Biographical Variables Research Articles

Assessing the Validity of Open-Source Biographical Data in Terrorism Research

ABSTRACT A multitude of studies in terrorism research depend on biographical data gathered through the cliometric method. This technique entails reconstructing and aggregating demographic and socio-economic data on terrorism offenders from publicly accessible sources. A notable limitation of this method is the substantial number of missing values. Researchers often employ this data collection strategy as comprehensive official sources are not publicly accessible and are rarely provided to researchers due to privacy concerns, among other factors. In this study, we analyze original data on 53 convicted Islamist terrorism offenders, collected from both publicly available media data and court records. We concentrate on and compare a number of demographic, socio-economic, and biographic variables. The insights derived from these analyses hold important implications for the reliability of biographical research that relies on open-source data.

Elite strategy in resilient authoritarianism: Equatorial Guinea, 1979–2023

ABSTRACT The Equatoguinean dictatorship under Teodoro Obiang Nguema has spanned forty-four years, making him the longest-serving current head of state. Since his entry to power through a 1979 coup, Obiang has evolved in his style of governance. First ruling through a military junta, then a single-party regime, and finally competitive authoritarianism. Across these eras, he has relied on a cadre of supporting elites to occupy top spots in the state administration. Has his strategy of retaining and dismissing these top elites evolved with his broader style of governance? What features has he looked for over time to signal loyalty? We explore these questions using original individual-level data on all ruling elites in Equatorial Guinea from 1979 to 2023. Drawing on a suite of biographical variables, we find evidence that certain professional and personal traits have made elites less likely to be dismissed at different eras of Obiang’s rule. However, co-regionality has been an enduring preference in his elite strategy, suggesting his preference for friends from “back home.” These findings demonstrate how elite strategies of dictators move beyond the ethnocentric and evolve alongside broader regime characteristics.

Effect of Biographical Variables on Employees' Adaptation to Intercultural Communication in a University of Technology

Effective intercultural communication is one possible way of improving intercultural competency and ultimately assisting an organisation to achieve success. Employees from different cultural backgrounds are required to adapt and accommodate each other in intercultural communication interactions. Therefore, this article sought to establish the effects of biographical variables on employees at a university of technology. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. A total of 294 respondents completed the questionnaire. Likert items were used to obtain responses to the questions, and SPSS software was used to analyse the data. The findings showed that biographical variables such as education, age, language, race, and country of origin do not influence the adaptation to intercultural communication, competence in intercultural communication, the impact of culture on communication, recognition, and understanding of cultural differences, intercultural communication as a source of team cohesion and improvement of intercultural communication. Additionally, the findings showed that women and men perceive the above intercultural communication variables in the same way. The article advocates for the continuous enhancement of intercultural communication.

A Meta-Analysis Examining the Role of Character-Recipient Similarity in Narrative Persuasion

This meta-analysis synthesized 19 empirical articles reporting 123 effect sizes of character-recipient similarity on narrative processing and persuasion outcomes across different contexts, including health, environmental, and social issues. We also aimed to investigate whether the effect magnitude varies depending on how the similarity is operationalized, which perspective is adopted, and what context the narrative persuasion is placed in. The results indicated that, compared to a dissimilar counterpart, a similar character leads to stronger identification ( k = 34, d = 0.14, p < .01) and self-referencing ( k = 12, d = 0.16, p < .01). The effects on transportation ( k = 22, d = 0.13, p = .05) and resistance ( k = 12, d = −0.16, p = .05) were marginally significant. It was also found that the similarity manipulated on chosen demographic and biographic variables like occupation and living place yields the strongest impact among other variables (i.e., innate demographic and biographic variables like age and sex, psychological and behavioral variables like beliefs and behaviors). Furthermore, the similarity effect in narrative persuasion becomes intensified when combined with a first-person perspective and placed in a social issue context. By presenting a synthesis of the existing research, this meta-analytical study sought to identify areas in need of further refinement and outline future investigation directions for narrative persuasion.

A Study of the Link Between Individual’s Biographical Variables and Propensity for Entrepreneurial Leadership

After graduation, graduates of higher education institutions are faced with a difficult choice: to work for an organisation or to open their own business. A significant role in the decision-making process is played by the personal qualities of the individual, as well as the presence of initiatives in the higher educational institution aimed at fostering among students the desire for their own entrepreneurial activity as an alternative to traditional employment. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that an individual’s propensity for entrepreneurial leadership by starting his own business depends on his biographical data (age, gender, academic level, academic field, race, and nationality). The methodological tools of the research are methods of descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional research. The object of the study is a sample of 332 university students in South Africa. The research was carried out in the following logical sequence: at the first stage, 332 respondents − students of a higher educational institution in South Africa – were selected using a random sample. With the help of the answers to the questions, the respondents expressed their attitude towards independent entrepreneurial activity. Data processing and analysis were carried out using SPSS software using descriptive and logical statistics tools. The results of empirical calculations prove the lack of influence of gender, race and entrepreneurial intentions on respondents’ propensity to carry out their own entrepreneurial activities. At the same time, there is a statistically significant difference in the attitude to entrepreneurship depending on the nationality of the respondents, their age and specialty of study: respondents under the age of 24 are more inclined to start their own business, compared to respondents older than 35; South Africans are more likely to start their own business than Zimbabweans. The study empirically confirms and theoretically proves the presence of numerous problems that reduce students’ inclination to entrepreneurial activity as an alternative option for their career development. Based on the results of the research, it was concluded that starting their own business by graduates requires their social support: the government should change tactics and policies regarding the development of entrepreneurship, and higher educational institutions should pay more attention to measures aimed at encouraging students to open their own business. The results of the conducted research can be useful for activating the development of entrepreneurship in developing countries, from the point of view of understanding the motives and attitude of graduates of higher educational institutions to the development of their careers through the implementation of independent entrepreneurial activities.

Exploring Journalists’ Organizational Working Perceptions in the Ethiopian Local Media: A Focus on Amhara Media Corporation

ABSTRACTThis study is aimed at analyzing journalists’ organizational working perceptions in the Ethiopian local media. The study covered six branches of Amhara Media Corporation (AMC). It applied explanatory sequential mixed research in the course of a survey, in-depth interview, document analysis and observation instruments. To gauge the levels of organizational trust (OT), organizational commitment (OC), job satisfaction (JS), social exchange (SE) and economic exchange (EE), a questionnaire survey was distributed to 220 randomly chosen respondents. Besides, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight purposefully selected media practitioners. The study’s theoretical framework integrates the organizational theories of OT, OC, JS, SE and EE with the hierarchy of influences model. The findings revealed the levels of journalists’ OT, OC and SE were moderate and their levels of JS and EE were high and low, respectively. Except for the working stream, journalists’ OT level is unaffected by demographic and biographic variables. This study concludes journalists perceive AMC’s organizational working atmosphere as partially positive, but the professional practice of journalism faced significant challenges and influences from the ownership it bases and establishes. The media managers are intentionally and directly assigned in AMC to maintain the political hegemony and status quo of the ruling party.

Influencing factors in female creative excellence: A study with Brazilian, Portuguese and Spanish women

This study aimed to verify the social and personal factors that influence the expression of creative excellence of Brazilian, Portuguese and Spanish women. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 27 women, 9 from each country, socially recognized for creative excellence in different areas. Their responses were classified into categories according to Bardin’s content analysis. The results indicated similarities among countries related to some factors favoring creativity as the presence of mentors, motivation and personal characteristics. Differences were also found between countries regarding the type of motivation, type of leisure, type of mentorship, perception of gender differences and factors that promote creativity in children and adolescents. On conclusion it is important to understand the relevance of biographical variables that influence female creative excellence, despite the cultural differences existing in various countries.

Más allá del género. ¿Por qué las diputadas mexicanas representan sustantivamente a las mujeres?

Objective/Context: The primary purpose of this research is to identify and measure the influence of different institutional, partisan, and biographic variables on the substantive representation of women in the Mexican Chamber of Deputies. Most current studies on the subject assent that the presence of more female legislators in congresses is a relevant precondition for an effective promotion of women’s interests. Nevertheless, still little is known about how other variables affect congresswomen’s intention to promote female-oriented bills. Methodology: Through interviews with former female legislators recognized for their activism in the interest of women, and using statistical models, the article seeks to explain the elements that may influence the substantive representation of Mexican women through bill sponsorship. Conclusions: Proportional representation, the adscription to leftist or minority parties, and legislative, partisan, and civic experiences can increase the propensity of female legislators to press for policy changes in support for women’s demands. On the contrary, one of the main limitations for women’s substantive representation in congress is the accumulation of party leaderships (mostly male) in the principal legislative positions and resolutions. Originality: With an original dataset and specifically designed interviews for this study, the research contributes to representation theory by suggesting that, along with the presence of more female legislators, other structural and institutional conditions need to be met for a congress to process the most relevant demands coming from women in a political community.

The Effect of Biographical Variables on Self-Efficacy of Management Accounting Students

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether biographical variables such as Gender, Race, Home District, School (urban/rural) and Language proficiency play any role in the Self-efficacy of Cost and Management Accounting (CMA) students and to assess whether Self-efficacy. A descriptive, longitudinal, and mixed-methods approach was used in this paper. In the current study, the quasi-experimental design used for the pre-test and post-test control groups was non-equivalent. The population targeted was CMA students. A census survey was performed. The comparative analysis between the variables revealed no significant difference. However, females, Africans, Urban Home District, Urban School, and English Second Language learners scored more in the post-test. The paper recommends that the implementation of General Education modules into the curriculum be instituted. Additionally, current learners appear to have very poor General Education skills, and respondents themselves believed that self-efficacy can have a positive impact on academic performance.

Gender differences in foreign language classroom anxiety: Results of a meta-analysis

Exploring language learners’ anxiety is not a neglected area of inquiry in applied linguistics research, which can primarily be attributed to the publication of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), an influential instrument developed by Horwitz et al. (1986) to measure language anxiety. An ever-growing array of studies has employed the FLCAS and analyzed the underlying relationship between the focal construct and foreign language achievement, various individual difference variables and a variety of demographic variables, such as learning experiences, age, and gender. Despite the considerable number of publications, studies focusing on biographical variables and language anxiety have not been conclusive. The aim of the present meta-analysis is to analyze 48 studies that employed the FLCAS to look at the potential gender differences with respect to language anxiety. Although there is great variation in the methodological and reporting practices in the studies included, and findings show a tendency for females to experience higher foreign language anxiety, gender-related differences are not statistically significant. The results of moderator analyses showed that neither age nor target language, regional context, or, in the case of university students, their majors, influence this relationship.

The role of branding in the choice of a university of technology

Brand choice has historically played an important role in a wide range of industries, particularly in the private sector, where billions of Rands are invested to entice potential customers. Taking this into consideration, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of brand awareness and brand image on first-year student selection of a University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study were to establish and identify the brand preference and image attributes that entice first-year students’ selection of a University of Technology (UoT). The study also examined the biographic variables of those students. To accomplish these objectives, an exploratory study using a quantitative research approach was conducted, in which questionnaires were administered to 500 first-year students at the selected Universities of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. The study revealed that topics such as investments in brand awareness and brand image, safety and security, the caliber of staff, delays in academic programmes, student-lecturer relationships, and service delivery were identified as factors that influenced the participants' selection and willingness to recommend their institutions to potential students. Thus, the study recommends that UoTs should pay more attention to branding strategies as an agendum to ensuring institutional profitability and viability, relationship management, and human resource. Finally, the findings of this study are limited to KwaZulu-Natal and should not be extrapolated outside this region.

Parental Knowledge Regarding Dental Radiography of Children Attending Dental Clinics in Ilam, Iran

Background: Radiological examinations expose the patient to the adverse effects of ionizing radiation, which is more severe among developing children. This can cause excessive and unreasonable fear and anxiety for parents and even disrupt the treatment process. This study aimed to evaluate the parents’ knowledge about dental radiographs for children referred to dentistry, and to assess the relevant factors. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional analytical study examining parents of children referred to dental clinics from October 2019 to April 2020. The required information included demographic information, and nine statements for assessing parents’ level of knowledge. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t-test, and linear regression were used to analyze the data. Ward’s cluster analysis method with a squared Euclidean distance was adopted to include the background and demographic variables. Results: A total of 108 parents of children referred to Ilam dental clinics – including 69 females (68.3%) and 32 males (31.7%) in the 24-51 age range, participated in this study. Among the studied variables, the level of educational attainment of the parents had a highly significant influence (P<0.01) on their knowledge of pediatric radiography. Furthermore, parents holding bachelor’s degrees or higher with an average score of 5.35 had more heightened awareness of radiography than those in other educational groups. Conclusions: Examining the parental radiographic knowledge revealed significant differences among three groups of parents with educational attainment in favor of those with higher educational achievement. In general, three biographical variables, namely age, gender, and household size were found to be less influential. Therefore, the dentists should learn about the educational attainment of the parents and provide them with the required information on treatment accordingly. Due to the relatively poor knowledge of the parents about children’s dental radiographs, it is recommended that plans be developed for raising the parental awareness of the issue in order for reducing their unreasonable fears which may create a burden for dental treatment procedures.

Understanding household water-use behaviour in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract Climate change, population growth and industrial activities continue to threaten water security, especially in the semi-arid regions. Demand management policies are essential in minimising the effects of acute water shortages. Such policies require information on household water consumption patterns and their behavioural practices. This study examines household water consumption behaviour and the adoption of water-efficient appliances in Johannesburg, South Africa. The study uses probit regression models to analyse survey data collected from 889 households during the period November 2017 to February 2018. Results show that while most households do not have water-efficient appliances installed in their homes, they do practise water-efficient behaviour. Older respondents as well as males and lower-income respondents are found to be more likely to practise efficient water-use behaviour. However, biographical variables do not generally influence the adoption of water-efficient appliances. These results are essential for policy-makers when formulating targeted water demand management policies. Thus, policy-makers should focus more on younger people, women and higher-income households when developing campaigns on efficient water-use behaviour.

Fear of Death in Medical Students 1998-2019

"Medical students are close in their daily work with the world of suffering and death, living with pain and loss, without having received in general any regulated preparation to face it. This lack of training is associated with a sociocultural context that avoids speaking or approaching death, making it difficult for the medical student and the professionals themselves to develop the concept of death, adequate coping strategies, talking about complex decision-making at the end of life, acceptance of limitations or more generally to palliative medicine. This fear of death can hinder ethical decision-making and end-of-life conversations. The aim of the study is to assess fear of death in a sample of medical students, from 1998 to 2019, the relationship between fear of death and age, gender, course, beliefs or experiences of death and assess the evolution of death during these 20 years. Method The study included 756 medical students, from the courses between 1998 and 2019, who were given Collet-Lester revised Scale of Fear of Death and a questionnaire of sociodemographic and biographical variables. Results The analysis of the variables surveyed indicates that medical students present an intermediate level of fear of death and the process of dying. Fear of death has increased in these decades; it also increases during medical courses. Conclusions With the results obtained, medical schools should include a more oriented a specific approach in death and suffering that allows the medical student to obtain greater knowledge and be trained in accompanying death and talking about death. "

Meaning and Wellness: A Comparative Psychobiography on Helen Suzman and Beyers Naudé.

This comparative psychobiographical study provides an in-depth exploration of meaning in the lives of two extraordinary individuals, Helen Suzman and Beyers Naudé. A comparison of the construction of meaning, as an important aspect of wellness within the holistic wellness model, is given for these South African anti-apartheid activists. Suzman (1917–2009) dedicated her career to opposing apartheid policy as a parliamentary politician. Naudé (1915–2004) was a renowned public figure dedicated to social justice in his role as a theologian. The holistic wellness model views the Neo-Adlerian life task of spirituality as crucial to ascribing meaning to life events, acknowledging multiple potential sources of meaning. The differences and similarities pertaining to the domains of meaning-making of these two subjects are explored. The subjects, who differed regarding biographical variables, were found to share a common sense of purpose within the same socio-political milieu. The study findings confirm that commitment to diverse sources of meaning and generativity are central to meaningfulness. This comparative psychobiographical study contributes to the eugraphic exploration of the meaning-making processes of these exemplary individuals.

The Empirical Analysis of the Core Competencies of the Company’s Resource Management Risk. Preliminary Study

The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed many weaknesses in the functioning of businesses. It turns out that managers are not prepared to manage the enterprise’s resources in a high-risk environment. Considering risk managers’ issues requires reaching for theoretical and practical knowledge about competencies shaped in unpredictable conditions. This study attempts to determine the importance of the company’s resource management risk among the managerial staff. For the research carried out in 2019–2020, a questionnaire, interview, and literature studies were used. The questionnaire was addressed to 282 managers from western Poland. Particular attention was paid to establishing the crucial components of the company’s resource management competence. Moreover, the regular self-assessment of risk competence made it possible to present preferences in managing strategic resources, depending on the type of position held. The competence of human resources management risk was also examined according to biographical variables (i.e., age, sex, seniority, and total seniority).

Factors Influencing Speech Perception in Adults With a Cochlear Implant.

The primary objective of this study is to identify the biographic, audiologic, and electrode position factors that influence speech perception performance in adult cochlear implant (CI) recipients implanted with a device from a single manufacturer. The secondary objective is to investigate the independent association of the type of electrode (precurved or straight) with speech perception. In a cross-sectional study design, speech perception measures and ultrahigh-resolution computed tomography scans were performed in 129 experienced CI recipients with a postlingual onset of hearing loss. Data were collected between December 2016 and January 2018 in the Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The participants received either a precurved electrode (N = 85) or a straight electrode (N = 44), all from the same manufacturer. The biographic variables evaluated were age at implantation, level of education, and years of hearing loss. The audiometric factors explored were preoperative and postoperative pure-tone average residual hearing and preoperative speech perception score. The electrode position factors analyzed, as measured from images obtained with the ultrahigh-resolution computed tomography scan, were the scalar location, angular insertion depth of the basal and apical electrode contacts, and the wrapping factor (i.e., electrode-to-modiolus distance), as well as the type of electrode used. These 11 variables were tested for their effect on three speech perception outcomes: consonant-vowel-consonant words in quiet tests at 50 dB SPL (CVC50) and 65 dB SPL (CVC65), and the digits-in-noise test. A lower age at implantation was correlated with a higher CVC50 phoneme score in the straight electrode group. Other biographic variables did not correlate with speech perception. Furthermore, participants implanted with a precurved electrode and who had poor preoperative hearing thresholds performed better in all speech perception outcomes than the participants implanted with a straight electrode and relatively better preoperative hearing thresholds. After correcting for biographic factors, audiometric variables, and scalar location, we showed that the precurved electrode led to an 11.8 percentage points (95% confidence interval: 1.4-20.4%; p = 0.03) higher perception score for the CVC50 phonemes compared with the straight electrode. Furthermore, contrary to our initial expectations, the preservation of residual hearing with the straight electrode was poor, as the median preoperative and the postoperative residual hearing thresholds for the straight electrode were 88 and 122 dB, respectively. Cochlear implantation with a precurved electrode results in a significantly higher speech perception outcome, independent of biographic factors, audiometric factors, and scalar location.

Biogeographical factors affecting people with dementia of Alzheimer’s type and mild cognitive impairment

AbstractBackgroundDementia of Alzheimer’s type has been the most common neurodegenerative condition among elderly. The histopathological studies revealed that the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaque in brain have been the major factors affecting DAT. Other than intrusive protein formation there are other factors which pertains to affect DAT.MethodThe present study has accounted for different variables in with 7 mild, 8 moderate DAT and 7 MCI people.ResultAmong all the biographical variables, 10 variables viz. family size, education, smoking, exercise, alcohol, diabetes, heart problems, cholesterol, thyroid and blood pressure were the most affected biographical variables among all the patients. Further, diabetes, cholesterol, heart problem education were the most predictive among all the variables.ConclusionThe study suggested the significance of bio‐physiological factors in assessing dementia of Alzheimer's type so that an early progression of neurodegeneration could be traced.

Selecting for Retention: The Interactive Role of Coupledom and Mobility Frequency

It is valuable when making hiring decisions to be able to use objective biographical data from job applications to predict who will leave quickly – i.e., to select for retention duration. However, such objective factors do not play a prominent role in most turnover research or theory. We address this issue by drawing on theories of job embeddedness and career scholarship to develop hypotheses about how retention duration is predicted by mobility frequency (also known as “physical career mobility”), coupledom, and their interaction. Based on a sample of 7,830 employees, we find that retention duration is predicted by mobility frequency (negatively), coupledom (positively), and their interaction. Retention duration is also predicted by a number of other objective biographical variables – e.g., education, gender, and employment gap. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prevalence among commercial divers in South Africa.

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with increased chance of workplace accidents, psychiatric comorbidities, other risky behaviours and sophisticated psychopharmacological treatment. These factors all contribute to a potentially complex risk profile within the commercial diving context. In order to make informed decisions regarding ADHD and commercial diving, further description of this condition among commercial divers is required. This paper reports on a study that aimed to determine the prevalence of adult ADHD among commercial divers. The study used a self-reporting survey-type questionnaire to determine likely diagnosis, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. criteria, in a group of 245 commercial divers in South Africa. Fourteen cases (5.7% of the sample) met criteria for ADHD. The majority of the cases presented with combined type, and reflected mild forms of ADHD. Adult ADHD did not appear to occur in significantly different proportions across the biographical variables of age, education or diving qualification. Based on this small survey, adult ADHD may be over-represented in commercial diving in South Africa, compared to general workplace populations. However, ADHD may not necessarily be a contra-indication to commercial diving.