Social Group Behavior Research Articles

Shaping sustainable perceptions: The role of metaphors in Olympic news discourse.

The dissemination of sustainable development concepts in large international events like the Olympics has garnered great attention. As a major international sports event, the Beijing Winter Olympics served as an important platform for showcasing China's sustainable development philosophy through its official news coverage. In this context, metaphor, as a powerful cognitive tool, plays a crucial role in shaping public perception and facilitating the dissemination of values by mapping concrete source domains onto abstract target domains. This paper constructs a critical metaphor analysis framework for sustainable development, analyzing the mechanisms by which metaphors map the concepts of social, economic, and ecological sustainability, and their multifaceted roles in conveying policy proposals, ideologies, cultural values, and social group behaviors. The findings indicate that metaphors effectively facilitate public understanding of sustainability by concretizing abstract concepts. In the social dimension, metaphors emphasize fairness, cultural diversity, and social solidarity; in the economic dimension, they highlight resource recycling, technological innovation, and industrial upgrading; while in the ecological dimension, the focus is on environmental protection and the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. Metaphors play a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of policy, reflecting specific values and socio-cultural contexts, facilitating cultural communication and understanding, and enhancing public responsibility and participation awareness.

Social Identity Theory and Group Behavior

This article explores Social Identity Theory (SIT) as a framework for understanding group behavior and intergroup dynamics. Developed by Tajfel and Turner (1979), SIT examines the psychological processes of social categorization, social identification, and social comparison, which underpin how individuals form group identities and perceive out-group members. The article delves into the core mechanisms of SIT, including the ways in which social categorization shapes in-group/out-group distinctions, social identification strengthens group cohesion, and social comparison drives behaviors aimed at maintaining or enhancing group status. Through the lens of SIT, the article highlights the complexities of loyalty, prejudice, and intergroup conflict, offering insights into the factors that promote cooperation or rivalry between groups. Modern extensions of SIT, such as self-categorization theory, are also discussed to emphasize the evolving nature of group dynamics in contemporary society. The implications of SIT are examined in various contexts, including nationalism, workplace dynamics, and community integration, demonstrating its relevance in both local and global phenomena. Ultimately, the article underscores the importance of SIT in understanding group behavior and provides directions for future research on the evolving nature of group identities in an increasingly interconnected world.

Біхевіористичні підходи до процесів машинного навчання у контексті вирішення проблем сучасного публічного управління

The article discusses the possibilities of applying a behavioral approach when creating machine learning models of artificial intelligence mechanisms, taking into account the possibilities of tracking the behavioral reactions of users of digital tools, collecting and analyzing the information received and identifying hidden dependencies, and, as a result, developing management decisions based on the correct interpretation of the data obtained by AI algorithms based on the results of the above analysis. It has been established that when building machine learning models, it is advisable to track the behavioral reactions of users of digital tools, collect and analyze the information received, in order to identify hidden dependencies, since this contributes to increasing the efficiency of prediction and modeling by artificial intelligence of various scenarios of behavior of social groups and ensures an increase in the level of personalization of administrative services. Specific examples of the application of the behavioral approach in fields other than public administration, including economics, mass communications, sociology, and others, are presented. The author analyzes the experience of popular social networks in the current conditions of digital development, which use artificial intelligence tools to adjust the behavior of social groups. It is determined that artificial intelligence is able to quickly process large amounts of data and build certain predictive models on their basis and correct the behavior of controlled systems. However, the correctness of the interpretation of the obtained data by artificial intelligence algorithms depends on the conceptual framework used by the developer in the process of machine learning. It is emphasized that the study of the possibilities of applying artificial intelligence mechanisms based on the use of behavioral approaches is already being actively carried out by leading innovative companies, in particular Netflix, Meta, Google and others, to ensure internal management and other business processes. It has been proven that the use of behavioral approaches to machine learning, which focus on the study of behavioral patterns, can provide more effective methods for predicting and modeling user reactions to various scenarios in the field of public administration and contribute to the development of the most effective solutions without the use of coercion and administrative levers

Pedestrian crossing behavior in social groups: Exploring cultural contexts through a comparative study

Walking is a common mode of transportation that offers numerous benefits. However, pedestrians are vulnerable road users and account for a significant number of traffic accidents worldwide. Characterizing pedestrian behavior is crucial for enhancing safety and comfort. Several factors influence pedestrian behavior, including personal, situational, social, and cultural aspects. It is essential to consider these factors collectively for accurate predictions. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of cultural and location-specific influences on pedestrian behavior, yet many have focused primarily on risk perception, often neglecting the role of social interactions during street crossings. This study analyzes pedestrian behavior at a crossing in two culturally diverse cities: Bucaramanga in Colombia and Guimarães in Portugal. The research emphasizes the social and operational factors that affect how pedestrians cross streets. Specifically, it explores how cultural and social differences in each city influence group walking speed and mobility. The study examines several factors, including walking speed, the distance between pedestrians (whether in groups or alone), and the impact of group size and gender composition. The results demonstrate that informal rules and cultural context significantly impact pedestrian behavior during various crossing phases. Notable variations were observed in pedestrian speed before crossing and the spatial organization of groups during the crossing. To enhance road safety, interventions should consider these cultural factors and include educational programs that promote safe practices. This study contributes to a better understanding of how social factors influence pedestrian behavior and provides valuable insights for modeling pedestrian behavior, optimizing pedestrian facilities, and developing effective strategies for improving road user safety.

Artificial intelligence in teaching social disciplines: Opportunities and challenges of tools

Based on the analysis of scientific sources and practical experience in teaching social disciplines, the article reveals the role and problems of using AI in the system of higher education. The scientific opinion about the inevitability of using AI, despite its risks, in teaching social disciplines is expressed. A comparative analysis of the subject area, conceptual apparatus, functional purpose and research methods of social disciplines is carried out. Similar features are revealed, the basis of which is their focus on the scientific study of the social and psychological behaviour of individuals, social groups and communities. On the example of didactic methods of teaching social disciplines in higher education, the expediency of using AI tools in the process of teaching is substantiated. Their main capabilities are personalised learning, forecasting and trend analysis, data visualisation, simulations and virtual laboratories, speech, video and voice interfaces, assessment tools, and generation of comments and feedback. Clarification of the principles and main possibilities of using AI tools has revealed the main problems, which include ethics, reliability, transparency, insufficient professional training of teachers and imperfect legal support. We outline prospects for further research on the peculiarities of using AI tools to teach social disciplines in higher education.

Social identity theory in retirement culture in an underprivileged population: a qualitative study

PurposeSocial identity theory describes how an individual’s behaviors and choices are influenced by social group membership, including those related to financial planning. Social group behavior can also be influenced by structural barriers. The primary cause of poverty at retirement stems from the lack of financial planning for retirement. Underprivileged populations tend to have limited access to resources thus, they have difficulty saving for retirement. This study aims to identify barriers to financial planning among underprivileged populations through the framework of the social identity theory.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study examines key aspects of retirement planning among underprivileged populations using the social identity theory. Findings were based on 32 in-depth interviews with individuals from the Arab population in Israel.FindingsFour central themes emerged from the interviews, detailing the motivations for financial planning for retirement: social identity, pension literacy, reliance on the national social security network and (lack of) trust in the state and the pension system.Originality/valueBy utilizing the social identity theory, this study identifies potential barriers retirement planning among people from underprivileged populations. Understanding these barriers is vital for policymakers globally, due to the expected increase in the rate of older adults in coming years. Lack of proper retirement planning can lead to an increased rate of poverty among older adults.

How adolescents learn to build social bonds: A developmental computational account of social explore-exploit decision-making

Building social bonds is a critical task of adolescence that affords opportunities for learning, identity formation, and social support. Failing to develop close relationships in adolescence hinders adult interpersonal functioning and contributes to problems such as loneliness and depression. During adolescence, increased reward sensitivity and greater social flexibility both contribute to healthy social development, yet we lack a clear theory of how these processes interact to support social functioning. Here, we propose synthesizing these two literatures using a computational reinforcement learning framework that recasts how adolescents pursue and learn from social rewards as a social explore-exploit problem. To become socially skilled, adolescents must balance both their efforts to form individual bonds within specific groups and manage memberships across multiple groups to maximize access to social resources. We draw on insights from sociological studies on social capital in collective networks and neurocognitive research on foraging and cooperation to describe the social explore-exploit dilemma faced by adolescents navigating a modern world with increasing access to diverse resources and group memberships. Our account provides important new directions for examining the dynamics of adolescent behavior in social groups and understanding how social value computations can support positive relationships into adulthood.

KESIAPAN GURU PENDIDIKAN AGAMA ISLAM DALAM TAHAP IMPLEMENTASI KURIKULUM MERDEKA BELAJAR SEKOLAH DASAR ISLAM TERPADU TAHFIDZUL QURAN

This research explains the readiness of Islamic Religious Education teachers in each stage of the implementation of the Merdeka Belajar Curriculum at Sekolah Dasar Islam Terpadu (SD IT) Tahfidzul Qur'an in Majene Regency. The purpose of this study is to understand the categories of each stage, namely the initial stage, the developing stage, the ready stage, and the advanced stage of Islamic Religious Education teacher readiness. The type of research used is qualitative to study and understand social phenomena, individual or group behavior, and natural conditions. The data in this study were obtained through data collection through three techniques, namely interviews, observation, and documentation. The results showed that the readiness of Islamic Religious Education teachers at the implementation stage of the Merdeka Belajar Curriculum at SD IT Tahfidzul Qur'an was divided into four stages, namely the initial stage, namely the teacher using an example prepared by the government. At the developing stage, the teacher adjusts to the examples provided by the government. At the ready stage, the teacher makes changes to the examples provided by the government. At the advanced stage, teachers develop by adjusting the needs of schools and students.

Особенности манипуляции сознанием и поведением посредством образно-символических конструктов в идеологии религиозных социальных институтов

The article examines religion as a social institution. A definition of manipulation is given, and the main criteria for influencing mass consciousness, which makes it possible to determine the behavior of social groups and individuals are formulated. The substantive basis for the objectification of symbols through the emotional and ideological saturation of images is considered. A comparative analysis of objectification and simulation of an image in a symbol is carried out. The author explains the role of emotional objectification of figurative and symbolic religious constructs, emphasizes the fundamental importance of the personal experience of the image from the point of view of its acquisition of motivational power. The author’s aim was to show how religious organisations, as social institutions, manipulate people's minds and behaviour. The article shows that the use of a specific religious language, in which figurative and symbolic constructs occupy a significant place, plays a major role in the manipulation of people’s consciousness and behavior. Various religious organizations manipulate people’s consciousness and behavior on the basis of such figurative and symbolic constructs as “the Fall”, “grace”, “salvation” and “the Kingdom of God”. The emotional and ideological objectification of these constructs is considered from the point of view of the main strands of Christianity. Religion as a social institution shapes a certain perception and determines the individual experience of these symbols. Emotions that arise as a result of empathic experience of the phenomena described in theological texts shape the motivations and prescriptions that govern behavior. The main aim of these manipulations is to strengthen religious belief, the dominant position of various religious organizations in society and the subordination of the personality of the church as a social institution. The novelty of the work lies in the study of the role of figurative and symbolic constructs in the manipulation of people’s consciousness and social behavior by religious organizations.

Image of the Soviet Authorities in the Perception of the Siberian Peasants during the Russian Civil War and the Period of New Economic Policy

The article explores the ideas of the Siberian peasantry regarding Soviet authorities during the Russian Civil War and the Period of Implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP). The importance of this issue lies in the fact that the population’s perception of the governing bodies plays a significant role in the life of any society since it influences the political sentiments and the behavior of different social groups. However, this topic has not been extensively studied by Russian or international historiography. The research is based on a wide range of official documents, including newly discovered ones, produced by various Communist Party (Bolsheviks) bodies, the Joint State Political Directorate, and letters from ordinary people to authorities. The authors of the article analyze how different categories of Siberian peasants imagined the Soviet power vertical, what factors and how influenced formation and transformation of ideas about authorities during the Russian Civil War and NEP period. The article concludes by arguing that different social groups of the Siberian peasantry had different perceptions of Soviet authorities, which did not remain unchanged but varied over time. From the end of 1917 until the end of 1919, ideas about the Soviet authorities arose mainly independently, without significant external influence. The situation changed after the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat. The government’s policies and practices of implementation were the determining factors that shaped the image of the Soviet authorities throughout the 1920s

Endogenous Opioids and Volunteering: On the Evolutionary Significance of Helping Others.

The human tendency to help others in need has been subject to trans-, inter-, and multidisciplinary studies (e.g., anthropology, neurobiology, evolutionary psychology, economy), within the frame of studying the mechanisms and adaptive significance of human prosocial behavior. Volunteering directed to unrelated and unfamiliar individuals is one common form of such helping behavior. Helping others may be adaptive for a species at a macro-level, which in turn is mediated by neurobiological mechanisms. A key target for analysis of the neurobiological underpinnings of volunteering is the endogenous opioid system (EOS). This chapter discusses EOS activity as a potential mediator of volunteering behavior. Evidence of the congruence between EOS involvement in social group behavior and social bonding and the role of these phenomena in volunteerism is reviewed. Models and empirical evidence of the mechanisms and adaptive value of helping unrelated others are discussed and integrated, including the mammalian caregiving system, the neurobiological model of prosocial behavior, synchrony promoting social bonding, and stress-driven motivation of prosocial action in immediate needs.

A kinetic theory approach to model pedestrian social groups behavior in bounded domain

This paper considers the kinetic theory approach to model the behavior of pedestrian social groups in bounded domain. A social group is defined as individuals who have social ties and intentionally walk together, like friends or family. The heterogeneity of groups behaviors is introduced into the model by an activity variable. A probabilistic interpretation of the proposed model is given to apply Monte Carlo particle method. Numerical simulations are developed to provide a pictorial description of social groups dynamics, namely, the perform a specific task and the tendency to keep the same activity.

ЦІННІСНО-СВІТОГЛЯДНІ ОРІЄНТИРИ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО СУСПІЛЬСТВА 1991 РОКУ (НА МАТЕРІАЛАХ ГАЗЕТИ «ЛІТЕРАТУРНА УКРАЇНА»)

In the conditions of the collapse of the USSR and the gaining of independence by Ukraine, the Ukrainian public faced a number of challenges regarding national identity, historical memory, national and political consciousness, etc. In this vein, in 1991, the Center for Political Psychology and Communication of the Kyiv Union of Higher School Teachers schools and scientists, together with the editorial board of the «Literary Ukraine» newspaper, conducted a sociological study on the study of public opinion regarding the topical issues of that time, historical memory, and national consciousness. A number of questions were posed to society: «Who are we?», «What are we like?», «What do we want and what must we do?», «What kind of people are we?», «What kind of historical memory do we have?», «Do we believe in the national, spiritual and state revival of Ukraine?». The article shows the national composition of the population of Ukraine. A sociological portrait of survey respondents was made. The affiliation of the respondents to one or another political culture was determined, where the attitude towards the state leader was the main evaluation criterion, when the western political culture is oriented towards the equality of all citizens, including the leader of the state, while the eastern political culture is focused on the charisma of the leader. The ratio of different personality types among carriers of types of political culture is shown in percentages, their behavior in conflicts, which gives us a certain idea about the formation of their genotype, identity. The opinions of representatives of different types of political culture regarding the principles of choosing the president, regarding the forms of cooperation of Ukraine with the subjects of the former USSR, were analyzed, regarding the rating of historical figures, the popularity of political figures of Ukraine, the significance of Ukraine’s entry into the USSR and the proclamation of the Act of Independence of Ukraine. It was concluded that the society was not monolithic, identical, because it was formed under the influence of many different factors, among which a special place is occupied by the valuable and worldview aspect of the behavior of various social groups, which was related to their interaction with the political authorities. In this respect, the issue of entry/secession of Crimea and Donbas was indicative. That is, already at the moment when Ukraine gained independence, the mentioned question began to be raised at the level of separatism.

NAPS: Integrating pose estimation and tag-based tracking.

1. Significant advances in computational ethology have allowed the quantification of behaviour in unprecedented detail. Tracking animals in social groups, however, remains challenging as most existing methods can either capture pose or robustly retain individual identity over time but not both. 2. To capture finely resolved behaviours while maintaining individual identity, we built NAPS (NAPS is ArUco Plus SLEAP), a hybrid tracking framework that combines state-of-the-art, deep learning-based methods for pose estimation (SLEAP) with unique markers for identity persistence (ArUco). We show that this framework allows the exploration of the social dynamics of the common eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens). 3. We provide a stand-alone Python package for implementing this framework along with detailed documentation to allow for easy utilization and expansion. We show that NAPS can scale to long timescale experiments at a high frame rate and that it enables the investigation of detailed behavioural variation within individuals in a group. 4. Expanding the toolkit for capturing the constituent behaviours of social groups is essential for understanding the structure and dynamics of social networks. NAPS provides a key tool for capturing these behaviours and can provide critical data for understanding how individual variation influences collective dynamics.

Using Space Syntax in Close Interaction Analysis between the Elderly: Towards a Healthier Urban Environment

Population aging has become an issue that the world should to face together. Public spaces in urban areas play an important role in stimulating social interactions for the elderly, especially close social interactions. Although a volume of studies have focused on the health of the elderly and the shaping of urban space, they have neglected the need for close social behavior of the elderly group. This analysis addresses the question: What are the principles to improve public space qualities which facilitate age-friendly social interactions for the elderly? Blind-dating activities in Beijing City work as an example of close social interactions between the elderly. Methods include a case study in Beijing, field survey, and Space Syntax with related tools. The survey took place from 1 July to 30 September 2022. Around 102 elderly men and 84 women aging from 55 to 75 participated in the survey process. Results indicate that the close social interaction can positively comfort the elderly’s physical and psychological situations. It could be a path for the single elderly group meet a partner, make new friends, and establish new social networks. Consequently, three principles, including obtaining the safety of public space, keeping greenery in the social environment, and providing suitable space for close social interactions are proposed towards age-friendly urban areas. These support the regeneration of the elderly’s social life and stimulate a chasing of happy later lives.

Identity Propaganda

AbstractPolitical elites often employ propaganda to affect the behavior of a particular social group by altering its members' social identities. The empirical literature has demonstrated that this kind of ‘identity propaganda’ is generally effective at mobilizing citizens. However, while the consequences of being exposed to propaganda depend on its content, we know little about which factors shape propaganda content. To gain insight into the determinants of propaganda content, I analyze a game-theoretic model where a political elite proposes a new identity norm, and citizens affirm or reject it. I demonstrate that, in equilibrium, the propagandist exploits his agenda-setting power to design effective identity norms. I also show that more demanding identity norms can emerge when citizens’ mobilization costs are higher, or the propagandist can cheaply allocate material incentives. By contrast, the nature of strategic interaction among citizens has an ambiguous effect on identity norms.

Towards the self and away from the others: evidence for self-prioritization observed in an approach avoidance task.

Processing advantages arising from self-association have been documented across various stimuli and paradigms. However, the implications of "self-association" for affective and social behavior have been scarcely investigated. The approach-avoidance task (AAT) offers an opportunity to investigate whether the privileged status of the "self" may also translate into differential evaluative attitudes toward the "self" in comparison to "others". In the current work, we first established shape-label associations using the associative-learning paradigm, and then asked the participants to engage in an approach-avoidance task to test whether attitudinal differences induced on the account of self-association lead to participants having different approach-avoidance tendencies toward the "self-related" stimuli relative to the "other-related" stimuli. We found that our participants responded with faster approach and slower avoidance tendencies for shapes associated with the "self" and slower approach and faster avoidance tendencies for the shapes associated with the "stranger." These results imply that "self-association" may lead to positive action tendencies toward "self-associated" stimuli, and at the same time lead to neutral or negative attitudes toward stimuli not related to the "self". Further, as the participants responded to self-associated vs. other-associated stimuli cohorts, these results may also have implications for the modulation of social group-behaviors in favor of those like the self and against those in contrast to the self-group.

A.K. Ramanujan: A Poet of Different Cultures and Languages

The paper explores the impact of different cultures and languages in the poetic writings of A. K. Ramanujan. He has a full command over Indian culture, scriptures and rituals. Tamil, Kannad, Sanskrit and English languages are well known to him. Language is a very important tool in the formulation of a culture and its aesthetics, as it is a medium of expression. Without language no human culture can be imagined. Culture is a manifestation of the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular group of human society. It is a code of conduct which guides and control a certain human society. Ramanujan was deeply rooted in Indian culture and tradition, which is evident in his work. However, his exposure to Western education, particularly his studies in the United States, also influenced his literary style and themes. As a result, Ramanujan's work reflects a unique blend of different cultures and languages, and he is known for bridging the gap between Indian and Western literary traditions. Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary defines culture as “the customs and beliefs; ways of life and social organization of a particular country or group” (373). The cultural and linguistic influences are evident in the literature of any nation, therefore, it always becomes a perfect source of information. Literature of any nation keeps the record of its history, geography, culture and tradition. For instance, we have to study Leo Tolstoy to know the history and geography of nineteenth century Russian literature; similarly, if we want to know something about the English culture, we have to study English literature as literature is a part of culture. In the same way, there are several languages and cultures that are observed in India and each of them are closely connected with the theme of Indianness and this is how it paves the way of unity in diversity.

Conforming Behavior in Social Groups: A Conceptual Study on Groups, Group Dynamics, Social Influence, and Conformity

Conforming Behavior in Social Groups: A Conceptual Study on Groups, Group Dynamics, Social Influence, and Conformity

Conforming Behavior in Social Groups: A Conceptual Study on Groups, Group Dynamics, Social Influence, and Conformity

Conforming Behavior in Social Groups: A Conceptual Study on Groups, Group Dynamics, Social Influence, and Conformity