Appraisal Mechanism Research Articles

Infectious Confidence: Unraveling the Effects of Confidence Contagion on Overfunding in Equity Crowdfunding

Equity crowdfunding campaign overfunding occurs when a campaign generates funds in excess of the funding goal and has hence been touted as the mark of an extraordinarily successful campaign. However, a novel theoretical lens is needed to comprehend funders’ enthusiasm in their support of such campaigns. Building on the extant literature on contagion effect, we constructed a research model that posits confidence contagion invoked by confidence cues embedded in campaign materials as a key driver of overfunding. Our hypotheses were validated in two complementary empirical studies. In Study 1, we manipulated confidence cues in a controlled experiment to verify the activation of confidence contagion at the individual level. Analytical results indicate that individual funders detect self-confidence traits from confidence cues embedded in campaign materials and assimilate the fundraiser’s confidence via a spontaneous social appraisal mechanism. In turn, confidence contagion drives funders to congregate and invest in campaigns. In Study 2, we analyzed a secondary dataset collected from a leading equity crowdfunding platform to discern how confidence contagion drives overfunding at the collective level. By modeling funding activities as a Hawkes process, we derived three key metrics that govern the emergence and magnitude of funding surges. We demonstrated that these metrics of funding surges mediate the impact of confidence cues on the level of overfunding for equity crowdfunding campaigns. The findings from this study could inform future research seeking to untangle the interdependencies between individual and collective mechanisms underlying crowd phenomena, provide strategic guidance to fundraisers interested in promoting the overfunding of their campaigns, and help crowdfunding platforms predict the potential extent of overfunding and advise fundraisers accordingly.

Who is easier to please? A cognitive appraisal mechanism of tourists’ hierarchical experiences

ABSTRACT The ethnic ancient cities, as ‘cultural contact zone’, carries a large number of tourists, who may have the same or different cultural background from the host culture. Combining experience economy theory and cognitive appraisal theory, this study constructed a cognitive appraisal mechanism of tourist’ hierarchical experiences in ethnic ancient cities. The PLS-SEM results of 489 tourists in Kashgar Ancient City and 474 tourists in Qingzhou Ancient City reveal that cognate cultural destinations require more effort to please tourists than non-cognate cultural destinations. In non-cognate cultural contexts, the cultural contact has a greater impact on interaction immersion, while in cognate cultural contexts, the authenticity experience has a greater impact on interaction immersion. Moreover, compared to other experiential types, the impact of escapist experience, which has high-level engagement and high-level connection, on destination satisfaction is negatively moderated by destination familiarity. These findings provide practical insights for managers to innovate experiential forms and promote tourists’ revisits in different cultural destinations.

Roles of Sleep Quality, Self-Efficacy, and Coping Style in the Frailty of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Objectives Although the association between sleep disorders and frailty has been well established, little is known about the cognitive appraisal mechanisms underlying this association. Building on the transactional theory of stress and coping, this study explores the role of self-efficacy and coping style in the association between sleep quality and frailty among community-dwelling older adults. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 585 community-dwelling older adults were investigated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Tilburg Frailty Indicator, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression were performed. A moderated mediation model was established using the PROCESS macro. Results Poor sleep quality affects frailty directly (B = 0.193, p < .01) and indirectly via self-efficacy (B = 0.063, p < .01). The negative impact of poor sleep on frailty through self-efficacy was moderated by both positive and negative coping style (index = −0.007). The moderating effect was stronger when participants’ negative coping tendencies increased. Conclusions Poor sleep quality indirectly influences frailty by modifying self-efficacy. Effective coping strategies can help attenuate this association. Clinical Implications Timely sleep assessment and tailored strategies such as psychoeducational programs and targeted coping skills training may be beneficial for preventing frailty in older adults.

Cognitive Appraisals of Organizational Stressors and Coping Styles of Football Coaches and Players in Ghana

The study assessed how football coaches and players appraised and coped with stressors they experienced or encountered. Specifically, the study assessed the following: (1) stress appraisal mechanisms employed by coaches and players, (2) coping mechanisms adopted by coaches and players, and (3) association between stress appraisals and coping styles among coaches and players in the Ghana national football league. Employing the descriptive survey design, census sampling was used to select 424 footballers and 44 coaches who answered the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM) and the Modified Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (MCOPE) inventories. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviation) and multivariate multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that football coaches and players reportedly used more controllable-by-self and challenge appraisals and employed more problem-focused coping styles (increasing effort, active coping, and planning) than emotion-focused coping styles (seeking social support for emotional reasons, venting of emotions, and self-blame) during stressful situations. Further, those who used facilitative appraisal mechanisms adopted functional coping mechanisms and vice versa. Sport psychologists are encouraged to organize regular psychological training workshops on a variety of functional coping styles (e.g., cognitive restructuring, planning, increasing effort and active coping) to help football coaches and players deal with the demands associated with competitions to enhance their psychological well-being.

How public commuting stress promotes employee turnover intention: an examination through the lens of the transactional theory of stress

ABSTRACT Background and objectives The potential detrimental effects of commuting stress have gradually attracted scholars’ interest in recent years. Going beyond the perspectives of prior studies (e.g., conservation of resources theory), this study offers a new explanatory framework for the relationship between employees’ commuting stress and turnover intention based on the transactional theory of stress. Specifically, this study aims to investigate the mediating effect of hindrance appraisal and the moderating effect of trait mindfulness. Design and method To test the hypotheses, we collected two-wave data from 243 employees working in various Chinese firms. Path analysis was used for the analysis. Results The findings demonstrated that hindrance appraisal mediated the positive relationship between commuting stress and turnover intention. In addition, trait mindfulness buffered the relationship between commuting stress and turnover intention as well as the indirect effect of hindrance appraisal on this relationship. Conclusions The findings highlight the stressor appraisal mechanism in the association between commuting stress and turnover intention and identify trait mindfulness as a key coping mechanism for reducing commuting stress.

Research on Performance Appraisal of Administrative Personnel in Private Universities

When exploring the development process of private colleges and universities, many colleges and universities focus on building a strong teaching staff, and pay less attention to the growth and incentive of administrative personnel. The performance appraisal mechanism of most private colleges and universities is imperfect, which cannot comprehensively, objectively and fairly evaluate the work and performance of administrative personnel. As a result, the administrative personnel have become the short board of reform and innovation, which seriously hinders the further development and promotion of the overall education of private colleges and universities.

The politics of anger: emotional appraisal mechanisms and the French pension reform protests

In this article, using the French pension reform in 2020 as a case, we demonstrate how a focus on emotions helps us to better understand important policy dynamics. While existing approaches of welfare state reform typically focus on rational-materialist and institutionalist approaches, we use appraisal theory of emotion to explain how the reform project and process on the one hand and interest group behaviour and protest on the other are linked via a mechanism of anger. Material interests of different groups of citizens and trade unions clearly matter, but they cannot sufficiently explain the process through which disagreement could erupt in one of the largest and longest protest movements in recent French history. Theoretically integrating material interests and moral reasoning and using a variety of qualitative and public opinion data, we trace the escalation of conflict between key actors which ultimately impeded a comprehensive reform in 2020. Our findings have important implications for research on the role of emotions in policymaking.

Illness Uncertainty and Intrusiveness in Adolescent and Young Adult Women with Self-Reported Chronic Migraines

ABSTRACT Background Chronic migraines result in debilitating pain requiring complex and multifaceted daily management, including acting purposefully to attenuate symptoms and decrease impairment. Experiencing migraines may be more psychologically challenging for adolescent and young adult (AYA) women due to complex and recurrent stressors. Purpose This study examined the relationships between illness specific cognitive appraisal mechanisms (i.e., illness uncertainty and illness intrusiveness) and psychological adjustment (i.e., anxious and depressive symptoms) in AYA women with self-reported chronic migraines. Methods AYA women (N = 74, Mage = 20.19, SD = 3.41) with chronic migraines completed measures of illness uncertainty, illness intrusiveness, anxious, and depressive symptoms. Results Two hierarchical regression analyses indicated that illness uncertainty (B = .44, p < .001) and intrusiveness (B = .27, p = .026) significantly predicted anxious, F(4, 68) = 12.83, p < .001, and depressive symptoms, F(4, 68) = 8.48, p < .001, B = .31, p = .021 and B = .27, p = .037. Discussion Greater illness uncertainty and illness intrusiveness were associated with greater anxious and depressive symptoms. Thus, it may be that AYA women who experience chronic migraines have increased perceptions of ambiguity, unpredictability, and disruption to their life that significantly contribute to their psychological adjustment outcomes. Translation to Health Education Practice This study demonstrates a need for health education on the role of illness related cognitive appraisal mechanisms for AYA women with chronic migraines. A AJHE Self-Study quiz is online for this article via the SHAPE America Online Institute (SAOI)http://portal.shapeamerica.org/trn-Webinars

Construction of Digital Evaluation Model for Teacher Literacy in Colleges and Universities and Its Optimization Strategy

Abstract In this paper, by sorting out the principles followed by some scholars in constructing the evaluation index system of teacher literacy in colleges and universities, combined with the actual situation of teacher literacy in a college or university, the preliminary selection of teacher literacy evaluation indexes is made. The Delfel method must be used to screen the preliminary selection of evaluation indicators and then determine the teacher literacy evaluation index system. With the help of a hierarchical analysis algorithm, calculate the weight value of each index, formulate the evaluation factor set and comment set, and construct a fuzzy evaluation model. Adopt the model of this paper to explore the current situation of teacher literacy development. The comprehensive evaluation matrix of the three-level indicators in the teacher literacy evaluation index system of the school is 3.7519, 6.2918, 3.353, 3.407, and 3.1964. Based on the principle of maximum affiliation, the evaluation results of teacher literacy in the school are good, and at the same time, it maps out that there is a problem of teacher literacy in colleges and universities, and in order to promote the college and university teachers to have excellent literacy, it puts forward two optimization strategies, namely, teacher training and a sound appraisal mechanism. To promote the excellent quality of college teachers, two optimization strategies are proposed, namely, teacher training and sound assessment mechanisms.

Does Temptation Associate with Unethical Intention? A Mediating Role of Monetary Intelligence: Evidence from MBA Students in Nepal

Purpose- The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of Monetary Intelligence (MI) between Temptation (TEM) and Unethical Intention (UI) among MBA students in Nepalese Business Schools.&#x0D; Design/ Methodology/ approach- The research applied a cross-sectional survey research design to collect data from 341 MBA students in Nepali Business Schools. The purposive sampling method was used to reach the respondents. The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test the stated hypotheses.&#x0D; Finding- The study revealed that TEM has a significant influence on UI. However, MI and TEM do not significantly influence UI. Likewise, the specific indirect effects and total effects are not significant. Therefore, the results of the mediational analysis illustrated no effect (no mediation) results.&#x0D; Practical implications- This study focuses on understanding the significance of MI in relation to TEM to trigger UI among MBA students at Nepali Business Schools. This paper paves the path for undertaking complex higher-order constructs in the existing PLS-SEM literature. Likewise, human resource managers could develop their recruitment, training, and performance appraisal mechanism based on understanding the temptation of prospective employees and their possibility of engaging in unethical behaviours.&#x0D; Originality- This paper has investigated Temptation (reflective-formative), Monetary Intelligence (reflective-formative), and Unethical Intention (reflective-reflective) to explain the mediational mechanism of MI with TEM and UI. The present study is among the earliest studies to examine unethical intention in the Nepali context.&#x0D; Keywords: Monetary intelligence, formative construct, reflective construct, temptation, unethical intention&#x0D; JEL: M10&#x0D;

A recycling model based on blockchain and reverse logistics for remanufacturing

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the challenge of integrating discarded products as pivotal raw materials in the remanufacturing process. The pervasive lack of transparency in the origin of discarded products and the prevalent issues of diminished recycling value in existing market recycling models underscore the need for a transformative solution. In response, this study introduces a novel remanufacturing-centric recycling framework that harnesses blockchain (BC) technology and reverse logistics (RL). This framework orchestrates transactions within the recycling market by systematically tracking the quality attributes of products. The proposed model innovates by deploying dynamic game theory to devise recycling pricing strategies tailored for recycling entities. Additionally, the incorporation of an appraisal mechanism for recycled product quality enhances the capability of recycling entities to acquire high-value items. The model’s viability and pioneering attributes are corroborated through a case study involving a retailer’s engine recycling strategy. The empirical findings validate the model’s potential in creating a standardized market for recycling high-value products, thereby empowering remanufacturers to access superior-quality discarded materials through optimized recycling channels.

Examining the Performance Management System as a Predictor of Organizational Effectiveness: Perspectives from the Indian Manufacturing Sector

Regular and systematic assessment of performance is a crucial responsibility for management. It not only evaluates and monitors organizational growth but also provides career direction for individual employees. Establishing clear performance expectations, encompassing results, actions, and behaviors, helps employees understand their job requirements. Well-defined goals, coupled with regular performance assessments, are vital for defining corporate competencies and identifying skill gaps. This information serves as a valuable input for designing Human Resource Development (HRD) plans.&#x0D; Despite the importance of performance appraisal systems, there is often a gap between intention and actual practice in many organizations. Previous research in Indian organizations revealed that existing performance management systems (PMSs) may allow for the use of appraisal data for administrative purposes, but there is a missing link between appraisal outcomes and the subsequent design and execution of developmental programs.&#x0D; In light of this, researchers aimed to assess employees' perceptions of PMS and its role in achieving organizational effectiveness. A survey, including a questionnaire and focused group discussions, was conducted with a purposive sample of 200 professionals in Indian manufacturing industries. The analysis confirmed the association between PMS and organizational effectiveness. However, there were differing perceptions among line managers about PMS, and even when there was agreement, it did not lead to superior outcomes due to a lack of clarity in the existing system.&#x0D; The discussions highlighted a distinct differentiation in the involvement of different levels of management in the performance appraisal mechanism. Additionally, the reciprocal trigonometric relationship between PMS, competency management systems, and training and development was emphasized.

Brain signatures of chronic gut inflammation.

Gut inflammation is thought to modify brain activity and behaviour via modulation of the gut-brain axis. However, how relapsing and remitting exposure to peripheral inflammation over the natural history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) contributes to altered brain dynamics is poorly understood. Here, we used electroencephalography (EEG) to characterise changes in spontaneous spatiotemporal brain states in Crohn's Disease (CD) (n = 40) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) (n = 30), compared to healthy individuals (n = 28). We first provide evidence of a significantly perturbed and heterogeneous microbial profile in CD, consistent with previous work showing enduring and long-standing dysbiosis in clinical remission. Results from our brain state assessment show that CD and UC exhibit alterations in the temporal properties of states implicating default-mode network, parietal, and visual regions, reflecting a shift in the predominance from externally to internally-oriented attentional modes. We investigated these dynamics at a finer sub-network resolution, showing a CD-specific and highly selective enhancement of connectivity between the insula and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), regions implicated in cognitive-interoceptive appraisal mechanisms. Alongside overall higher anxiety scores in CD, we also provide preliminary support to suggest that the strength of chronic interoceptive hyper-signalling in the brain co-occurs with disease duration. Together, our results demonstrate that a long-standing diagnosis of CD is, in itself, a key factor in determining the risk of developing altered brain network signatures.

‘Feeling out’ the rules: A psychological process theory of red tape

AbstractOver the past 30 years, red tape has emerged as a key concept in public management. Yet, researchers continue to debate the relative merits of system‐centric versus individual‐centric approaches. In this article, we articulate an individual‐centric psychological process theory, a theory that confronts the ‘modularity assumption’ relegating the subjective individual experience as inconsequential in much red tape research. We theorize that the appraisal mechanism influences the meaning attached to external compliance demands. Our process theory advances the claim that experience, emotion, and expectancy influence one's perceptions of, and behavioral response to, red tape. Thus, compliance expectations in rules are informed by other social demands embedded in roles, identities, and collective interests in ways that influence the perceived legitimacy of rules and the compliance burdens they impose. The psychological process theory offers a holistic perspective on red tape by treating the subjective individual experience as consequential for understanding red tape.

Tourist Attraction Appraisal and Local Environment Improvement: Some Evidence from China

This paper analyzes the relationship between tourist attraction appraisal and local environment improvement. Using a panel data set of 150 top tourist cities in China from 2004 to 2019, the paper adopts a two-way fixed effects model to test the impact of 5A-level tourist attraction appraisal on local environment improvement. The main conclusions are given as follows: First, 5A-level tourist attraction appraisal can motivate local governments to improve the local environment. Second, the environmental improvement effect of 5A-level tourist attraction appraisal is influenced by a city’s tourism resource dependence. In cities with higher tourism resource dependence, 5A-level tourist attraction appraisal is more conducive to improving the local environment. Third, 5A-level tourist attraction appraisal has caused stronger environmental improvement effects for natural tourist attractions than for cultural tourist attractions. These results highlight that urban planners should pay attention to the mechanism of tourist attraction appraisal to improve the urban environment, while promoting economic development.

Unveiling Oligarchy in Influence Networks From Partial Information

In modern society, individuals' opinions on various topics evolve as the result of their continuous interactions and are shaped by interpersonal influences and individual social power. Friedkin's reflected appraisal theory reveals how social power evolves along discussion sequences as a consequence of direct and indirect interpersonal influence over issue outcomes. This reflected appraisal theory also suggests how, in enduring social groups, a form of concentrated power in an entrenched minority arises as a near <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">iron law</i> of influence network dynamics. Motivated by theoretical and empirical findings, this paper studies oligarchic influence systems, that is systems in which the social power is accumulated within a small group of individuals. First, we propose a new mathematical model of the reflected appraisal mechanism and illustrate how, under appropriate conditions, this model leads the influence system to asymptotically converge to an oligarchy. Second and most importantly, we address the data-driven social power estimation problem, i.e., we propose algorithms to unveil oligarchies in influence networks along issue sequences. Our algorithmic approach is based upon (i) casting the problem of learning social power as a sparse recovery problem, and (ii) estimating individuals' social power directly from the observation of initial and final average opinions, without the burdensome intermediate step of social influence recovery. We prove that the social power estimation can be performed with partial sampling of initial opinions and we derive theoretical bounds on the estimation error in terms of the number of observations. We study sample complexity and computational requirements of the proposed methods. Finally, our findings are validated via numerical experiments.

Identification and Assessment of Film Appraisal Mechanisms Aimed at the Improvement of Archiving and Presentation Processes

Národní filmový archiv, Prague (the National Film Archive, or NFA) needs to update its core cataloguing system and potentially improve preservation processes to address new requirements related to (digital) content management. Since the NFA is also active in content digitisation and restoration, new digital tools were recently deployed for the purposes of supporting operation and management processes. In order to identify how the new system could improve the efficiency of both cataloguing and content management, the entire workflow has been investigated and analysed. Together with a standard process mapping, the extent to which these processes are aligned with the institution’s key activities, strategies, (individual) roles and the NFA’s goals was investigated. Drawing on concepts from cultural work appraisal and practical theories, techniques developed in ethnography and organizational studies were applied to examine the way in which the value of collected material is being constructed, understood and documented; and how its perception contributes to decision-making during the organisation’s regular activities. The results were analysed and communicated using process diagrams and sets of recommendations. Along with gaining better insight into the NFA’s operations, this approach allows for the enhancement of the new data model. There were also several mechanisms proposed which are aimed at enriching the retrieval of information related to film content origin, treatment, perception and community appraisals; as well as the improvement of strategic decision-making processes regarding digitisation, long-term preservation and distribution priorities.

Multiple criteria decision analytic methods in management with T-spherical fuzzy information.

With a focus on T-spherical fuzzy (T-SF) sets, the aim of this paper is to create a split-new appraisal mechanism and an innovative decision analytic method for use with multiple-criteria assessment and selection in uncertain situations. The T-SF frame is the latest recent advancement in fuzzy settings and uses four facets (consisting of membership grades of positivity, neutrality, negativity, and refusal) to elucidate complex uncertainties, thereby evidently reducing information loss, in anticipation of fully manifesting indistinct and equivocal information. This paper adds to the body of knowledge regarding multiple criteria choice modeling by raising T-SF correlation-oriented measurements connected to the fixed and displaced ideal/anti-ideal benchmarks and by creating an approachable appraisal mechanism for advancing a T-SF decision analytic methodology. Consider, in particular, the performance ratings of available options in terms of judging criteria under the T-SF type of uncertainties. This research gives correlation-oriented measurements focusing on two varieties of maximum and square root functions in T-SF situations, which serve as a solid foundation for an efficacious appraisal mechanism from two views of anchored judgments corresponding to the fixed and displaced benchmarks. The T-SF Minkowski distance index is generated to integrate the outranking and outranked identifiers relying on correlation-oriented measurements for figuring out the local outranking and outranked indices. The T-SF decision analytic procedures are constructed using a new appraisal significance index that is founded on certain valuable insights of correlation-oriented maximizing and minimizing indices as well as global outranking and outranked indices. Additionally, a concrete location selection dilemma is dealt with in this research to showcase the applicability and efficiency of the suggested T-SF decision analytic methodology. Sensitivity analyses and comparative studies are carried out to investigate substantial modifications in pertinent parameters and to confirm the robustness of the predominance relationships among the available options. The suggested approaches are adaptable, flexible, and reliable, according to the application outcomes and comparison findings. This research provides four scientific contributions: (1) the utilization of T-SF correlation coefficients as the basis for prioritization analysis involving multiple criteria assessments, (2) the evolution of the T-SF Minkowski distance index to model outranking decision-making processes, (3) the creation of a reliable appraisal mechanism based on T-SF correlation-oriented measurements for intelligent decision support, and (4) the advancement of computational tools and procedures (e.g., correlation-oriented maximizing and minimizing indices, global outranking and outranked indices, and appraisal significance indices) to perform the decision analytic procedure in T-SF settings. In terms of managerial implications, the solution findings support the employment of the fixed ideal/anti-ideal benchmarking mechanism, as its measurements and indices are easy to operate and suitably sensitive. Next, in practical implementations of the T-SF decision analytic procedure, it is advised to utilize the T-SF Manhattan distance index for calculating convenience. Finally, the T-SF decision analytic techniques offer fundamental ideas and measurements appropriate for manipulating T-SF information in complex decision situations, thereby increasing the application potential in the area of decision-making with information uncertainty.

Pathway, Motivation and Control: Alienation and Correction in Civil Servant Assessment

As an important part of civil servants' daily management, the assessment is not only a regulation and restraint on civil servants' behavior and performance of their duties, but also an indispensable means to arouse civil servants' enthusiasm. However, in the practice of many public departments, the alienation behavior such as "alternating sitting" and "selective report" has appeared in an endless stream, and the existing research mainly starts from the optimization of the specific assessment elements and methods, and lacks the discussion on the mechanism of the formation behind the alienation phenomenon. By combing through the process of civil service appraisal system, this paper distinguishes four types of appraisal alienation: operation blitz, information distortion, distribution equalization and application formalization. Extracting three key variables of the appraisal path, motivation mechanism and control mechanism, the clear appraisal path continuously compresses the planning space of the civil servant appraisal, and sufficient motivation mechanism can directly enhance the participation of appraisal, and the exertion of the appraisal path and motivation function cannot be separated from the restraint adjustment of the control mechanism. Then from the clear path, strengthen the motivation mechanism, maintain the control mechanism, realize the appraisal alienation behavior correction and the integrity optimization of the civil servant appraisal mechanism.

The interpersonal semantics of rhetoric

Abstract Different from previous linguistic studies on rhetoric, which primarily concern the ideational semantics and the logic of sentences, this article attempts to deal systematically with the interpersonal semantics of rhetoric by drawing on the comprehensive appraisal framework of systemic functional linguistics (Martin and White 2005) and explores the mechanism of rhetorical persuasion in science communication via appraisal through a case study of the gene-modification (GM) debate in China. It first examines the rhetorical appeals of the subsystems of appraisal and then based on a self-constructed and coded corpus of GM debate discourses, it compares how institutional (the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and the Greenpeace Organization) and individual stakeholders (Cui Yongyuan and Fang Zhouzi) of different ideological interests in the GM debate mobilize the interpersonal semantic resources to rhetorical effects to persuade the audience of the safety/danger of the GM technology and products. The analysis reveals that while the opinion leaders choose ‘soft’ persuasion by heavily using affect and judgement resources, the institutions opt for ‘hard’ persuasion by utilizing more appreciation resources. The four parties all prefer contracting resources over expanding resources of engagement, which restricts the space of negotiation. Their communicative motives are interpreted through the lens of the rhetoric theory, and the implications and consequences for science communication in the post-truth era are discussed. Theoretically, the paper contributes to understanding the persuasion mechanism of appraisal and to understanding the science vs. society, and government vs. citizens relationship.