Communicative versus strategic rationality: Habermas theory of communicative action and the social brain

Homo Interneticus—The Sociological Reality of Mobile Online Being

The digitalization of everyday life has become a common place reality for more than half of the global population. Being connected 24/7 on several devices, being only one click/touch away from a huge amount of digital content, being available for interactions with almost any users from around the globe have become routine. In this paper, we identify the main sociological dimensions of the so-called Homo interneticus—a new manifestation of the human condition—on the basis of new communication technologies. The main research question was: Is time spent online a valid predictor of smartphone addiction? We conducted an experimental survey using a standard online questionnaire incorporating the Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version, followed by a request to upload screen captures recording respondents’ phone use during the previous week. We gathered 140 responses between May and July 2019. These were anonymously analyzed. The consistency between self-estimates and phone logs that we found gives encouragement for the development of this approach. A main finding is that the daily time spent on smartphone use is not in itself a strong predictor of addiction. Our research suggests that future studies should distinguish types of usage and investigate motivational springs.

Discourses of professionalism: Metaphors, theory and practice

Professionalism is a contested concept and different discourses have differed by scope and epistemology. The theory of communicative action integrates epistemology (knowledge interests) with that of scope (lifeworld).

AIM

To pragmatically inform learning of professionalism.

METHODS

apply the theory of communicative action to professionalism discourses.

RESULTS

Previous professionalism discourses translated into four frames: technical; communicative; improvement, and critical. These can be viewed as four metaphors the scale; conversation; consensus conference, and protest. The theory of communicative action demonstrated that a critical frame was often lacking from discussions of professionalism and emphasized critiquing the assumptions made, the way power was utilized, and the ends to which actions were directed. Using these frameworks connected discourses on professionalism to other key medical discourses particularly quality improvement, patient centeredness, social justice, and the professional well-being.

CONCLUSION

The theory of communicative action adds value by introducing criteria for the evaluation of individual truth claims that expands the discussion beyond accuracy to include sincerity, ethics and coherence; and it emphasizes promoting free speech and the inclusion of diverse views and stakeholders. The theory of communicative action provides a coherent and useful framework for viewing professionalism that integrates with broader discussions about philosophy, truth claims, and post-modern society.

The precuneus may encode irrationality in human gambling

Humans often make irrational decisions, especially psychiatric patients who have dysfunctional cognitive and emotional circuitry. Understanding the neural basis of decision-making is therefore essential towards patient management, yet current studies suffer from several limitations. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in humans have dominated decision-making neuroscience, but have poor temporal resolution and the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal is only a proxy for neural activity. On the other hand, lesion studies in humans used to infer functionality in decision-making lack characterization of neural activity altogether. Using a combination of local field potential recordings in human subjects performing a financial decision-making task, spectral analyses, and non-parametric cluster statistics, we analyzed the activity in the precuneus. In nine subjects, the neural activity modulated significantly between rational and irrational trials in the precuneus (p <; 0.001). In particular, high-frequency activity (70-100 Hz) increased when irrational decisions were made. Although preliminary, these results suggest suppression of gamma rhythms via electrical stimulation in the precuneus as a therapeutic intervention for pathological decision-making.

Comunicação entre trabalhadores de saúde e usuários no cuidado à criança menor de dois anos no contexto de uma unidade de saúde da família

O estudo teve como objetivo conhecer a concepção que trabalhadores de saúde e usuários possuem sobre a comunicação no cuidado à criança menor de dois anos, adotando a Teoria da Ação Comunicativa de Habermas. Trata-se de estudo qualitativo que teve como técnica de coleta entrevistas semiestruturadas com trabalhadores de saúde e cuidadoras de crianças menores de dois anos, de modo a obter subsídios para o estudo da comunicação. Os dados foram submetidos à analise de conteúdo temática. Identificaram-se duas categorias temáticas, a partir do referencial teórico proposto: uma instrumental, por suas características voltadas ao domínio e repasse de informações; e outra, denominada compartilhada, por ser entendida como comunhão de saberes entre o trabalhador de saúde e usuário, contendo aproximações aos pressupostos da Teoria da Ação Comunicativa. Sugerem-se mudanças no contexto estudado, na perspectiva de construção de práticas comunicativas dialógicas.

Right or duty of information: A Habermasian perspective

BACKGROUND

The theoretical framework of Jϋrgen Habermas suggests that effective communication requires competent participants with an objective attitude that complies with the rules and worlds designated as objective, social and subjective. This situation determines communicative action, which stimulates the search for mutual understanding and results in a process of interaction that promotes self-determination.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the discharge letters of patients with myocardial infarction were explored regarding the provision of information. The patient's right to information and the duty of informing were analysed according to the perspective of Jϋrgen Habermas.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional analysis (from a broader longitudinal study) of all discharge letters that were directly related to nursing interventions regarding the provision of information to 106 patients. In this major study, the difficulties faced by patients who experienced a myocardial infarction and the changes in their lifestyles were analysed based on the type of information received.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The hospital Ethics Committee approved the study, which complied with ethical principles and required informed consent.

FINDINGS

In the nursing letters, interventions related to the provision of information were conducted at an average of 3.59 interventions per patient. For 8.5% of the patients, however, no interventions related to the provision of information were performed. The most common area of information during hospitalisation was related to the management of signs and symptoms and applied to 90.6% patients.

DISCUSSION

The nursing interventions did not cover patient education, transition processes or awareness of the disease. Thus, the right to information can be questioned.

CONCLUSION

Information is a right, and communication is extremely important. Health professionals should be aware of this importance regarding both care management and the satisfaction guarantee. The sharing of information by health professionals based on their competency is essential for patients to exercise their right to self-determination and decision-making.