Active Choice Research Articles

Generalizable Active Privacy Choice: Designing a Graphical User Interface for Global Privacy Control

The California Consumer Privacy Act and other privacy laws give people a right to opt out of the sale and sharing of personal information. In combination with privacy preference signals, especially, Global Privacy Control (GPC), such rights have the potential to empower people to assert control over their data. However, many laws prohibit opt out settings being turned on by default. The resulting usability challenges for people to exercise their rights motivate generalizable active privacy choice --- an interface design principle to make opt out settings usable without defaults. It is based on the idea of generalizing one individual opt out choice towards a larger set of choices. For example, people may apply an opt out choice on one site towards a larger set of sites. We explore generalizable active privacy choice in the context of GPC. We design and implement nine privacy choice schemes in a browser extension and explore them in a usability study with 410 participants. We find that generalizability features tend to decrease opt out utility slightly. However, at the same time, they increase opt out efficiency and make opting out less disruptive, which was more important to most participants. For the least disruptive scheme, selecting website categories to opt out from, 98% of participants expressed not feeling disrupted, a 40% point increase over the baseline schemes. 83% of participants understood the meaning of GPC. They also made their opt out choices with intent and, thus, in a legally relevant manner. To help people exercise their opt out rights via GPC our results support the adoption of a generalizable active privacy choice interface in web browsers.

W lustrze przekładu. Translatorska biografia Cristiny Campo

The subject of this article is the translation work of the Italian writer Cristina Campo (born Vittoria Guerrini), one of the most prominent Italian writers of the 20th century, poet, translator, and essayist, analysed in a biographical key. The aim is to look more closely at Cristina Campo’s biography – described so far in the only biography book (De Stefano 2002), but also recorded in the voluminous correspondence the writer left behind – through the framework of her translation activity. Of interest from this point of view become both her translation choices and reading choices (“the lovely kinsmen of the shelf,” as the writer called her favourite books) – related to a large extent to Campo’s literary temperament, her experiences in her private life, and her friends – as well as her choice of translation activity itself, largely conditioned by the need to spend a large part of her life in seclusion due to the incurable heart disease that Campo suffered from since her birth. An attempt will be made to answer the question of how illness and other life circumstances influenced her choice of translation activity, the selection of texts to be translated and the translator’s actual working conditions.

What’s Love Got to do With it? Introducing bell hooksian Love Typologies to Qualitative Inquiry in Educational Research

Many Black women scholars, like bell hooks, have been subjected to academic capitalist white supremacist patriarchal values that minimizes and invalidates the epistemologies, theories, methods, and knowledge production processes of Black women. Thus, as a means to move past antiquated theorization and knowledge production practices, I proposed a pathway forward by introducing a “bell hooksian approach” to higher educational research that is based on four “hooksian love typologies” (love as an active choice, revolutionary self-love, familial, and romantic) rooted in the scholarship of Black feminist theorist bell hooks. This framework helps to better understand and research the multifaceted conceptualizations of love that can assist and better support Black women and women of color on college campuses and in the academy more generally. Lastly, asserting that notions of love is a central aspect of Black life, I made recommendations for researchers and practitioners on how to utilize a love-centered hooksian approach within qualitative inquiry.

Sitting time in different contexts in Austrian adolescents and association with weight status

<abstract> <p>The detrimental effects of high amounts of sedentary time on various health outcomes have been well documented. Particularly among youth, there are many sedentary pursuits that compete with active leisure time choices, which contribute to a high prevalence of insufficiently active children and adolescents. Therefore, the present study examined the time spent in various sedentary behaviors and the association with body weight in Austrian adolescents. Sedentary time was assessed with the “Heidelberg Questionnaire to Record the Sitting Behavior of Children and Adolescents” for 1225 (49.8% male) middle- and high-school students between 11 and 17 years of age. Their body weights and heights were measured with participants wearing gym clothes. The weight categories were established based on body mass index (BMI) percentiles using the German reference system. The average daily sedentary time across the entire sample was 12.0 ± 1.6 h, and 45% of the sedentary behaviors during the entire week were attributed to schoolwork. Normal weight participants reported a lower amount of sitting time compared to their overweight and obese peers, where they spent more time with physical activity and sleeping. Specifically, a higher body weight was associated with more time spent with recreational sedentary behaviors, while differences across the weight categories were limited for work-related sitting. Given the detrimental health effects of high amounts of sedentary behaviors, additional efforts are needed to promote physical activity in adolescents, particularly for those with an excess body weight. As almost half of the sedentary behaviors were attributed to work, schools could be a particularly viable setting for interventions that target an active lifestyle.</p> </abstract>

Factors influencing the intention of young adults to adopt genotype-based personalised advice on diet and physical activity according to perceived weight status.

Genotype-based dietary and physical activity advice can be delivered to young adults before unhealthy lifestyle behaviours or metabolic and physiological conditions have developed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the factors that influence the intention to adopt genotype-based personalised advice on diet and physical activity in young adults who perceive themselves to be a healthy weight versus those who perceive themselves to be overweight or obese. An online survey of 396 young adults (18-25 years) evaluated background factors (participant characteristics (including perception of body weight), psychological factors, belief composites) and constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) related to the adoption of genotype-based personalised advice. The association between background factors and TPB constructs was assessed using multiple linear regression. The constructs of TPB predicted intention to adopt genotype-based personalised nutrition (P < 0.001, adj. R 2 = 0.54; attitude: B = 0.24, subjective norm: B = 0.25, PBC: B = 0.45). Background factors including belief composites, health locus of control, gender, physical activity, and food choice motives of 'health', 'price', 'familiarity', 'weight control', and 'convenience' significantly added to models of TPB constructs related to the intention to adopt personalised advice (P < 0.05). The influence of background factors varied between TPB constructs and differed based on participants perception of their body weight. The study provides support for the use of the TPB in understanding the intention of young adults to adopt gene-based advice for dietary and physical activity behaviour. In addition to perceived body weight, the background factors identified should help to inform and modify the delivery of advice in behaviour change interventions that seek to use genotype-based personalised advice in young adult populations.

Investigating the Physical Activity Habits and Apparel Choices of Perinatal Women

Background: This study investigates the physical activity and apparel choices of perinatal women. The perinatal period involves significant anatomical, physiological, and biomechanical changes as the body prepares to carry and deliver a child, and the recovery process which follows. Despite the recognized benefits of physical activity, returning to physical activity postpartum can be difficult. Methods: One hundred and six postpartum women completed an online questionnaire exploring women’s physical activity habits before, during, and after pregnancy, along with their use of activewear/compression garments during this time. Statistical analyses, including chi-squared tests, investigated the relationship between initiation of physical activity postpartum (by and after 12 weeks) and: delivery method (vaginal, c-section, and assisted), perineal trauma, activewear purchase, and prepregnancy activity level. Thematic analysis was applied to identify themes from participant’s answers. Results: A vaginal delivery correlated with a higher likelihood of resuming physical activity within 12 weeks postpartum. Moreover, a high level of activity prepregnancy was associated with a high level of physical activity postpartum. The study identified key reasons for the cessation of physical activity during pregnancy including discomfort, tiredness, and misinformation. Barriers hindering the return to physical activity postpartum included discomfort, misinformation, and time constraints. Few participants used compression garments in the postpartum period, with the majority leveraging them to alleviate pain (71%). Conclusions: This study highlights a crucial gap in utilization of compression garments during the postpartum period. Understanding these factors is pivotal in enhancing support for postpartum women in their pursuit of resuming physical activity.

Exclusion for Public Safety or Inclusion for Gig Employment: Managing the Tension with a Trilogy of Guardians

Gig platforms seek to create income opportunities, particularly for socially and economically marginalized people who find it challenging to engage in regular employment. Alongside this empowerment, safety concerns over unregulated drivers for Transportation Network Companies (TNC) platforms such as Uber and Lyft have led to discourse among policymakers on the necessity of background check laws (BCLs) with different stringency to exclude individuals from TNC jobs. Drawing on theories of labeling, routine activity, and rational choice theory, we conceptualize a trilogy of guardians—the government, TNC platforms and community, to safeguard ridesharing while mitigating social costs from excluding marginalized citizens from TNC jobs. Empirically, we document the shifting of crimes into the property domain as an unintended consequence of the exclusion solution (i.e., BCLs by the government). We find digital safety technologies deployed by TNC platforms to deter crimes (i.e., in-app safety features) can serve as an alternative to BCLs. Moreover, we show that resources provided by the community can inhibit the negative impacts of exclusion by stringent BCL (i.e., through alternative income sources) and enable the effectiveness of deterrence by in-app safety features (i.e., through policing). Our study surfaces a holistic social justice assessment that involves examining the risks of excluding marginalized individuals from gig work and showing that digital technologies expand the solution space to achieve public safety of citizens and inclusivity in gig employment through enabling the role of each guardian as well as their interdependence.

Evaluation of the HEAL™ing Mental Health program: A prospective cohort study of short-term changes from a physical activity and lifestyle education program for people with mental health disorders living in rural Australia.

This study aimed to evaluate short-term outcomes of the HEAL™ing Mental Health program, an 8-week intervention for change in functional, behavioural and physiological health and wellbeing designed for people living with mental health conditions in rural or regional areas of Australia. A prospective cohort study was completed, reporting on 19 items (pre-program) and 15 (post-participation change), organised across seven domains. Participants took part in an Accredited Exercise Physiologist/Nurse led supervised group exercise (60 minutes) and healthy lifestyle education program (60 minutes). Separate linear mixed models with restricted maximum likelihood were used to examine the primary research question considering the effect of the program on: walking (min/week); planned, incidental and total physical activity (min/week); sitting time; active days; fruit and vegetable intake; body mass index; waist circumference; blood pressure; 6 minute walk distance; 30 second sit-to-stand; psychological distress symptoms; and stage of behaviour change. There were 99 participants (31 males, 68 females) out of 117 participants completed more than 50% of program sessions. Twelve of 15 measures achieved their desired target change and a statistically significant change toward the desired outcome was reported for 14 of 15 measures. Positive results were obtained for participants completing more than 50% of sessions, suggesting that HEAL™ ing Mental Health program is effective to increase physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices in individuals who self-report a mental health disorder.

Discipline «project management» as an elective for future professional junior bachelors in agricultural specialties

The article analyzes modern definitions of "project management" given by Ukrainian and foreign scientists. Based on these, the characteristics of project activities are presented and motivation for studying and applying project activities is formed, particularly for students pursuing the educational degree of "Professional Junior Bachelor". It is noted that project management has stages of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and completion, and the motivations include satisfying the individual's need for free choice of activity, high interest of executors, focus on results and quality assurance of achieved goals, adherence to implementation deadlines, compliance with the project execution plan, use of only limited resources provided, customer satisfaction from high-quality implementation, and the opportunity for employee training. The competencies that a student of a professional pre-higher education institution in agriculture should acquire are studied, and those competencies that can be formed in the process of studying the discipline "Project Management" are identified. The educational and professional programs for training professional junior bachelors in the specialties "201 Agronomy", "073 Management", "208 Agroengineering" in the 2023-2024 academic year in a number of professional agricultural pre-higher education institutions were analyzed, and it was found that they lack the discipline "Project Management". The necessity of introducing the discipline "Project Management" into the educational process of training professional junior bachelors in agricultural specialties is substantiated, as an elective course, taking into account the basic principles of forming elective disciplines, which usually include ensuring students' right to choose educational disciplines, creating an individual educational trajectory, and the correspondence of elective disciplines to labor market requirements and student interests.

Radioactive waste Repository in Italy and annexed Technology Park

Radioactive waste is produced, in advanced industrial countries, by many activities, including medical, industrial and research fields. In Italy such waste, increasing year after year, has to be added to those deriving from nuclear activities. Italy operated Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) until 1987, when they were shutdown after a referendum. After a ten year stand-by, in 1999 the Italian Government created SOGIN, a public company charged for NPPs decommissioning and for the safe and responsible management of the Italian radioactive waste, acting as a Waste Management Organisation (WMO). Such management, following international guidelines and best-practice, is framed and implemented in a holistic approach, Radioactive Waste Management (RWM), that aims to guarantee safety “from cradle to grave”, from the moment when a radioactive waste is produced to the moment when it can be disposed of accordingly to safety standards, that include a classification of radioactive waste, assigning specifical requirements for disposal of each category of waste. The overall amount of radioactive waste is described and analysed, in each country, in a National Inventory. The Italian National Inventory is composed of many and different waste streams. This situation was originated from a pioneering nuclear programme started in the early ’60s, from a spread and diversified industrial installations, and from publicly enhanced research and medical activities. Following international best practices, Italy has adopted and is implementing a National Programme for RWM, that provides the disposal of some 78 000 m3 of radioactive waste in a near-surface repository, the National Repository (NR). A smaller amount of radioactive waste, some 17 000 m3, will be hosted in the NR for a long-term interim storage (50 to 100 years), waiting for its final disposal in a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF), that is required to be built deeply underground. The siting procedure for the NR is designed following a “mixed-mode approach”, that combines technical and engineering criteria with others referred to societal and economic aspects, in order to draw a National Map of Potentially Suitable Areas. SOGIN drafted this Map in 2014, and held a Public Consultation and a National Workshop (2021) to discuss, with a wide range of stakeholders, modifications to be applied in a National Map of Suitable Areas, that is currently waiting for green light from the government for its publication. After the publication of the National Map of Suitable Areas, Regions and local communities concerned will be asked to issue an expression of interest, aimed to start consultation with SOGIN (Project’s Implementer) to define an agreement that includes the research of a suitable site in the territory to host the NR. Together with the NR, a Technology Park will be built to carry out activities related to the NR operations, and other activities to be developed in various branches, from radiological and environmental protection to research laboratories. The choice of activities to be developed will be agreed with hosting communities.

Freedom of choice and network "echo effects" of information consumption

The mechanisms of media personalization and separation in network communication on the principle of like-mindedness stimulate the formation of "echo chambers" and "filter bubbles". The social network phenomenon indicated by these metaphors is the subject of research, and the concepts themselves are considered as close, but not identical. The purpose of the study is to identify factors affecting the effectiveness of filtering algorithms, the user's ability to make informed choices and self–organization in the process of information consumption. The analysis of the causes and consequences of selective strategies of online information consumption is carried out on the basis of the communicative - activity approach, the theory of virtual reality Zh. Baudrillard, concepts of digital media by K. Sunstein, E. Pariser and R. Fletcher. The results of foreign and domestic studies of communication practices on various social platforms are used as an empirical basis. The research approaches presented in the scientific literature allow us to focus on the technological and logical-semantic perspective of the analysis of stable forms of network communication. According to the authors, the interdependence of filtering algorithms and value dominants of information consumption leaves the user with a chance to independently choose a "consumer basket". The duality in obtaining personalized content is emphasized: on the one hand, it is convenience, saving effort, on the other - the one-dimensionality of the world picture in the information bubble. Based on this, freedom of choice is characterized as the right to active choice and the right not to choose, consciously delegating it to neural network filters. In conclusion, the authors identified internal and external network factors for reducing the effectiveness of filtering algorithms: the interpretation of user behavior by artificial intelligence; the functioning of rational confrontational communication; the opportunistic conceptualization of echo effects; the availability of means of conscious counteraction. Incentives for reasonable information consumption, technological and cognitive ways of protecting and rationalizing user behavior are highlighted.

Livelihood Activity Choices, Skills and Labor Markets: A Case Study of Two Villages of Baksa District, Assam

Livelihood Activity Choices, Skills and Labor Markets: A Case Study of Two Villages of Baksa District, Assam

Investigating factors affecting the development of contract farming. Case study: tomatoes in Kermanshah Province.

The escalating demands of a growing population and rising living standards strain the efficiency of traditional agricultural methods in fulfilling consumer nutritional needs. Technological advancements, particularly the introduction of contract farming models, offer a potential path towards addressing these challenges. However, in Iran, contract farming remains an underdeveloped and under-researched agricultural practice. This study delves into the factors influencing the development of contract farming in Iran. Employing a two-level multinomial logit model and data collected through 380 questionnaires administered to farmers in the Kermanshah region, the research reveals income (measured by the number of employed household members) as the primary driver of contract farming adoption. Additionally, factors such as reduced agricultural risk, higher education levels among farmers, improved product sales prices, and proximity to processing facilities positively impact the expansion of contract farming. Interestingly, "push factors" like land scarcity significantly influence non-contract farming participation, with 30.8% of surveyed households relying on these alternative methods. Geographical factors also contribute, explaining 23% of the observed variance in farming activity choices. These findings inform key policy interventions for sustainable contract farming development in Iran: robust legal frameworks and transparent contracts, contract-specific insurance schemes, training for agricultural extension workers, and farmer awareness campaigns.

THE INFLUENCE OF TRAVEL MODE CHOICE ON SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING - A CASE STUDY

The correlation between mobility and subjective well-being (SWB) has received much attention lately. Previous researchers have studied the effect of health parameters or SWB on transport mode; however, there is a lack of study on the influence of travel mode choice (TMC) for daily activities on SWB. Besides, the prediction of TMC is critical for transport planning. Therefore, the current study aims to study the TMC and its influence on overall SWB. Data from 732 individuals and 191 households are collected using random sampling techniques, which represents 0.029% of the total population. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for descriptive statistics, whereas R software was used for the multilevel linear regression analysis. The model estimation results show a significant correlation among the variables (p &lt; 0.05, R2 &gt; 0.20). Besides, those who are exposed to public transport and tend to use non-motorized transport modes engage in more physical activities than those who use a private vehicle, which has a negative impact on SWB. The outcome of current research helps policymakers build policies to achieve a sustainable transportation system.

Psychosocial wellbeing, parental concerns, and familial impact of children with developmental coordination disorder

BackgroundDevelopmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition impacting motor skill acquisition and competence. While previous studies have identified adverse psychosocial outcomes in DCD, they are limited by small or population-screened, community-based samples. AimsTo understand the psychosocial difficulties, parental concerns, and familial impacts of childhood DCD in a large population-based sample. Methods and proceduresParents of 310 children aged 4 – 18 years with a diagnosis of DCD (or synonymous term) completed the Impact for DCD survey. Parent-rated measures of emotional problems, peer problems, and prosocial behaviour were compared to normative data. Parental concerns for the impact of DCD on participation, interaction, emotional well-being, and the family system were examined. Outcomes and resultsCompared to typically developing children, children with DCD were rated significantly higher for emotional and peer problems, and significantly lower for prosocial behaviours. Parents most commonly reported concerns for their child’s future and withdrawal from physical activity. The presence of one or more co-occurring disorders did not significantly influence outcomes. Conclusion and implicationsFindings highlight the poor psychosocial outcomes for children with DCD. Crucially, poor psychosocial outcomes were just as likely in those with a single diagnosis of DCD as those with DCD and multiple co-occurring diagnoses. Parents reported concerns for their child (i.e., non-participation and social withdrawal) that are not targeted in existing DCD intervention modalities and emphasised the impact of DCD on the whole family unit. What this paper addsThis paper presents data from the largest parent-reported survey of children with a known diagnosis of DCD (or synonymous labels). It highlights the significant impact of DCD on psychosocial outcomes in children across age groups. The children in this study were rated by their parents to have significantly higher levels of emotional and peer problems, and lower prosocial behaviours, than similarly aged Australian children without DCD. It also challenges the misconception that poor psychosocial outcomes in DCD are the result of co-occurring disorders, with outcomes observed to be as poor in children with a sole diagnosis of DCD in this sample. Furthermore, findings highlighted the significant worry and concern that parents with DCD face, particularly around their child’s participation and their emotional health. Finally, parents reported on the considerable impact that DCD had on their family unit, regularly causing worry and concern, influencing their choice of activities, and causing financial strain. These concerns and impacts are not addressed in current intervention models for DCD and highlight the need for support mechanisms moving forward.

Tourists as Stakeholders. For a Better Tourist Involvement in Promoting Sustainable Tourism

The development of tourism activities will be achieved, in line with global and regional policies, by promoting sustainable development and increasing stakeholders’ involvement. Beyond the affirmation of principles, it is necessary to establish concrete methods for integrating tourists, as stakeholders, into the decision-making process of tourism companies and for educating tourists in the choice of sustainable tourism destinations and activities. This article aims to review some possible methods for educating and involving tourists in sustainable tourism principles and behaviours, with reference to the measures already undertaken by large groups of tourism establishments.

The Effect of Attitudes Towards Physical Violence and Demographic Variables on Serious Leisure Time Activity Choice

More than 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives every year due to violence. This rate makes the phenomenon of violence one of the leading causes of death in the world and can become an element of pressure on both economic and social life. It is extremely important to evaluate the solution proposals for the phenomenon of violence from an interdisciplinary perspective. At this point, it is assumed that there is a relationship between serious leisure activities and violence. Based on this point, the aim of this relational survey research is to determine the extent to which individuals' gender, educational status, weekly participation in serious leisure time activities, and perceptions of violence affect the likelihood of preferring serious leisure time activities. A relationship survey model and a simple random sampling method were used in the study. According to the findings, participants' weekly participation time in serious leisure time activities and educational level are significant predictors of serious leisure time activity choice. On the other hand, a negative relationship was found between the activity duration of serious leisure-time participants and their perceptions of physical violence. As a result, it was revealed that the attitudes towards violence of individuals who participated in outdoor serious leisure time activities were at a lower level compared to individuals who participated in indoor serious leisure time activities.Keywords: Indoor Recreation Activities, Outdoor Recreation Activities, Serious Leisure Activities, Violence

PANDEMIC IMPACT ON TRAFFIC TRENDS AND PATTERNS IN THE CITY OF BELGRADE

The appearance of the COVID-19 virus has caused great changes in all spheres of life. Probably the most visible change is the cities’ lockdown, with the suspension of traffic and transport systems. The capital of the Serbia – Belgrade also went through a complete lockdown, which lasted for almost 2 months (53 days). In that period, nearly all activities were reduced, producing significant losses for the whole economic development, healthcare, food supply chain, transport sector and most importantly public transport system. The behaviour of users in such situations can greatly influence the change in the share of certain modes of transport in the overall modal share. The aim of this article is to examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the transport mode choice for different trip purposes, as well as the examination of different impact factors, such as gender, age, education level, employment status, income, transport mode used before the pandemic, and average distance travelled, on the change of mode of transport. Data of 1143 users were analysed through a survey, for the area of the city of Belgrade, using the McNemar–Bowker test and binary logistic regression. The results showed that pandemic had a significant impact on the transport mode change for all trip purposes. The key factors influencing the change in the mode of transport are factors related to gender, level of education, income, the type of transport used before the pandemic and the average distance travelled. It is also interesting to note that the results showed a significant number of transfers to individual modes of transport, as well as micromobility vehicles and walking. Therefore, this article provides the necessary help in understanding the transport system user’s behaviour, which can facilitate the choice of adequate measures, modes and activities for decision-makers in these specific situations.

Online instructors’ pedagogical beliefs and choice of student learning activities

Online instructors’ pedagogical beliefs and choice of student learning activities

PRODUCTION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS USING COAL TAR RESIN AND INVESTIGATION OF THEIR SURFACE PROPERTIES

The traditional technological process for creating highly porous materials from carbonaceous raw materials involves two stages of thermal treatment: carbonization (pyrolysis) and activation (gasification), aimed at forming a porous structure capable of adsorption. Combining both stages into a single process with chemical activation allows for efficient raw material utilization and control of the material's porous structure at different levels, providing the ability to customize its characteristics. The choice of a chemical activator depends on the type of raw material and the required characteristics of porous carbon materials. In this study, it is established that the analysis of surface properties of highly porous carbon materials synthesized from coal tar pitch, obtained by distillation of coal tar resin from JSC "Shubarkolkomir," confirms the outstanding operational characteristics of this material. The application of a combined process of carbonization and activation of coal tar pitch at an optimal temperature in an inert atmosphere leads to the formation of porous carbon materials with a high specific surface area: 561 (traditional method), 789 (chemical activation), and 881 m²/g (templating method), as well as a pore volume of 0.30; 0.40; and 0.48 cm³/g, respectively. This work not only expands the technological methods of obtaining carbon materials from coal tar resin but also underscores their potential for improving soil structure and increasing the efficiency of agricultural production.