Search Results (270)

In the context of post-pandemic remote work normalization and the emergence of the metaverse, virtual workspaces have attracted significant attention as critical digital infrastructure with promising application prospects. While virtual workspaces enable efficient task performance, compared with traditional ones, the lack of emotional connection between humans and machines adversely affects participants’ mental health. The emergence of affective computing has made it possible to endow virtual workspaces with “affective intelligence”. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the relationship between color and participants’ emotions in virtual workspaces through an experiment involving 48 participants, and eight virtual workspaces were constructed, incorporating four color conditions (red, blue, yellow, and green) and two workspace types (shared and single). Data were synchronously collected using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), a questionnaire item on arousal, electrodermal activity (EDA), and heart rate variability (HRV). The results successfully established specific associations between colors and emotions: red with “anxious”, yellow with “happy”, and blue with “calm”. Although no specific emotion word was identified for green, this study successfully achieved the emotion classification of virtual workspaces and constructed a corresponding dataset. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the development of affective computing models. Full article

This study examines Richard of Saint Victor’s conception of wisdom and love, understood as the ultimate ends of human life and deeply connected with the notion of care. For Richard, authentic care requires discerning the true object of concern: the human being as a rational creature created for happiness through knowledge and love of God. His anthropology highlights the dignity of man, composed of body, reason, and affection, and called to participate in divine happiness. Richard develops a spiritual pedagogy in which the ordering and moderation of affections—fear, sorrow, hope, love, joy, hatred, and modesty—are indispensable for the path toward contemplation. Through an allegorical reading of Jacob, his wives, and their children, Richard presents a symbolic itinerary where the progression of affectivity and reason leads ultimately to contemplation, embodied in Benjamin. This contemplative fulfillment transcends both fear and greed, liberating the human being from self-centeredness and opening him to love and divine wisdom. The work demonstrates Richard’s synthesis of Platonic, Augustinian, and Victorine traditions, proposing a transformative vision of the human person: happiness is inseparable from love, and wisdom is achieved not through rational argument but through the lived experience of love that surpasses reason. Full article

Current research on acoustic encoding of emotional content suggests that there are universal cues, allowing for decoding within and across taxa. This is particularly important for human–animal relationships, wherein domestic animals are supposed to be particularly efficient in decoding human emotions. Here we investigated whether the decoding of the emotional content in human voices shared universal acoustic properties, or whether it could be influenced by experience. Emotional human voices were presented to two populations of horses, in which behavioral, cardiac, and brain responses were measured. The two populations differed in their living and working conditions: one population lived in naturalistic conditions (stable social groups in pastures) and were ridden occasionally for outdoor trail riding with one to a few different riders, while the other was kept in more restricted conditions (individual stalls) and participated in riding lessons involving many different riders. Assessment of the horses’ welfare state (animal-based measures) and their relationships with humans, performed independently of the playback experiments, revealed that the populations differed in both aspects. Whereas both populations appeared to react to the angry human voice, the population with the best welfare state and relationship with humans showed little differentiation between the different emotional voices and exhibited low behavioral reactions. On the contrary, the other population showed high behavioral and cardiac reactions to all negative voices. Brain responses also differed, with the first population showing higher responses (increased gamma, i.e., excitation) for the happy voice and the second for fear and anger (increased theta, i.e., alarm). Thus, animals’ affective state and past experiences appear very influential for their perception of (cross-taxa) acoustic emotional cues. Full article

This study assesses De Lone and McLean’s Information System (D&M IS) Success Model concerning DAS throughout small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia (SA). The present work mainly sought to evaluate the impact of information quality (IQ), system quality (SysQ), service quality (SrvQ) serving, system utilization, and user satisfaction (Usat) on the usage of the Digital Accounting System (DAS), which is posited to ultimately improve the quality of sustainable decision-making. The research utilized a quantitative methodology, employing a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 328 decision-makers who are knowledgeable about actual DAS usage by SMEs in SA. Subsequent to gathering data, validation was conducted via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) by utilizing smart-PLS software. The findings indicate that SysQ and IQ significantly influenced system utilization, although SrvQ did not. DAS was determined to significantly influence user happiness. Moreover, system utilization and user satisfaction positively influenced DAS, thereby affecting the sustainability of decision-making and reflecting the overall benefits of DAS. This work enhances the current IS literature by identifying the characteristics that affect the net advantages of DAS, with the suggested model evaluated in SMEs in SA utilizing DAS. This study serves as a reference to elucidate the significance of DAS and offers consequences, limitations, and prospects for further research. Full article

In “Notes on Talks with Wittgenstein”, Waismann reports Wittgenstein saying that in speaking about ethics “I can only appear as a person speaking for myself.” If we combine this with another remark, “What is Good is Divine too. That, strangely enough, sums up my ethics”, it suggests that an understanding of Wittgenstein’s personal involvement with the teachings of Christianity is fundamental for an interpretation of his “Lecture on Ethics” (1929) and “Lectures on Religious Belief” (1938). From the evidence of his personal writings, in particular the coded notebooks of 1914–16 and MS183, which record remarks made in 1930–32, 1936–37, Wittgenstein’s relationship to the teaching of Christianity is complex. During WW1, Wittgenstein found a form of Christian teaching immensely helpful, it seemed to him the only sure way to happiness. This influence is still apparent in “Lecture on Ethics”. Remarks made in 1936–37 show Wittgenstein’s relationship with Christianity becoming more troubled, as his critical self-consciousness arising from thoughts about the teaching of the New Testament become increasingly debilitating. He begins to find that the Christian teaching is becoming a source of madness rather than one of happiness. He accepts that a life of faith would require him to live a completely different life from the one that suits him. He begins to think that an ordinary life and his philosophical work might be the solution to his state of unhappiness. In “Lectures on Religious Belief”, Wittgenstein’s remarks are made from a position which is more personally disengaged. Wittgenstein is now investigating religious belief as a human phenomenon and not as something with which he is any longer personally involved, but his personal experience, particularly his experience of loss of faith, is still fundamental to how he understands the phenomenon. Full article

Background/Objectives: Infant emotional responses during complementary feeding offer key insights into early developmental processes and feeding behaviors. AI-driven facial emotion analysis presents a novel, objective method to quantify these subtle expressions, potentially informing interventions in early childhood nutrition. We aimed to investigate how maternal and infant traits influence infants’ emotional responses during complementary feeding using an automated facial analysis tool. Methods: This multi-center study involved 117 typically developing infants (6–11 months) and their mothers. Standardized feeding sessions were recorded, and OpenFace software quantified six emotions (surprise, sadness, fear, happiness, anger, disgust). Data were normalized and analyzed via Generalized Estimating Equations to identify associations with maternal BMI, education, work status, and infant age, sex, and complementary feeding initiation. Results: Emotional responses did not differ significantly across five food groups. Infants of mothers with BMI > 30 kg/m² showed greater surprise, while those whose mothers were well-educated and not working displayed more happiness. Older infants and those introduced to complementary feeding before six months exhibited higher levels of anger. Parental or infant food selectivity did not significantly affect responses. Conclusions: The findings indicate that maternal and infant demographic factors exert a more pronounced influence on infant emotional responses during complementary feeding than the type of food provided. These results highlight the importance of integrating broader psychosocial variables into early feeding practices and underscore the potential utility of AI-driven facial emotion analysis in advancing research on infant development. Full article

A substantial body of literature has examined the factors predicting happiness among various groups; however, few studies have systematically focused on happiness and related factors among Muslim Americans. Within the framework of the stress-process paradigm, this current study addresses fundamental arguments regarding job insecurity as a key predictor of happiness and the role of religious involvement as a buffering factor against the deleterious effects of job insecurity as a structural stressor. Thus, our work contributes to the literature by examining the potential relationships between religious covariates and job insecurity with happiness. Using data from the 2007 Pew Survey of Muslim Americans, we test the study hypotheses accordingly. Findings from the binary logistic regression models demonstrate that (a) job insecurity is a negative predictor of happiness for both males and females; (b) religious involvement is positively associated with happiness for both males and females; and remarkably (c) religious involvement buffers the adverse effects of job insecurity on happiness for females, not males. We discuss the study findings and address implications, limitations, and future research avenues. Full article

Premature infants are an especially vulnerable group that often needs extended intensive care. Prematurity naturally hampers the development of the immune system, significantly increasing the risk of infections. In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), antibiotic treatment is often a crucial, life-saving measure. For parents, the birth of a very preterm infant (before 32 weeks of gestation) turns what should be a happy event into a period filled with deep uncertainty and distress. Maintaining hope amid these difficulties relies heavily on maintaining regular communication with and trusting the medical team. Clinical realities in the NICU include a high risk of infection that requires multiple medications, including antibiotics. There is an inverse relationship between gestational age and pharmaceutical exposure. Parents worry about the amount of medication their child receives and the potential long-term effects on development. Over the past thirty years, initiatives such as antimicrobial stewardship programs have worked to reduce antibiotic use and treatment duration in the NICU, emphasizing proper care for premature infants worldwide. This article examines the ethical landscape from the perspectives of three primary stakeholders: parents, healthcare providers, and regulatory bodies. The key ethical question is whether these groups achieve meaningful cooperation or if institutional and professional priorities overshadow clinical practice. In the NICU, decision-making responsibility mainly lies with the medical team, as parents often have limited influence over treatment decisions, and regulatory oversight usually occurs indirectly. This concentration of authority underscores the complex and critical nature of neonatal intensive care. Full article

Work happiness is commonly described as an umbrella concept encompassing job satisfaction, engagement, and emotional attachment to the workplace. However, few studies have explored its underlying sources and emotional experiences, raising questions about its conceptual clarity and measurement. This exploratory inductive mixed-methods study investigates whether work happiness can be better understood by distinguishing between its sources (antecedents) and emotional expressions (outcomes). In the qualitative phase, 23 part-time adult students from Norway’s public and private sectors reflected on moments of work happiness and the emotions involved. Thematic analysis identified five source-related themes, which informed the development of 49 items. These items were tested in a quantitative survey distributed to 4000 employees, yielding 615 usable responses. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed six conceptually coherent source dimensions—such as autonomy, recognition, and togetherness—and one emotional dimension. Regression analysis demonstrated statistically significant associations between source factors and emotional experiences, offering initial support for a dual-structure model of work happiness. Notably, the findings revealed a dialectical interplay between individual (“I”) and collective (“We”) sources, suggesting that work happiness emerges from both personal agency and social belonging. While promising, these findings are preliminary and require further validation. The study contributes to theory by proposing a grounded, multidimensional framework for work happiness and invites future research to examine its psychometric robustness and cross-contextual applicability. Full article

This study investigates how resilience and multidimensional happiness at work (HAW), comprising work engagement, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment, contribute to grit among employees in high-pressure service environments. Drawing on Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory, we test a model using data collected in 2024 from 293 employees at an international airport in Cyprus. Structural equation modeling reveals that resilience significantly enhances both grit and all three HAW dimensions. Among them, affective commitment emerged as a key mediator linking resilience to grit, while job satisfaction showed a surprising negative effect on grit. These findings highlight the importance of fostering eudaimonic rather than purely hedonic well-being to build sustainable motivation in emotionally demanding roles. Our results contribute to the sustainable work and well-being literature by positioning resilience and commitment as psychological resources that support organizational adaptability and long-term employee performance. This study offers actionable insights for leadership, HR strategy, and the promotion of sustainable workplace cultures, particularly in aviation and airport operations, where employee well-being directly impacts safety, service quality, and crisis readiness. Full article

We analysed the socioeconomic, behavioural, and protection factors (PFs) influences on the HIV combined prevention (CP) strategy among Brazilian Amazonian men who have sex with men (MSMs). PFs are resources that reduce the effect of adversity and help people maintain their well-being. Methods: Cross-sectional study employing a convenient sample of MSMs living in the metropolitan region of Belém. A questionnaire containing socioeconomic, behavioural, PFs, and behaviour/knowledge concerning CP questions was used. “Behaviour/knowledge concerning CP” was defined as a dependent variable and received a maximum score of 16 points. The Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests and multiple linear regression were employed. Results: Our sample comprised 384 MSMs scoring an average of 7.83 points (±1.9). Contributing to lower scores were “not talking about sex life with confidants”, “not talking with work colleagues about personal life and sexually transmissible infections”, and “not participating in non-governmental organisations.” On the other hand, “not being happy in the neighbourhood of residency” contributed to higher scores. Conclusion: Peer support and social inclusion are essential for increasing MSMs’ access to CP. Full article

With the arrival of an aging society and the continuous extension of the human lifespan, the quality of life has not improved in a corresponding manner. People’s demand for happiness and health is increasing. As a result, a model emerged that integrates tourism and medical services, which is health tourism. This growing demand has prompted many service providers to see it as a business opportunity and enter the market. Tourism can help travelers release work stress and restore physical and mental balance; meanwhile, health check-ups and disease treatment can help them regain health. Consumers have long favored health and medical tourism because it helps relieve stress and promotes overall well-being. As people age, some consumers experience a gradual decline in physical functions, making it difficult for them to participate in regular travel services provided by traditional travel agencies. Therefore, this study aims to explore the service needs of health and medical tourism customers (tourists/patients) and the interrelationships among these service needs, so that health and medical tourism service providers can develop more customized and diversified services. This study identifies four key drivers of medical tourism services: medical services, medical facilities, tour planning, and hospitality facilities. This study uses the APA (attention and performance analysis) method to assess each dimension and criterion and utilizes the DEMATEL method with the NRM (network relationship map) to identify network relationships. By combining APA and NRM techniques, this study develops the APA-NRM technique to evaluate adoption strategies and identify suitable paths for health tourism services, providing tailored development strategies and recommendations for service providers to enhance the service experience. Full article

Background/Objectives: Although eating disorders (EDs) affect a large portion of the population and have a significant impact on health and productivity, they are understudied in the workplace. We assessed the frequency of EDs and studied the relationship between EDs and occupational and individual factors. Methods: All workers undergoing health surveillance were invited to fill in the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, short form (EDE-QS) and, before their routine medical examination that included metabolic tests, measure their level of health literacy, stress, quality of sleep, anxiety, depression, and happiness. Out of a total of 2085 workers, 1912 (91.7%) participated. Results: Suspected EDs affected 4.9% (CI95% 3.9; 5.9) of workers, with no notable difference in gender (5.3% CI95% 4.1; 6.7 in female workers vs. 4.2%, CI95% 2.9; 5.9 in male). Cases were significantly associated with trauma and emotional factors (anxiety, depression, unhappiness), but also with work-related stress and poor sleep quality, and negatively associated with health literacy. Using a hierarchical logistic regression model, suspected cases of EDs were significantly predicted in Model II by life trauma (OR 2.21 CI95% 1.40; 3.48, p < 0.001) and health literacy (OR 0.94 CI95% 0.90; 0.98, p < 0.001), in Model III also by work-related stress (OR 2.57 CI95% 1.68; 3.94, p < 0.001), and in Model IV by depression (OR 1.19 CI95% 1.02; 1.38, p < 0.05) and happiness (OR 0.88 CI95% 0.78; 0.99, p < 0.05). An association was also found between EDs and overweight, obesity, increased abdominal circumference, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia, arterial hypertension, atherogenic index of plasma, and metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: The workplace is an ideal setting for the prevention of EDs and their consequences. Occupational health intervention should promote health literacy, improve sleep quality, and reduce work-related stress. Full article

School has been identified as a suitable arena for targeting improvements in the health of children and young people. Teachers are highlighted as crucial contributors to student health which has resulted in changes in the teaching profession. The aim of this study is to examine the students’ perspective on the role of the teacher in working with student health. Interviews with 34 students aged 16–19 years were carried out. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis with theoretical underpinnings from pragmatism and symbolic interactionism. This approach identified four dominating roles for teachers: (1) a creator of joyful learning, (2) a creator of a sense of control, (3) a spreader of happiness, and (4) a creator of feeling valued. This study shows that the role of the teacher in working with student health is in acting, not in being, and that this role is constantly (re)created through interaction. The student perspective on the role of the teacher in student health work has close similarities to the role of the teacher in inclusive teaching, merging relational competence with didactic skill. In conclusion, we argue that developing teachers’ didactic as well as relational competency, along with understanding competence within a pragmatic and symbolic interactionist theoretical framework, could improve student health practices. Full article

This paper advances two interrelated theses. As for the first thesis, it distinguishes well-being, on the one hand, from happiness, on the other hand. As for the second thesis, it differentiates between two important facets of happiness: what this paper calls “happiness-as-tranquility” and “happiness-as-aspiration”. Actually, in order to differentiate the two facets of happiness, we first need to distinguish happiness from well-being. This is the case because happiness, after all, is a by-product of reflecting upon and ruminating over well-being. Given it is the same well-being, how could it give rise to different facets of happiness? It can only do so if we stop conflating happiness with well-being. This entails taking to task the widely accepted concept of “subjective wellbeing”. Such concept is expressly designed to obfuscate the difference between well-being and happiness. As for the two facets of happiness (the second thesis), this paper relies upon the contrast of two famous works of literature: the story of Job and the story of Faust. The contrast uncovers the criticality of the temporal dimension in the acts of reflection upon and rumination over well-being. If people reflect on past accomplishments, they experience backward-looking happiness along the Job story—i.e., happiness-as-tranquility. If people reflect on desire, they experience forward-looking happiness along the Faust story—i.e., happiness-as-aspiration. While the two facets of happiness seem contradictory, they are indeed complementary if we recognize the temporal element when one reflects upon and ruminates over well-being. Full article