Search Results (60)

Confessions carry substantial weight in criminal investigations, yet little is known about the psychological mechanisms underlying suspects’ confession decisions. This research tested the hypothesis that situational pressures inherent to accusatorial interrogations deplete suspects’ self-regulatory resources, impairing their ability to make rational, self-protective decisions. We examined three potential mechanisms of self-regulatory depletion in accusatorial interrogations: (1) decision-making pressure, (2) fatigue, and (3) depleted self-regulatory reserves. Participants were interviewed about minor (Experiment 1; N = 154) or serious (Experiment 2; N = 486) prior criminal and unethical behaviors under conditions that manipulated whether they experienced both decision-making pressure and fatigue, fatigue alone, or neither. We operationalized decision-making pressure through a response-contingent consequence structure and fatigue through extended questioning. We measured self-regulatory capacity by assessing time spent on an unsolvable anagram task after the interview. Experiment 2 also manipulated whether participants’ pre-interview self-regulatory reserves were depleted by having some complete the unsolvable anagram task before, as opposed to after, the interview. The results suggested a role of decision-making pressure—alone and in combination with fatigue—in producing self-regulatory depletion but provided no evidence for the effect of experimentally depleted self-regulatory reserves. These findings offer empirical support for theories linking interrogation pressures to self-regulatory decline. Full article

Workplace toxicity in the tourism sector remains a widespread issue, particularly for hotel staff who are constantly suffering from verbal, emotional, or physical abuse. While previous research has primarily highlighted the negative consequences of abusive behavior, this study examines a different perspective—how abusive supervision may be associated with reduced helping behavior among hotel employees, with emotional contagion and self-esteem serving as key moderating and mediating variables. Based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the current paper suggests that abusive supervision causes people’s psychological resources to be depleted, which decreases their self-esteem and, in turn, their helpful behavior. Furthermore, it is revealed that emotional contagion can act as a moderator to amplify the detrimental association between abusive supervision and self-esteem. Data were gathered from frontline hotels employees. Employing structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 3, the findings reveal that abusive supervision was negatively related to both self-esteem and helping behaviors. Additionally, the correlation between helpful behavior and abusive supervision was strongly mediated by self-esteem. It is also shown that emotional contagion mitigated the detrimental relationship between abusive supervision and self-esteem, such that people with high emotional contagion experienced a stronger negative relationship. This paper advances our theoretical knowledge of workplace dynamics by expanding COR theory to justify how and why abusive supervision impairs pro-social behavior. From a practical standpoint, the findings underscore the significance of management behavior and emotional intelligence in service-oriented sectors. Employee self-esteem and cooperative workplace behavior may be preserved by interventions that deplete supervisory abuse and boost emotional resilience. Full article

In response to the ongoing depletion of fishery resources, many countries now prioritize sustainable fish stock use and ecosystem protection, balancing ecological, economic, and social goals. Fishery subsidies are key in this shift, with their impact depending on design and implementation. In 2020, China introduced marine fishery resource conservation subsidies and simultaneously phased out a 15-year policy of harmful fuel subsidies. This study uses evolutionary game theory to analyze the strategic interactions between government authorities and fishermen across four institutional scenarios, each combining different forms of subsidies and penalties. The findings suggest that a dynamic approach, incorporating both subsidies and penalties, is most effective in promoting legal fishing practices and protecting marine resources. Additionally, the study emphasizes that the effectiveness of subsidies and penalties does not necessarily increase with their scale; instead, both must be carefully calibrated to sustainable and reasonable limits. Full article

As urbanization progresses at an accelerating pace, the depletion of natural resources and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly severe. Constructing ecological security patterns (ESPs) has become a crucial strategy for mitigating environmental stress and promoting sustainable social development. Currently, the methods for constructing ESPs remain under exploration. Particularly, in the identification of ecological sources, insufficient emphasis has been placed on trade-offs among ecosystem services (ESs). This study focuses on Liaoning Province, situated in China’s northeast revitalization area—a region with a developed heavy industry and abundant ecological resources. The InVEST model was employed to assess ESs, and the ordered weighted average (OWA) method was utilized to identify ecological sources. By integrating both natural and social factors, the ecological resistance surface was constructed, and circuit theory was applied to determine ecological corridors, ultimately leading to the development of an ESP. The results show that (1) between 2010, 2015, and 2020, water yield continued to increase, habitat quality continuously declined, soil conservation tended to decrease and then gradually increase, and carbon storage tended to increase and then decrease. The four ESs show similar spatial features, characterized by elevated levels in the eastern and western areas and a comparatively reduced level in the central region; (2) a total of 179 ecological sources were identified, covering 26,235.34 km². The overall distribution showed a concentration in the east, with a fragmented and dispersed pattern in the southwest. The identification of 435 ecological corridors, with an overall length totaling 8794.59 km, resulted in a network-like distribution pattern. Additionally, 65 ecological pinch points and 67 barrier points were identified; and (3) a “four zones, three corridors, and two belts” pattern of ecological protection and restoration has been proposed. The findings offer valuable insights for Liaoning Province and other rapidly developing regions facing escalating environmental pressures. Full article

The global energy shortage and the gradual depletion of lithium resources have become increasingly prominent. Improving the energy density of lithium-based secondary batteries and developing other high-performance alkali-metal secondary batteries have become the research focus. In this study, two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal metal borides (h-MBenes) are investigated as ordered alkali metal adsorption substrates for alkali-metal-based battery anode materials using density functional theory (DFT). Twelve thermodynamically stable h-MBenes are screened out from thirty-three structures, and their excellent stability and metallic electronic characteristics are confirmed. The ordered multilayered growth in alkali metal adsorption is found to depend on two factors: low lattice mismatching and dynamic matching of the work function. In particular, Mg/Al/V-based h-MBenes exhibit excellent lithium lattice matching (<3.35% mismatch), enabling layer-by-layer hexagonal (001) Li growth for ≥5 layers. They have ultrahigh lithium capacities (2170–3818 mAh·g⁻¹), low migration barriers (0.01–0.05 eV), and low voltages (0.003–0.714 V). Mg/Y-based h-MBenes enable three Na layers’ adsorption with a capacity of 1717/605 mAh·g⁻¹, and Al₂B₂ achieves a 472 mAh·g⁻¹ potassium storage capacity, respectively. Due to the orderly multilayered growth mechanism, Mg/Al/V-based h-MBenes show great potential as high-safety and ultrahigh-capacity alkali-metal battery anode materials. Full article

In a highly competitive and high-pressure workplace environment, more and more employees may fall into negative work situations such as work disengagement. The actual effectiveness of avoidant job crafting as a proactive behavior of employees in coping with stress remains controversial, and the positive aspects of its impact are not explored. Based on conservation of resources theory, this study argues that avoidant job crafting mitigates employees’ self-control resource depletion, which in turn effectively helps employees to reduce work disengagement; the above process is moderated by career identity. To test the above hypotheses, this study collects 455 cross-sectional data from Internet companies in various regions of China and uses structural equation modeling to conduct an analysis. The results show the following: avoidant job crafting has a significant negative effect on work disengagement; self-control resource depletion partially mediates the effect of avoidant job crafting on work disengagement; and the negative relationship between avoidant job crafting and self-control resource depletion is stronger when employees’ career identity is higher and vice versa when it is weaker. The above results guide managers to help employees adjust avoidant job crafting correctly and escape negative work situations. Full article

Material depletion, environmental degradation, and cultural revitalization pose significant challenges to heritage conservation in China. Within the context of heritage restoration, the principles of the circular economy (CE)—including R1 (Reduce), R2 (Reuse), and R3 (Recycle)—can provide a structured framework for sustainable interventions. By prioritizing resource efficiency, minimizing waste generation, and repurposing materials, CE strategies support the preservation of cultural heritage while mitigating environmental impact. This study explores the role of waste material upcycling in sustainable heritage conservation (SHC) in tandem with the revitalization of cultural narratives. This study examines the core factors affecting sustainable restoration practice through the lens of the circular economy theory and sustainable heritage conservation theory. The research design adopts mixed methods whereby quantitative web surveys are conducted among practitioners of conservation and complemented with qualitative case studies from CE-based intervention restoration projects in China. The study identifies five independent variables—upcycling of waste materials, resource efficiency, stakeholder engagement, economic viability, and cultural narrative revitalization—with sustainability-driven innovation acting as a mediating factor. Preliminary findings indicate that upcycling enhances material longevity and minimizes restoration expenses while promoting social acceptance of circular practices through stakeholder engagement. Revitalizing cultural narratives enhances historical continuity while preserving intangible heritage. The results indicate that CE-based interventions positively influenced SHC, with sustainability-driven innovation as a mediator. With this, it was concluded that introducing circular economy principles in heritage conservation would promote environmental sustainability, economic viability, and culture-building resilience. Policy recommendations include incentivizing upcycling technologies, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and embedding CE principles in national heritage policies. Full article

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance has become a pivotal factor for multinational corporations, especially within resource-intensive sectors like construction. This study explores how financial indicators—specifically liquidity, profitability, and leverage ratios—influence ESG outcomes under differing institutional conditions in China and the United Kingdom. Employing a quantitative approach via ridge regression analysis on data from 96 construction firms, the research identifies key financial predictors of ESG performance and develops a predictive model to assess cross-regional applicability. The results demonstrate that liquidity and profitability are significant drivers of ESG outcomes, with their impact varying according to institutional frameworks—where regulatory compliance and government incentives dominate in China, and market-driven pressures prevail in the UK. Although the predictive model exhibits strong accuracy, it also underscores the contextual sensitivity of financial metrics in shaping ESG practices. The extent to which ESG serves as a stabilising force or an amplifier of financial risk depends on disclosure levels and the deeper integration of ESG principles into corporate strategy, risk management, and capital allocation. These findings contribute to sustainable finance and resource dependence theories, offering opportunities for policymakers to refine ESG disclosure frameworks, investors to pinpoint financially resilient ESG leaders, and construction firms to align their financial strategies with sustainable development goals. Full article

Revealing geological environment resilience (GER) under seawater intrusion (SWI) hazards is a prerequisite for solving groundwater resource depletion, land salinization, and ecological degradation in coastal cities. This study applies the resilience design approach based on urban complex adaptive systems theory to understand the impact of SWI on the geological environment. Taking SWI as the research object, the GER evaluation method under SWI disaster was established by selecting five elastic indexes: disturbance intensity, geological environment vulnerability, stress resistance, recovery, and adaptability. This method is used to evaluate the GER level of the coastal areas of Shenzhen in recent years under the impact of SWI hazards. The study found that there is a negative correlation between the intensity of disturbance and precipitation amount. The vulnerability is greater the closer the distance to the coastline and the shallower the depth of bedrock burial. Resistance is composed of early warning ability and disaster prevention ability, and the result is 10.07, which belongs to the medium level. The recovery is 1.49, which is at a relatively high level, indicating a high capacity for restoration ability. The adaptability increased from 3.03 to 3.13, so that the area of seawater intrusion is becoming smaller. GER is affected by precipitation amount and depth of bedrock burial; the greater the precipitation and the shallower the bedrock burial, the lower the GER. Precipitation amount significantly impacts the SWI situation in the eastern coastal area of Shenzhen. In the central region, the impact of precipitation on GER is less significant. However, in the western region, the depth of bedrock burial primarily affects GER. Compared to completely weathered granite, Pleistocene fluvial plain sediments are more susceptible to SWI effects in freshwater environments. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the impact of SWI on the geological environment in coastal areas, providing decision-makers with the necessary knowledge to develop targeted and effective governance and prevention strategies. Full article

Background: Neglect syndrome is a serious condition that often affects the ability to perform visual-spatial search tasks, interfering with the ability to detect stimuli on the left side of space. A number of factors can affect the success of visual search in patients with neglect syndrome, including visual field load. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the number of stimuli in the right visual hemifield influences the efficiency of visual search in the left (neglected) hemifield, hypothesizing that an increased object load on the right side may impair search performance on the left. Methods: The sample comprised 30 patients with neglect syndrome as the target group and 20 patients with right hemisphere damage but no signs of hemispatial neglect as the control group. This study employed several neuropsychological tests, including neuropsychological examination according to the scheme of A.R. Luria. The SPSS 23.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: The Red Shapes test revealed a significant decrease in the number of stimuli detected in both the right and left visual hemifields across successive series (p < 0.001) in patients within the target group. No significant differences were observed in the participants of the control group. This study’s results may be explained by the phenomenon of SSM (subsequent search misses) and the theory of attentional resource depletion during visual search tasks. These results indicate the need for further research into the features of visual search under various conditions, including the load and structuredness of the visual field. Conclusions: This study confirmed that the number of elements in the right visual hemifield influences the ability to detect elements in the left hemifield in patients with left-sided neglect, as demonstrated using the Red Shapes test. Full article

Mental fatigue is an important factor affecting athletes’ performance. Explaining the effects of mental fatigue on sports performance from a theoretical point of view can help us deeply understand the interconnection between mental fatigue and sports performance and conduct effective interventions based on this. Combining the relevant literature in China and abroad reveals that the current academic theories on the mechanism of sports fatigue include motivational control theory, underload theory, neural waste disposal hypothesis, and resource depletion theory. The effects of mental fatigue on performance are reflected in aerobic endurance, sports decision-making, tactical performance, and technical performance. Current coping strategies for mental fatigue include physiological coping strategies based on nutrition (caffeine), odor, and noninvasive neuromodulation techniques and psychological and behavioral coping strategies based on music and positive thinking. Full article

Cognitive load theory focuses on the limited capacity of working memory (WM) to encapsulate information. While the original theory postulated a fixed capacity of working memory, research in the last decade has provided evidence for the depletion hypothesis. This hypothesis holds that WM becomes depleted after effortful cognitive operations that reduce its capacity, providing a framework for the restorative effects of rest periods. Rest periods during which natural scenery is observed have been found to replenish working memory after it has been subjected to depletion. In the present study, participants observed pictures depicting either a natural or an urban environment, after completing a cognitively depleting task. For this study, we obtained EEG measures of working memory by analyzing alpha and theta wave amplitudes. The motivation behind this choice was to derive a continuous index of WM capacity and address the lack of electrophysiological data regarding the depletion hypothesis. Previous research identified a decrease in alpha amplitude, and a simultaneous increase in theta activity with increasing WM load. Our findings partially replicated these results, as we observed a decrease in alpha amplitude with increasing cognitive load but no significant difference in theta power. Moreover, average signal amplitudes did not differ between the natural and the urban conditions, contrary to our hypothesis. These results suggest an absence of the expected environmental effect, opposing the outcome of existing research on the topic. The absence of this effect could also be attributed to similarities between the two conditions in certain factors thought to elicit differential physiological responses. Full article

Over the past three decades, global tourism has significantly contributed to the world economy, driven by factors such as globalization, technological advancements, and rising disposable incomes. However, alongside these economic benefits, tourism’s environmental impact remains a pressing concern, involving resource depletion, pollution, and substantial carbon emissions. Despite extensive research on these issues, there remains a gap in the literature regarding how state social responsibility and sustainability can be effectively integrated into tourism policies, particularly in prominent tourist destinations like Spain. This study addresses this gap by employing a combined qualitative (content analysis) and quantitative (survey) approach to explore the dual role of tourism in economic growth and environmental sustainability. Focusing on Spain as a case study, the research highlights both the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable tourism practices. It examines the influence of factors such as the host country’s image, quality of life, the home country’s purchasing power parity (PPP), and the geographical distance between home and host countries on tourists’ destination choices within the framework of Stakeholder Theory. The novelty of this research lies in its comprehensive analysis of these factors, offering critical insights for researchers and policymakers striving to balance tourism growth with environmental sustainability globally. Full article

The profession of airline pilots is characterized by high levels of stress and a significant risk of burnout. The health emergency period has exacerbated these challenges to health and well-being, with long COVID adding further strain to aviation professionals even in the post-pandemic scenario. In this context, it is essential to promote positive organizational behaviors to reconcile individual well-being with work performance. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms linking burnout to work performance behaviors (i.e., proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity) among pilots, hypothesizing the mediating role of continuous learning behaviors. Based on the Conservation of Resources theory, we posited that burnout depletes pilots’ resources, thereby hindering continuous learning and reducing performance behaviors. Moreover, this study examined the work-related stress factors that could affect burnout and the consequences of performance behaviors on actual performance measured by a flight simulator. Data were collected from 123 pilots through an online survey and analyzed using path analysis. The results revealed that continuous learning mediated the relationship between burnout and work performance behaviors. Furthermore, work-related stress factors were significantly related to burnout, and work performance behaviors were linked to flight simulator performance. Our findings underscored the critical role of continuous learning in explaining the adverse effects of burnout on performance. These insights could inform targeted interventions to promote continuous learning and stress management among aviation professionals, ensuring sustained performance and well-being in the long term. Full article

Amidst the mounting global challenges associated with climate change and resource depletion, achieving sustainable development is paramount. Focusing on cities as vital scenarios for pursuing sustainability, this research measured urban sustainability and identified its obstacles. Employing the DPSIR (Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response) framework, we establish a metric system with 25 indicators to assess the urban sustainability of six innovation zones in China and identify their developmental impediments to sustainability with an obstacle model. The core findings of the study are as follows: First, over the five-year period, all six cities demonstrated a consistent increase in their urban sustainability levels except for Shenzhen, which experienced a decline from its top position among these cities due to a decrease in its score from 0.44296 to 0.36942 in 2017. Second, there was consistent urban sustainability progress in five cities, with the exception of Shenzhen, from 2016 to 2020. Third, inadequate government response emerges as a primary obstacle across all six cities, marked by shortcomings in public expenditure, R&D investment, and healthcare. Every year, all six cities experienced more than 60% obstacle degrees in terms of response, with the exception of Shenzhen in 2016. The urban sustainability pursuit model we developed bridges urban sustainability theory with practical interventions, promoting adaptive governance. In addition, this study provides scholars and policymakers with a comprehensive approach to gauging urban sustainability, recognizing obstacles, and designing strategies for a sustainable urban future. Full article