Search Results (295)

This study empirically investigates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools within Hungarian religious communities, with a focus on Catholic respondents, to assess their awareness, application, and acceptance of AI in religious contexts. By religious communities, we do not mean monastic or priestly communities, but rather communities of lay religious people. Conducted between 10 February and 11 March 2025, the questionnaire-based research (N = 133) employs Campbell’s Religious Social Shaping of Technology (RSST) framework to analyze attitudes toward AI across 15 religious functions. Six hypotheses explore gender differences, religiosity types (church-based vs. self-defined), and the acceptability, authenticity, and ethicality of AI applications. Findings reveal high acceptance for administrative tasks (e.g., email list updates: 64.7%) and technical functions (e.g., live translation: 65.4%), but low acceptance for spiritual roles (e.g., spiritual leadership: 12.8%). Self-defined religious individuals are significantly more accepting, perceiving AI as more authentic and ethical compared to those adhering to church teachings. No significant gender differences were found. The study contributes to digital religion studies, highlighting the influence of religiosity on AI adoption, though its non-representative sample limits generalizability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Schoolteachers play a central role in shaping their students’ beliefs and attitudes towards oral health. Our aim was to investigate the oral and periodontal health knowledge of schoolteachers in Riyadh and factors affecting this knowledge. Methods: Government schoolteachers from representative areas of Riyadh (n = 895) responded to a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression (p ≤ 0.05). Results: Teachers demonstrated good basic oral/periodontal health knowledge (mean score = 60.21 ± 10.68). Most knew that toothbrushing is necessary to preserve dental (78.66%) and periodontal (57.88%) health; that gingival bleeding (74.41%), swelling (64.25%), and abscess formation (52.96%) are signs of periodontal disease; about 63% identified dental biofilm as an etiologic factor, and 58% knew that periodontitis may cause gingival recession and influence systemic health (74.07%). However, only 38% knew that dental flossing is necessary to preserve periodontal health, and 66.03% believed that gingival health can be restored with a special toothpaste. Teachers who were female, older in age, worked in north Riyadh, and taught the intermediate stage demonstrated statistically significantly better knowledge than the other categories. Conclusions: The studied sample of schoolteachers possesses acceptable basic oral health knowledge but has inadequate knowledge of periodontal health. Factors influencing teachers’ knowledge were age, gender, region of work, and teaching stage. Full article

This study investigates the knowledge, perception and trust in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) among drivers in Eastern Sicily, a Mediterranean region characterized by infrastructural and socio-economic differences. A structured survey (N = 961) was conducted to assess user attitudes towards eight key ADAS technologies using two validated indices: the Knowledge Index (KI) and the Importance Index (II). To capture user consistency, a normalized product (z(KI) × z(II)) was calculated for each technology. This composite metric enabled the identification of three latent dimensions through exploratory factor analysis: Emergency-Triggered Systems, Adaptive and Reactive Systems and Driver Vigilance and Stability Systems. The results show a clear discrepancy between perceived importance (56.6%) and actual knowledge (35.1%). Multivariate analyses show that direct experience with ADAS-equipped vehicles significantly increases both awareness and confidence. Age is inversely correlated with knowledge, while gender has only a marginal influence. The results are consistent with established acceptance models such as TAM and UTAUT, which emphasize the role of perceived usefulness and trust. The study presents an innovative integration of psychometric metrics and behavioral theory that provides a robust and scalable framework for assessing user readiness in evolving mobility contexts, particularly in regions facing infrastructural heterogeneity and cultural changes in travel behavior. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sensory attenuation refers to the reduced perceptual intensity of self-generated stimuli and is considered a key marker of the sense of agency. While this phenomenon has been widely documented in individual contexts, less is known about how it operates during cooperative actions. In this study, we adopted a psychophysical approach to investigate sensory attenuation for auditory stimuli in both individual and interactive action contexts and examined the role of empathic traits in shaping the experience of agency. Methods: A two-forced choices perceptual judgement task with auditory stimuli was adopted in healthy participants (n = 57), who judged the loudness of tones generated either by themselves or another person, across individual and cooperative conditions. To control for the factor of gender that might potentially influence prosocial attitudes, only cisgender women were included in this study. Our findings confirmed sensory attenuation for self-generated sounds in cooperative actions. However, contrary to previous reports, we did not observe enhanced attenuation in interactive contexts; instead, other-generated sounds were perceived as louder when embedded in cooperative actions. Notably, higher levels of empathic concern and perspective-taking were associated with reduced sensory attenuation in individual contexts, suggesting that empathy may modulate perceived self–other boundaries in agency experience. Conclusions: These results challenge the view of sensory attenuation as a strict functional signature of self-agency and support a sensorimotor equivalence model, in which social and psychological variables shape the perception of action outcomes. This evidence is also supported by the convergence of neural networks involved in agency, perspective-taking, and empathy. Full article

Affective–sexual education programs (ASEPs) are effective in combating gender violence (GV). Most previous studies have focused on the short-term effect these programs have on explicit sexist attitudes. The objective of this study was to analyze the short- and medium-term effect of an ASEP regarding sexist attitudes. An educational intervention study was carried out on 561 high school students in Tenerife (Spain). The 15 h intervention used a participatory methodology with debates, working groups, and game dynamics. Explicit attitudes were measured with the scale of sexist, violent, and stereotyped attitudes (SVSAs) and the gender role attitudes scale (GRAS), and implicit attitudes were measured with the assessment of the behavior of the characters of a brief tailored story, in which an interaction between two young people with an ambiguous component of gender violence is described. Four measurements were made: pre-intervention, post-intervention, 6 months, and 12 months. After the intervention, in the experimental group, scale scores decreased (SVSA from 28.7 ± 7.7 to 21.8 ± 2.1, p < 0.0001; GRAS from 30.6 ± 7.8 to 22.3 ± 2.8, p < 0.0001), and the level of approval of the behavior of the female character of the story improved (from 5.4 ± 2.6 to 7.6 ± 2.1, p < 0.0001). The effect of the intervention on sexist attitudes was maintained until the end of the 12-month follow-up period. Full article

Inclusive education in early childhood is pivotal for fostering equitable learning opportunities and promoting diversity from a young age. Administrators play a key role in implementing inclusive practices effectively within educational settings. This systematic review synthesizes the attitudes of early childhood education administrators towards inclusion, examining how these attitudes influence the successful integration of inclusive practices and identifying the factors that impact these perspectives. A total of 18 studies were identified through a systematic search procedure and included in this review. The results reveal a generally positive attitude towards inclusion among administrators, tempered by notable challenges, such as insufficient training and inadequate resources. These challenges align with variations in administrators’ readiness to implement inclusive practices. This review also highlights variability in how administrators perceive their roles in inclusive education, ranging from instructional leaders to supportive facilitators. Although some studies identified influencing factors, such as gender, education level, and school location, these were more strongly associated with overall attitudes towards inclusion rather than role perception specifically. The implications for policy involve strengthening resource allocation and training for administrators to support inclusive practices effectively. For practice, there is a need to develop robust support structures and targeted professional development programs that address the specific needs of administrators in fostering inclusivity. Future research should expand to include diverse global perspectives and explore the nuances of administrative roles in different cultural and educational settings. Full article

Urbanisation is a common cause of the loss of biological diversity. The most diverse natural areas in urban centres are city parks. The aim of this study was to examine the importance of songbirds for park visitors, the environment, and biodiversity in cities, based on the example of the Croatian coastal belt. A survey was conducted in the first half of 2024 (survey N = 662). The results show a low degree of basic biological knowledge of the main songbird species present in urban parks along the Croatian coastal belt. Citizens, on average, had a good basic understanding of the relationships between park songbirds and the environment. There were no statistically significant differences between cities of residence concerning basic biological knowledge of the main park songbird species in the Croatian coastal belt (p = 0.076), basic knowledge of the relationships between park songbirds and the environment (p = 0492), interactions between humans and songbirds in parks (p = 0.403), or opinions on conserving park songbird populations (p = 0.115). The final analysis confirmed that there was a statistically significant difference in education levels among participants regarding basic biological knowledge of the main park songbird species in the Croatian coastal belt (p = 0.001), basic knowledge of the relationships between park songbirds and the environment (p = 0.014), interactions between humans and songbirds in parks (p = 0.001), and opinions on conserving park songbird populations (p = 0.041). The dominant role of female respondents also raises the question of why male respondents do not participate in the research, which opens up opportunities for new research that would mainly deal with the topic of gender differences in attitudes towards park birds. Full article

The relationship between reading exposure and social attitudes across demographic groups remains a pivotal yet underexplored topic in computational social science. This study adopts a machine learning framework to examine the symmetry of reading’s influence on social attitude formation. Models including Random Forest, XGBoost, LightGBM, and linear regression were employed on data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS). The results show that reading volume is a key predictor of social attitudes. Moreover, a SHAP-based subgroup analysis revealed that the impact of reading exposure remained stable across gender groups, indicating a symmetric pattern of cognitive influence. This study proposes a methodological pipeline for assessing the symmetry of feature importance in social data, offering actionable insights for researchers and policymakers into the equitable role of media consumption in shaping social cognition. Full article

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into higher education, understanding perceptions across different demographic groups is essential for its effective implementation. This study examines attitudes toward AI among students, lecturers, and academic staff, considering factors such as gender, age, occupation, academic discipline, ethical concerns, and experience level. The findings indicate that while overall perceptions of AI in education are positive, concerns about ethics and uncertainty regarding its role persist. Gender and age differences in AI perceptions are minimal, though female students, educators, and individual in humanities disciplines express slightly higher ethical concerns. Teachers exhibit greater skepticism, emphasizing the need for transparency, ethical guidelines, and training to build trust. The study also highlights the influence of AI experience and perceptions. Frequent users tend to have a more positive outlook, whereas those with advance expertise engage with AI more selectively, suggesting a shift toward intentional and strategic use. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gender bias in healthcare remains a persistent challenge, partly due to gaps in gender-related knowledge among professionals. While existing instruments assess gender sensitivity and gender-role ideology, there is a lack of generalizable tools specifically designed to evaluate gender-related health knowledge. This study aimed to develop and validate the Gender Knowledge Scale in a sample of 591 nursing students from the University of the Basque Country (Spain). Methods: The 10-item multiple-choice instrument was created using the Nominal Group Technique with a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Results: Psychometric analyses supported a unidimensional structure with acceptable fit indices (CFI = 0.928, RMSEA = 0.025), and items displayed a diverse range of difficulty levels. Knowledge scores were moderately correlated with gender sensitivity but not with gender-role ideology, suggesting that knowledge may influence attitudes but is insufficient to challenge entrenched stereotypes. Knowledge differences emerged across academic years, though not by gender. Misconceptions, particularly regarding menstruation, cardiovascular risk, and pain, were prevalent. Conclusions: The Gender Knowledge Scale is a practical and psychometrically sound tool for assessing gender-related health knowledge among nursing students. While further validation is needed in other populations, the scale may support educational interventions aimed at reducing gender bias in clinical care. Full article

In this study, we examined the role of intellectual humility (IH) as an antecedent of individual attitude toward sustainable tourism viewed from the lens of personality trait theory, virtue ethics theory, and regenerative tourism principles within a stakeholder framework. Data were collected via Qualtrics in an online survey of 233 adults in the United States. A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were applied to the data to test the measurement model. In addition, a bifactor CFA was found to have acceptable fit and appropriate in controlling for common method variance. A series of covariance-based structural equations models (SEMs) was estimated to test the hypothesized model while controlling for common method variance in addition to individual age and gender. Using the chi-square difference test for nested model comparison, we found that intellectual humility was a significant antecedent of the negative ecological impact of tourism (β = 0.14, p < 0.01) while its relationships with economic and social impacts of travel became non-significant after controlling for common method variance. Pro-social tendency, operationalized as HEXACO Honesty–Humility, was also a significant antecedent of the negative ecological impact (β = 0.17) and positive economic impact (β = −0.34) of tourism, after controlling for common method variance. Despite its limitations due to its cross-sectional design and use of self-report data in the U.S., this study was novel in introducing intellectual humility as an important virtue to be cultivated at the individual level to achieve a holistic approach to sustainable tourism, especially in shaping destination choices. In addition, the study highlights the need to detect common method variance in self-report data via bifactor CFA to avoid erroneous reporting of significant findings, hampering our collective research efforts to address climate change and its impact. Full article

Vietnam’s tourism sector has experienced rapid expansion, yielding significant economic gains, but also escalating environmental and socio-cultural challenges. This necessitates a shift toward sustainable tourism practices. This study develops and tests an integrative model combining the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) theory to investigate the Sustainable Consumption Behavior (SCB) of domestic travelers in Vietnam. Grounded in the country’s collectivist culture—characterized by a strong emphasis on communal values and social harmony—the research examines how rational decision-making and normative pressures jointly drive eco-friendly travel behaviors. Data were collected from 549 Vietnamese tourists through stratified sampling across three major regions, and were analyzed through a robust multi-step methodology, including Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM), supplemented by regression analysis. The SEM results indicate that the proposed model accounts for 60.8% of the variance in SCB, underscoring its explanatory power. Within the TPB framework, Attitude, Subjective Norms, and Perceived Behavioral Control significantly predict Behavioral Intention, which, in turn, mediates their influence on SCB. In the VBN component, Environmental Awareness shapes Altruistic and Biospheric Values, fostering the New Environmental Paradigm and activating Personal Norms, which exert a direct effect on SCB. This direct influence of Personal Norms, bypassing Behavioral Intention, highlights the role of implicit moral obligations in Vietnam’s collectivist cultural context and challenges Western-centric behavioral models. Beyond these frameworks, Destination Attributes and Consumer Innovativeness emerge as critical direct predictors of SCB, with Destination Attributes showing the strongest effect. Mediation analyses confirm Behavioral Intention’s central role, while moderation tests reveal that gender and travel experience modulate TPB-based relationships, suggesting the value of targeted interventions. Theoretically, this study advances TPB–VBN integration by applying it to a collectivist setting, revealing how cultural norms amplify normative influences on sustainable behavior. Practically, it advocates for strategies such as community-driven initiatives leveraging Personal Norms, educational campaigns to enhance Perceived Behavioral Control, and sustainable destination management initiatives in locations like Da Nang and Ha Long Bay. While the cross-sectional design limits causal claims, the findings provide a foundation for future longitudinal studies and cross-cultural comparisons, particularly in other collectivist societies, potentially incorporating digital engagement and policy incentives as novel factors. Full article

Gender roles are sociocultural constructs that shape the behaviors, attitudes, and values associated with men and women that influence social structures, equity, and sustainability. While these constructs reflect societal expectations, they also limit opportunities and affect emotional well-being. As their evolution has not been consistent, rigid norms continue to hinder social progress. Ensuring that gender norms evolve toward inclusivity and equality is essential for the long-term well-being of societies. This study examines conformity to gender norms in Spain, considering age and educational level, with the aim of guiding public policies and educational strategies to foster social cohesion and equity. A quantitative methodology was employed, using the Conformity to Masculine Gender Norms Inventory and the Conformity to Feminine Gender Norms Inventory to assess adherence to traditional gender expectations. The sample consisted of 380 individuals aged 18 to 85 years. This study reveals a moderate-to-low level of conformity to gender norms but highlights a resurgence of traditional roles among younger individuals. These findings underscore the need for interventions that promote inclusive models and emphasize the importance of ongoing research to understand the impact of cultural, media, and generational factors on attitudes toward gender roles. Full article

Background/Objectives: Public perception of clinical trials (CT) in Poland remains underexplored. This study aims to assess attitudes towards clinical trials, to identify key sociodemographic and health-related predictors of participation willingness, and to evaluate the perceived health impact (CT-PHI) associated with participants’ involvement in trials. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted (2–20 March 2022) among 2050 Polish adults who had benefited from medical care in the past 24 months. This study examined sociodemographic factors, health-related factors (self-perceived health, EQ-5D-5L, the level of awareness of patient rights, use of public vs. private healthcare, adherence), and motivations for participation in trials (health-related, financial, and altruistic). Multivariate logistic and generalized linear models identified predictors of participation willingness and CT-PHI variability. Results: Overall, 56.3% of the respondents expressed a willingness to participate in clinical trials. The main motivation was health improvement (45.8%), followed by financial incentives (23.2%) and altruism (22.7%). Those driven by health reasons showed the highest sensitivity to demographic and health-related factors. In this group, higher CT-PHI scores were associated with older age (66+: B = 1.24, p < 0.001), female gender (B = 0.41, p = 0.034), rural residence (B = 0.41, p = 0.033), dual use of public/private healthcare (B = 0.64, p = 0.001), adherence (B = 2.50, p < 0.001), and greater pain severity (moderate: B = 1.36, p < 0.001; severe: B = 0.91, p = 0.023). Socioeconomic factors played a greater role for financially motivated individuals, while altruistic participants showed the least variability in influencing factors. Conclusions: Willingness to participate in clinical trials in Poland is influenced by the motivation type. A patient-centered approach to recruitment strategies, considering diverse motivations and sociodemographic factors, is essential for optimizing participation in clinical trials. Full article

This study examines the roles of optimism and self-efficacy in influencing health behaviors among Polish health sciences students, with a focus on gender differences. A cross-sectional design was used with a sample of 318 students. The General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), and the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI) were used to assess self-efficacy, optimism, and health behaviors’ (HB) intensity, respectively. The variation in the HB was significant concerning the level of dispositional optimism (F(2, 312) = 4.22, p = 0.016, η²p = 0.03). LOT-R results turned out to be a statistically significant condition for higher frequency of positive mental attitude (PMA) behaviors and preventive actions (PAs). Gender differences were observed: higher scores of PMA and PhA were more frequent among men, whilst women were characterized with higher PA. The effect of gender and both GSES and LOT-R for the HBI results was statistically significant in two subscales (with LOT-R for PhA and with GSES for PA). These findings enhance the understanding of psychological determinants of health behaviors and suggest practical implications for educational and public health strategies. Gender turned out to be a significant determinant of some relationships between health behaviors and the examined dispositions in Polish health sciences students. Full article