Search Results (380)

The climate crisis poses profound risks to present and future generations. Nonetheless, the perspectives of children and young people internationally, and more specifically in Brazil, remain underexplored. Based on a multi-discipline literature review on climate anxiety and nature (dis)connectedness, the hypothesis is that the effects and symptoms of increasing (dis)connection with natural environments have short-, medium-, and long-term consequences. Access to natural spaces is a vital response to counteract the negative impacts of climate change. This article discusses findings from a study conducted in urban Brazil with 200 young people aged 12 to 18 years old, with the aim of addressing three research questions from ten questions that comprised the complete survey. The major research questions were as follows: 1. ‘Climate change worries me’: How do you relate to this statement? 2. How does climate change affect you?, and 3. Do you think some young people are more affected by climate change than others? The results show that young people care about and are preoccupied with climate change, especially when they reflect on their futures and the future generations. Although young participants are deeply concerned about climate change and feel its effects them personally in the form of anxiety, fear, and insecurity, they often lack clear pathways for contributing to broader environmental efforts beyond individual actions. These findings highlight an urgent need to foster community-based approaches and enhance education and resources for enlarging and improving youth engagement, especially to rethink the everyday strategies addressing these challenges, and to foster new paradigms of interaction with the natural world based on (re)connection with natural spaces. The correlation between climate anxiety and nature (dis)connection offers an approach that is still little explored, especially concerning children and young people. Full article

This study examines how students perceive factors contributing to their sense of belonging (SoB) in an online project-based master’s course in social innovation, incorporating collaboration with external stakeholders and structured around real-world challenges from external partners. SoB has been shown to impact academic outcomes positively, but online teamwork and collaboration outside the institution walls present unique challenges. The study adopts a qualitative approach and an interpretivist standpoint to find meaningful aspects and generate an understanding of positions among the students. Data was gathered through interviews, allowing students to express their unique experiences and perspectives on SoB in the context of a master’s course, with participants from several countries. Thematic analysis of the interview data identified the following seven categories related to students’ perceived belonging: team formation and trust, personal introductions, group continuity, access to teachers, use of informal communication channels, shared tools, and digital fluency. Furthermore, working towards a common challenge or goal seems to promote SoB among team members. The results indicate that SoB was shaped by multiple interrelated factors, with team-based collaboration and structured group dynamics playing a central role. The study contributes to ongoing research on student belonging by identifying specific practices that may support SoB in digitally supported, team-oriented learning environments. Full article

The rapid advancements in healthcare technologies are reshaping the medical landscape, prompting a reconsideration of clinical methodologies and their ethical foundations. This article explores the need for an updated approach to medical deontology, emphasizing the transition from traditional practices to a hybrid clinical methodology that integrates both human expertise and technological innovations. With the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, and advanced medical tools, healthcare professionals are presented with new ethical and professional challenges. These challenges demand a reevaluation of professional responsibility, highlighting the importance of scientific evidence in decision-making while mitigating the influence of economic and ideological factors. By framing medical practice within a systemic and integrated perspective, this article proposes a model that moves beyond the reductionist and anti-reductionist dualism, fostering a more realistic understanding of healthcare. This new paradigm necessitates the evolution of the Medical Code of Ethics, integrating the concept of “medical intelligence” to address the complexities of data management and its ethical implications. The article ultimately advocates for a dynamic and adaptive approach that aligns medical practice with emerging technologies, ensuring that patient care remains person-centered and ethically grounded in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. Full article

This study investigated how cognitive maps of the environment are formed. During learning trials, participants encoded the spatial locations of objects in a virtual maze either through simulated movement within the maze (first-person perspective) or by inspecting a schematic map (survey perspective). During interleaved test trials, they indicated where the object were on a schematic map (survey perspective). Response accuracy, averaged across objects and participants, increased gradually across test trials. At the level of individual participants and objects, however, accuracy improved abruptly. Furthermore, response accuracy was unaffected by the number of encoded objects used. Notably, the speed of map formation and the absence of a set-size effect were comparable across the two encoding perspectives, despite the fact that first-person encoding required transformation into a survey perspective for testing. Unlike the speed, the accuracy was lower in the first-person perspective compared to the survey encoding perspective. These findings suggest that cognitive maps can be holistic rather than item-dependent representations that emerge in a locally abrupt fashion, regardless of the encoding perspective. In contrast to the emergence speed, map accuracy can be lower when the encoding perspective differs from the test perspective. Full article

With the increasing demands of long-term overseas assignments, workers in isolated environments, such as maritime crews, often experience heightened psychological stress and a lack of accessible emotional support. This study investigates the effectiveness of online song intervention program based on contextual support model in reducing work-related distress and enhancing psychological resilience among the ship crews dispatched for an extensive period for work. Eighteen overseas workers participated in a four-week intervention that included both individual and group sessions, where they engaged with songs to cultivate personal and interpersonal resources. A deductive content analysis following the intervention revealed 3 main categories, 6 generic categories, and 14 subcategories. The three main categories identified were relationships, autonomy, and mood regulation. The relationships category encompassed support systems and bonding, focusing on empathy, consolation, positive perspective, vicarious empowerment, trust, and changes of perspective. Autonomy involved fostering a sense of control and fulfillment through determination, anticipation, motivation, and achievement. Mood regulation was divided into grounding and emotional resolution, which included containment, sedation, externalization, and ventilation. The findings highlight that song lyrics offer valuable insights for developing resources aimed at mood regulation, social support, and self-efficacy, helping to alleviate work-related stress during dispatch periods. Songs also foster a sense of control, competence, and relational connectedness, with mood regulation emerging as a key feature of their emotional impact. These results suggest that incorporating songs with lyrics focused on personal and interpersonal resources could be an effective strategy to support remotely dispatched workers. Furthermore, this approach appears to be a viable and scalable solution for online programs. Full article

This study aimed to examine teachers’ toxic behaviors and their impact on the school environment from the perspective of school principals. The study, employing a phenomenological approach, was based on the views of 12 school principals in Türkiye. It was found that toxic behaviors were consistent with personality traits known as the dark triad—Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy—and were associated with characteristics such as low performance, professional inadequacy, and a lack of social skills within the school context. Findings suggested that such behaviors can have serious negative effects on organizational climate, teacher collaboration, and organizational trust. Particularly, according to the school principals’ views, toxic teachers poisoned the school environment, reduced motivation, and negatively affected the overall performance of the school. The study also evaluated the strategies school principals used to cope with toxic teachers, revealing a phased adoption of constructive and discipline-based intervention approaches. The results underscored the critical importance of school principals’ ability to effectively manage toxic behaviors for the academic and social success of their schools. Full article

The Urban Green Space Index (UGSI) is an indicator that measures the quantity, quality, accessibility, and distribution of green spaces in urban environments. This study focused on analyzing the UGSI in Ecuadorian cities through a multiple linear regression model, analyzing the UGSI from both territorial and public management perspectives. Ecuador was selected as a case study due to the limited availability of research on urban green spaces in the country, despite its high ecological diversity and increasing urbanization. The model was used to explore relationships among various factors influencing urban green spaces. Government variables and key factors, such as budget allocations, were analyzed. The model revealed an inverse relationship between urban population size and per capita green space availability. In cities with 50,000 inhabitants, the average is 60 m² per person, which decreases significantly to just 5 m² per person in cities with 300,000 residents. This trend highlights the pressure of urbanization on green spaces and emphasizes the need for evidence-based urban planning to ensure equitable access and to improve quality of life. However, challenges such as the lack of updated data and opportunities for improvement in territorial planning were also identified. Full article

Introduction: Divergent theories exist concerning the constructs of adaptation and acceptance for chronic conditions. Understanding these processes is essential to improving care. The aim of this study is to describe these concepts from the perspective of people living with type 1 diabetes. Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted on data from a qualitative study, including interviews with 101 people in 13 countries across all continents, with participants of varying ages, genders, and diabetes durations as well as participants who were parents with children with type 1 diabetes. The initial study included a topic guide with open questions and interviews were analyzed using grounded theory resulting in a pyramid of needs for type 1 diabetes. This pyramid included the concepts of adaptation and acceptance. This study explores these themes in more depth. Results: Adaptation and acceptance processes vary from one person to another. Adaptation includes both adjustment to daily care and a change in perspective. Acceptance is explained as a process relying on adaptation, with no defined standardized stages. Diabetes acceptance positively impacts health, daily life, and relationships. The study identifies several factors that help acceptance, such as medical supplies, a caring healthcare environment, family and peer support, parental acceptance of diabetes, and diabetes camps. Discussion: Some of the elements required for adaptation and acceptance can be provided directly by the healthcare system, such as medical supplies, while others outside the healthcare system still need to be considered by caregivers, such as the individual’s social environment. The psychological well-being of people with type 1 diabetes and parents should be investigated as often as possible with the provision of adaptative, integrated, and holistic care. Full article

Tourist walkability is essential for sustainable tourism in traditional villages, where walking is often the primary mode of exploration. However, few studies have examined walkability from tourists’ perspectives, especially in village settings. This study investigates how immediate built environment perceptions, shareability (defined as the capacity of a place to encourage social media sharing), and personal attributes affect tourist walkability in traditional villages. A questionnaire survey was conducted in two traditional villages in Yongzhou, Hunan, to explore these relationships. The results reveal that the perceived quantity of traditional architecture strongly influences tourist walkability, while among built environment features, artificial features exert a greater overall impact than natural ones. Moreover, shareability plays a significant role in enhancing walkability, whereas personal attributes, though influential, have a relatively smaller effect. As the majority of survey participants were aged 18–24, these findings are particularly relevant to understanding the tourism preferences of Generation Z, a cohort with growing influence in the tourism market. These insights provide valuable guidance for designers, tourism developers, and authorities aiming to enhance walkability, promote sustainable tourism, and revitalise culturally rich traditional villages. Full article

Background/Objectives: Environmental factors influence the participation of children with disabilities in everyday life. Parents, as primary caregivers, provide insights into how these factors support or hinder participation in health-related, educational, personal and social activities. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the literature on parental perceptions of environmental influences on the participation of their children with disabilities. Methods: The review followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the five-stage framework by Arksey and O’Malley. Searches were conducted in five electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and OpenDissertations. Eligible studies were published in English, focused on children aged 0–18 with any type of disability, and reported on parental views of how environmental factors influence occupational participation. Data were charted and analyzed using narrative synthesis and vote-counting. Results: Thirty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Frequently discussed environmental domains included physical, social, and institutional factors, while cultural and economic domains received less attention. Participation was commonly addressed in the contexts of play, education, and social engagement. Most studies used qualitative designs and were conducted in high- and middle-income countries. Standardized tools to assess environmental impacts were rarely employed. Conclusions: This review highlights the need for inclusive, family-centered health and social services that address the full range of environmental influences on participation. Future research and policy should prioritize culturally and economically diverse settings, integrate standardized assessment tools, and recognize parental perspectives as essential for designing equitable pediatric healthcare and rehabilitation services. Full article

The use of advanced adaptive algorithms in Augmented Reality (AR) systems works to advance spatial skills with valuable relevance in many professional spheres by providing personalized feedback in an immersive environment. This study combines Bayesian Knowledge Tracing (BKT) and Human Plausible Reasoning (HPR) to design an AR system that can adapt to dynamic simulations with quantitative as well as qualitative cognitive methodologies. The system records a broad range of interactions from users, such as objects being rotated, changes in viewing perspective, and time spent on tasks, which are later analyzed through probabilistic updates with respect to skill building along with rule-based reasoning for determining behavioral patterns. Results from an in-depth case study show that the BKT module properly tracks improvement in spatial skills, while the HPR application highlights suboptimal approaches that hide underlying conceptual understanding. The adaptive system used then provides metacognitive hints that adjust by optimizing task difficulty levels, leading to improved student performance compared to standard non-adaptive AR techniques. Results show that using BKT and HPR in an AR environment not only enables accurate task performance but supports greater insight in approach strategies, leading to better and transferable spatial skills. Full article

Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) have long served as foundational frameworks in instructional design. However, their applicability to contemporary, technologically mediated learning environments remains under-theorized. This review critically examines CLT and CTML, focusing on their assumptions, empirical contributions, and current limitations in addressing the complexities of dynamic, AI-enhanced educational settings. The discussion is further enriched through engagement with complementary perspectives, including self-regulated learning, dual process theory, and connectivism. These frameworks illuminate conceptual convergences but also expose theoretical tensions, particularly regarding unresolved constructs such as germane cognitive load and the methodological challenges associated with real-time cognitive load measurement. In response to these gaps, this paper proposes the Cognitive Load-Aware Modulation (CLAM) strategy—a conceptual model designed to extend cognitive load principles in adaptive, ethically responsive learning environments. Synthesizing insights from cognitive psychology, educational technology, and affective computing, CLAM supports the design of personalized, data-driven instructional systems attuned to learners’ cognitive and emotional states. The model emerges not merely as a theoretical contribution, but as a future-oriented framework rooted in the critical synthesis of the reviewed literature. Its practical applications for real-world educational settings are outlined, and its empirical validation constitutes the next phase of our ongoing research project. Full article

Product engagement detection in retail environments is critical for understanding customer preferences through nonverbal cues such as gaze and hand movements. This study presents a system leveraging a 360-degree top-view fisheye camera combined with two perspective cameras, the only sensors required for deployment, effectively capturing subtle interactions even under occlusion or distant camera setups. Unlike conventional image-based gaze estimation methods that are sensitive to background variations and require capturing a person’s full appearance, raising privacy concerns, our approach utilizes a novel Transformer-based encoder operating directly on 3D skeletal keypoints. This innovation significantly reduces privacy risks by avoiding personal appearance data and benefits from ongoing advancements in accurate skeleton estimation techniques. Experimental evaluation in a simulated retail environment demonstrates that our method effectively identifies critical gaze-object and hand-object interactions, reliably detecting customer engagement prior to product selection. Despite yielding slightly higher mean angular errors in gaze estimation compared to a recent image-based method, the Transformer-based model achieves comparable performance in gaze-object detection. Its robustness, generalizability, and inherent privacy preservation make it particularly suitable for deployment in practical retail scenarios such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and shopping malls, highlighting its superiority in real-world applicability. Full article

The proactive behavior of front-line salespeople plays a crucial role in generating positive organizational outcomes. As the managers who interact most frequently with front-line employees, front-line managers’ perception of organizational support is pivotal in fostering the development of career initiative among these employees. Grounded in self-determination and social exchange theories, this study investigates whether the organizational support perceived by front-line managers influences employee initiative behavior. Meanwhile, core self-evaluation is introduced to explore how personality traits of sales personnel may influence their perception of the external environment and the formation of intrinsic motivation. This study utilized a questionnaire survey method to collect data from 50 front-line team leaders and their 299 corresponding employees across multiple cities in China, conducted over three rounds. Following the collection of the paired questionnaires, Mplus 8.0 was employed to perform reliability and validity analyses, correlation analysis, and hypothesis testing on the data. The final results revealed that supervisor’s perceived organizational support positively influences a group-inclusive climate; a group-inclusive climate can foster felt obligation and salesperson career initiative. Supervisors’ perceived organizational support enhances salesperson career initiative by making salespeople experience group-inclusive climate and develop felt obligation. Moreover, core self-evaluation significantly moderates the positive impact of the inclusive climate on these outcomes. By adopting the perspective of front-line supervisors, this research identifies an effective pathway from supervisor perception to employee behavior, elucidates the antecedents of front-line salespeople’s initiative, and reassesses the critical role of front-line supervisors within organizations. Full article

Workplace procrastination is widespread in the public sector and has severe negative implications. However, research specifically focusing on workplace procrastination among civil servants remains scarce. Drawing on the person–environment (P–E) fit theory and the public service motivation (PSM) fit perspective, this study examines the relationship between perceived overqualification (POQ) and workplace procrastination through job boredom, and further explores how PSM and perceived prosocial impact moderate this relationship. Based on a survey of 363 Chinese civil servants, the findings reveal a positive correlation between POQ and workplace procrastination through job boredom, and this correlation is weaker for civil servants with high PSM than for those with low PSM. A three-way interaction analysis indicates that perceived prosocial impact enhances the ability of PSM to reduce job boredom caused by POQ, which in turn weakens the association between POQ and workplace procrastination. Moreover, when civil servants with high PSM perceive their work as having a high prosocial impact, the association between POQ and workplace procrastination becomes nonsignificant. This study introduces a person–environment interaction perspective for understanding the antecedents of workplace procrastination, underscores the costs of POQ in public organizations, and offers valuable insights for preventing workplace procrastination among civil servants. Full article