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Research paper delves into the intricate dynamics of problematic pornography use, placing a particular emphasis on the attitudes and perspectives of users within the NoFap Reddit forum. Amidst an ongoing debate on the addictive nature of pornography, a growing body of evidence posits that problematic pornography use signifies a behavioral disorder. Despite extensive research on the NoFap forum, which has predominantly focused on its meritocratic, hypermasculine culture, and the psychological profiles of its users, a discernible gap exists concerning the examination of user attitudes towards the pornography industry. The study employed discourse analysis and thematic analysis to explore NoFap forum users' attitudes towards pornography addiction, revealing opinions and viewpoints. This research aims to bridge the identified gap by undertaking a comprehensive exploration of users' opinions on the pornography industry and its broader societal implications. Findings indicate that users on the forum predominantly express negative attitudes towards the pornography industry, linking it to themes of hypersexualization and objectification of women. The study further uncovers a spectrum of adverse effects and life difficulties experienced by forum users due to excessive pornography consumption, spanning from depression and loneliness to a notable decline in motivation and social skills. Notably, the research highlights a discernible shift towards the consumption of more extreme content. This research contributes significantly to the comprehension of the NoFap forum as a crucial platform where individuals grapple with problematic pornography use. Through the examination of user attitudes towards the industry and the associated harm, the study provides valuable insights for future research endeavors. The use of thematic analysis offers a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted nature of opinions within the forum.

The objective of this study was to examine whether representations of nonhuman animals could affect prejudice toward immigrants. Previous research has indicated that belief in a large divide between humans and other animals may underlie dehumanization and prejudice, whereas a belief in the continuity between humans and nonhuman animals can decrease dehumanization and prejudice. Based on Costello and Hodson’s (2010) study, an experimental framework was designed with two conditions, the animals are like humans (experimental) condition and the geology (control) condition. Specifically, the effect of the animals are like humans editorial on prejudice toward immigrants was examined, as well as the potentially mediating roles of humanization (traits and emotions), empathy, and recategorization. Values were also analyzed, to determine if and how one’s moral universe relates to these variables. Further, the social representations held about the groups Finn, Immigrant, Animal, and Human were examined, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The participants were Finnish students from Laurea Polytechnic and the University of Helsinki (N = 195), all of whom self-selected to take part in an online survey. After being randomly divided into the experimental (n = 99) and control (n = 96) groups and reading the applicable editorial, participants answered questionnaires measuring prejudice, dehumanization (traits and emotions), empathy, recategorization, animal-human similarity, and values. They also completed a word association task. The results of the intervention were mixed. The editorial did not have a direct effect on prejudice, or on most of the potential mediators. Only humanization emotions was significantly affected. Beyond the experimental manipulation, humanization (traits and emotions), empathy, and recategorization, as well as gender, school, and program of study all affected prejudice, accounting for 33.3% of its variance. Values relating to moral universe (universalism concern, nature, and tolerance; power resources and dominance) were significantly correlated with prejudice, humanization (traits and emotions), empathy, and recategorization. The trait and emotion scales were also examined for their content, and all traits and half of the emotions were significantly attributed to either Finns or immigrants, corresponding to stereotypic social representations of each group. Finally, word associations for Finn, Immigrant, Animal, and Human were examined in total and by experimental group, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Cohesive hegemonic social representations were most commonly expressed for the Finn, Animal, and Human groups, whereas Immigrant was more variable, comprising multiple polemic representations. Parallels between the Immigrant and Animal groups were discussed, and the valences given to all groups were analyzed and found to differ significantly across groups. Additionally, a significant effect of the experimental condition on the Immigrant group was found. The mixed results are discussed in light of methodological concerns and cultural implications. Overall, results indicate that representations of nonhuman animals may affect prejudice toward immigrants, and that targeting these representations could be a promising prejudice reduction method. Further research accounting for the issues raised by this study should be conducted.

The objective of the study is to analyse and compare colour-emotion associations on adults cross-culturally. Previous research has identified the need for studies that explore new colour-emotion associations, compare these findings cross-culturally and are based on large samples. Some previous colour-emotion associations have been identified. However, few studies have investigated gender differences and positive associations for national flag colours. Based on these facts four research problems are: 1) What kind of associations can be found between emotions and colours among the Finnish, the Chinese, the Norwegian and the Greek adults? 2) what are the strongest colour-emotion associations among these nations? 3) what are the main differences in the strongest colour-emotion associations between Finland and the other three nations? and 3) what is the relationship between colours in the country flag with associations related to these colours? The data (n=689) is based on an international study led by the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. The Geneva Emotion Wheel (GEW) method was used as a self-report assessment of emotions. Participants were asked to associate 12 colour names with any of the 20 emotions (displayed on the GEW) and rate their intensity in their native language. The data was collected in Finland (n=136), China (n=154), Greece (n=262) and Norway (n=137). Finland and Norway were chosen as these individual Nordic cultures are assumed to be similar contrast to group oriented China. Greece was added to the study as the colours of the country flag are similar in Finland and Greece (blue and white) in contrast to China and Norway that both have red. A series of Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U analyses suggested that there are several strong colour-emotion associations that vary between the cultures. There were fewer differences between the Finnish and the Norwegian associations than between the Greek and the Chinese associations indicating that the colour-emotions are learned and based on a variety of cultural factors rather than colour preferences, gender or biology. Only few gender differences were present. Internal consistency was very coherant in each country, indicating that group orientation vs. individualism does not affect to colour-emotion associations that significantly. Some universal patterns (e.g red-anger), were also present in this study. Positive and negative colours were identified. A positive relationship between the colours in the country flag and associations related to these colours could not be confirmed fully. There were more positive associations related with blue and white in Greece and Finland than in China but associations with red were not more positive in Norway than in Finland or Greece. These findings and limitations of the study are discussed and recommendations for further research are provided.

The political focus in addressing unemployment has slowly shifted from large supply-side solutions towards activation, which aims to guide the unemployed into employment as swiftly as possible by increasing the responsibilities of welfare recipients and reforming the terms of social aid and the service system in order to promote a more active and self-reliant approach among citizens. Reforms concerning unemployment policies and welfare are controversial, as proven by political debates, various movements visible especially on social media and academic works looking at the paradoxes of activation. This study produces an account on the ways in which the subjects of activation policies and practices, i.e. the long-term unemployed, approach the policies by answering the following research questions: 1.) What meaning do activation policies and particularly work-based activation measures have in the lives of the long-term unemployed? 2.) Do the long-term unemployed generally consider work-based activation measures beneficial and legitimate in their situation? The aim is to find out how activation policies are positioned in regards to the subjects' views on their own unemployment and place in society. Answering the second research question will show the perceived utility the long-term unemployed hold for these policies, which have stated aims such as increasing labour-market integration and combating marginalisation, and present prevailing attitudes towards the obligatory nature of activation and conditionality of welfare The perspective of the unemployed in this study is provided through eleven in-depth research interviews conducted with long-term unemployed participants from the city of Rauma, the frontrunner of current Finnish activation policies. Transcribed interviews were analysed through qualitative content analysis, which is used to produce a condensed description of the researched phenomenon. The theory of social marginalisation is central to this study and the accounts of the long-term unemployed are analysed against this context. Most of the respondents approach activation measures through the content and structure they produce. Activation provides a platform for social interaction and acts as a replacement source for the social aspects associated with paid employment. A majority consider activation measures to serve the general purpose of promoting inclusion in society. Most of the respondents oppose forced participation in activation measures and the conditionality of unemployment benefits. This study contributes insights into the role social marginalisation has in determining an individual's approach to activation measures. Those respondents who could be considered to be marginalised, especially in terms of reduced social participation, hold activation measures in high regard and consider them to be more beneficial than those respondents who are content with their level of social participation and generally cope quite well with prolonged unemployment. In other words, activation measures seem more attractive to those closer to social marginalisation. An alarming finding of this study is that while many participants are satisfied with taking part in activation measures, this activation does not help them towards their objective of finding employment. The respondents share a desire to find paid work but don't see how participating in active labour market policies will benefit them in this field.

Background: Lack of physical activity brings about numerous unfavourable long term health outcomes and is therefore a major public health concern. There is consistent evidence that physical activity is predicted better with autonomous than controlled forms of motivation. Meta-analyses have also shown that self-regulatory techniques, such as planning or self-monitoring, are related to increased behavioural execution. Objectives: A model integrating Self-Determination Theory and Control Theory was tested to examine the influence of autonomous motivation and self-regulatory techniques, including their interactions, on adolescents’ physical activity. The relationship between the autonomy of motivation and action planning, coping planning and self-monitoring was compared to the leisure time physical activity. Methods: Finnish adolescents (N =411, mean age 17.8 years) from ten upper secondary schools responded to an electronic survey during school hours. A follow-up measurement was conducted 3-5 weeks later. Motivation and planning were examined at the baseline. Self-monitoring and physical activity were measured in both baseline and follow up. Results: Autonomous motivation is more strongly associated to physical activity than controlled motivation. From the specific forms of motivation, external regulation did not have a relationship with neither physical activity nor self-regulation techniques. High self-regulation technique use has a stronger positive correlation to physical activity than low use. Action planning, coping planning and self-monitoring were found to partially mediate the relationship of autonomous motivation and physical activity. Conclusions: Research on the determinants of adolescents’ physical activity increases understanding on this topic that has not been sufficiently studied and guides the way to effective intervention planning. Self-determination theory and control theory function as complementary frameworks. The support of both autonomous motivation and the use of self-regulation techniques can be recommended while targeting adolescent’s physical activity.

I denna magisteravhandling granskas adoptivföräldrars upplevelser och erfarenheter av väntetiden under adoptionsprocessen. Syftet med avhandlingen är att ta fasta på adoptivföräldrars upplevelser och erfarenheter av, den i regel långa, väntetiden under adoptionsprocessen samt granska hur man som adoptionsförälder kan försöka hantera denna väntan. I avhandlingen ligger fokus vid den emotionella aspekten kring väntetiden och vilka känslor som varit framträdande. Även mer konkreta aspekter gällande väntan, som hur väntetiden påverkat adoptivföräldrarnas vardagsliv, granskas. Materialet består av sju semistrukturerade intervjuer med adoptivföräldrar som adopterat barn antingen nationellt eller internationellt. Intervjuerna har transkriberats och analyserats med hjälp av materialbaserad innehållsanalys. Den teoretiska referensramen består av Aaron Antonovskys teorier om salutogenes och känsla av sammanhang. Resultaten läggs fram enligt fyra huvudkategorier; adoptivföräldrarnas känslor under väntetiden, väntetidens inverkan på vardagslivet, hur omgivningen förhållit sig till väntetiden samt adoptivföräldrarnas strategier för att bemästra väntetiden. Avhandlingens resultat tyder på att väntetiden för med sig både positiva och negativa upplevelser bland adoptivföräldrarna. Utmaningarna under väntetiden har bland annat att göra med känslor av osäkerhet och avsaknad av kontroll. För en del adoptivföräldrar har själva väntan på barnet varit den största utmaningen medan andra adoptivföräldrar varit med om särskilda negativa händelser under väntetiden som upplevts som utmanande. Väntetiden påverkar adoptionssökandenas vardag på olika sätt. Att exempelvis ta sig an nya projekt på jobbet eller att flytta till en ny bostad är inte självklart under väntetiden. En avgörande resurs under väntetiden är det stöd som adoptivföräldrarna fått av närstående. Referensgruppsverksamhet och kontakten med andra blivande adoptivföräldrar är också av stor betydelse under väntetiden. De adoptivföräldrar som deltagit i studien har använt sig av olika strategier för att bemästra väntan. En del har aktivt försökt bemästra väntetiden genom att förhålla sig positivt och optimistiskt till väntan och framtiden med ett barn. Andra adoptivföräldrar har däremot anammat ett mer pessimistiskt tankesätt där de fokuserat på att inte ta något för givet och vara förberedda på att allt inte går som planerat. Detta har skyddat adoptivföräldrarna från att bli besvikna i slutändan ifall allt inte går som planerat. Andra strategier för att bemästra väntetiden är att försöka rationalisera, den vanligtvis långa, väntan och att byta tankar och funderingar med andra adoptionssökanden som befinner sig i samma situation.

This thesis focuses on the investigation of adverse selection and moral hazard in the Finnish entrepreneurial insurance system. The thesis builds upon previous research on moral hazard and adverse selection in insurance markets, but focuses specifically on the social insurance market for entrepreneurs within sickness and parental allowances. This topic is of interest as mandating social insurance for entrepreneurs is vital, but often lacking due to the flexible nature of entrepreneurial activity. As a result, the social insurance systems may be subject to adverse selection and moral hazard. Rich panel data on insurance contributions of entrepreneurs in Finland allows me to measure the extent of asymmetric information both overall and dynamically. To test the former, I use a positive correlation test. In particular, the test looks at the probability of sickness or having a child in relation to insurance contributions. The results indicate a slight positive correlation between sickness risk and insurance contributions as well as the probability of having a child and insurance contributions. A more significant result is found for the risk of having children in a dynamic sense, showing a strong indication of a rise in insurance contributions around the time of receiving parental allowance. However, the results are more ambiguous in the case of sick pay. These results are robust to several controls as well as two separate identification strategies. Due to the endogeneity of illness or choosing to have children, causal conclusions cannot be drawn from the results.

This thesis examines the work of the Koheesio 2014+ working group established by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy in 2011. The Koheesio 2014+ working group prepares the reform and implementation of European Union (EU) regional policy in Finland in the 2014–2020 programme period. The working group’s task is to prepare a proposal for a Partnership Contract to be signed between the European Commission and Finland. The Partnership Contract sets the criteria for the allocation and administration of the structural policy funds in the 2014–2020 structural fund programme period. This thesis examines how the members of the working group seek to shape the content of the Partnership Contract, what kind of policy strategies they employ to promote their policy goals, and how they seek to advance their arguments within the working group. The paper also assesses whether the Partnership principle is realised in the work of the group, and whether there are any dividing lines within the working group regarding the content of the Partnership Contract. Elite interviews carried out in February 2012 form the empirical part of the thesis. Members of the Koheesio 2014+ Working group were interviewed for this study. The elite interviews were carried out in order to examine the working group’s members’ organisations’ main goals for the next structural fund programme period concerning the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund. The theory of multi-level governance forms the theoretical basis for this study. The theory has often been employed in the study of EU regional policy. The theory is based on the assumption that the state shares decision-making authority with many other policy actors on different levels of government. The partnership principle, which influences structural fund policy-making, is often considered a typical example of the realisation of multi-level governance. The principle also affects the work of the Koheesio 2014+ Working Group. The research is deductive qualitative research. This thesis employs Paul Sabatier's and Hank Jenkins-Smith's Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) model for the study of EU regional policy networks in Finland. The ACF model is a policy networks theory that seeks to explain policy change through the analysis of policy networks in a policy subsystem, such as EU regional policy. This thesis examines the Finnish EU regional policy subsystem. In the end I provide an assessment of the applicability of the ACF model to the study of EU regional policy networks in Finland. The interviews indicated that no great divisions exist over the investment priorities for the next programme period. All the members seemed to agree that the investments should be focused on fewer priorities and the bureaucracy slimmed down due to the worsening of the economic conditions. However, the working group had not yet discussed the priorities extensively at the time of the interviews. The reason for this was that the group was divided over the question of how to organise the national structural fund administration. For this reason the research focus had to be narrowed down to the debate over the administrative model, and it subsequently turned out that the administrative model was a watershed dividing the working group's members into two advocacy coalitions. The key finding in this paper is that the ACF model can be applied to the study of EU regional policy networks in Finland. Two advocacy coalitions were identified by employing the ACF model: an advocacy coalition favouring a regional structural fund administrative architecture and an advocacy coalition favouring the centralisation of the structural fund administration. Furthermore, this paper also confirmed a few of the ACF’s criticisms.

By exploring touristic practices around particular forms of West African dance and music cultures, this study discusses how structures of global inequality are enacted on a micro-level. The study aims to understand the social relations and subjectivities embedded in them in the context of dance and music workshops for tourists in southern Senegal. A focus on dance and music allows to ask, whether these artistic endeavors provide some progressive or transformational potentials often ascribed to them, whereas the perspective of tourism enables to simultaneously consider the social and material relations of production in the context. This study is an attempt to explore the maintenance of as well as ways of challenging the inequality producing ‘social structures’ by combining postcolonial perspectives, certain ideas from ANT tradition, and theorizations of affects and emotions as productive and hence, political. This study applies an ethnographic approach. The fieldwork was conducted in southern Senegal, in December 2016 and January 2017, on touristic dance and music workshops. The research material consists of 11 thematic interviews with workshop tourists, organizers, and artists, participatory observation, background interviews and document material. The researcher’s long-term participation in the field is also reflexively considered as a source of research material and a tool for analysis. The context was understood through relations of work and dependency, yet also alternative translations and subjectivities were enabled. The context’s social relations were also informed by a desire for the Other, intensive circulation of positive affects, and reproduction of stereotypes of Africa. Disruptive affects stemming from asymmetric power structures were dealt with techniques of individualization. The research shows how the context is profoundly entangled with asymmetric and historical relations of power and inequality, and that these relations are naturalized by certain techniques of concealment. Yet, the context retains enabling possibilities as well. The study shows how affects are productive in the context, suggesting that they firmly attach subjects to problematic structures. Though the complexity and ambivalence of the maintenance of inequality producing structures is a theoretical starting point, this study points to the endurance of these problematic structures by exploring their affective extents. The study adds to a body of research on cultural tourism and shows the importance of looking outside the traditional spheres of developmental and political action in order to understand the complexities of global inequality. The study also gestures that further attention should be given to the relevance and possibilities of such concepts as affects and emotions in the field of development studies, too.

Afganistan on ollut maailmanpolitiikan huomion kohteena jo vuosikymmenien ajan, mutta etenkin vuoden 2001 terrori-iskujen jälkeen. Yhdysvallat aloitti syyskuun iskujen jälkeen terrorisminvastaisen sodan ja hyökkäsi Afganistaniin metsästääkseen terroristijohtaja Osama Bin Ladenin ja syöstäkseen maata jo viiden vuoden ajan terrorisoineen Taleban-hallinnon vallasta. Talebanit olivat ankaria erityisesti naisia kohtaan ja heidän toimintansa loukkasi monin tavoin ihmisoikeuksia. Halusin pro gradu – tutkielmassani tutkia tarinoita ja toiveita naisten takana. Mihin afgaaninaiset itse halusivat vaikuttaa? Tutkimukseni kohteeksi muokkautui Afganistanin laajin kansalaisjärjestöjen verkosto Afghan Women´s Network. Tutkimukseni käsittelee AWN:n kannanottoja ja vaikuttamistapoja Afganistanin lainsäädännön vaiheisiin ja naisen asemaan. Tutkimukseni ajanjakso käsittää vuodet 2001–2011. Alkuperäisaineistoni koostuu verkoston internet-sivuilta löytyvistä englanninkielisistä kannanotoista sekä julkaisemattomista kannanotoista, jotka sain suoraan verkostolta. Lähestyin kannanottoja ihmisoikeus- ja sosiaaliseen sukupuoleen liittyvä tematiikan kautta. Miten Afganistanin lainsäädäntö ottaa huomioon ihmisoikeudet ja sosiaaliseen sukupuolen ja millä tavoin lainsäädäntö vaikuttaa naisten elämään? Tutkin verkoston vaikuttamistapoja Afganistanin lainsäädännön muuttamiseksi ja naisten aseman parantamiseksi. Kannanottojen perusteella verkosto kokee, että afgaaninaisten tulisi päästä osalliseksi yhteiskunnan keskeisiin instituutioihin, päätöksentekoon ja maan jälleenrakentamisprosessiin. Vanhat valtarakenteet ja perinteet tulisi murtaa ja antaa naisille ääni ja mahdollisuus vaikuttaa, sillä heissä on kansakunnan toivo ja vain naisten avulla Afganistan saadaan jälleen kerran seisomaan omilla jaloillansa.