Search Results (2,074)

The sustainable integration of technology into educational practices is pivotal for modern teaching and learning. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study explores the psychological and contextual factors that influence technology acceptance among pre-service and in-service teachers. Employing a nonexperimental, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 347 participants to examine the relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward use, behavioural intention, and actual system use. Results indicate that pre-service teachers demonstrate stronger openness to technology adoption, driven primarily by attitudinal factors, whereas in-service teachers’ acceptance is more closely linked to perceived utility and usability. This study advances the TAM by integrating a dual serial mediation model and testing the moderating role of professional status, thereby offering a nuanced understanding of sustainable digital engagement across career stages. Our findings underscore the importance of fostering positive perceptions and providing differentiated support throughout teachers’ professional trajectories to achieve long-term, meaningful technology adoption in education. Full article

This study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Consumption Values through a mixed-methods approach (structured interview and structural equation model) to investigate cross-platform disposal behaviors for idle clothing on social media and second-hand platform ecosystems. The study reconstructs traditional theoretical variables: psychological motivation dimension (platform-enabled green attitude, social circle environmental demonstration, and cross-platform behavioral control) and perceived value dimension (functional integration value perception, socialized emotional empowerment, and community identity value). Key findings: Cross-platform behavioral control is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention. In the value dimension, emotional value has the strongest direct impact on disposal intentions, functional integration is key to enhancing behavioral control, and community identity value most significantly impacts the platform-enabled green attitude and the social circle environmental demonstration. Finally, proposing a governance framework of “technological empowerment–emotional resonance–identity motivation”, offering theoretical foundations for optimizing platform interoperability and formulating digital environmental policies. Full article

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have emerged as a promising sustainable urban mobility solution, expected to lead to enhanced road safety, smoother traffic flows, less traffic congestion, improved accessibility, better energy utilization and environmental performance, as well as more efficient passenger and freight transportation, in terms of time and cost, due to better fleet management and platooning. However, challenges also arise, mostly related to data privacy, security and cyber-security, high acquisition and infrastructure costs, accident liability, even possible increased traffic congestion and air pollution due to induced travel demand. This paper presents the results of a survey conducted among 654 residents who experienced an autonomous bus (AB) service in the city of Trikala, Greece, in order to assess their willingness to use (WTU) and willingness to pay (WTP) for ABs, through testing a range of factors based on a literature review. Results useful to policy-makers were extracted, such as that the intention to use ABs was mostly shaped by psychological factors (e.g., users’ perceptions of usefulness and safety, and trust in the service provider), while WTU seemed to be positively affected by previous experience in using ABs. In contrast, sociodemographic factors were found to have very little effect on the intention to use ABs, while apart from personal utility, users’ perceptions of how autonomous driving will improve the overall life standards in the study area also mattered. Full article

Background: The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) represents an important public health challenge, especially among education workers, whose intense routine can negatively impact eating habits. This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with the regular consumption of UPF among employees of the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education (RFEPCT) in Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, carried out with 1563 education workers. Validated instruments on eating habits (PeNSE), mental health (DASS-21) and quality of life (WHOQOL-bref) were used. The regular consumption of UPF was defined as intake on ≥5 days in the last seven days. The association between the regular consumption of UPF and sociodemographic, occupational, behavioral, mental health and quality of life variables was assessed by Poisson regression with robust variance, generating adjusted prevalence ratios (PRadj) and respective 95% confidence intervals. Results: The regular consumption of UPF was associated mainly with female gender, a lower age group, Southeast and Midwest regions, dissatisfaction with sleep and the body, physical inactivity and poor sleep quality. In addition, the findings suggested a significant relationship between the worst stress scores and soft drinks (PRadj: 2.11; CI: 1.43–3.13), anxiety and soft drinks (PRadj: 1.83; CI: 1.24–2.70) and depression and industrialized/ultra-processed salty foods (PRadj: 2.43; CI: 1.82–3.26). The same was observed in the scores for the worst perception of quality of life, where there was a prevalence of up to 2.32 in the psychological domain and the consumption of industrialized/ultra-processed salty foods. Conclusions: The findings indicate that multiple interrelated factors—individual, psychosocial and occupational—are associated with the consumption of UPF among education workers. These results reinforce the importance of institutional policies that integrate actions to promote dietary health, mental health care and improved working conditions in the education sector. Full article

Background/Objectives: We examined maternal perceptions of infant cries as a mediator between maternal tobacco/cannabis use, psychological distress (depression/anger/hostility) and reported cravings for cigarettes and/or cannabis across two time points. Methods: A total of 96 substance-using mothers (35 tobacco-only and 61 tobacco/cannabis) were recruited in pregnancy. Maternal substance use and psychological distress were measured when their children were school age (5–6 years, T1). At the middle childhood assessment (9–12 years, T2), mothers listened to a standardized set of newborn cries and, afterwards, rated their aversiveness, impact on negative affect, and their tobacco/cannabis cravings. Results: Higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms at T1 were associated with perceptions of cries as being more aversive at T2, which, in turn, were associated with increased cannabis cravings at T2. At T1, higher depressive symptoms predicted increased tobacco cravings and higher maternal anger/hostility predicted increased cannabis cravings. Conclusions: Results highlight the role that infant cries and psychological distress play in cravings among tobacco/cannabis-using mothers. Full article

Background: Postoperative pain management after a cesarean section remains a significant challenge, as inadequate control can delay maternal recovery and hinder early bonding and breastfeeding. While multimodal analgesia is the standard approach, non–pharmacological strategies like immediate skin–to–skin contact (SSC) are often underused despite their potential benefits in reducing pain, improving uterine contractions, and increasing maternal satisfaction. Objective: To evaluate the effects of immediate SSC on postoperative pain perception, uterine contraction quality, and maternal satisfaction, and to explore ways to incorporate SSC into routine post–cesarean care to promote recovery and humanized care. Method: A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 80 women undergoing elective cesarean sections, divided into two groups: SSC (40 women) and control (40 women). Postoperative pain was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at various intervals, while uterine contraction quality and maternal satisfaction were assessed through clinical observation and a Likert scale, respectively. Results: We found that women in the SSC group experienced significantly lower pain scores (VAS2 and VAS3, p < 0.001), stronger infraumbilical uterine contractions (92.5%, p < 0.001), and higher satisfaction levels (average 9.98 vs. 6.50, p < 0.001). An inverse correlation was observed between pain intensity and satisfaction, indicating that SSC enhances both physiological and psychological recovery. Conclusions: Immediate SSC after cesarean is an effective, humanizing intervention that reduces pain, supports uterine contractions, and boosts maternal satisfaction. These findings advocate for integrating SSC into standard postoperative care, aligning with ethical principles of beneficence and autonomy. Further research with larger samples is necessary to confirm these benefits and facilitate widespread adoption in maternity protocols. Full article

The impact of soundscapes in religious architecture on public psychology has garnered increasing attention in both research and policy domains. However, the mechanisms by which temple soundscapes influence public emotions remain scientifically unclear. This paper aims to explore how soundscapes in temple architectures designated as World Natural and Cultural Heritage sites affect visitors’ experiences. Considering visitors with diverse social and demographic backgrounds, the research design includes subjective soundscape evaluations and EEG measurements from 193 visitors at two World Heritage temples. The results indicate that visitors’ religious beliefs primarily affect their soundscape perception, while their soundscape preferences show specific correlations with chanting and human voices. Furthermore, compared to males, females exhibit greater sensitivity to emotional variations induced by soundscape experiences. Urban architects can enhance visitors’ positive emotional experiences by integrating soundscape design into the planning of future religious architectures, thereby creating pleasant acoustic environments. Full article

This article explores the often-overlooked question of how literary reading might give rise to experiences that readers themselves identify as spiritual. Framed by William James’s account of “mystical susceptibility” and recent psychological models of spirituality as altered states of consciousness involving shifts in perception, affect, and cognition, the essay asks how engagement with narrative may occasion such states. Drawing from selected examples and critical traditions, it examines the conditions under which reading becomes spiritually resonant. Theologically, the piece considers the formation of attentiveness and imaginative receptivity in writers such as Teresa of Avila and Jessica Hooten Wilson. From affect theory, it engages Rita Felski’s language of enchantment; from cognitive studies, it draws on empirical approaches to literary studies and Tanya Luhrmann’s work on absorption and the cultivation of spiritual perception. By drawing attention to absorption as a psychological and aesthetic phenomenon, this article suggests a renewed interdisciplinary approach—one that connects empirical studies of attention and transformation with older theological and affective insights. In this way, literature may be examined not as a site of doctrinal meaning or subjective feeling alone, but as a form of engagement capable of opening readers to spiritual insight whose impact might be measured through qualitative means. Full article

Consumer perceptions of upcycled foods, as well as the determinants of food choices, are still not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of psychological and personal traits on purchase intention (PI) towards upcycled foods of Italian consumers. Additionally, willingness to try (WTT), willingness to buy (WTB), and willingness to pay (WTP) for yogurt, bread, and biscuits made with by-products, namely, hazelnut skin and grape pomace powder, were collected. A web-based survey involving 505 consumers was conducted, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate the model. It resulted that food neophobia and attitude towards upcycled foods had a significant impact on PI. In turn, attitude was affected by food neophobia as well as by objective knowledge about food by-products. Unexpectedly, frugality and environmental concern did not affect PI. WTP was product-specific; when WTP was compared to a reference price, it was higher for the yogurt prototype, followed by the bread and biscuits prototypes. Food neophobia affected WTT, WTB, and WTP. This study contributes to providing new insights into the determinants of consumers’ purchase intention for upcycled foods, which are an emerging category of products. Full article

Rapid urbanization has intensified global settlement density, significantly increasing the importance of urban street environmental quality, which profoundly affects residents’ physical and psychological well-being. Traditional methods for evaluating urban environmental quality have largely overlooked dynamic perceptual changes occurring throughout the day, resulting in incomplete assessments. To bridge this methodological gap, this study presents an innovative approach combining advanced deep learning techniques with time-series street view imagery (SVI) analysis to systematically quantify spatio-temporal variations in the perceived environmental quality of pedestrian-oriented streets. It further addresses two central questions: how perceived environmental quality varies spatially across sections of a pedestrian-oriented street and how these perceptions fluctuate temporally throughout the day. Utilizing Golden Street, a representative living street in Shanghai’s Changning District, as the empirical setting, street view images were manually collected at 96 sampling points across multiple time intervals within a single day. The collected images underwent semantic segmentation using the DeepLabv3+ model, and emotional scores were quantified through the validated MIT Place Pulse 2.0 dataset across six subjective indicators: “Safe,” “Lively,” “Wealthy,” “Beautiful,” “Depressing,” and “Boring.” Spatial and temporal patterns of these indicators were subsequently analyzed to elucidate their relationships with environmental attributes. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating deep learning models with time-series SVI for assessing urban environmental perceptions, providing robust empirical insights for urban planners and policymakers. The results emphasize the necessity of context-sensitive, temporally adaptive urban design strategies to enhance urban livability and psychological well-being, ultimately contributing to more vibrant, secure, and sustainable pedestrian-oriented urban environments. Full article

Burn injuries result in complex physiological and psychological sequelae, including hypermetabolism, muscle wasting, mobility impairment, scarring, and disrupted body image. While advances in acute care have improved survival, comprehensive rehabilitation strategies are critical for restoring function, appearance, and psychosocial well-being. Structured physical activity, including resistance and aerobic training, plays a central role in counteracting muscle atrophy, improving cardiovascular function, enhancing scar quality, and promoting psychological resilience and body image restoration. This narrative review synthesizes the current evidence on the effects of exercise-based interventions on post-burn recovery, highlighting their therapeutic mechanisms, clinical applications, and implementation challenges. In addition to physical training, emerging technologies such as virtual reality, aquatic therapy, and compression garments offer promising adjunctive benefits. Notably, artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining traction in burn rehabilitation through its integration into wearable biosensors and telehealth platforms that enable real-time monitoring, individualized feedback, and predictive modeling of recovery outcomes. These AI-driven tools have the potential to personalize exercise regimens, support remote care, and enhance scar assessment and wound tracking. Overall, the integration of exercise-based interventions with digital technologies represents a promising, multimodal approach to burn recovery. Future research should focus on optimizing exercise prescriptions, improving access to personalized rehabilitation tools, and advancing AI-enabled systems to support long-term recovery, functional independence, and positive self-perception among burn survivors. Full article

This study builds on Davis’ TAM by integrating environmental and psychological variables relevant to AI medical diagnostics. This study developed a mathematical theoretical model called the “AI medical diagnosis-acceptance evaluation model” (AMD-AEM) to better understand acceptance behavior intention. Using mathematical modeling, we established reflective measurement model indicators and structural equation relationships, where linear structural equations illustrate the interactions among latent variables. In 2025, we collected empirical data from 2380 patients and medical staff who have experience with AI diagnostic systems in teaching hospitals in central Taiwan. Smart PLS 3 was employed to validate the AMD-AEM model. The results reveal that perceived usefulness (PU) and information quality (IQ) are the primary predictors of acceptance behavior intention (ABI). Additionally, perceived ease of use (PE) indirectly influences ABI through PU and attitude toward use (ATU). AI emotional perception (AEP) notably shows a significant positive relationship with ATU, highlighting that warm and positive human–AI interactions are crucial for user acceptance. IQ was identified as a mediating variable, with variance accounted for (VAF) coefficient analysis confirming its complete mediation effect on the path from ATU to ABI. This indicates that information quality enhances user attitudes and directly increases acceptance behavior intention. The AMD-AEM model demonstrates an excellent fit, providing valuable insights for academia and the healthcare industry. Full article

Understanding the effectiveness of suicide prevention measures for high-risk locations can often be challenging as many rely, at least to some degree, on psychological processes (e.g., engaging with help-seeking behaviours). Establishing how these measures may influence decision-making during a suicide attempt could be helpful for understanding how and when they may be most effective at preventing deaths. In the present work, we consider how suicide prevention measures may influence “goal pursuit” as it unfolds. Drawing on findings from across the suicide prevention literature, we apply the descriptive framework outlined in GOAL Architecture to consider how different measures may shape perceptions of “distance”, “time”, and “rate of progress” and, in turn, could influence levels of motivational drive associated with specific acts (e.g., “accessing means for suicide”). This is discussed in relation to real-time decisions around accessing means for suicide, avoiding intervention by a third party, and engaging in help-seeking behaviours. As well as the psychological processes that could encourage or prevent an individual from disengaging from a suicide attempt, we also consider potential risks and the influence of person-level factors. Full article

Urban wetlands are increasingly recognized for their ecological and cultural benefits, yet remain underutilized due to limited public awareness and environmental literacy. This study investigates how visitors’ perceptions of wetland ecosystem services influence their motivations to engage with a constructed wetland in Putrajaya, Malaysia. By integrating the ecosystem services framework with push-pull motivation theory, the research aims to bridge knowledge gaps and inform sustainable wetland tourism planning. A structured questionnaire was administered to 420 visitors, with 385 valid responses (response rate: 91.7%). Data were analyzed using non-parametric tests (Kruskal–Wallis, Spearman correlation) and multiple regression analysis. Results show that cultural and regulating services are perceived most positively, while emotional restoration and aesthetic appreciation emerged as key motivational drivers. Regression findings reveal that push factors are stronger predictors of ecosystem service engagement than pull factors. These insights highlight the importance of emotional and psychological connections to nature, offering practical implications for urban wetland management, visitor education and environmental communication strategies. Full article

Many recent discoveries highlight the existence of a robust bidirectional link between nutrition and psychological processes. Despite these developments, the systematic and formalized study of this connection is only beginning to be undertaken, and nutritional psychology is not yet considered a formal area of study within the psychological sciences. This paper defines the scope of nutritional psychology through 6 core areas of conceptualization, each informed by an interdisciplinary and growing body of evidence spanning the psychological and nutritional sciences. These include the diet-conative/affective, diet-cognitive, diet-sensory/perception, diet-interoceptive, diet-psychosocial, and diet-environmental relationships. Introducing these conceptualizations contributes to the development of innovative interdisciplinary language, method, and conceptualization of the diet-mental health relationship within nutritional psychology. Full article