Related Beliefs Research Articles

The effectiveness of a scientific reasoning intervention for conspiracy theory beliefs

AbstractConspiracy theory (CT) beliefs have become an important policy‐relevant research area since the events of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Increasing interest has been directed towards strategies that might reduce people's susceptibility to conspiratorial beliefs. In this study, we examined whether encouraging a stronger orientation towards critical scientific appraisal of conspiratorial accounts could reduce CT acceptance. After completing baseline measures of COVID‐19 related beliefs and analytical and scientific reasoning abilities, a total of 700 adults were randomly allocated to a control or scientific reasoning manipulation. People assigned to the scientific reasoning condition were found to display significantly lower CT belief endorsement post‐intervention as compared to the control group. As well as having implications for the design of future intervention studies, the results of this study encourage a greater focus on specific reasoning skills that may be amenable to a psychoeducation approach, in order to further develop methods to prevent CT beliefs.

The associations between paranormal beliefs and sleep variables.

Previous studies have found significant associations between paranormal beliefs and sleep variables. However, these have been conducted on a small scale and are limited in the number of sleep variables investigated. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature by investigating paranormal beliefs in relation to a wide range of sleep variables in a large sample. Participants (N=8853) completed a survey initiated by the BBC Focus Magazine. They reported on their demographics, sleep disturbances and paranormal beliefs. Poorer subjective sleep quality (lower sleep efficiency, longer sleep latency, shorter sleep duration and increased insomnia symptoms) was associated with greater endorsement of belief in: (1) the soul living on after death; (2) the existence of ghosts; (3) demons; (4) an ability for some people to communicate with the dead; (5) near-death experiences are evidence for life after death; and (6) aliens have visited earth. In addition, episodes of exploding head syndrome and isolated sleep paralysis were associated with the belief that aliens have visited earth. Isolated sleep paralysis was also associated with the belief that near-death experiences are evidence for life after death. Findings obtained here indicate that there are associations between beliefs in the paranormal and various sleep variables. This information could potentially better equip us to support sleep via psychoeducation. Mechanisms underlying these associations are likely complex, and need to be further explored to fully understand why people sometimes report "things that go bump in the night".

The Impact of Mask Mandates on Face Mask Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Survey Study.

Face mask use has been associated with declines in COVID-19 incidence rates worldwide. A handful of studies have examined the factors associated with face mask use in North America during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, much less is known about the patterns of face mask use and the impact of mask mandates during this time. This information could have important policy implications, now and in the event of future pandemics. To address existing knowledge gaps, we assessed face mask usage patterns among British Columbia COVID-19 Population Mixing Patterns (BC-Mix) survey respondents and evaluated the impact of the provincial mask mandate on these usage patterns. Between September 2020 and July 2022, adult British Columbia residents completed the web-based BC-Mix survey, answering questions on the circumstances surrounding face mask use or lack thereof, movement patterns, and COVID-19-related beliefs. Trends in face mask use over time were assessed, and associated factors were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. A stratified analysis was done to examine effect modification by the provincial mask mandate. Of the 44,301 respondents, 81.9% reported wearing face masks during the 23-month period. In-store and public transit mask mandates supported monthly face mask usage rates of approximately 80%, which was further bolstered up to 92% with the introduction of the provincial mask mandate. Face mask users mostly visited retail locations (51.8%) and travelled alone by car (49.6%), whereas nonusers mostly traveled by car with others (35.2%) to their destinations-most commonly parks (45.7%). Nonusers of face masks were much more likely to be male than female, especially in retail locations and restaurants, bars, and cafés. In a multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for possible confounders, factors associated with face mask use included age, ethnicity, health region, mode of travel, destination, and time period. The odds of face mask use were 3.68 times greater when the provincial mask mandate was in effect than when it was not (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.68, 95% CI 3.33-4.05). The impact of the mask mandate was greatest in restaurants, bars, or cafés (mandate: aOR 7.35, 95% CI 4.23-12.78 vs no mandate: aOR 2.81, 95% CI 1.50-5.26) and in retail locations (mandate: aOR 19.94, 95% CI 14.86-26.77 vs no mandate: aOR 7.71, 95% CI 5.68-10.46). Study findings provide added insight into the dynamics of face mask use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mask mandates supported increased and sustained high face mask usage rates during the first 2 years of the pandemic, having the greatest impact in indoor public locations with limited opportunity for physical distancing targeted by these mandates. These findings highlight the utility of mask mandates in supporting high face mask usage rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigating students' motivational goals and self‐efficacy and task beliefs in relationship to course attendance and prior knowledge in an undergraduate statics course

AbstractBackgroundStudent persistence in undergraduate engineering majors often depends on how they perform in foundational engineering courses. Although mastery of prerequisite knowledge affects how students perform in these courses, research suggests that achievement goal orientations and task‐value and self‐efficacy beliefs play prominent roles in predicting students' achievement.Purpose/HypothesisDrawing on achievement goal, expectancy‐value, and self‐efficacy theories, this study explores the relationships and relative predictive significance of students' achievement goal orientations and task‐value and self‐efficacy beliefs on academic achievement when prior knowledge and class attendance in a foundational engineering course were accounted for.Design/MethodParticipants were students enrolled in engineering statics at a primarily White institution. A multiple regression analysis was conducted using achievement goals, self‐efficacy for learning performance, task value, absence, and prior knowledge as predictor variables, and participants' achievement scores as the outcome variable.ResultsPositive relationships were observed between the different achievement goal constructs. The final regression model explained 50% of the variance in participants' achievement scores. Self‐efficacy and task‐value belief effects remained significant predictors of achievement, even after prior knowledge and regular class attendance were considered. Further, the combined effect of self‐efficacy and task‐value beliefs on achievement was larger than that of prior knowledge alone.ConclusionsPedagogical approaches that seek to improve engineering students' task‐value and self‐efficacy beliefs may be more efficacious at promoting achievement than those that focus on fostering achievement goal orientations. Instructors should consider such approaches along with those that effectively address differences in prior knowledge in foundational engineering courses.

Adaptação transcultural do Eating Beliefs Questionnaire para português do Brasil

The aim of this study was the cross-cultural adaptation of the Eating Belief Questionnaire (EBQ)-an instrument that assesses positive, negative, and permissive eating beliefs in relation to binge eating episodes-in its shorted version of 18 questions, into Brazilian Portuguese, for female teenagers. Conceptual, semantic, cultural and operational equivalence of the items were evaluated. The semantic and cultural equivalence involved 12 bilingual people and 12 experts in eating behavior. Operational equivalence consisted of applying the transcultural adapted version of the EBQ-18 to 20 girls with a mean age of 17.55 (SD=1.00) years. Item's clarity and understanding were assessed by the Content Validity Coefficient. Questions 5, 6, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, with adequate classification percentage for all equivalences, were not altered. The other items were adapted according to the committee's suggestions and by consensus among researchers. The adapted version of the EBQ-18 in Brazilian Portuguese displayed good content validity coefficient for clarity (CVC=0.975) and comprehension (CVC=0.971); except for item 3, all items had values between 0.88 and 1.00. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the EBQ-18 had a good understanding by the adolescent public when it comes to investigate the role of dietary beliefs in the maintenance of binge eating episodes. Future studies with adolescents are recommended, jointly assessing risk for and presence of eating disorders in significant clinical and non-clinical samples, as well as its psychometrics properties.

Bees in folk belief and practices before and now

The article traces changes in human cognitive and social development using the example of the domesticated insect, the bee. From the 13th to the 20th century, forest bee-keeping spread, using live trees as beehives, and later also log hives on the ground. The ways of keeping bees changed fundamentally in the 19th century with the introduction of new types of hives, and they also consolidated beliefs in relation to bees. Bees had numerous special names, euphemisms were used when talking about them and in incantations, in which bees were called men/workers or other kinship terms were used, and they were also called domestic animals of the guardian fairies. The article presents beliefs about bees as soul animals and various legends that were associated with the journey of the soul, as well as the popular belief about the connection between the death of the owner and the bees. While earlier on honey denoted an abundant and ideal life in the minds of people, the bee represented a hardworking, loyal person, and bees were the epitome of the motherland in texts expressing national identity.

Teaching End-of-Life Care in Speech-Language Pathology: A Tutorial

Speech-language pathologists often lack preparation for working with patients near the end of life (EoL). Few academic training programs offer dedicated or sufficient content in the area of end-of-life care (EoLC). Furthermore, traditional knowledge-focused outcomes are not the most effective pedagogical strategy in teaching EoL and palliative care to students. Instead, a focus on self-awareness and personal beliefs in relation to death and dying have been shown to have a positive effect on attitudes toward EoLC. The purposes of this paper are three-fold: First, to explore what is known about the teaching and training of EoL in the discipline of speech-language pathology; second, to explore successful pedagogical strategies being used to teach this content; and third, to provide evidence-based suggestions for the inclusion of this content into speech-language pathology curriculum.

Predicting marital commitment based on communication beliefs with the mediation of sexual satisfaction and self-control

Aim: The present study was conducted with the aim of predicting marital commitment based on communication beliefs with the mediation of sexual satisfaction and self-control. Methods: The research method was correlational and structural equations type. The statistical population is all women who referred to counseling centers and health homes in Tehran in 2020-21 and 380 people were selected as a sample using a simple random sampling method. The data collection tool was Adams and Jones' Marital Commitment Questionnaire (1997), Idelson and Epstein's Relationship Beliefs in Married Life (1982), Larson et al.'s Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (1998), and Tangeny et al.'s Self-Control Questionnaire (2004). For data analysis, structural equation modeling was used using AMOS 14 and SPSS 24 software. Results: The results showed that the direct effect of communication beliefs on sexual satisfaction (β=-0.13), self-control (β=-0.47) and marital commitment (β=-0.46) is significant. The direct effect of sexual satisfaction on marital commitment (β=0.22) and self-control on marital commitment (β=0.54) is also positive and significant. Meanwhile, self-control can play a mediating role in the relationship between communication beliefs and marital commitment (P≥0.001). Conclusion: communication beliefs, communication patterns, sexual satisfaction and self-control, if formed in positive and efficient dimensions, can increase and maintain couples' commitments.

Beyond Controversial Speeches: Ideologies of Duterte as Philippine President

The study examined the ideologies embedded in the speeches of President Duterte on controversial issues using a qualitative design, mainly through a Critical Discourse Analysis of Fairclough. The material used was the ten speeches of Duterte from 2016-2019 that contained controversial topics. The study’s results revealed that his ideologies include negative representation, freedom of speech, social responsibility and good governance, transformational leadership, anti-corruption policy, liberal democracy, protection and security, public order and trust, civil service, and love for the country. These related beliefs and his policies form the basis of how he views things around him and the proper role of government in society as the Philippine president. By analyzing his language and the underlying meaning of his words and uncovering the ideologies underpinning discourse, people would get to know his beliefs, positions, and ideas in various matters, assisting them in interpreting issues, events, and conditions.

Prevalence and predictors of use of cupping among patients attending a primary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cupping is a cultural/religious treatment modality in Saudi Arabia that has been recently regulated by the Ministry of Health. The objective was to determine the prevalence of cupping use, its predictors, and related beliefs among patients attending a primary care center. Observational cross-sectional study was conducted between January and July 2019 among patients attending Alwazarat healthcare center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using a self-completed questionnaire. A total of 386 patients were included. Approximately 68.3% of the patients were females, and 41.8% were aged between 26 and 35 years. About 34.2% of the patients had cupping therapy before. Cupping use was higher in older age (P < 0.001), males (P = 0.002), and specific occupations (P < 0.001). The most frequent health problems treated were headache (40.5%), lethargy (13.0%), diabetes (10.7%), and hypertension (9.9%). Most (82.4%) of patients believed that the cupping they used was beneficial. Approximately 27.9% of the patients had cupping done in non-specialized centers, and 50% were not sure about infection control practices. Cupping was associated with the following encouraging factors; religious beliefs (79.8%), previous experience with relatives and friends (74.0%), culture and habits (57.8%), information in social media, and multimedia (52.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only age >35 years and previous experience of relatives and friends were independent predictors of cupping use. Cupping is a popular therapeutic modality among patients seeking primary care services in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Authorities are required to continue reviewing the standards of cupping clinics to ensure their license and patient safety.

Child Sexual Abuse, Psychopathology, Trauma and Attachment Beliefs and Interpersonal Functioning among Young Adult Survivors Attending Psychiatric Services in India

Background: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is known to have short and long-term consequences which can have an impact even in adulthood. The objectives of the study were to explore the nature of CSA in individuals attending psychiatric services, the impact of CSA on psychopathology, trauma and attachment beliefs and interpersonal functioning in young adult survivors and factors associated with CSA and its impact. Methodology: The study adopted a cross-sectional exploratory design. The sample comprised of 246 young adult patients attending inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services of a tertiary care hospital in India. The tools used were: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Sexual and Physical Abuse History Questionnaire, abuse-related Beliefs Questionnaire, Sexual Abuse Severity Score, Trauma and Attachment Beliefs Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory and Social Adjustment-Self Report. Results: About 21% of the sample had a history of CSA; among them 70% were females. The age of CSA ranged between 8 and 12 years. About 34% of them had more than 5 such experiences and about half of them had more than 2 perpetrators with majority of the sample experiencing high coercion. The survivors of CSA had greater levels of psychopathology, trauma and attachment beliefs, difficulties in certain domains of interpersonal functioning in comparison with individuals without a history of CSA. Female gender, poor parental emotional support, and having more than one significant life event contributed to risk of CSA. Poor emotional support from parents and trauma related beliefs predicted psychopathology. Conclusion: The study has implications with respect to the assessment, research and conceptualization of therapy in individuals with a history of CSA.

Using the ABC theory of emotion to examine the relationship between health anxiety and health information-seeking behavior among the rural population.

The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between online and offline health information-seeking behaviors, as antecedents and consequences, and health anxiety and related belief factors in rural residents. Based on the ABC theory of emotions (ABC model), this study developed two theoretical models of the association between health anxiety and health information-seeking behavior: Placing health information-seeking behavior (both online and offline) as an outcome and antecedent, respectively, and setting three belief factors of the perceived health threat, intolerance of uncertainty, and catastrophic misinterpretations. We collected 730 self-reported data points from 20 June to 5 July 2022 for rural residents in China and empirically tested the research model and hypotheses using partial least squares-based structural equation modeling. The perceived health threat and intolerance of uncertainty are significant motivators of health anxiety, and health anxiety has a direct beneficial effect on both online and offline health information-seeking behaviors. Health anxiety is influenced either directly or indirectly by catastrophic misinterpretations resulting from online health information-seeking, while offline health information-seeking behavior does not contribute as strongly to health anxiety directly but mainly reinforces it through the mediating influence of catastrophic misinterpretations. Rural residents' health anxiety promotes their online and offline health information behaviors. And both their online and offline health information-seeking behaviors may promote health anxiety directly and through catastrophic misinterpretations. Comparing the two, online health information-seeking behaviors primarily exacerbate health anxiety through direct effects, whereas offline health information-seeking behaviors primarily affect health anxiety through catastrophic misinterpretations. We provide suggested guidelines for alleviating health anxiety and regulating health information behaviors among rural residents.

PEMIKIRAN M. QURAISH SHIHAB PADA NILAI-NILAI PENDIDIKAN ISLAM DALAM KONSEP MODERASI BERAGAMA

This study aims to find out about the thoughts of m. Quraish Shihab on the values of Islamic education in the concept of religious moderation. The type of this research is literature study and bibliographic study, with a historical approach of thought related to text studies, covering the genesis of thought, consistency of thought, evolution of thought, systematics of thought, development and change, variants of thought, communication of thought, dialectic of thought and continuity of thought. The research data were taken from several written references, both books and journals, then collaborated so that they became a unified whole in the research results. The results showed that Muhammad Quraish Shihab's ideas about wasathiyah referred to wasathiyah values or moderation, namely based on religious values, and to determine wasatiyah must have religious knowledge. The educational values contained in Muhammad Quraish Shihab's thoughts are the belief in God (Faith), Morals (Submission), Worship, Community Life and Social Relations.

Personal Relative Deprivation, Altruistic behaviour and Reciprocity Towards Strangers: Mediating Role of Belief in Just World

Background. The present study was conducted to explore the role of personal relative deprivation as a predictor of altruistic behavior and reciprocity towards strangers. Moreover, the mediating role of belief in just world about others was also assessed. Method. The sample (N = 510) comprised of students (male = 144; female = 366) with ages ranging from 18 to 42 years (M = 22.9; SD = 4.2) from different universities of Pakistan. Results. Results revealed that personal relative deprivation and belief in just world about others positively predicted altruistic behavior and reciprocity towards strangers. Furthermore, it was also discovered that belief in just world about others mediates the relationship between predicting variable i.e. personal relative deprivation and outcome variables i.e. altruistic behavior and reciprocity. Conclusion. Inculcating altruistic behavior can aid communities and governments in developing more effective campaigns centered on encouraging prosocial behavior towards strangers.

Consumers’ Behavioural Intentions to Reuse Recommender Systems: Assessing the Effects of Trust Propensity, Trusting Beliefs and Perceived Usefulness

Recommender systems (RSs) are widely utilised across industries as tools to provide users with recommendations based on their preferences. This paper reports on an examination of the influence of trusting beliefs on behavioural intentions to reuse RSs, emphasising the effects of trust propensity, perceived usefulness and product type. A distinctive contribution of this study is the research model, which integrated perceived usefulness as an antecedent of trusting beliefs. Data collected in Australia with 366 participants were used. A new approach (MICOM and PLS-MGA) was performed to assess the moderating effect of product type. The research results indicate that trust propensity has a positive and significant direct effect on consumers’ trusting beliefs in an ongoing relationship. The results also suggest that consumers’ trusting beliefs and perceived usefulness of RSs positively and significantly affect their intention to reuse RSs. Perceived usefulness of RSs is more important compared to trusting beliefs in predicting consumers’ behavioural intention to reuse RSs. Trusting beliefs partially mediate the impact of perceived usefulness on behavioural intentions to reuse RSs. The results also showed an insignificant difference between the effect of different product types on Australian consumers’ behavioural intention to reuse RSs. These results have implications for the design of RSs.

99. COVID-19 Vaccine related Attitudes and Beliefs among Black and/or Hispanic respondents in Brooklyn, NY: Lessons Learned

Abstract Background Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier against COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Black/Hispanic population. The objectives of our study were to assess attitudes such as trust in the process of vaccine development, its approval and its stakeholders and mistrust due to racial discrimination to determine their relationship to vaccine receipt. Methods We collected close-ended survey responses in English/Spanish among participants self-identifying as Black/Hispanic in ambulatory clinics affiliated to NYU Langone Health across Brooklyn in June 2021. The survey consisted of demographic questions, and those assessing components outlined in objectives. Results A total of 156 participants answered the survey; majority being women (77%), &amp;lt; 50years old (62%), employed full time (51%), annual household income &amp;lt; $75,000 (75%). A vast majority reported trusting their healthcare providers (91%). Of the respondents, 67% (105) self-reported receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, which was higher than the prevailing rate at that time in this population in Brooklyn. Significant proportions of vaccinated group compared to unvaccinated group reported (Table1): understanding how vaccines worked overall (85% vs 53%); trusted their healthcare providers’ advice to get vaccinated (82% vs 50%); trusted the scientists who created and tested the vaccine (80% vs 48%); agreed that it was very important that the community gets vaccinated (82% vs 27%), and it was people’s responsibility to get vaccinated to stop the spread of virus in their community (96% vs 70%); agreed that confidence in the vaccine’s safety (86% vs 50%) and effectiveness (85% vs 52%) were very important. Unvaccinated group reported concerns about the side effects of vaccines, and greater doubt about adequacy of testing for safety and effectiveness of vaccine in their racial/ethnic group, and mistrust with government. Conclusion Despite higher self-reported COVID-19 vaccine uptake rate in Black/Hispanic study respondents in June 2021, significant mistrust and concerns about the vaccine remain. The effect of racial discrimination and mistrust can mitigated by greater trust in healthcare team, and future interventions can test this hypothesis in order to improve vaccine uptake in these populations. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Conceptualisations of mental illness and stigma in Congolese, Arabic-speaking and Mandarin-speaking communities: a qualitative study

BackgroundAustralia is an ethnically diverse nation. Research has demonstrated an elevated risk of developing a mental illness in culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities yet uptake of mental health services is low. To improve mental health treatment seeking and outcomes for CaLD individuals in Australia there is an urgent need to deeply understand barriers to treatment such as stigma. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, the aim of the study was to explore how CaLD communities’ conceptualise and interpret mental illness and associated beliefs and experiences of stigma.MethodsThe study focused on three key CaLD groups: the Congolese, Arabic-speaking and Mandarin-speaking communities residing in Sydney, Australia. A series of eight focus group discussions (n = 51) and 26 key informant interviews were undertaken online using Zoom during the period of November to December 2021. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analysed using NVivo software.ResultsThree major themes were identified. The first theme related to mental illness terminology used in the three communities. Despite variation in the terms used to refer to ‘mental illness’ all three communities generally distinguished between ‘mental illness’, a more severe condition and ‘mental health problems’, considered to arise due to stressors. The second theme centred on beliefs about mental illness; with all three communities identifying migration-related stressors as contributing to mental illness. Culturally related beliefs were noted for the Congolese participants with the perception of a link between mental illness and supernatural factors, whereas Mandarin-speaking participants highlighted lack of inter and intrapersonal harmony and failure to adhere to values such as filial piety as contributing to mental illness. The final theme related to mental illness related stigma and the various ways it manifested in the three communities including presence of collectivist public stigma felt across all three groups and affiliate (family) stigma reported by the Arabic and Mandarin-speaking groups.ConclusionsWe found rich diversity in how these communities view and respond to mental illness. Our findings provide some possible insights on both service provision and the mental health system with a view to building effective engagement and pathways to care.

Vertical line extensions: consumers' preferences for downward and upward extensions

PurposeResearch on vertical line extensions shows that consumers tend to evaluate upward extensions higher than downward ones. This paper examines the opposite situation. It also investigates the process underlying consumer responses by identifying a moderator and mediators.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted to assess the effect of extension direction (upward vs downward) on consumers' extension evaluations. Study 1 incorporated implicit theories of relationships (the growth belief) as a moderator and inferred motives for launching a vertical line extension as mediators in the effect. Study 2 presented a firm's rationale for undertaking the extension to examine whether it influenced evaluations.FindingsConsumers' preferences for downward over upward extensions appeared in markets where the exclusivity of luxury brands had been reduced. However, the resistance to upward extensions was weaker when consumers endorsed stronger growth beliefs in human relationships. Consumers inferred customer- and selling-oriented motives more strongly from downward than upward extensions, enhancing the evaluations. Finally, when presenting a rationale for launching an extension in the launch announcement, customer-oriented reasoning raised the evaluations higher than selling-oriented reasoning but did not elevate the evaluations higher than the announcement showing no reason.Originality/valueThis study advances the literature on vertical line extensions and shows that consumers' preference for upward over downward extensions is not universal. The opposite pattern exists in markets with a lower distinction between high- and low-end brands. It supports the theoretical notion that responses are driven by the differences in growth belief and in cognitive inferences vis-à-vis motives.

Immigration status as a determinant of health information-seeking behavior among undergraduates of color at an urban commuter college.

Background: Health information-seeking behavior (HISB) of college students is of importance due to health information inconsistencies at a time when personal independence and concurrent personal health decision making may be increased. Currently, there is a dearth of research about the HISB of college students, especially from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify and describe the sources college students use when engaging in HISB; and to explore associations between HISB and demographic factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduate students at a diverse, public institution in New York City. The sample was drawn from an institutional social science research pool and asked to complete a survey on HISB. A total of 226 respondents completed the survey. Results: The believed accuracy of the information found online was positively correlated with related behaviors and beliefs. The number of followers on Instagram proved to be an important mediator of HISB of college students. The number of followers a health information provider has was fittingly positively correlated with the belief that social media is a helpful resource for health information r(233)=0.18, P=0.01. Students from families with two or more generations living in the United States accessed health professionals more frequently than students from one or less generation (χ2=8.107(2), P=0.017). Conclusion: Targeted educational programs designed to increase health information seeking skills, including discernment of information quality should be a priority for college students.

On Bayesian Hotelling’s T 2 test for the mean

The multivariate one-sample problem considers an independent random sample from a multivariate normal distribution with mean and unknown variance For a given real vector the interest is to assess the hypothesis This paper proposes a new Bayesian approach to this problem based on comparing the change in the Kullback-Leibler divergence from a priori to a posteriori via the relative belief ratio. Eliciting the prior is also considered. The use of the approach is illustrated through several examples.