life-long commitment to being physically active and following a healthy lifestyle.</p>
<h2>And what about weights?</h2>
<p>For years, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445252/">resistance training</a> in children was frowned on due to safety and efficacy concerns. Resistance or weight training is a type of exercise that works to primarily increase muscle strength and endurance by doing repetitive exercise with weights, weight machines or some other form of resistance. </p>
<p>There were concerns that resistance training may negatively affect a child’s <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/fitness/Pages/Weight-Training-Risk-of-Injury.aspx">growth</a> by damaging their bone growth plates. These concerns are unwarranted as they are not supported by scientific research. But it is essential that children’s resistance training <a href="http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/H08-020#.Va1FR7cw_IU">programmes</a> are individualised due to the fact that children mature at slightly different rates.</p>
<p>Current research <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-199622030-00004#page-1">literature</a> supports and encourages the use of supervised and appropriate resistance training in children. The benefits are numerous and are not limited to increasing muscle strength and endurance. These include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Strengthening bones by positively influencing bone mineral density;</p></li>
<li><p>Better body composition by increasing muscle component and decreasing fat; and</p></li>
<li><p>A significant decrease in the <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-199622030-00004#page-1">risk</a> of injuries in sports and recreational activities. </p></li>
</ul>
<h2>Kids copy their parents</h2>
<p>Most children are naturally physically active, and need opportunities to be active and to learn skills. It has been <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Judith_Prochaska/publication/12521182_A_review_of_correlates_of_physical_activity_of_children_and_adolescents/links/0fcfd509495ae32123000000.pdf">shown</a> that they are more likely to engage in moderately vigorous physical activity in unstructured play where they are free to interact with their peers.</p>
<p>They are also influenced by their parents. Parent behaviours, attitudes, parenting styles and practices have a profound <a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/876">influence</a> on children’s health behaviour. Part of the solution is for parents to be models of the behaviour they wish their children to follow.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/44682/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kim Nolte does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Globally, evidence points to children becoming less active because they would rather play computer games than be outdoors.Kim Nolte, Lecturer, Department of Physiology, University of PretoriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.