Positive stories from 2025

The purpose of this study is to discover the types of family expressed in family image and story using sand tray and virtual environments and analyze the characteristics of family in crisis and stable family. Using the NVivo12 program, 222 images and stories on family expressed in sand tray and virtual environments by 104 ordinary people aged 21 to 28 were analyzed. Four family types were identified; positive image and positive story (stable family), negative image and positive story (fake family), negative image and negative story (broken family), and positive image and negative story (superficial family). Despite the differences in the medium of expression and the passage of time, the characteristics of each type of family image and story appeared consistent. This study confirmed how well family images and stories expressed in sand tray and virtual environments reflect the individual’s realistic family characteristics, which highlights the usefulness of virtual environment-based psychological diagnostic tools for evaluating family stability and crisis.

This chapter presents research that compares how people respond to stories about sustainability and/or climate change that are negatively framed or have a catastrophic focus with stories that are more positive or have a solution focus. Results clearly indicate that although both types of stories raise awareness of the issues, the negative stories are more likely to lead to avoidance, reactance or a passive fatalism, reducing the likelihood of action. In contrast, positive or solution-focused stories induce hope and a sense that something can be done, which is more likely to lead to positive action. It is concluded that although some are motivated by fear of catastrophic events to take action, there are a greater number who respond to fear-arousing messages by switching off. In contrast, showing easily relatable positive role models engaging in pro-environmental behaviours that are easily imitable appear to be the most motivating kinds of story. Positive stories are less likely to elicit a reactive response, such as reactance against feelings of being manipulated or preached at. Positive stories also did not appear to trigger avoidant responses. These findings were consistent across several contexts—in the field of business ethics education, in the presentation of news stories and in fiction.

Memories for emotion-laden stimuli are remembered more accurately than those for neutral stimuli. Although this enhancement reflects stimulus-driven modulation of memory by emotions, functional neuroimaging evidence of the interacting mechanisms between emotions generated by intentional processes, such as semantic elaboration, and memory is scarce. The present fMRI study investigated how encoding-related activation is modulated by emotions generated during the process of semantic elaboration. During encoding with fMRI, healthy young adults viewed neutral (target) pictures either passively or with semantic elaboration. In semantic elaboration, participants imagined background stories related to the pictures. Encoding trials with semantic elaboration were subdivided into conditions in which participants imagined negative, positive, or neutral stories. One week later, memories for target pictures were tested. In behavioral results, memories for target pictures were significantly enhanced by semantic elaboration, compared to passive viewing, and the memory enhancement was more remarkable when negative or positive stories were imagined. fMRI results demonstrated that activations in the left inferior frontal gyrus and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) were greater during the encoding of target pictures with semantic elaboration than those with passive viewing, and that these activations further increased during encoding with semantic elaboration of emotional stories than of neutral stories. Functional connectivity between the left inferior frontal gyrus and dmPFC/hippocampus during encoding significantly predicted retrieval accuracies of memories encoded with self-generated emotional stories. These findings suggest that networks including the left inferior frontal region, dmPFC, and hippocampus could contribute to the modulation of memories encoded with the emotion generation.

Three studies explored the coping benefits and limitations of stories people hear about others undergoing similar stressful events. In Study One, cancer patients reported that positive stories about other patients were preferable to and more helpful than negative stories, yet negative stories were more commonly told. Study Two manipulated the valence and source of stories told to college students facing midterm exams. Stories with positive endings and those relayed by expert sources were regarded more positively than negative stories and those told by nonexperts. Study Three manipulated the valence and informativeness of stories in a similar college sample. Positive and informative stories were rated more favorably, although these effects were independent of each other. Implications for social comparison and social support are discussed.

This study examined whether the positive or negative valence of a news story, and the race of the character portrayed in the story, would influence Black or White readers' selection of a story. The study employed selective exposure methodology to unobtrusively measure story selections among Black and White readers as they browsed a news site. The results demonstrated Black newsreaders were more likely to select and read positive and negative stories featuring their racial ingroup, and more likely to select and read negative vis-à-vis positive stories about their outgroup. In contrast, Whites' story preference was not affected by story valence or character race. Theoretical assumptions from social identity, social comparison, and social cognitive theories are used to explain the findings.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is identify factors that influence purchasing decisions and use of mobile food ordering applications and also that will create stronger bonds of mobile-satisfaction (M-Satisfaction) and mobile-loyalty (M-Loyalty). Research design, data and methodology: Qualitative data was collected. Methods of empathy-based stories (MEBS) was used to evaluate the perceived values and use of Mobile Food Ordering Application (MFOA). Descriptive data was also used to examine the perception and behaviour of the young generations’ on MFOA. Results: A total of 9 value factors that influence M-Satisfaction and M-Loyalty were extracted from the positive story while a total of 7 value factors were extracted from the negative story. The quality food factor resonated more than any other factor for data from both positive and negative stories. Interestingly, the two factors quality of reputation and delivery staff customer service are the two that are mentioned more in the data from the negative story. It is interesting that contactless food delivery during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders factors was mentioned 11 times. Conclusions: The findings contribute to the understanding of Generation Y and Z consumer behavior, along with mobile-satisfaction and mobile-loyalty in terms of mobile food ordering applications.

Background: Cognitive biases in information processing, particularly attentional and memory biases, play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). These biases lead individuals with MDD to preferentially attend to and remember negative information, thereby maintaining a depressed mood. A recently proposed attentional resources model suggests that exposure to negative stimuli leads to deeper cognitive processing of subsequent information, regardless of its content. Based on this model, the current study investigated a novel paradigm that manipulated exposure to negative emotional stimuli and examined its effect on information processing and mood improvement. Method: Thirty-eight unmedicated participants with MDD and no comorbid disorders, and 37 healthy controls, completed three blocks of an emotional recall task, which involved watching a short emotional video followed by a recall task of neutral or positive valence stories. Mood changes were assessed throughout the task. Results: Results revealed that both the MDD and HC groups reported improved mood after exposure to a negative emotional video followed by a positive story. Conclusions: These results have important clinical implications. The paradigm may be applied in a broader sense as an active tool that may help to improve mood in depression treatment.

Messaging and media stories can influence several aspects of consumer perceptions and behaviors. We experimentally investigated how exposure to various mediated messages and headlines influenced perceptions of favorite and rival brands. Using the sport setting, fans were exposed to either a positive, neutral, or negative story regarding an upcoming contest between their favorite team and rival team. Results showed that people exposed to a story about a fight between rival supporters (i.e., negative story) reported stronger negative perceptions toward the rival team and also negative attitudes toward the favorite team than people exposed to a story about a joint-blood drive (i.e., positive story). Discussion focuses on what sport and non-sport practitioners can learn from the findings and how they can work to decrease the effects of negative publicity.

Keeping courage during stem cell transplantation: A qualitative research

Implementation of the system for administering value added tax for the domestic business sector was an IMF requirement. However, its applications by business entities could not eliminate “tax heavens”, barter deals and purchase (sale) of doubtful tax credit. It was in 1 July 2017 that the system for computerized monitoring of the conformity of tax bills (TB) / calculation of adjustment (CA) to the risk assessment criteria sufficient to stop registration of such TB / CA in the Single Register of Tax Bills was launched. The article’s objective is to form the authors’ vision of the essence of the problem related with registration and blocking of TB and CA in the Single Register of Tax Bills. 
 The following aspects are covered by the analysis: the nomenclature of indicators checked in TB / CA deciphered upon coming to the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine; the types of receipts on the results of computerized check, intended for VAT payers; the detailed list of criteria for exclusion of TB / CA from the monitoring by the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine (once these criteria are not met, TB / CA is to become subject to monitoring and check for the riskiness of taxpayer and its operations, i. e. the criteria of fictitious business); the indicators of the positive story of a taxpayer. The issues of identifying the taxpayer risks that can be subject to scrutiny by the State Fiscal Service are highlighted. The criteria determining the positive tax story of a taxpayer are given.
 It is concluded that all the TB and CA submitted for registration in the Single Register of Tax Bills are to be checked for the conformity to three legally defined essential criteria; once TB / CA does not meet these criteria, they will be subject to monitoring and check for conformity with the criteria of riskiness of taxpayer and operations and the indicators of positive taxpayer story. The positive taxpayer story can rescue a VAT payer from blocking of its TB / CA that meet the riskiness of operation criterion. But once a taxpayer gets on the list of risky business entities, registration of its TB / CA will always be blocked.

BackgroundFear can impact childbirth experiences, yet most birth stories women hear portray birth as unfavourable, and women must actively seek out positive birth stories.Aims and objectivesWe aim to explore how women feel when sharing positive birth stories and the socially constructed motivations for or against sharing. Research question: What are the experiences of women who share positive birth stories?MethodsA qualitative descriptive approach was adopted, adhering to Standards of Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) guidelines, and underpinned by an interpretivist research philosophy. Participants were recruited via Facebook using a non-probability, voluntary-response, purposive sampling method. Twelve English-speaking Western Australian women aged 24–38 years identified as having had a positive vaginal birth experience within the past 5 years. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsThe theme Not Safe to Share and sub-themes The Perils of Sharing and Changing the Narrative explores how participants repeatedly felt unable to share their birth stories because society’s dominant view of childbirth was negative. It describes the experienced or anticipated reactions that contributed to feeling unsafe and how participants withheld or altered their stories to feel accepted. The theme Safe Spaces and sub-theme The Joys of Sharing, explored participants’ love of sharing their birth stories in safe spaces, allowing re-access to feelings of elation, validation of their stories, and opportunity to empower others.ConclusionsWomen often feel reluctant to share their positive birth stories. Findings may help understand the lack of availability of positive birth stories in our society. Normalising the positive birth experience may improve the experience of sharing positive birth stories, potentially improving society’s view of childbirth.

The number of workers with a chronic disease is steadily growing in industrialized countries. To cope with and to give meaning to their illness, patients construct illness narratives, which are widely shared across patient societies, personal networks and the media. This study investigates the influence of these shared illness narratives on patient's working lives, by examining the impact of reading a positive work story versus negative work story on patients' sustainable employability. We expected that this relationship would be mediated by positive emotions and the extent to which the story enhanced awareness of desires future selves, and moderated by identification with story character. An online field experiment with 166 people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in The Netherlands showed that while reading a positive story of a patient with the same condition significantly increased positive emotions, these emotions did not influence sustainable employability. However, reading a positive story was related to higher sustainable employability when patients became more aware of their desired possible future work selves. Finally, identification with the story character moderated the impact of story type on sustainable employability. This study showed that personal engagement with a positive work story of a fellow patient is related to higher sustainable employability. Findings can be helpful for health professionals to empower employees with a chronic disease.

This study examines Australian teachers (n = 268) and parents’ (n = 206) self-reported perceptions of education news coverage and how the coverage affects them. Overall, the participants reported a perception that news coverage of teachers, schools, the education system and standardised testing was generally negative in tone. Participants reported typically feeling demoralised by negative stories and inspired by positive stories. A high importance was placed upon the public perception of education by participants. However, trust in the media reporting of educational issues was low. An exception to this general pattern of findings was that participants did not place as much importance upon the public perception of standardised testing and reported being less affected by negative or positive stories on that topic compared to the other education aspects. This research is one of the few studies to investigate the potential emotional impact that news coverage of education can have on media consumers.

Public discourses about wars and mass violence are often dominated by questions of guilt and victimhood as well as a focus on the figures of ‘perpetrators’ and ‘victims’. This can also be observed concerning the public remembrance of the 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, attempts were made here to promote the memory of another war-related figure: that of the rescuer who helped people ‘from the other side’. The author analyses these attempts at remembrance in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and places them within the context of global efforts to publicly acknowledge rescuers, in particular the ‘Righteous Among the Nations’.

Reviewed by: “Bystanders” to the Holocaust: A Re-evaluation, and: “A Problem from Hell”: America and the Age of Genocide Jack Nusan Porter “Bystanders” to the Holocaust: A Re-evaluation, edited by David Cesarani and Paul A. Levine. London and Portland: Frank Cass, 2002. 286 pp. $24.50. “A Problem from Hell”: America and the Age of Genocide, by Samantha Power. New York: Basic Books, 2002. 632 pp. $30.00. These two books have one big thing in common: being a bystander is nothing new in this 20th-century age of genocide. It goes back 100 years to the Armenian massacres. Samatha Power’s magnum opus shows how President Clinton was simply the continuation of a long list of American political leaders who failed to stop genocide. Clinton failed twice, first in Bosnia and second in Rwanda, but he was not alone: George Bush (senior) failed to stop the genocide of Kurds in Iraq in 1988, as well as to bring Pol Pot to trial. Carter failed to stop the Cambodian genocide in 1976–1979. Every decade [End Page 151] brought its disastrous failures. Why? Because there are many barriers to intervention, fear of being bogged down in another Vietnam-style debacle being number one. Other reasons are that there are powerful forces in the State department who are reluctant to label something as “genocide” since that label means one must intervene legally. By calling it simply tribal or ethnic warfare, one can avoid both the guilt and the loss of American soldiers. However, Samantha Power’s great strength is that she also provides a positive story—the stories of courageous individuals who risked their careers and lives in an effort to force the U.S.A. to act. She begins with the life of Raphael Lemkin. While the papers of Lemkin have been in the possession of scholars for years, very little has been made public. Lemkin’s name should be a household word in this country, akin to Schindler or Wallenberg, yet it is not. Ms. Powers, a law school graduate and former executive director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, weaves a master tale of Lemkin’s triumphs and failures. A fascinating story, and yet there are others before and after: Secretary Morgenthau regarding the Armenian genocide and many others, lesser known, who pushed Clinton to recognize the horrors in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda. But then, being an “innocent bystander” is nothing new in U.S. history. Which brings us to the Cesarani and Levine book. Cesarani, a professor of modern Jewish history and director of the AHRB Centre for the study of Jewish/non-Jewish relations at the University of Southampton in England, and Levine, assistant professor of history at Uppsala University’s Programme for Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Sweden, show us that being a bystander is far more complex than thought. As they say, it cannot be reduced to simply the difference between being an antisemite or a philosemite, or between rescue versus indifference. Utilizing new archival sources, their book proves that obstacles were not specifically placed in the way of saving Jews, yet efforts were still paralyzed for a variety of reasons. Modern warfare, fear of retaliation, bureaucratic bumbling, and countless other reasons made sure that even “good guys” like Sweden or Holland had great difficulty helping the victims. I like the phrase “situational paralysis” (my own phrase) to describe what happened. It happened to Jews as well. They too could have fought back; they too could have moved faster to escape; they too could have asked for help from non-Jews early on, yet they were situationally paralyzed. As the years go by, we are seeing new and fresh interpretations of resistance, rescue, collaboration, and perpetration, and that is as it should be. This volume grew out of an international colloquium convened in Uppsala, Sweden in September 1999 (interestingly, exactly sixty years after the start of World War II), expressly to discuss the current state of “bystander” historiography. The conference itself took place at the University of Uppsala. [End Page 152] The editors point out that in...