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19 pages, 545 KiB  
Article
Socio-Scientific Perspectives on COVID-Planned Interventions in the Homeless Population
by David Melero-Fuentes and Remedios Aguilar-Moya
Societies 2025, 15(7), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15070197 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 309
Abstract
Homelessness is characterised by a wide range of risk factors of a multidimensional and unstable nature. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these risk factors associated with homelessness but also prompted the development of prevention and care actions. This study identified and mapped the intervention [...] Read more.
Homelessness is characterised by a wide range of risk factors of a multidimensional and unstable nature. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these risk factors associated with homelessness but also prompted the development of prevention and care actions. This study identified and mapped the intervention programmes carried out for people experiencing homelessness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve the study purpose, a thematic analysis of the scientific literature was conducted following the search strategy and analysis methodology characteristic of informetrics and scientometrics. The sources of information used were WoS, Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO and ERIC. The paucity of planned actions, most of which have a local impact, reinforces the need to strengthen research that presents robust evidence on this issue. China and Europe are under-represented compared to other types of studies linked to COVID-19 and the prevalence of homelessness. Several clusters are distinguished among the plans: they are carried out in buildings or in geographical areas and according to the impact on the group (preventive, substance-related disorder support, health care and diagnostic). Among the emerging themes, health and social variables are represented, including communication and trust between health, community and homeless groups. The reduction in the thematic dimensionality shows equal planning between health care actions (81.8%) and psychosocial and prevention support (72.8%), an aspect that confirms the importance of joint actions. In this line, among the various clusters of the network analysis, the relationship between hotel, mental health support, substance-related disorder, social intervention and access to permanent housing was found. The studies analysed also highlight social exclusion, stigma, victimisation, living conditions and the risk of contagion among this group. This situation has not gone unnoticed among the studies analysed, which present proposals for the continuation of the projects. Full article
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22 pages, 397 KiB  
Article
Echo Chambers and Homophily in the Diffusion of Risk Information on Social Media: The Case of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
by Xiaoxiao Cheng and Jianbin Jin
Entropy 2025, 27(7), 699; https://doi.org/10.3390/e27070699 - 29 Jun 2025
Viewed by 557
Abstract
This study investigates the mechanisms underlying the diffusion of risk information about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Drawing upon social contagion theory, we examine how endogenous and exogenous mechanisms shape users’ information-sharing behaviors. An analysis of 388,722 [...] Read more.
This study investigates the mechanisms underlying the diffusion of risk information about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Drawing upon social contagion theory, we examine how endogenous and exogenous mechanisms shape users’ information-sharing behaviors. An analysis of 388,722 reposts from 2444 original GMO risk-related texts enabled the construction of a comprehensive sharing network, with computational text-mining techniques employed to detect users’ attitudes toward GMOs. To bridge the gap between descriptive and inferential network analysis, we employ a Shannon entropy-based approach to quantify the uncertainty and concentration of attitudinal differences and similarities among sharing and non-sharing dyads, providing an information-theoretic foundation for understanding positional and differential homophily. The entropy-based analysis reveals that information-sharing ties are characterized by lower entropy in attitude differences, indicating greater attitudinal alignment among sharing users, especially among GMO opponents. Building on these findings, the Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM) further demonstrates that both endogenous network mechanisms (reciprocity, preferential attachment, and triadic closure) and positional homophily influence GMO risk information sharing and dissemination. A key finding is the presence of a differential homophily effect, where GMO opponents exhibit stronger homophilic tendencies than non-opponents. Despite the prevalence of homophily, this paper uncovers substantial cross-attitude interactions, challenging simplistic notions of echo chambers in GMO risk communication. By integrating entropy and ERGM analyses, this study advances a more nuanced, information-theoretic understanding of how digital platforms mediate public perceptions and debates surrounding controversial socio-scientific issues, offering valuable implications for developing effective risk communication strategies in increasingly polarized online spaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Complexity of Social Networks)
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21 pages, 2372 KiB  
Article
Will You Become the Next Troll? A Computational Mechanics Approach to the Contagion of Trolling Behavior
by Qiusi Sun and Martin Hilbert
Entropy 2025, 27(5), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/e27050542 - 21 May 2025
Viewed by 479
Abstract
Trolling behavior is not simply a result of ‘bad actors’, an individual trait, or a linguistic phenomenon, but emerges from complex contagious social dynamics. This study uses formal concepts from information theory and complexity science to study it as such. The data comprised [...] Read more.
Trolling behavior is not simply a result of ‘bad actors’, an individual trait, or a linguistic phenomenon, but emerges from complex contagious social dynamics. This study uses formal concepts from information theory and complexity science to study it as such. The data comprised over 13 million Reddit comments, which were classified as troll or non-troll messages using the BERT model, fine-tuned with a human coding set. We derive the unique, minimally complex, and maximally predictive model from statistical mechanics, i.e., ε-machines and transducers, and can distinguish which aspects of trolling behaviors are both self-motivated and socially induced. While the vast majority of self-driven dynamics are like flipping a coin (86.3%), when social contagion is considered, most users (95.6%) show complex hidden multiple-state patterns. Within this complexity, trolling follows predictable transitions, with, for example, a 76% probability of remaining in a trolling state once it is reached. We find that replying to a trolling comment significantly increases the likelihood of switching to a trolling state or staying in it (72%). Besides being a showcase for the use of information-theoretic measures from dynamic systems theory to conceptualize human dynamics, our findings suggest that users and platform designers should go beyond calling out and removing trolls, but foster and design environments that discourage the dynamics leading to the emergence of trolling behavior. Full article
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22 pages, 1111 KiB  
Article
Dependency and Risk Spillover of China’s Industrial Structure Under the Environmental, Social, and Governance Sustainable Development Framework
by Yucui Li, Piyapatr Busababodhin and Supawadee Wichitchan
Sustainability 2025, 17(10), 4660; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17104660 - 19 May 2025
Viewed by 562
Abstract
With the growing global emphasis on sustainable development goals, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors have emerged as critical considerations in shaping economic policies and strategies. This study employs the ARMA-eGARCH-skewed t and Vine Copula models, combined with the CoVaR method, to investigate [...] Read more.
With the growing global emphasis on sustainable development goals, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors have emerged as critical considerations in shaping economic policies and strategies. This study employs the ARMA-eGARCH-skewed t and Vine Copula models, combined with the CoVaR method, to investigate the dependence structure and risk spillover pathways across various industrial sectors in China within the ESG framework. By modeling the complex interdependencies among sectors, this research uncovers the relationships between individual industries and the ESG benchmark index, while also analyzing the correlations across different sectors. Furthermore, this study quantifies the risk contagion effects across distinct industries under extreme market conditions and maps the pathways of risk spillovers. The findings highlight the pivotal role of ESG considerations in shaping industrial structures. Empirical results demonstrate that industries such as agriculture, energy, and manufacturing exhibit significant systemic risk characteristics in response to ESG fluctuations. Specifically, the identified risk spillover pathway follows the sequence: agriculture → consumption → ESG → manufacturing → energy. The CoVaR values for agriculture, energy, and manufacturing indicate a significant potential for risk contagion. Moreover, sectors such as real estate, finance, and information technology exhibit significant risk spillover effects. These findings offer valuable empirical evidence and a theoretical foundation for formulating ESG-related policies. This study suggests that effective risk management, promoting green finance, encouraging technological innovation, and optimizing industrial structures can significantly mitigate systemic risks. These measures can contribute to maintaining industrial stability and fostering sustainable economic development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)
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27 pages, 1863 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Bank Fintech on Corporate Short-Term Debt for Long-Term Use—Based on the Perspective of Financial Risk
by Weiyu Wu and Xiaoyan Lin
Int. J. Financial Stud. 2025, 13(2), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs13020068 - 16 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1205
Abstract
Information asymmetry between banks and enterprises in the credit market is essentially the microfoundation of financial risk generation. The frequent occurrence of corporate debt defaults, mainly due to the behavior of short-term debt for long-term use (hereinafter referred to as “SDLU”), further aggravates [...] Read more.
Information asymmetry between banks and enterprises in the credit market is essentially the microfoundation of financial risk generation. The frequent occurrence of corporate debt defaults, mainly due to the behavior of short-term debt for long-term use (hereinafter referred to as “SDLU”), further aggravates the contagion path from individual liquidity crisis to systemic repayment crisis. In order to test whether bank financial technology (hereinafter referred to as “BankFintech”) can mitigate SDLU and reduce the possibility of financial risks, this study matched the loan data of China’s A-share listed companies with the patent data of bank-invented Fintech from 2013 to 2022 to construct the BankFintech Development Index for empirical analysis. The empirical results show that the development of BankFintech can significantly inhibit SDLU. The mechanism test reveals that BankFintech reduces bank credit risk and liquidity risk by lowering firms’ risk-weighted assets, improving capital adequacy and liquidity ratios, tilts banks’ lending preferences toward duration-matched long-term financing, and “forces” enterprises to take the initiative to improve their financial health and information transparency, enhance their ability to obtain long-term loans, and realize the active management of mismatch risk. Heterogeneity analysis finds that the effect is more significant in non-state-owned enterprises and technology-intensive industries. Further analysis shows that the level of enterprise digitization, the intensity of financial regulation, and related financial policies significantly moderate the marginal effect between the two. This study verified the “Porter’s Risk Mitigation Hypothesis” of Fintech, providing empirical evidence for effectively cracking the financial vulnerability caused by debt maturity mismatch and deepening financial supply-side reform. Full article
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16 pages, 293 KiB  
Article
Failed Skew Zero Forcing Numbers of Path Powers and Circulant Graphs
by Aidan Johnson, Andrew Vick, Rigoberto Flórez and Darren A. Narayan
AppliedMath 2025, 5(2), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/appliedmath5020032 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 306
Abstract
For a graph G, the zero forcing number of G, Z(G), is defined to be the minimum cardinality of a set S of vertices for which repeated applications of the forcing rule results in all vertices being [...] Read more.
For a graph G, the zero forcing number of G, Z(G), is defined to be the minimum cardinality of a set S of vertices for which repeated applications of the forcing rule results in all vertices being in S. The forcing rule is as follows: if a vertex v is in S, and exactly one neighbor u of v is not in S, then the vertex u is added to S in the subsequent iteration. Now, the failed zero forcing number of a graph is defined to be the maximum size of a set of vertices which does not force all of the vertices in the graph. A similar type of forcing is called skew zero forcing, which is defined so that if there is exactly one neighbor u of v that is not in S, then the vertex u is added to S in the next iteration. The key difference is that vertices that are not in S can force other vertices. The failed skew zero forcing number of a graph is denoted by F(G). At its core, the problem we consider is how to identify the tipping point at which information or infection will spread through a network or a population. The graphs we consider are where computers/routers or people are arranged in a linear or circular formation with varying proximities for contagion. Here, we present new results for failed skew zero forcing numbers of path powers and circulant graphs. Furthermore, we found that the failed skew zero forcing numbers of these families form interesting sequences with increasing n. Full article
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18 pages, 494 KiB  
Article
Information and Knowledge Diffusion Dynamics in Complex Networks with Independent Spreaders
by Yan Zhuang, Weihua Li and Yang Liu
Entropy 2025, 27(3), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/e27030234 - 24 Feb 2025
Viewed by 986
Abstract
Information and knowledge diffusion are important dynamical processes in complex social systems, in which the underlying topology of interactions among individuals is often modeled as networks. Recent studies have examined various information diffusion scenarios primarily focusing on the dynamics within one network; yet, [...] Read more.
Information and knowledge diffusion are important dynamical processes in complex social systems, in which the underlying topology of interactions among individuals is often modeled as networks. Recent studies have examined various information diffusion scenarios primarily focusing on the dynamics within one network; yet, relatively little scholarly attention has been paid to possible interactions among individuals beyond the focal network. Here, in this study, we account for this phenomenon by modeling the information diffusion dynamics with the involvement of independent spreaders in a susceptible–exposed–infectious–recovered contagion process. Independent spreaders receive information using latent information transmission pathways without following the links in the focal network and can spread the information to remote areas of the network not well connected to the major components. We derive the mathematics of the critical epidemic thresholds on homogeneous and heterogeneous networks as a function of the infectious rate, exposure rate, recovery rate and the activeness of independent spreaders. We present simulation results on Small World and Scale-Free complex networks, and real-world social networks of Facebook artists and physicist collaborations. The result shows that the extent to which information or knowledge can spread might be more extensive than we can explain in terms of link contagion only. In addition, these results also help to explain how the activeness of independent spreaders can affect the diffusion process of information and knowledge in complex networks, which may have implications for studies exploring other dynamical processes. Full article
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35 pages, 2120 KiB  
Article
Fractional Transfer Entropy Networks: Short- and Long-Memory Perspectives on Global Stock Market Interactions
by Ömer Akgüller, Mehmet Ali Balcı, Larissa Margareta Batrancea and Lucian Gaban
Fractal Fract. 2025, 9(2), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/fractalfract9020069 - 23 Jan 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1208
Abstract
This study addresses the challenge of capturing both short-run volatility and long-run dependencies in global stock markets by introducing fractional transfer entropy (FTE), a new framework that embeds fractional calculus into transfer entropy. FTE allows analysts to tune memory parameters and thus observe [...] Read more.
This study addresses the challenge of capturing both short-run volatility and long-run dependencies in global stock markets by introducing fractional transfer entropy (FTE), a new framework that embeds fractional calculus into transfer entropy. FTE allows analysts to tune memory parameters and thus observe how different temporal emphases reshape the network of directional information flows among major financial indices. Empirical evidence reveals that when short-memory effects dominate, markets swiftly incorporate recent news, creating networks that adapt quickly but remain vulnerable to transient shocks. In contrast, balanced memory parameters yield a more stable equilibrium, blending immediate reactions with persistent structural ties. Under long-memory configurations, historically entrenched relationships prevail, enabling established market leaders to remain central despite ongoing fluctuations. These findings demonstrate that FTE uncovers nuanced dynamics overlooked by methods focusing solely on either current events or deep-rooted patterns. Although the method relies on price returns and does not differentiate specific shock types, it offers a versatile tool for investors, policymakers, and researchers to gauge financial stability, evaluate contagion risk, and better understand how ephemeral signals and historical legacies jointly govern global market connectivity. Full article
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25 pages, 2232 KiB  
Review
Antimicrobial Peptides, Their Production, and Potential in the Fight Against Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens
by Margarita Saubenova, Alexander Rapoport, Zhanerke Yermekbay and Yelena Oleinikova
Fermentation 2025, 11(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11010036 - 17 Jan 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3879
Abstract
The article reviews the literature on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that exhibit unique antimicrobial mechanisms, such as broad-spectrum activity, low development of antimicrobial resistance, and the ability to modulate the immune response of the host organism. Information is provided on the significant potential of [...] Read more.
The article reviews the literature on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that exhibit unique antimicrobial mechanisms, such as broad-spectrum activity, low development of antimicrobial resistance, and the ability to modulate the immune response of the host organism. Information is provided on the significant potential of AMPs in the fight against pathogens threatening human health and food safety. Enrichment of the human diet with biologically active peptides obtained using the proteolytic activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is proposed as a simple, accessible, and viable alternative to antibiotics that does not have a harmful side effect. The review briefly covers the methods for obtaining AMPs and features of the LAB proteolytic system responsible for producing bioactive peptides in the environment. It has been shown that using various LAB strains makes it possible to produce high-quality whey-based beverages with different directions of antagonistic activity against opportunistic pathogens and helps optimize the gastrointestinal microbiota. It is assumed that such drinks can reduce the dose of antimicrobials in the combined therapy of various infectious diseases and be a preventive measure against contagion and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Full article
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16 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Distress and Positive Experiences Among Adolescents in Northern Chile in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
by Katherin Castillo-Morales, Ricardo Espinoza-Tapia, Diego Portilla-Saavedra and Rodrigo Moya-Vergara
Societies 2025, 15(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15010010 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1343
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic and the confinement measures adopted by most countries have impacted global mental health, with particular interest in the effects on adolescents due to the tension between lockdown measures and the challenges of their developmental stage. Therefore, this study examined the [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the confinement measures adopted by most countries have impacted global mental health, with particular interest in the effects on adolescents due to the tension between lockdown measures and the challenges of their developmental stage. Therefore, this study examined the distress and positive experiences reported by adolescents in northern Chile during the pandemic. A comprehensive study was conducted among adolescents in northern Chile. Discussion groups were utilized to investigate their experiences during the pandemic. The discussions were transcribed, and their content was analyzed by thematic analysis to create emerging categories and subcategories. Eleven discussion groups were conducted with a total of 51 adolescents. The findings were organized into two categories: distress and positive experiences during the pandemic. The distress experiences category included experiences related to confinement, educational tensions, risk of contagion, being an adolescent, and anxious–depressive emotions and symptoms. Meanwhile, the positive experiences category highlighted experiences related to interpersonal relationships through social networks, hobbies, activism, and pets. This research provides guiding results for policymakers and mental health authorities to incorporate this information when creating initiatives for working with the adolescent population. It considers the impact on them, but also incorporates the reported positive experiences as coping mechanisms for other difficulties. Full article
17 pages, 6133 KiB  
Article
A Campus Landscape Visual Evaluation Method Integrating PixScape and UAV Remote Sensing Images
by Lili Song and Moyu Wu
Buildings 2025, 15(1), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15010127 - 3 Jan 2025
Viewed by 954
Abstract
Landscape, as an important component of environmental quality, is increasingly valued by scholars for its visual dimension. Unlike evaluating landscape visual quality through on-site observation or using digital photos, the landscape visualization modeling method supported by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aerial photography, geographic [...] Read more.
Landscape, as an important component of environmental quality, is increasingly valued by scholars for its visual dimension. Unlike evaluating landscape visual quality through on-site observation or using digital photos, the landscape visualization modeling method supported by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aerial photography, geographic information System (GIS), and PixScape has the advantage of systematically scanning landscape geographic space. The data acquisition is convenient and fast, and the resolution is high, providing a new attempt for landscape visualization analysis. In order to explore the application of visibility modeling based on high-resolution UAV remote sensing images in landscape visual evaluation, this study takes campus landscape as an example and uses high-resolution campus UAV remote sensing images as the basic data source to analyze the differences between the planar method and tangent method provided by PixScape 1.2 software in visual modeling. Six evaluation factors, including Naturalness (N), Normalized Shannon Diversity Index (S), Contagion (CONTAG), Shannon depth (SD), Depth Line (DL), and Skyline (SL), are selected to evaluate the landscape vision of four viewpoints in the campus based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. The results indicate that the tangent method considers the visual impact of the vertical amplitude and the distance between landscape and viewpoints, which is more in line with the real visual perception of the human eyes. In addition, objective quantitative evaluation metrics based on visibility modeling can reflect the visual differences of landscapes from different viewpoints and have good applicability in campus landscape visual evaluation. It is expected that this research can enrich the method system of landscape visual evaluation and provide technical references for it. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate)
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22 pages, 23617 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Footprint of COVID-19 on the Evolution of Public Bus Transport Demand Using GIS
by Rafael González-Escobar, Juan Miguel Vega Naranjo, Montaña Jiménez-Espada and Jonathan Galeano Vivas
Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 10901; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410901 (registering DOI) - 12 Dec 2024
Viewed by 971
Abstract
The scope of the research work described in this article involved identifying the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the urban public transport system in a medium-sized city and its adjacent metropolitan area, using as reference information the number of tickets effectively sold [...] Read more.
The scope of the research work described in this article involved identifying the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the urban public transport system in a medium-sized city and its adjacent metropolitan area, using as reference information the number of tickets effectively sold in order to determine the fluctuation in the volume of passengers on the different bus lines before, during and after the pandemic. At the methodological level, a combined approach was employed, involving, on the one hand, the collection of open access public data from institutional repositories and information provided by the government and, on the other hand, network analysis and graphical mapping using GIS tools. The results obtained at the micro level (individualised study of each urban bus line) reveal a significant decrease in the number of passengers during the pandemic, showing the effect of mobility restrictions and the fear of contagion. However, a gradual recovery in post-pandemic demand has been observed, highlighting a large variability in recovery patterns between different bus lines. Such a situation could be attributable to several factors, such as the socio-demographic characteristics of the areas served, the frequency of the service, connectivity with other modes of transport and users’ perception of the quality of the service. At the macro level (comparison between urban and interurban transport), lines with higher demand prior to the pandemic have shown greater resilience and faster recovery. However, urban transport has experienced a more uniform and accelerated recuperation than interurban transport, with significant percentage differences in the years analysed. This disparity could be explained by the greater dependence of inhabitants on urban transport for their daily trips, due to its greater frequency and geographical coverage. Interurban transport, on the other hand, shows a more fluctuating demand and a lower dependence of users. Finally, the lack of previous research focused on the impact of the pandemic in sparsely populated rural areas restricts the ability to establish a solid frame of reference and generalise the results of this study. The authors consider that more detailed future research, including a comparative analysis of different alternative transport modes in inter-urban settings and considering a broader set of socio-demographic variables of passengers, is needed to better understand mobility dynamics in these areas and their evolution in the context of the pandemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transport and Land Use for a Sustainable Future)
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19 pages, 1762 KiB  
Article
Is It Just About Scrolling? The Correlation of Passive Social Media Use with College Students’ Subjective Well-Being Based on Social Comparison Experiences and Orientation Assessed Using a Two-Stage Hybrid Structural Equation Modeling–Artificial Neural Network Method
by Ziyu Liu and Liyao Xiao
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14121162 - 4 Dec 2024
Viewed by 2486
Abstract
Previous studies have found that passive social media use (PaSMU) tends to induce upward contrast, thereby affecting well-being. However, this perspective alone may overlook the mechanisms of other social comparison phenomena. This study analyzes the influence mechanism of PaSMU on subjective well-being (SWB) [...] Read more.
Previous studies have found that passive social media use (PaSMU) tends to induce upward contrast, thereby affecting well-being. However, this perspective alone may overlook the mechanisms of other social comparison phenomena. This study analyzes the influence mechanism of PaSMU on subjective well-being (SWB) by categorizing social comparison into upward identification, upward contrast, downward identification, and downward contrast while incorporating social comparison orientation (SCO) as a moderating variable. This study surveyed college students who use RED (Xiaohongshu) and collected 352 valid questionnaires. A two-stage hybrid structural equation modeling (SEM)–artificial neural network (ANN) method was employed, utilizing path and mediation effect analysis to verify the moderating effect of SCO in the process of PaSMU affecting SWB. PaSMU is positively correlated with upward contrast and downward identification, both of which negatively affect SWB. Upward contrast and downward identification are associated with lower SWB, while downward comparison is positively correlated with SWB. High SCO strengthens the association between upward contrast and reduced SWB. Furthermore, upward contrast and downward identification were found to have comparable mediating effects between PaSMU and SWB. In contrast to previous studies, this research highlights that downward identification plays a comparably significant mediating role alongside upward contrast. Downward identification significantly mediates the relationship between PaSMU and SWB due to increased risk awareness, higher sensitivity to negative information among socially anxious students, emotional contagion from negative content, and anonymity that fosters an “imagined community”. Additionally, students with high SCO are more affected by idealized self-presentations and rely on upward contrasts for social feedback, lowering their SWB. This study reveals the complex correlation of PaSMU and SWB, providing new theoretical insights and practical strategies to encourage positive social media use among college students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media as Interpersonal and Masspersonal)
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14 pages, 2000 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Online Pandemic-Related Information on Prosocial Behavior among Healthcare Students: The Role of Emotional Contagion and Epistemic Motivation
by Shiyu Zhou, Jing Chang, Yang Yang, Yue Han, Chang Liu, Yuchen Jiao, Yao Meng and Yan Ji
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 945; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14100945 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1229
Abstract
Prosocial behavior is fundamental for healthcare students, shaped by their traits and the external environment. Online information seeking is the most commonly used way for healthcare students to access pandemics; however, it is unclear whether the willingness of healthcare students to help others [...] Read more.
Prosocial behavior is fundamental for healthcare students, shaped by their traits and the external environment. Online information seeking is the most commonly used way for healthcare students to access pandemics; however, it is unclear whether the willingness of healthcare students to help others will be affected by pandemic information via the Internet environment. The current study takes the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, investigating how 81 healthcare students with varying prosocial tendencies behaved helpfully after being exposed to pandemic-related pictures online. Study 1 measured the influence of emotional contagion (positive emotion/negative emotion) from online information on students’ prosocial behavior; Study 2 examined online information’s influence on prosocial behavior by controlling individuals’ epistemic motivation (goal-directed task/no-goal-directed task) to gain pandemic information. The results indicated that negative pandemic information was more likely to influence students with low prosocial tendencies, which would then lead to a decrease in prosocial actions (F = 7.842, p = 0.005). Further, students with low prosocial tendencies were more likely to engage in prosocial behavior when they did not aim goal-directed attention to the pandemic-related information, compared to those with goal-directed attention (F = 9.159, p = 0.003). Participants with high prosocial tendencies did not differ much in helping others (p > 0.05). The results indicated that only healthcare students with limited prosocial tendencies were less inclined to assist others after receiving negative information about the pandemic. Thus, reducing their deliberate approach to online information related to the pandemic will increase their chances of taking prosocial behavior. Full article
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24 pages, 1037 KiB  
Article
Inferring Dealer Networks in the Foreign Exchange Market Using Conditional Transfer Entropy: Analysis of a Central Bank Announcement
by Aleksander Janczewski, Ioannis Anagnostou and Drona Kandhai
Entropy 2024, 26(9), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/e26090738 - 29 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1541
Abstract
The foreign exchange (FX) market has evolved into a complex system where locally generated information percolates through the dealer network via high-frequency interactions. Information related to major events, such as economic announcements, spreads rapidly through this network, potentially inducing volatility, liquidity disruptions, and [...] Read more.
The foreign exchange (FX) market has evolved into a complex system where locally generated information percolates through the dealer network via high-frequency interactions. Information related to major events, such as economic announcements, spreads rapidly through this network, potentially inducing volatility, liquidity disruptions, and contagion effects across financial markets. Yet, research on the mechanics of information flows in the FX market is limited. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach employing conditional transfer entropy to construct networks of information flows. Leveraging a unique, high-resolution dataset of bid and ask prices, we investigate the impact of an announcement by the European Central Bank on the information transfer within the market. During the announcement, we identify key dealers as information sources, conduits, and sinks, and, through comparison to a baseline, uncover shifts in the network topology. Full article
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