Search Results (2,549)

Household food waste remains a persistent challenge despite widespread pro-environmental intentions. Drawing on Brehm’s Motivational Intensity Theory, this study examined how perceived difficulty and perceived ability interact with motivation to predict self-reported food waste. We surveyed 939 participants in Flanders and Spain, measuring motivation to avoid waste, self-rated perceived ability to manage food, meal planning perceived difficulty, and food waste. Moderated moderation analyses revealed that motivation and perceived ability each independently predicted lower waste. Crucially, a significant three-way interaction showed that motivation most effectively reduced waste when perceived difficulty was low and perceived ability was high; when perceived difficulty exceeded perceived ability, motivation had no mitigating effect. These findings underscore that effort mobilization influenced by both individual capacity and situational demands is key to closing the intention–behavior gap in food waste. Practically, interventions should go beyond raising awareness to simplify tasks and bolster consumers’ skills, aligning action demands with realistic effort levels. Full article

Tourism marketing videos can lead to positive emotions and visit intention. This study investigated the impact of VR and 2D tourism videos on user engagement, perception, and emotional responses. This research adopted a priori coding, analyzed 52 interviews using thematic analysis, and concluded a framework with six dimensions, including interactivity, authenticity, presence, cognitive value, hedonic value, and learning value. Findings indicate that VR videos compared to 2D allow users to explore the environment actively and feel an increased sense of presence. However, challenges such as rapid movement, lack of control, and distractions were also reported. VR does not necessarily lead to a higher sense of authenticity because the fast-paced sequences and distracting elements may negatively affect the experiences. Regarding cognitive values, participants mentioned that the videos increased their knowledge of the destination, particularly the 2D format video maintained viewers’ focus. VR facilitates exploration and may enhance learning value. Videos can also generate hedonic value, as many participants reported the emotions of excitement, happiness, and relaxation while watching videos. The findings extend the literature on immersive experiences in the video context. This research also offers practical insights into tourism marketers to design more engaging and effective tourism videos. Full article

Within the context of urban sustainability, the renewal and activation of communities have received growing attention. Public art, as a common approach to community revitalization, has long been regarded as an effective means of addressing urban and community issues. Basic human senses serve as a bridge between residents and community spaces, offering an effective entry point for creating human-oriented spaces. This study addresses the challenge of insufficient spatial vitality in community spaces by examining how sensory interventions can enhance residents’ participation in public art and thereby contribute to the revitalization of communities. To guide this inquiry, a theoretical framework was constructed based on sensory marketing theory and the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model, focusing on three core dimensions: sensory stimuli, perceptual responses, and behavioral intention. The study further investigated the relationship between public art and residents’ willingness to participate through five types of sensory stimuli, using a measurement scale and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), with eight public art installations in Shanghai serving as case references. It also assessed the relative strength of each effect. Participant interviews and non-participatory observations were subsequently conducted for validation and supplementary analysis. The results show that residents’ participation willingness in community public art is directly influenced by perceptual responses (emotional fluctuations, cognitive memory, and physiological responses), and indirectly influenced by different sensory stimuli. Cognitive memory, shaped mainly by olfactory and visual stimuli, emerged as the most important factor in encouraging participation. Participation willingness also varies across generations, and different sensory stimuli are associated with distinct participation patterns. Based on empirical data from Shanghai’s community activation practices, the study proposes implementation strategies guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to enhance spatial vitality, promote community activation, and support sustainable development. Full article

This study examines how the initiation of monetary compensation and the sincerity of apologies influence customers’ repurchase intentions after receiving products with minor defects, and how these effects are moderated by consumer pickiness and the e-store’s reputation. Two scenario-based, between-subjects online experiments were conducted in China via the Wenjuanxing online survey platform, with participants voluntarily taking part in exchange for monetary compensation. We propose that consumers have a higher repurchase intention when online customer service initiatively offers monetary compensation (vs. passive vs. no compensation) and that the effect of monetary compensation modes can be enhanced by a serious apology from customer service. Building on these findings, Study 1 (n = 330) reveals that picky consumers are more sensitive to the enhanced effect of initiative monetary compensation on repurchase intentions under serious apologies. Moreover, Study 2 (n = 537) confirms that consumers are more stringent in their expectations of high-reputation stores, whereas low-reputation stores can achieve similar positive effects with casual apologies that high-reputation stores only obtain through serious apologies. This study provides theoretical support for the importance of the initiation of actions and sincerity in service recovery and offers guidance for businesses dealing with picky consumers. Full article

Cultural heritage sites play a crucial role in safeguarding identity, fostering cultural exchange, and generating sustainable tourism. Within this context, the Palace Museum in Beijing, which attracts 19 million annual visitors, offers a compelling case for examining the dynamics that shape revisit intention. This study explores the relationships among perceived authenticity, place attachment, destination satisfaction, visitor engagement, and revisit intention within the context of heritage tourism. Using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), data were collected from local visitors to the Palace Museum to analyze both the direct and mediating effects of these constructs. Findings indicate that perceived authenticity significantly enhances both destination satisfaction and visitor engagement, while place attachment makes a strong contribution to visitor engagement. Moreover, visitor engagement emerged as a more influential mediator than destination satisfaction in linking perceived authenticity to revisit intention, showing the importance of immersive and meaningful participation in shaping tourists’ behavioral intentions. These results suggest that while satisfaction remains a relevant concept, strategies that emphasize authenticity-driven experiences and fostering of deeper emotional and participatory bonds are more effective in sustaining revisits. This study advances the understanding of heritage tourism and provides practical insights for managing iconic heritage sites such as the Palace Museum. Full article

Concealed smartphone use while driving (CSUWD), a prevalent and covert form of distracted driving, poses significant threats to road safety. However, the psychological determinants underlying this illegal behavior remain underexplored. A two-wave longitudinal study based on the expanding theory of planned behavior (TPB) investigates the intention and prospective behavior of CSUWD in China. In the first wave, 256 respondents assessed the standard TPB constructs, alongside extended constructs of descriptive norms, moral norms, and perceived risks. Subsequently, 156 participants reported their actual behavior in the second wave. Hierarchical multiple regression results revealed that the traditional TPB variables accounted for 57.1% of intention variance and 45.2% of behavior variance, while extended variables contributed an additional 11.7% to intention variance. All variables, except perceived crash risk, emerged as significant determinants of intention. Notably, the perceived risk of being caught and fined inversely correlated with intention, suggesting a potential disinhibition effect. Both perceived behavioral control and intention were significant determinants of subsequent behavior. The findings underscore the validity of TPB in predicting CSUWD, informing the design of non-legal interventions (e.g., public education advertisement, road awareness campaigns, and technological interventions) to mitigate CSUWD-related distracted driving and promote sustainable transportation systems. Full article

This study investigates the interpretation of hand gestures in nonverbal communication, with particular attention paid to cases where gesture form does not reliably convey the intended meaning. Hand gestures are a key medium for expressing impressions, complementing or substituting verbal communication. For example, the “Thumbs Up” gesture is generally associated with approval, yet its interpretation can vary across contexts and individuals. Using participant-generated descriptive words, sentiment analysis with the VADER method, and fuzzy membership modeling, this research examines the variability and ambiguity in gesture–intention mappings. Our results show that Negative gestures, such as “Thumbs Down,” consistently align with Negative sentiment, while Positive and Neutral gestures, including “Thumbs Sideways” and “So-so,” exhibit greater interpretive flexibility, often spanning adjacent sentiment categories. These findings demonstrate that rigid, category-based classification systems risk oversimplifying nonverbal communication, particularly for gestures with higher interpretive uncertainty. The proposed fuzzy logic-based framework offers a more context-sensitive and human-aligned approach to modeling gesture intention, with implications for affective computing, behavioral analysis, and human–computer interaction. Full article

Background/Objectives: Human resources for health remain one of the key factors ensuring the effectiveness and accessibility of the healthcare system. Many countries face a shortage of physicians due to the migration of healthcare professionals and career changes, making it crucial to understand the underlying causes of these processes. The aim of this study was to assess the intentions to emigrate among Lithuanian medical students, residents, and practicing physicians, as well as to identify the main reasons for migration and plans regarding employment in the medical profession. Methods: The study was conducted using an anonymous, author-designed questionnaire survey, in which 1367 respondents participated. Results: The results indicate that 50.91% of students, 39.70% of residents, and 36.81% of physicians plan to emigrate or do not intend to work in the medical profession at all. The main reasons specified for emigration were higher salaries, better living conditions, and greater professional opportunities. The primary reasons for leaving the medical profession included low salary, physical and psychological strain, and administrative burden (among physicians), also the perception that the profession is not suitable for them (among students and residents). Conclusions: These findings are important for shaping human resource policies and strategies in the Lithuanian healthcare system and may also be valuable for policymakers in other countries facing similar challenges. Full article

Effective and fair governance of protected areas (PAs) is essential for their ecological and social sustainability, particularly in contexts of high biodiversity and sociopolitical tensions. This study assessed the governance system of the Serranía del Perijá Regional Natural Park (SPRNP) in Colombia using criteria of effectiveness and justice, through a qualitative methodology grounded in thematic analysis. The research was based on semi-structured interviews and a focus group, with intentional coding supported by artificial intelligence using ATLAS.ti 25 software, which enhanced efficiency and pattern recognition in the construction of a semantic network. This AI-assisted coding approach represents an innovative methodological contribution to the qualitative assessment of PA governance. The findings highlight centralized governance, weak community participation, limited institutional presence, and power asymmetries that undermine equity in decision-making. The exclusion of the Yukpa people from the PA declaration process illustrates broader challenges of Indigenous recognition in Latin American governance contexts. Based on these findings, the study proposes three prospective governance scenarios—community-centered, inter-institutional coordination, and public–private articulation—which offer practical pathways for transforming governance. The study concludes that achieving more equitable and inclusive governance requires institutional strengthening, power redistribution, and the recognition of local knowledge. A viable solution may emerge from an adaptive combination of the proposed scenarios. Full article

The terror management health model (TMHM) offers a framework to investigate how concerns about mortality can motivate health-related behaviors through actions that bolster self-esteem. This framework may be especially useful for examining how a family history of breast cancer influences preventative breast health behaviors. Women with no family history, a family history where a family member survived breast cancer, and those who lost a family member to the disease were recruited to participate in one of two preregistered online studies. Participants completed measures of perceived susceptibility, associations of breast cancer with death, breast health esteem, and behavioral breast health intentions. In both studies, the effect of family history on behavioral intentions was serially mediated by susceptibility perceptions, breast cancer–death association, and feelings of esteem related to breast health behaviors. There were no effects of priming mortality. Taken together, the results suggest that both susceptibility perceptions and death associations are critical for encouraging breast health behaviors among women with family history, and this works through a mechanism relevant to self-esteem. Interventions may be more effective when they emphasize the esteem value of breast health behaviors for individuals at increased risk. Full article

Three-wheelers (3Ws—autos or auto-rickshaws) occupy a unique yet salient and substantive position within the context of India’s urban mobility. They provide critical first-and-last-mile connectivity, fill public transit coverage gaps, boost local and urban agglomeration economies, and are a major income source for millions. Their value and utility are especially pronounced in rapidly emerging Tier-II cities such as Amritsar. The city’s 7500-strong diesel 3W (d3W) fleet is the backbone of its transportation network but also contributes to air pollution. Though Amritsar’s favorable policies to transition the d3W fleet to electric (e3W) have reduced purchase costs by 40–60%, barriers remain. This study investigates the influence of the e3W user experience through a first-of-a-kind three-day pilot trial for ~300 d3W drivers. By leveraging a pre- and post-intervention framework combining surveys and trip diaries, this study evaluated how direct exposure influences adoption intentions, perceptions, and the social dynamics underpinning decision-making. In total, ~6% of participants switched to e3Ws following the trial, and there was a 20% drop in “don’t know” answers regarding charging duration and range. The results show non-random and meaningful shifts in attitudes, a greater awareness of range and charging times, improved views on charging convenience and vehicle safety, and air quality benefits. Full article

Objective: Suicide is a major public health problem with multiple biological and psychosocial determinants. Although the kynurenine/tryptophan (KYN/TRP) pathway has been implicated in the neurobiology of suicidal behavior, clinical findings remain inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate serum tryptophan, kynurenine, and the KYN/TRP ratio in patients presenting to the emergency department after a suicide attempt and to examine their association with suicide risk. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional, and comparative study was conducted between November 2024 and June 2025 in the Emergency Department of Konya City Hospital. A total of 120 participants were enrolled, including 60 suicide attempt cases and 60 healthy controls. Serum tryptophan and kynurenine levels were measured using the ELISA method, and the KYN/TRP ratio was calculated in molar units. The Beck Suicide Intent Scale (SIS) was administered to the case group. Group comparisons and correlation analyses were performed using appropriate statistical tests, and effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals were reported. Results: Compared with controls, patients showed significantly lower levels of tryptophan (median 35.4 vs. 54.4; p = 0.002), kynurenine (median 1534.5 vs. 2384.0; p < 0.001), and the KYN/TRP ratio (40.9 ± 16.2 vs. 48.8 ± 20.8; p = 0.02). No significant correlations were found between SIS scores and tryptophan (p = 0.180), kynurenine (p = 0.668), or the KYN/TRP ratio (p = 0.246). Subgroup analyses based on psychiatric history or psychiatric consultation recommendations also revealed no significant differences. Conclusions: Serum tryptophan, kynurenine, and the KYN/TRP ratio were significantly reduced in patients with suicide attempts compared to healthy controls. However, these biochemical parameters were not associated with SIS scores. Our findings suggest that tryptophan, kynurenine, and the KYN/TRP ratio may serve as complementary biomarkers but cannot replace clinical and psychometric assessments. Larger, multicenter, and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify their potential clinical value. Full article

Personalized marketing presents a powerful but delicate strategy, as its benefits can be negated by rising consumer privacy concerns. To illuminate this tension, this study investigates what causes personalization to fail, focusing on the interaction between the level of message personalization and situationally activated privacy concerns. We conducted a 3 (Message Personalization: Low, Medium, High) × 2 (Situational Privacy Concern: Low, High) between-subjects experiment with 360 participants. These personalization levels were designed as an ecologically valid “intrusiveness ladder,” moving from a generic message to one using contextual data and to one using personally identifiable information (PII). Situational privacy concern was experimentally induced using a news article prime, after which participants were exposed to one of the marketing messages. The results revealed a significant interaction effect that demonstrates a critical “tipping point.” In the low privacy concern condition, increasing personalization boosted purchase intention. Conversely, when privacy concerns were activated, a ‘backfire effect’ occurred: highly intrusive, PII-based personalization was no more effective than a generic message and was significantly less effective than moderate, contextual personalization. Our findings provide causal evidence for the moderating role of situational privacy concern, demonstrating that activating this state is a key condition that triggers a non-linear consumer response. Practitioners must calibrate the level of data intrusiveness, as the most aggressive tactics can be counterproductive when consumer privacy sensitivities are high. Full article

Background: The aim of this study was to systematically explore point-of-care biomarkers as diagnostic indicators for the detection and exclusion of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in an emergency room (ER) setting using Eye-Tracking and Virtual Reality (ET/VR) technology. The primary target group included patients who had suffered an acute trauma to the head and presented within 24 h to the emergency department. Methods: The BG Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin and the BG Klinikum Hamburg participated in this explorative, prospective, single-arm accuracy study. This study included patients who presented to the emergency department with suspected mTBI and were examined using ET/VR glasses. All further steps corresponded to clinical routine (e.g., decision on hospital admission, imaging diagnostics). After the completion of treatment, the patients were divided into mTBI and non-TBI subgroups by consensus between two independent clinical experts, who were blinded to the results of the index test (examination using ET/VR glasses) in the form of a clinical synopsis. The diagnosis was based on all clinical, neurological, neurofunctional, neuropsychological, and imaging findings. Routine trauma and neurological history, examination, and diagnosis were performed in each case. All statistical analyses were performed with exploratory intent. Results: The use of ET/VR glasses was found to be predominantly unproblematic. Two of the fifty-two analyzed parameters can be statistically distinguished from a random decision. No difference in oculomotor function was found between the two subgroups, and no correlations between the parameters recorded by the VR goggles and the detection of mTBI were found. Conclusions: At present, the use of VR goggles for the diagnosis of mTBI in an ER setting cannot be recommended. Full article

Globalization, digital transformation, and organizational changes have led to significant transformations in the world of work, substantially increasing workloads, which can result in high levels of stress and burnout among employees. The main objective of this study was to investigate the association between occupational stress and perceived performance and whether this relationship was mediated by burnout. In addition, we sought to understand whether the work regime (in-person, hybrid, and remote) moderates the relationship between occupational stress and burnout. The sample for this study consisted of 325 participants working in organizations based in Portugal. The data collection procedure was non-probabilistic, intentional, and snowball-type. This is an exploratory, correlational, and cross-sectional study. The results indicate that only the dimension ‘stress with users’ has a negative and significant association with performance. On the other hand, the dimension ‘stress with career and remuneration’ has a positive and significant association with performance. The dimensions ‘stress with users’ and ‘stress with workload’ have a positive and significant association with performance. Only ‘stress with workload’ has a positive and significant association with exhaustion. Distancing has a total mediating effect on the relationship between stress with users and perceived performance. The work regime has a significant effect on distancing. The work regime moderates the relationship between ‘stress with working’ conditions and exhaustion. Given the current work regimes, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be concluded that, among the dimensions of occupational stress, the most critical is stress with working conditions. Full article