Android arete: Toward a virtue ethic for computational agents

Traditional approaches to computer ethics regard computers as tools, andfocus, therefore, on the ethics of their use. Alternatively, computer ethicsmight instead be understood as a study of the ethics of computationalagents, exploring, for example, the different characteristics and behaviorsthat might benefit such an agent in accomplishing its goals. In this paper,I identify a list of characteristics of computational agents that facilitatetheir pursuit of their end, and claim that these characteristics can beunderstood as virtues within a framework of virtue ethics. This frameworkincludes four broad categories – agentive, social, environmental, and moral– each of which can be understood as a spectrum of virtues rangingbetween two extreme subcategories. Although the use of a virtue frameworkis metaphorical rather than literal, I argue that by providing a frameworkfor identifying and critiquing assumptions about what a `good' computer is,a study of android arete provides focus and direction to the developmentof future computational agents.     

Integration or Separation? Addressing Religious and Spiritual Issues in Multicultural Counseling: A National Survey of College Counselors

Given contemporary ethical concerns, the authors conducted a national survey of 216 college counselors’ perceptions of integrating religious and spiritual issues in multicultural counseling and counselor education. Using cluster analysis, the authors identified 4 patterns of commitments to multiculturalism and religiosity. Respondents demonstrated ethical bracketing in that they considered religious and spiritual issues favorably within the framework of multicultural counseling, irrespective of their commitments to those topics. Counselors can openly address spiritual and religious diversity.     

Tracking club sport participation from childhood to early adulthood

This study examined the strength of tracking sport participation from childhood to early adulthood among the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study cohort. Participation in sport, dance, or gymnastics as part of a club or group (outside of school) was assessed at ages 7, 9, 15, 18, and 21 years. In addition to the traditionally used correlation coefficients, summary statistics (intraclass correlations; ICC) from random effect models and stability coefficients from generalized estimating equations (GEE) were calculated using all the longitudinal data and controlling for the influence of covariates on tracking strength. Correlation coefficients revealed statistically significant tracking of club sport participation (7-21 years) at low levels (r = .07-0.28). The ICC summary statistic (0.23) was consistent with this, while the GEE suggested moderate tracking (0.59). The results of this study suggest that encouraging sport participation during childhood and adolescence may result in a modest increase in the likelihood of participation later in life. However, the substantial movement into and out of sport participation observed here and in other studies cautions against relying solely on sport promotion among youth as a strategy to promote lifelong participation.     

Examining the influence of grip type on wrist and club head kinematics during the golf swing: Benefits of a local co-ordinate system

Wrist movements have been identified as an important factor in producing a successful golf swing, with their complex motion influencing both club head velocity and orientation. However, a detailed analysis of wrist angles is lacking in the literature. The purpose of this study was to determine kinematics across wrists and club head characteristics during the golf swing under weak, neutral and strong grip conditions. Twelve professional male golfers executed 24 shots using a driver under three grip conditions. A six degrees of freedom analysis of the hand with respect to the distal forearm was performed using a 10-camera three-dimensional motion capture system. Differences in joint angles were explored using repeated measures ANOVAs at key swing events (onset, top of backswing and impact), in addition club head velocity and clubface angle at impact were also explored. Main findings revealed significant differences in flexion/extension and internal/external rotation for both wrists at all swing events, whereas fewer significant interactions were found in ulnar/radial deviation across grips for both wrists at all events. Clubface angle only differed significantly between the weak and the strong and neural grips, presenting a more ‘open’ clubface to the intended hitting direction. This study is the first to explore tri-planar wrist movement and the effect of different grips, such analysis has implications for coaching knowledge and practice and should inform future research into different aspects of skill, technique analysis and may inform injury mechanisms/prevention.     

Transforming in the visiting assistant professor role: collaborative self-study research in physical education teacher education

Transitioning into faculty roles can be a challenging experience. Responsibilities related to teaching, research, and service can be difficult to balance, and mismatch between personal preferences for work focus and instructional expectations can be problematic. This is particularly true of visiting assistant professors who want to work toward tenure-track positions, but whose current job focus is on teaching. Through transformative learning theory and employing the methodologies of self-study, we sought to understand the experiences of Kevin, the second author and a first-year visiting assistant professor. We draw data from Kevin's reflective journal and discussions between Kevin and his critical friend, Jim. Themes included (a) becoming an academic, (b) a hard-wired disposition toward work, and (c) influence of the VAP on emotional and personal health. Results are discussed through the lens of transformative learning theory and focus on Kevin's growth during his year as a visiting assistant professor.     

One of the few: the experiences of female elite-level coaches in Norwegian football

The aim of this article is to explore the experiences of female elite-level Norwegian coaches in football. More precisely, we wanted to find out the meaning of gender for these coaches’ football experiences. The results presented are based on five in-depth interviews with female elite-level coaches between 36 and 50 years of age. A feminist cultural and a gender perspective are used to understand and discuss the findings. As shown in other studies, the culture of football in Norway is very gendered. This has an impact on the female football coaches’ experiences, both in relation to how they perceive their own role, their coach education and with respect to their self-confidence and how they look upon their own chances in the job market. As a group, they represent a form of pariah femininity, and very little resistance femininity and a liberal feminist perspective, i.e. equality on the men’s premises.     

Frequent sit-to-stand transitions and several short standing periods measured by hip-worn accelerometer are associated with smaller waist circumference among adults

This cross-sectional study analysed the association of sedentary behaviour (SB) and standing with waist circumference. Finnish adults aged 30-75 years from a sub-sample of population-based Health 2011 Study used a hip-worn tri-axial accelerometer (Hookie AM20, Traxmeet, Ltd, Espoo, Finland) for seven days. Those 1405 participants (57% women) who used accelerometer at least four days, minimum of 10 hours/day, were included. SB and standing were analysed in 6s epochs using validated algorithm. Daily total time, daily number and accumulated time from bouts (30s–5min,30s–10min,30s–15min,30s 30min,>5min,>10min,>15min, >30min) as well as daily number of sit-to-stand transitions were determined. Waist circumference (cm) was measured in standardized way. Participants’ mean age was 52 years (SD 12.2). Mean waist circumference was 97cm (SD 12.3) in men and 87cm (SD 12.7) in women. According to multivariable stepwise linear regression analysis, sit-to-stand transitions [standardised regression coefficient (β)= -0.14, 95%CI -0.20 to -0.09], standing bouts of 30s–5min (β= -0.21, 95%CI -0.26 to -0.15) and number of 30s-30min SB bouts (β=0.12, 95%CI 0.06 to 0.17) were most strongly associated with waist circumference. Besides assessing total SB time, future studies should assess also different bout lengths of SB and sit-to-stand transitions and standing times should be assessed separately.     

Gender constructions in breaking

Drawing on the perspectives of youth involved in breaking, also known as breakdance, the aim of this article is to explore how their experiences contribute to the doing, redoing and undoing of gender. The negotiation of gender is highlighted through the female breakers’ experiences in a male-dominated culture. The analysis is based on fieldwork and qualitative interviews with young breakers in Norway. The results show that the female breakers challenged the perception of masculinity and femininity as they extended their practice of gender. Their desire to disprove the gendered expectations of female breakers resulted in a mixing of masculinity and femininity. Accordingly, the gender regime among the breakers was simultaneously re-constructed and challenged. We argue that both male and female breakers challenge normative perceptions of doing gender. Consequently, breaking has the capacity to dismantle the gender binary, and to redo and undo the gender order.