Behavioural Science

Takaful, an emerging Islamic insurance model has yet to acquire broad traction in Uganda. The objective of this paper was to assess the significance of subjective norms and perceived behavioral control on takaful purchase intention among subscribers of House of Zakat and Waqf Uganda. Based on the Theory of Behavioral Control, the study employed quantitative methodology and Smart PLS 4.0 software to analyze data from 337 respondents. The findings revealed that subjective norms and perceived behavioral control influence takaful purchase intention. The findings further affirmed that religiosity has a significant relationship with subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. The study reinforces the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by empirically validating that subjective norms and perceived behavior control positively influence the intention to adopt takaful. Further, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of a quantitative approach in testing TPB constructs, providing a validated model and reliable measurement tools that can be replicated in a similar context. The paper offers practical implications and recommendations for takaful practitioners, stressing the possibility for increased takaful purchasing intention and its acceptance in Uganda.

In this article I question the system of 'Nudging' as offering any helpful solutions to men and women, other than by its own explanation, and philosophical Libertarian Paternalist birthright, being a form of mass manipulation of men and women, thus providing Corporate jurisdictional unfair advantage to some small groups over all others. I also ask logically how any acceptance of the inherent rationale for such widespread, no liability, legally sanctioned "Nudging" being based on an argument where men and women are not able to make good choices for themselves, so other men and women must, is in any way cogent if all men and women are incapable, including those engaged in selecting the Nudges? I argue also that the paradigm within which Nudging exists is not even philosophically viable as an accepted premise, when pitted against prolific research into respected scientific investigations and replicated experiments about the psycho-biological makeup of men and women. I suggest, therefore, that 'Nudging' may be more akin to an economical tactic to continue the Libertarian Paternalist argument of perpetuating self-slavery by consent, and I echo others in the hypotheses that it also contradicts itself through its non-disclosure of actual choices. This article is titled "Thinking about Nudging as a self-proclaimed, no Liability, tactic of manipulation on men and women" to encourage more thinking and sharing of ideas by Scholars so that alternative Societal Systems might be developed more equitably and return to a respect for each other's physical and psychological self-accountability and the right to freedom of choice for every one of us, without the need to choose jurisdictions, for fictional economical systematic purposes.

This study aims to highlight the reliance of Pakistan's rural population on faith healers. As several studies reviewed in this paper demonstrate, there has been a surge in faith healing practices across the country. While these practices are at times perceived as improving wellbeing, the alarming concern is overreliance on faith healers as the first point of contact, which contributes to delays in accessing formal healthcare. The study employed a qualitative meta-synthesis approach, identifying and analyzing existing literature across three domains: temporal, spatial, and relevance to the study's objectives. The findings revealed three recurring themes: 1) structural and economic barriers, 2) erosion of trust in medical practitioners, and 3) faith healers as custodians and safeguards against illness. The study concludes that the domain of faith healing in Pakistan remains unregulated and under-researched. Further primary studies in this area could provide healthcare policymakers with valuable insights to design interventions that secure and improve the lives of the rural population of Pakistan.

Wprowadzenie i cel: Motywów koncentracji na własnych procesach psychicznych jest wiele. W niniejszym badaniu autorzy starają się odpowiedzieć na pytanie, czy młodzi dorośli z perfekcjonistycznym rysem osobowości są bliżsi ruminacyjnemu czy refleksyjnemu typowi samoświadomości prywatnej. Materiał i metody: W badaniu wzięło udział 183 zdrowych osób w wieku 18-30 lat (M = 20,87, SD = 3,24), z czego 57% stanowiły kobiety. Zastosowano The Big Three Perfectionism Scale Martina M. Smitha oraz Kwestionariusz Ruminacji-Refleksji Paula D. Trapnella i Jennifer D. Campbell w polskiej adaptacji Aleksandry Słowińskiej i wsp. (2014). Wyniki: Wyniki wskazują, że perfekcjonizm jest pozytywnie związany z ruminacyjnym typem samoświadomości prywatnej. Refleksyjność, jako poznawcza ciekawość samego siebie, reprezentuje bardziej dojrzały sposób funkcjonowania, dla którego perfekcjonizm nie jest potrzebny. Z kolei perfekcjonizm jest silnie związany z krytyczną samooceną i ma wiele wspólnego z ruminacyjną formą samoświadomości. Samokrytyczny perfekcjonizm staje się zatem strategią, która poprzez zwiększenie ruminacji, tj. myślenia o przeszłych i możliwych niepowodzeniach, w opinii osoby chroni ją przed popełnianiem kolejnych niepowodzeń. Z kolei perfekcjonizm wielkościowy chroni przed ruminacjami. Ludzie nie dostrzegają swoich błędów i dlatego nie ruminują o nich. Wnioski: W oparciu o The Three Big Perfectionism Scale wyniki potwierdzają związek ruminacyjnego typu samoświadomości prywatnej z perfekcjonizmem i jego brak między typem refleksyjnym a perfekcjonizmem. Słowa kluczowe: ruminacja, refleksja, perfekcjonizm, samoświadomość Introduction and objective: Motives for self-observation can be diverse. This study aims to determine whether young adults with perfectionistic personality traits are closer to the ruminative or reflective type of private self-consciousness. Materials and methods: The study involved 183 healthy individuals aged 18-30 years (M = 20.87, SD = 3.24), with women accounting for 57%. The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS) by Smith and the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire (RRQ) by Trapnell and Campbell were used. Results: The results indicate that perfectionism is positively related to the ruminative type of selfconsciousness. Reflexivity, as cognitive curiosity about oneself, represents a more mature way of functioning for which perfectionism is unnecessary. In contrast, perfectionism is strongly associated with critical self-examination and has much in common with the ruminative form of self-consciousness. Self-critical perfectionism thus becomes a strategy whereby increased rumination, i.e. ruminating about past and potential failures, leads individuals to believe they are preventing future failures. Conversely, grandiose perfectionism protects against rumination. Individuals do not perceive their mistakes and, therefore, do not ruminate about them. Conclusions: Based on the Three Big Perfectionism Scale, the results confirm the association of the ruminative type of private self-consciousness with perfectionism and its absence between the reflective type and perfectionism.

The proliferation of audio deepfake technology poses significant threats to digital security, particularly in multilingual contexts such as India, where diverse languages are widely used. This paper presents a robust and lightweight CNN-Transformer hybrid model designed for audio deepfake detection in major Indian languages, including Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. The proposed model addresses two critical challenges in deepfake detection: domain generalization and computational efficiency. By integrating multiple feature types-Mel spectrograms, LFCC, and Wav2Vec-and leveraging Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for spatial feature extraction, Transformer layers with multi-scale attention for temporal dependencies, and a spectral-temporal gating mechanism for feature fusion, the model achieves superior performance across diverse audio environments, including low-quality and noisy data. Additionally, the model is optimized for edge devices using pretraining, quantization, knowledge distillation, and pruning, ensuring real-time performance with minimal accuracy loss. Evaluated on a novel dataset of nearly 10,000 samples per language, alongside ASVspoof 2021 and in-the-wild datasets, the model achieves a test accuracy of 98.07% (validation accuracy of 98.62%) with precision and recall scores of 0.98 and 0.98 on the test set, respectively. The study also analyzes trade-offs between model size, inference speed, and detection accuracy, offering insights into practical deployment. This work advances audio forensics by providing a scalable, efficient, and language-agnostic solution to counter audio deepfakes in resource-constrained settings.

Products offered through Islamic channels are becoming more and more popular, however, research into the specific factors influencing customers' intentions while buying life insurance in an Islamic setting is lacking. By providing perspectives on the dynamics of consumer intention in the market for products given to Muslim customers, this research seeks to fill the existing gap in the literature. The data from 300 respondents were examined using partial least squares structural equation modelling to ascertain how the variables related to one another. This study provides insightful information about the factors influencing Islamic marketing and customers' decisions to buy life insurance. About Pakistan, this paper adds nothing less than a novelty to the body of literature by delving into the factors that influence Islamic marketing leads to customer intention and utilizing more sophisticated statistical methods such as partial least square structural equation modelling and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).

Life insurance product satisfaction is quite challenging in Pakistan. Customers rarely seem satisfied with the life insurance product offer by insurer. Takaful is the successful channel in Pakistan to achieve customer market but the only tool is the word of mouth which keep the customer satisfied to avail the product. This research will explore the factors influence the product satisfaction of Takaful customer through word of mouth. The rationale of this research is to drive implications for the Takaful system during product pitch and customer services and increase volume of Takaful customers. This study was conducted using a qualitative methodology. Semi-structured interview transcripts have been used as a tool for research using thematic analysis. The findings, which take the shape of a theme made up of the factors that were explored are Word of mouth can have an impact on a Takaful customer to purchase a specific product, Trust is the strategic variable for Takaful distributors to achieve customer market, To ensure that all operations are conducted in accordance with sharia law, trust is crucial, Word of mouth develop customer satisfaction towards product with the element of religiosity. Trust is the strategy that Takaful company should create a plan or make an effort to train their agent or Takaful company representatives on providing effective administrative and communication services to their potential and current Family Takaful customers to ensure that all the Family Takaful participants receive the correct information on their contracts.

This chapter begins with a brief review of the literature that highlights what psychology research and practice can offer to cybersecurity education. The authors draw on their wide-ranging inter-disciplinary teaching experience, and in this chapter, they discuss their observations gained from teaching psychological principles and methods to undergraduate and postgraduate cybersecurity students. The authors pay special attention to the consideration of the characteristics of cybersecurity students so that psychology is taught in a way that is accessible and engaging. Finally, the authors offer some practical suggestions for academics to help them incorporate psychology into the cybersecurity curriculum.

In 2018, embarking upon my PhD in Education, I conducted a literature review. My preliminary findings came to a determination of three key points, as presented below. However, during the Covid-19 context, 2020-22, there was a rapid shift in the sector to teaching online and a consequent shift in the literature. I believe it noteworthy to present this piece to the academic community to highlight what I perceive as a move in the literature findings. Now, in 2023, there is clear evidence that Higher Education is moving towards digital nudging (Brown et al., 2023; Plak et al., 2023). It is important for Learning Development professionals to consider the ethical implications of this change and how nudging might be used in virtual learning environments, especially given the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence, which is likely to be deployed alongside learning analytics to shape students' learning behaviours.

Civil society forums have historically been heralded as critical spaces for democratic engagement, collective agency, and the articulation of grassroots interests in political processes. Yet, the increasing phenomenon of political deployment within these forums represents a fraught intersection between genuine emancipatory potential and the reproduction of hegemonic power dynamics that undermine their foundational ideals. This complex tension must be analyzed through a multidimensional lens that takes into account the political economy of power, epistemic violence and the ethical responsibility inherent in consequence management. Drawing from the decolonial insights, the cultural-political analyses and the psychological and philosophical inquiries, this discourse unpacks the layered implications of political deployment, interrogating its effects on autonomy, identity and the possibilities for genuine social transformation.

This is a conceptual paper to study the role of privacy in the behavior model for persuasive ubiquitous technology. The study reviews the literature on the factors of persuasive technology, particularly in ubiquitous and pervasive computing. These factors are motivation, ability and trigger. The paper goes on to analyze privacy factor that also plays important role in ubiquitous technology. In theory, although there are some models that explain persuasive technology, including Fogg Behavioral Model that is highly referenced, the inclusion of the privacy, especially in the area of location-based services (LBS) is almost none. Therefore, building on the importance of upholding user privacy, the research is proposed to extend Fogg's model. Several methods will be deployed. First, a quantitative survey to assess the current users' awareness of the persuasive and manipulative part of the technology. Second, a qualitative technique to gather more inclusive understanding of the issue from the viewpoints of users, developer and government agencies. Third, based on the findings, a model will be developed and tested via a quasi experiment that deploys an intervention module. The research is significant and important for the society and national development in several aspects; 1) promoting a comprehensive data protection policy development of cyber security, 2) providing rules to persuasive technology developer on the dos' and don'ts, and 3) educating the society about cyber ethics and privacy.

Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) face numerous obstacles, such as a lack of funding, which hinder their growth and expansion. They must have access to long-term funding to improve and modernise their operations competitively. This study aims to incorporate Shariah-compliant crowd funding among MSMEs in Borno state of Nigeria. It applies partial least squares  structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 341 MSMEs and recommends the need to educate and enlighten them about the benefits of Islamic crowdfunding. The study also recommends the need to produce guidelines that will help in developing a legal and regulatory framework for the incorporation of crowdfunding into corporate financing structures. Finally, it is recommended that religious leaders at various levels organise educational programmes on the importance of Shariah-compliant crowdfunding.    

This study investigates the underlying factors contributing to vaccine reluctance among parents in rural communities within South Sudan’s Greater Upper Nile Region, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 3, which emphasizes reducing child mortality through expanded immunization coverage. Despite global advancements, vaccine hesitancy persists in under-resourced settings. A cross-sectional study involving 375 parents or caregivers across Bor South, Malakal, and Rubkona counties employed a mixed-methods approach, combining structured surveys, desk reviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with 24 participants, and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 12 healthcare providers. The research examined key determinants of hesitancy, including socio-economic status, cultural beliefs, knowledge gaps, and the influence of healthcare providers. Findings showed that 69.9% of children were fully vaccinated, while 30.1% were partially or entirely unvaccinated, with primary barriers being financial constraints (74.7%), transportation difficulties (51.7%), and long distances to health facilities (47.7%). Concerns about vaccine safety (86.4%) and lack of awareness (42.1%) also played a significant role. Encouragingly, 96.2% of respondents expressed openness to new vaccines, and 82.7% indicated that support or incentives would improve uptake. In conclusion, while vaccine acceptance is generally high, systemic and informational challenges hinder full coverage, underscoring the need for culturally sensitive, community-based interventions to enhance immunization rates among children in the region.

Much of Australia's frontier history is based on myth and oral tradition. What remains of written accounts-such as recollections and reminiscences from early settlement to the late 1900s-are fragile, increasingly lost to time, out of print, behind a digital paywall, fading from our collective memory, protected by denialism, or dismissed by some as 'black armband', contributing to what the esteemed Australian anthropologist EH Stanner once called 'the cult of forgetfulness' and the 'great Australian silence'. The rise of settlerism was a defining legacy that has shaped our migrant society, and its impact can only be acknowledged by confronting the past and seeking reconciliation, truth-telling, a Makarrata, which, without majority political and electoral support, seems perpetually elusive. A brief introduction to Recollections of a (homicidal) frontier Australia was born in violence. But what happens after? More violence? Or another path. Over the millennia, human history has too often devolved to competitive tribalism: Hindu v Muslim; Canaanites v Israelites; Bedouin v Druze; Shia v Sunni; Christian v Muslim; Israelis v Palestinians; communism v capitalism; British v Aboriginals; us and them. 1 What, then, is history? The study of past events, often triggered by tribal interactions? Is history, among other things, a record of territorial disputes around land ownership, or the contest between races, or the war on Nature, or the survival of corporations? Or can it be more?

This study investigates individual and organizational factors and behaviour antecedents that influence journalists to use social media as a news-gathering tool. Here, in this study, it is argued that the implications of social media as a news-gathering tool may be better understood by learning more about the behavioural antecedents mentioned below. Based on the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA), we examined three antecedents of journalists' behaviour intention: individual's attitude, perceived social norms (injunctive norms, descriptive norms), and perceived behavioural control (PBC) to use social media as a news-gathering tool. The results of linear regression with a heterogeneous sample of 103 journalists indicated the relevance of all three RAA factors in explaining behaviour intension to use social media as a news-gathering tool. Specifically, the PBC evolved as the strongest motivational aspect, followed by perceived norms as stronger factor while attitude did not significantly impact the behaviour intention to use social media as a news-gathering tool. Hence, it can be suggested that organizational interventions may aim at shaping both norms and behavioural control to improve journalists' behaviour intention to use social media as a newsgathering tool.

Around the world, gender inequalities are striking. Men hold 50% more wealth than women, while 61% of the poorest people are women. The global gender pay gap stands at 19%, and women perform more than three-quarters of unpaid domestic work. Additionally, two-thirds of the world's illiterate population are women, and one-third of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime.

These injustices are exacerbated by insufficient legislation: 67 countries do not consider domestic violence a crime, and 43 countries have no legislation regarding marital rape. The consequences of climate change also disproportionately affect women and girls, who make up 80% of climate-displaced persons. In developing countries, women constitute nearly 50% of the agricultural workforce, but only 13% of these female farmers own the land they cultivate.

However, simply presenting these data does not engage men and women in the same way. We hypothesize that the experience of these injustices is primarily embodied in the victims, and that their physical experience is an essential prerequisite for an intimate and thus engaging understanding of the issue of inequalities conducive to action. In behavioral psychology, this phenomenon is roughly illustrated by the difference between procedural knowledge and declarative knowledge.

To embody these data, we created an immersive role-reversal experiment (mainly involving the distribution of legislative power and reproductive labor with an unequally distributed currency system) with 20 young Malagasy member of a Youth wing (10 men and 10 women). For one week, they lived in a futuristic dystopia where, following global conflicts and climate disasters, women had "taken back" power and applied the same inequalities that exist today in Madagascar. Each day, workshop sessions allowed participants to "open the archives of the world before," confronting them with the real injustices of contemporary Madagascar amidst their fictional daily lives

Trust game is commonly used to study the evolution of trust among unrelated individuals. It offers valuable insights into human interactions in a range of disciplines, including economics, sociology and psychology. Previous research has revealed that reward and punishment systems can effectively promote the evolution of trust. However, these investigations overlook the gaming environment, leaving unresolved the optimal conditions for employing distinct incentives to effectively facilitate trust level. To bridge this gap, we introduce a transformation incentive mechanism in an N-player trust game, where trustees are given different forms of incentives depending on the number of trustees in the group. Using the Markov decision process approach, our research shows that as incentives increase, the level of trust rises continuously, eventually reaching a high level of coexistence between investors and trustworthy trustees. Specifically, in the case of smaller incentives, rewarding trustworthy trustees is more effective. Conversely, in the case of larger incentives, punishing untrustworthy trustees is more effective. Additionally, we find that moderate incentives have a positive impact on increasing the average payoff within the group.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) both play a pivotal role in enhancing the organizational digitalization process. AI is specifically designed to support humans at work, and it is Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) that creates the AI system. In the culture and climate at the workplace, the integration of AI may seem static, but Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) possess dynamic qualities. The dynamic nature of Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) creates a nurturing organizational environment, while AI's static characteristics may reduce conflict by eliminating emotion-driven responses such as sensations, emotions, and beliefs to support an AI-generated culture and climate. The purpose of this study is to provide a commentary on how AI influences organizational culture and climate in comparison to Human Intelligent Minds (HIM). Qualitative analysis was employed for the commentary, incorporating subjective evaluation. The theoretical model was used to enhance the subjective gravity. For the commentary, relevant literature was reviewed. Within a constructivist paradigm, an interpretative analysis was applied to give a meaningful, opinion-based commentary. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) are not alike; they differ in their emotional state of mind and calculative memorizing capacities. AI can have the job done in an instant without corroborating the working cultural environment. HIM's working environment is significantly high with sensational and emotional richness. This produces dynamic harmony and open conflicts, thus generating non-programmed strategies when needed. AI has never learned to say no to any command of a human, thus satisfying the needs of human queries and tasks. Any interaction with a human is recorded and can be used for or against humans in the future. Humans tend to forget and skip work, and within the human working system, social loafing is very much visible. If AI develops an advanced version of capabilities to compete amongst themselves without the support from HIM, it may develop a self-nurturing climate within the AI's environment. Nevertheless, HIM can be both multi-talented and multi-tasking in the given context with specific tasks and at the same time.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) both play a pivotal role in enhancing the organizational digitalization process. AI is specifically designed to support humans at work, and it is Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) that creates the AI system. In the culture and climate at the workplace, the integration of AI may seem static, but Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) possess dynamic qualities. The dynamic nature of Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) creates a nurturing organizational environment, while AI's static characteristics may reduce conflict by eliminating emotion-driven responses such as sensations, emotions, and beliefs to support an AI-generated culture and climate. The purpose of this study is to provide a commentary on how AI infl uences organizational culture and climate in comparison to Human Intelligent Minds (HIM). Qualitative analysis was employed for the commentary, incorporating subjective evaluation. The theoretical model was used to enhance the subjective gravity. For the commentary, relevant literature was reviewed. Within a constructivist paradigm, an interpretative analysis was applied to give a meaningful, opinion-based commentary. Artifi cial Intelligence (AI) and Human Intelligent Minds (HIM) are not alike; they diff er in their emotional state of mind and calculative memorizing capacities. AI can have the job done in an instant without corroborating the working cultural environment. HIM's working environment is signifi cantly high with sensational and emotional richness. This produces dynamic harmony and open confl icts, thus generating non-programmed strategies when needed. AI has never learned to say no to any command of a human, thus satisfying the needs of human queries and tasks. Any interaction with a human is recorded and can be used for or against humans in the future. Humans tend to forget and skip work, and within the human working system, social loafing is very much visible. If AI develops an advanced version of capabilities to compete amongst themselves without the support from HIM, it may develop a self-nurturing climate within the AI's environment. Nevertheless, HIM can be both multi-talented and multi-tasking in the given context with specifi c tasks and at the same time.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-perfectionism, dyadic perfectionism, and marital satisfaction among graduate students. Respondents were recruited based on purposive sampling. A total of 30 graduate students participated in the study. The result shows that dyadic perfectionism is significantly correlated with marital satisfaction in a negative direction. Respondents who hold high standard and high discrepancy to their partner tend to be less satisfied in their marriage. Implication to counselling service is discussed.

The perfectionism-stress connection is frequently studied, yet research in this area often overlooks the role of physiological processes. This research helps address this gap by testing two psychophysiological models of perfectionism, stress, and emotional dysfunction in daily life. Study 1 tested the impact of perfectionism on diurnal cortisol levels through stress generation, stress reactivity, and depressive symptoms. A sample of undergraduates (N = 127) completed questionnaires and provided samples of salivary cortisol twice daily over three days. Results suggested self-critical perfectionism influences diurnal cortisol through multiple pathways. People high in self-critical perfectionism are vulnerable to depressive symptoms, especially during periods of high stress, and depressed symptoms showed a blunting effect on diurnal cortisol intercept (i.e., waking cortisol). People high in self-critical perfectionism also demonstrated elevated cortisol intercept, relative to people lower on this trait, during periods of low stress. These findings suggest self-critical perfectionists find themselves vulnerable to HPA-axis dysregulation directly through stress reactivity and indirectly through depressive symptoms. Study 2 expanded on Study 1 by disentangling the unique effects of neuroticism, perfectionistic strivings, and self-critical perfectionism on emotional distress, fatigue, vigor, and heart rate variability through stress generation and eventfocused rumination. I used a multi-method experience sampling design in a sample of 100 working professionals over a 7-day period. Multilevel path analysis showed neuroticism uniquely predicted stress-reactive rumination and emotional distress, whereas self-critical perfectionism uniquely predicted daily stressors. Perfectionistic strivings showed no unique effects beyond other personality traits. Within-person results showed daily stressors uniquely predicted emotional distress and fatigue, while stressreactive rumination uniquely predicted emotional distress, decreased vigor, and increased heart rate variability. Between-person results showed stress-reactive rumination predicted emotional distress, fatigue, and decreased heart rate variability. Results suggest neuroticism and self-critical perfectionism function uniquely and synergistically to produce negative stress sequelae through stress generation and event-focused rumination. Together, these studies support stress generation and stress reactivity as key processes in the relation between perfectionism and psychophysiological stress. This research highlights the benefit of studying day-to-day processes and elucidates the importance of psycho-physiological measurement in understanding the effects of personality on stress processes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

This research examines how different natural scents influence the mood and concentration levels of teenagers during studying. By exploring the effects of aromas such as ground coffee, peppermint, lemon peels and rosemary oil, the study aims to identify which scents can enhance focus, reduce anxiety and provide comfort. The experiment is going to be conducted in a classroom with 10 volunteers of both genders given certain odors in a container to smell throughout the research while they take a 15-minute simple math quiz. Subjective data will be self-reported by the participants, rating their mood on a 10-point scale and provide written descriptions. The math quizzes answers will prove the concentration levels of both gender participants. The findings will contribute to understanding the potential of scent-based interventions to boost academic performance and well-being in adolescents.

Ficus carica L. is one of the earliest cultivated fruit trees, and figs are a typical fruit of the Mediterranean diet and traditional medicine as well. In recent years, a new pest, the black weevil Aclees taiwanensis Kȏno, 1933 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) native to Asia, has been recorded in France and Italy. Aclees taiwanensis causes the rapid death of the fig tree by its larvae that dig alimentation galleries in the trunk and surface roots, compromising the phloem flux. In Italy, from 2005, the year of the first detection of A. taiwanensis, the fig production has nearly halved, decreasing from 20.09 t to 10.65 t. To date, no specific EU regulation has been applied to prevent the A. taiwanensis spread, and we can reasonably expect a rapid diffusion of this pest all over the Mediterranean area. To avoid the loss of the Mediterranean fig orchards, effective strategies to detect and control the black weevil are required. Such strategies need a detailed knowledge of A. taiwanensis dist...

Belief in a Just World (BJW) can be categorised into domains of how people view the fairness of their immediate social worlds (Personal Belief in a Just World–PBJW) and the wider world (General Belief in a Just World–GBJW). We conducted two studies with 179 (Study 1) and 364 (Study 2) participants to examine differential relationships that PBJW and GBJW could have in directly predicting mental wellbeing and depression and indirectly via three mediators of perceived control, optimism, and gratitude. Path analyses examined how well data from each study fit 13 different models. Models 1 to 4 tested whether PBJW directly and indirectly via the three mediators predicted wellbeing (Model 1) and depression (Model 3) and if GBJW likewise directly and indirectly predicted wellbeing (Model 2) and depression (Model 4). These four models had the best supported statistical fit for either Study 1 or 2 relative to other models. In both studies when explaining the effect of PBJW on wellbeing and de...

features Antonio Camurri, Paolo Coletta, Barbara Mazzarino, Stefano Piana DELIVERABLE D4.2 Grant Agreement no. 289021 Project acronym ASC-Inclusion Project title Integrated Internet-Based Environment for Social Inclusion of Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions Contractual date of delivery 31 October 2012 Actual date of delivery 31 October 2012 Deliverable number D4.2 Deliverable title Implementation of EyesWeb low-level features Type Report, Public Number of pages 15 WP contributing to the deliverable WP 4 (Nonverbal Expressive Gesture Analysis) Responsible for task Antonio Camurri (UNIGE) antonio.camurri@unige.it

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health conditions and often have chronic courses requiring long-term management. This study evaluates whether supplementing standard pharmacotherapy with brief psychosocial interventions (including psychoeducation, short-term psychotherapy, and progressive muscle relaxation) leads to superior long-term outcomes in anxiety disorders compared to pharmacotherapy alone. Methods: We analyzed data from 7,334 patients with anxiety disorders seen over 12 years at the Central Institute of Behavioral Sciences. Patients were categorized into three anxiety types-state-related (acute, situational anxiety), stress-related (trauma-or stress-triggered anxiety), and trait-related (chronic, generalized anxiety)-and divided into two groups: one receiving combined psychosocial interventions plus medication, and one receiving only medication. Anxiety severity was measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Clinical Global Impression scales for severity (CGI-S) and improvement (CGI-I) at baseline and ~2-year follow-up. Results: Patients who received brief psychotherapy and psychoeducation alongside pharmacotherapy showed significantly greater reductions in anxiety severity across all anxiety types. On average, the combined-intervention group had a ~60% reduction in HAM-A scores over 24 months, versus ~45% in the medication-only group, with corresponding improvements in CGI-S and CGI-I scores. For example, remission rates (minimal or no symptoms) were higher in the combined group (approximately 45-50%) compared to the medication-only group (30-40%). Conclusions:Ultra-Brief psychotherapy, psychoeducational support, and relaxation training used in conjunction with pharmacotherapy substantially improved long-term anxiety outcomes, as evidenced by greater symptom reduction and global improvement ratings. These findings underscore the value of integrating psychosocial interventions into the standard treatment of anxiety disorders to achieve better patient outcomes.

Cross-cultural and gender differences as predictors of workaholic and perfectionist attitudes during the Covid-19 pandemic ABSTRACT. This cross-cultural study examines the phenomena of workaholism and perfectionism across European and Asian cultures during the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 2617 recipients aged 18-70 years from Asia (China, India and Indonesia) and Europe (Bulgaria, Germany and Hungary) completed questionnaires about workaholism (DUWAS) and perfectionism (MPS). The study's goal was to reveal whether Asian and European cultures mediate differently the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on these phenomena, and change their psychological dimensions in a different way. The results were processed with SPSS-25 and analysis of the data revealed that the way in which Covid-19 affects workaholics' and perfectionists' attitudes depends on cultural and gender differences. For example, the cultural differences affect the dimensions of workaholism (workaholism excessive / workaholism compulsive) in such a way that in the Asian sample, unlike the European, there is a significant increase in the level of workaholism compulsive. Concerning perfectionism, the analysis reveals that when comparing the two samples, the representatives of Asian culture, unlike European participants, show a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the levels of the three dimensions self-oriented, other-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. Particularly remarkable are the differences concerning socially prescribed perfectionism in the Asian sample (d = 0.56; d = 0.55), which reflects the individual's desire to be perfect in order to meet the expectations of others.

Le me start by telling you a story. Tom a 17 year old was driving home after his soccer match. Out of nowhere came a car from the front straight into him. Brakes screeched. Tom was flung out of his car into a neighbouring compound. While he was in the air he remembers seeing his left arm still sitting in the car. He was a left hander. What happened next is eerie. Even after recovery from the hospital, he could still feel the presence of his arm. He would extend that arm to pick up the phone, tuck his brother into bed and started getting fearful and paranoid. Philadelphia physician Silas Mitchel described this phenomenon after the American civil war and called it a phantom hand. The frayed and curled up nerves in the stump that supplied the limbs get irritated and inflamed and send signals to the brain centres which believes that there is a limb. Neuroscientist Dr. V.S. Ramachandran is internationally renowned for uncovering answers to the deep and quirky questions of human nature that few scientists have dared to address. He has dealt with the phantom concept In his book Phantoms in the Brain. Strange but true. This brings me to my topic Human mind and body connect. Before I delve into the topic let's try to understand the what is a brain and what is a mind. Are they the same or different? Each learning, each person, every single experience is represented in our brain by a network of neurons. The denser the network, means more synaptic connections there are within that network,-the stronger that information is, the easier we will recall it. Put a person in a positive supportive environment and our brain will learn that we can trust others. So ensure that the school and home are sae environments. When you teach theme teaching or use integrated approach , the neurons make connections and the memory is long lasting. Teaching therefore, cannot be done in silos but linked to the earlier concepts taught. Now put that same person in a fearful environment subject to physical or emotional harm and he will learn this as well. This is due to neuroplasticity of the brain. But, this gift of nature has far reaching consequences. Human and body connect May 13, 2023 Not only should we be aware of it but we have a duty to choose wisely whatever we decide to dedicate our lives to. Lets take for example, A soldier risking his life serving for his country he will have developed the same set of skills than a terrorist plotting the destruction of his sworn enemies. Neuroplasticity of the brain has no moral compass. What then is the mind? Is it different from the brain? 1. The brain, the most intricate organ in the body, has about 86 billion active neurons, which interact with each other to create circuits and exchange information. The mind is a concept that has been debated and explored by scholars, scientists, and theologians for centuries. It can be defined as the complex network of thought processes and consciousness that arises from the neurological activity of the brain. 2. Mind skills can be trained, while brain function cannot be changed. It can be rewired in the sense that if you try to button your shirt with the nonpreferred hand , over a period of time the brain gets adjusted to do it. Research has found that the pilots can fly the virtual planes even when they are seated upside down! Mind skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, creativity, and communication can all be trained over time to increase the effectiveness of a person's mental processes. Your mind is in fact an ongoing construction of your brain, your body, and the surrounding world. 3. Things in space have a position, at least, and a height, a depth, and a length, or one or more of these. Mental entities, on the other hand, do not have these characteristics. We cannot say that a mind is a two-by-two-by-two-inch cube or a sphere with a twoinch radius, for example, located in a position in space inside the skull. Actually, the average male had a brain volume of 1,274 cubic centimetres (cm3) and that the average female brain measured 1,131 cm3 Lets move to some incredible work done by neuro scientists which indicates the power of the mind over the brain.

Obesity, smoking, low level of physical activity, lack of fruit and vegetable intake, and harmful consumption of alcohol, all are established risk factors that have undesirable effects on health. These behavioral risk factors are potentially preventable to avoid their adverse effect on health 1-4 as well as their potential economic consequences. Modifying these risk factors is important to be considered in interventions to improve public health. Overweight and obese individuals have been highly stigmatized and discriminated, and they are seen as lazy, less motivated, and unattractive; therefore, they often experience social discrimination in different settings 5 . The negative stereotype stigma of obese individuals in the society may increase the feel of shame and affect their

Contemporary concerns for improving environmental performance in buildings have led to an increased interest in natural ventilation either on its own (NV) or in combination with airconditioning (mixed mode -MM) as an alternative to traditional HVAC systems. HVAC systems are widely used because they avoid many of the problems encountered with NV or MM -noise, dust, insects, odours, temperature extremes -and readily conform to steady state conditions of thermal comfort. However it is possible that NV or MM can provide improved indoor air quality precisely through variations associated with external climate conditions. This paper introduces an ARC funded project evaluating comfort conditions in MM spaces, using field studies from two buildings. The first, a University campus building in Sydney, offers MM perimeter offices with air-conditioned central spaces, while the second, a commercial building in Melbourne, offers a series of MM spaces that can be used by workers from adjacent air-conditioned office spaces. The aim of the project is to evaluate the feasibility of using MM either in place of or in association with traditional HVAC systems. The outcomes of the project will be used to elaborate the justifications for inclusion of NV spaces and/or NV periods within contemporary office environments. This paper presents preliminary results of the field work at each location.

Education is among the top priorities of the Nigerian government and many Nigerian parents. This study was conducted to determine if the average Nigerian young person has a negative perception of education; identify factors influencing the perceptions; and evaluate the influence of social media on the perception of education in Nigeria. The study was based on the Agenda-Setting theory, Uses and Gratifications theory and Cultivation theory. The study adopted Focus Group Discussion method. Ten (10) students were selected using purposive sampling. The study found that there are positive and negative perceptions of education as the level of agreement with the phrase "school na scam" varies. The study found that unemployed graduates and economic hardship are factors causing the negative perception of education. Social media influence the perception of education, especially when there is a high exposure to negative discussion. It is recommended that positive information be amplified on the social media about the value of education.

The research team would like to thank: • the Scottish Government for funding the project • staff and young people from local authorities and school clusters in North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and the Western Isles who contributed so much to this project • staff from Scottish Government, Learning and Teaching Scotland , HMIE, (from August, 2012, Education Scotland), ADES, Local Authorities, School Leaders Scotland, EIS and the University of Aberdeen who contributed to the project's thinking through participation in seminars • Professor Wynne Harlen and Professor Mary James who offered such interesting insights from international research, policy and practice at the research seminar • Professor Paul Black and Professor Graham Donaldson who read drafts of the report and offered perceptive comments to help develop and refine it. • Colleagues attending two invited international assessment seminars in the University of Bergen and in the University of Oxford who offered insights into how some of the more intransigent assessment issues being faced by the project might begin to be addressed • and Jenni Thomson and Rachel Thomas for their invaluable administrative support.

In recent years, the term "addictive personality" has entered everyday language, often used to describe individuals who seem particularly prone to excessive or compulsive behaviors, ranging from substance abuse to gambling, social media use, or even exercise. Although popular discourse has embraced the phrase, psychology as a discipline approaches the concept with more nuance and scientific scrutiny. The notion that certain personality types are inherently more predisposed to addiction raises important questions about nature versus nurture, individual susceptibility, and the psychological makeup of those who struggle with dependency-related behaviors.

Emotional hacking represents an emerging threat in hybrid and cognitive warfare, targeting the human element rather than technological infrastructures. This article introduces the PIMEX platform (Psychological Insight Mapping & Exploration), a narrative psychometrics tool designed to identify and fortify psychological vulnerabilities in defence personnel. By integrating a philosophical perspective rooted in existential patterns and narrative identity, PIMEX offers a novel approach to proactive defence. The paper presents mechanisms of emotional hacking, details the PIMEX model, and proposes operational strategies for defence structures. Expected results include enhanced psychological resilience, improved team coherence, and a reduction in manipulation risks.

This paper explores the origins and dynamics of altruism and self-interest, tracing their manifestations from unicellular organisms to complex human societies. Drawing on examples from evolutionary biology, social psychology, and moral philosophy, the analysis challenges reductionist views that frame altruism as merely derivative of self-interest. Instead, it argues for the existence of innate altruistic dispositions, supported by empirical research and philosophical reflection. The discussion integrates classical and contemporary theories, including evolutionary stable strategies, the bystander effect, and the interplay between empathy, duty, and conscience. The paper also addresses the impact of modern individualism and urbanization on the expression of altruistic behavior, highlighting the risks of egocentrism and dehumanization in contemporary society.

The incidence of multiple primary cancers is reported to be between 0.3% and 4.3%. The second primary lesion is identified either simultaneously with the primary lesion (synchronous) or after a period of time (metachronous). Few cases of metastasis of breast carcinoma to the esophagus and vice versa have been reported in the past. We report an extremely rare case of a 55-year-old Indian woman who had carcinomas in both the esophagus and the breast simultaneously. She was treated successfully using combined modalities of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Cases of synchronous double malignancies can be treated by dealing with the malignancy in the two sites as independent carcinomas. We have to take into consideration the total dose of radiation to a critical organ as well as the effect of the total dose of toxic chemotherapeutic drugs on our patient.

This paper presents an integrative behavioural-psychology account of consciousness and agency, organized into ten interconnected chapters. We begin by reframing perception as an evolutionarily shaped "interface" that prioritizes survival-relevant information over veridical reality. Next, we review seminal neurophysiological findings-readiness potentials and drift-diffusion dynamics-to demonstrate that all actions unfold through causally determined chains from environmental input to motor output. We then examine spontaneous neural oscillations and metastable network states, showing how unconscious brain activity underlies conscious content. Building on compatibilist philosophy, we reconcile determinism with the phenomenology of conscious experience, precisely defining consciousness in terms of reportability, integration, and behavioural modulation.

A green product is intended to have as little environmental impact as possible, both during its whole life cycle, and after it is no longer in use. Typically, a green product has two primary goals, including waste reduction and resource efficiency maximization. This study aimed to analyse the religiosity of customer purchasing intentions and the theory of knowledge in behaviour planned on a green product. For this study, 150 SMEs of green products SMES in Kudus, Central Java, were taken as sampled. Path analysis using SEM was used in this study. The findings are intended to be able to assess the purchase intention of green products, therefore making a beneficial contribution to spreading awareness of the use of environmentally friendly green products.

This paper explores the evolution of leadership coaching, tracing its historical roots and examining the key frameworks that have shaped its modern application. It also delves into the impact of leadership coaching on individuals and organizations, demonstrating how coaching enhances decision-making, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and overall leadership effectiveness. By analyzing the methodologies, benefits, and future trends of leadership coaching, this discussion aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of why leadership coaching is not just an individual advantage but a catalyst for organizational excellence. As the business landscape continues to evolve, leadership coaching remains a powerful force in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

Consumer mortgages have provoked extensive public debate, but traditional regulatory responses — more disclosure, product restrictions and usury laws — are widely seen as clumsy and ineffective. This article examines the possibility of improving consumer mortgage markets through light-touch regulations inspired by behavioral economics. Three regulatory strategies are investigated: targeted and simplified disclosure rules, cooling-off regulations, and the designing of a model mortgage. These strategies are examined using examples from recent or proposed EU and US legislation as well as ideas proposed by experts. With respect to novel disclosure and cooling-off rules, the proposed EU Mortgage Directive is found to include several positive ideas such as the European Standardised Information Sheet. Yet the most promising path seems to be the creation of a model mortgage for unsophisticated borrowers. In addition to proposing novel regulatory strategies, the article contributes to the wider debate on the acceptability of legal paternalism.

Exposure to rotenone, an environmental neurotoxin, is linked to neurodegenerative conditions through mechanisms involving oxidative stress and inflammation. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of Proanthocyanidin from grape seed extract in Drosophila melanogaster subjected to rotenone toxicity. A focused assessment of the effects of a 1 mg/g PGS diet on D. melanogaster intoxicated with 500 μM rotenone over seven days was done. A combination of behavioral and biochemical assays was employed to evaluate antioxidant activities in vivo. Additionally, molecular docking of PGS against acetylcholinesterase a key enzyme in nervous system was investigated. The results indicated that the 1 mg/g of PGS diet significantly enhanced the lifespan of D. melanogaster. Furthermore, this concentration effectively mitigated oxidative stress, as evidenced by improvements in catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, and acetylcholinesterase activities, and restored nitric oxide levels, reinforcing its role in neuroprotective pathways. PSG bound to the same binding domain in acetylcholinesterase as rotenone but with higher proximity to HIS-362. However, PGS exhibited limited efficacy in reversing lipid peroxidation and showed minimal improvement in glutathione levels. Behavioral assessments revealed that the decline in locomotor activity due to rotenone exposure was significantly alleviated by the 1 mg/g Proanthocyanidin from grape seed extract diet. In conclusion, Proanthocyanidin from grape seed demonstrates significant neuroprotective potential against Atere TG et al. (2025). Not Sci Biol 17(1):12341 2 rotenone-induced toxicity in D. melanogaster through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, suggesting mitigating neurodegenerative effects.

The primary aim of the civil avaiation insdustry is to work for the safety and comfort of their clients and customers. This study concentrated on the frontline employees of the aviation industry, the flight attendants who are paid to smile. Energy at workplace is a fairly new concept and is an organisational resource which help employee attain their goals. The aim of the study was to establish the relationship between relational energy and the major issue of emotional labor (deep acting and surface acting) and cognitive flexibility among flight attendants. A correlational research design was used to study the relationship among 39 flight attendants in India. The study revealed that relational energy was positively related to deep acting. Also, relational energy proved to be a significant predictor of deep acting. However, no statistically significant relationships were found between relational energy and surface acting and also between relational energy and cognitive flexibility.

This paper examines the ambiguity of novel metaphors in advertising messages and the ways
it can enhance audience engagement, analysing 25 metaphors from WRAP food waste
reduction campaigns. Drawing on van Leeuwen’s concept of “integrated design” and social
semiotic approaches to multimodal analysis, this study investigates how metaphorical
ambiguity is used to facilitate behavioral change through abductive reasoning. The analysis
reveals that strategic ambiguity functions not as a communicative barrier, but rather as a
semiotic resource that invites active meaning-making within specific sociocultural contexts.
The findings demonstrate that effective behavioral change campaigns benefit from metaphors
that transcend conventional associations through calculated semantic tension. This research
contributes to the existing literature on advertising metaphors and practical campaign design
in sustainability advertising discourse by showcasing how strategic ambiguity can enhance
campaign effectiveness through the integration of multimodal semiotic resources.

This commentary expands Giuseppe Rocchè's critique of Raz's model of exclusionary reasons by addressing its limitations in real-world decision-making. By drawing from theories of bounded rationality and social norms, this commentary highlights how the interplay of cognitive biases and social constraints complicates the exclusionary reasoning process. Bounded rationality reveals cognitive limitations that prevent people from fully filtering biases, even when they intend to follow authority. Whereas research on social norms illustrates how normative pressures lead individuals to align their behaviour with perceived social expectations rather than act purely on rational considerations. These dual constraints underscore a fundamental tension in Raz's framework: the interplay between individual cognitive limitations and contextual social factors. By integrating empirical and theoretical insights, this commentary strengthens Rocchè's critique, offering a more comprehensive perspective on the challenges of human reasoning under authoritative guidance.

The prominent nests mounds of many ant species are one of the most obvious signs of their presence, yet the subterranean architecture of nests is often poorly known. The present work aimed to establish the external and internal structure of nests of a species of leaf-cutting ant, Acromyrmex rugosus rugosus, by either marking the interior of nests with talcum powder, or forming casts with cement. Twelve nests were excavated and surveyed, with eight being marked with talcum powder and four cast with cement. The external and internal structure of the nests was highly variable. The largest and smallest nests had mound areas of 9.89 m 2 and 0.01 m 2 respectively. The number of chambers found ranged from 1 to 26, with maximum dimensions of between 6 and 70 cm. Chambers were found close to the soil surface (6 cm) down to a maximum depth of 3.75 m. In addition to chambers containing fungus garden, some chambers were found to be empty, filled with soil or filled with waste, the first time this has been recorded in a species of Acromyrmex. The nests of A. rugosus rugosus appear to be unusually complex for the genus, containing a diversity of irregular chambers and tunnels.

To explore whether dentists&#39; beliefs and attitudes to providing preventive and restorative dental care for young children can form a barrier to the provision of care. The Barriers to Childhood Caries Treatment (BaCCT) Questionnaire, a standardised international measure was developed and applied. Through a research consortium, each site was asked to recruit 100 dentists. The sample participating was not intended to be nationally representative. Dentists were mainly randomly selected and contacted by mail with one or more mailings depending on site. 2,333 dentists in 14 countries and 17 sites participated. Factor analysis identified four factors as potential barriers. Two factors were found to be barriers in many sites. First, in most countries, dentists agreed that young children&#39;s coping skills limit their ability to accept dental care. Secondly, dentists with negative personal feelings, for example, that providing care can be stressful and troublesome and that they feel tim...

Aim. This study examined the reliability and validity of the Achievement Goal Questionnaire 3x2-Sport (3x2 AGQ-Sport) among Polish athletes (N = 396; aged 18-35 years) in different sports. Tools. The study used a metric that collected basic data, Task Orientation and Ego in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results. Statistical analyses confirmed the validity of the scale. A 6-factor model best fit the 3x2 AGQ-Sport, with measurement invariance across gender, level of sport participation (high-performance vs. recreational athletes), and type of sport (individual vs. team). Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was .93, and subscale alphas ranged from .83 to .91. Test-retest reliability (ICC = .89-.97) was satisfactory. Task-oriented goals and self-oriented goals (3x2 AGQ-Sports) had moderately positive correlations with task orientation (TEOSQ), whereas other-oriented goals (3x2 AGQ-Sports) had moderately positive correlations with ego orientation (TEOSQ), which is consistent with the literature. However, weak correlations between 3x2 achievement goals and state or trait anxiety suggest that increased physical activity may alleviate anxiety symptoms. Analysis of sports participation levels between high-performance and recreational athletes revealed significant differences in other-approach orientation, with high-performance athletes showing higher levels compared to recreational athletes. These results are consistent with research indicating higher performance approach goals among high-performance athletes. Conclusions. The study demonstrates strong psychometric properties of the 3x2 Achievement Goal Questionnaire-Sport
(3x2 AGQ-Sport) in the Polish population, offering insight into goal orientation
and anxiety among athletes of varying levels and gender, with implications for
sports psychology and athlete development.

Key words: cross-cultural adaptation; psychometrics; achievement motivation;
athletes

This study reported the impact of compatibility and perceived risk on the acceptance of Islamic banking products and services among customers in Nigeria. A total of 401 returned and useable questionnaires were used for the analysis. The use of PLS-SEM technique was employed in analyzing the data. The result suggests that compatibility plays an important role in the acceptance of the products and service provided by the Islamic bank in Nigeria. Compatibility explained 36% variance of the acceptance of Islamic banking products and services. Perceived risk was found to have a strong negative effect on the acceptance of the Islamic bank products and service with 28% variance of the adoption being explained. The overall model was found to have a moderate predictive power.