Chinese Respondents Research Articles

Tourists’ Luxury Value and Sustainability Perceptions of South African Exotic Leather Products

Travelling mostly involves expenditure on products beyond daily consumables (i.e. tourism shopping), but sometimes tourists visit a country with the specific intention of acquiring goods unique to that particular context, either for personal or commercial use. This type of “shopping tourism” contributes to the growth of luxury markets such as the exotic leather industry. In stimulating shopping tourism and promoting the local exotic leather industry, it is crucial to understand tourists’ underlying perceptions and sustainable values that influence their luxury shopping behaviour. Using animal skins to create fashion accessories involves several environmental concerns and remains controversial among American and Chinese consumers, who rank among the world’s top luxury goods spenders. This research, therefore, investigated American and Chinese shopping tourists’ luxury value perceptions, sustainability excellence perceptions, and purchase intent for South African exotic leather products. Data was derived from a purposive sample including both American and Chinese tourists, aged 25 years and older, who had either visited South Africa in the past or intended to visit the country soon. A structured online questionnaire consisting of scales adapted from prior empirical research was developed. The English version of the questionnaire was translated into Mandarin and Cantonese for Chinese tourists. Data analysis involved two structural equation models (one based on the American and another on the Chinese tourists’ responses) to test hierarchical relationships among variables. The results confirm that personal luxury value strongly influences sustainability excellence and the purchase intent of exotic leather products for both American and Chinese respondents. These findings highlight the potential of positioning South Africa as a luxury shopping tourism destination for exotic leather products, thus contributing toward economic growth and employment opportunities. However, environmental concerns must be addressed to conform to Eastern and Western tourists' sustainable luxury value perceptions.

Milder, wilder, drier: Understanding preferences for urban nature-based solutions in China

Nature-based solutions have gained recognition for their potential to address urban environmental challenges, particularly in rapidly urbanising countries such as China. However, financial and spatial constraints hinder their widespread adoption. Here we explore urban residents' preferences for nature-based solutions targeting stormwater management, urban heat island reduction, and biodiversity support through monetary, time, and space contributions. We carried out three choice experiment surveys with 1536 Chinese respondents, employing three payment vehicles: willingness to pay (WTP), willingness to contribute time (WTCT), and a novel metric, willingness to contribute space (WTCS). The WTCS metric assesses individuals' willingness to voluntarily convert sealed surfaces on private land into greenspace. We found strong preferences for temperature and flooding reduction across all payment vehicles, reflecting substantial challenges of urban heat islands and flooding in China. Additionally, we reveal a preference for moderate greenspace management intensity, highlighting the potential for biodiversity benefits through reduced management intensities. The introduction of the WTCS payment vehicle expands the methodological toolkit for choice experiments and offers a novel approach to assess citizen support for nature-based solutions. These findings have practical implications for designing effective nature-based solutions programs to address urban environmental challenges and meet the preferences of urban residents in China and beyond.

Safety of female ride-hailing passengers: Perception and prevention

Ride-hailing, as part of wider transitions to smart city, has emerged as a beneficial complement to urban public transport. However, the frequent occurrence of ride-hailing safety accidents in multiple countries has raised concerns about passenger safety on an international scale. Within this context, this study aims to investigate female passengers’ safety perception and prevention action when using ride-hailing services, helping establish better management and protection mechanisms for passenger safety. Using objective data from 7898 ride-hailing criminal adjudications (674 passenger victimizations) and subjective data from 596 Chinese female respondents, the safety perception scale and prevention tendency scale, with six potential variables, are developed to further examine the heterogeneity of perception and prevention. Results reveal that driver’s words and actions directly influence female passengers’ safety judgments regarding ride-hailing services and that traveling with companions significantly enhances their perceived safety. The main preventative actions identified include relying on mobile phones for information and communication, as well as avoiding risky ride-hailing situations. Furthermore, the analysis of individual heterogeneity has uncovered perception and prevention differences based on factors such as age, education level, residence conditions, ride-hailing frequency, and victimization experiences. These differences are evident in perception biases towards driver attitudes and accompanying travel, as well as variations in risk avoidance behaviors. The insights inductively derived hold fundamental conceptual and empirical value for scholarship on safety evaluation and crime prevention in the context of shared mobility. Additionally, the countermeasures proposed in this study can serve as a theoretical reference for enhancing the safety supervision of ride-hailing services, contributing to the establishment of safer, more reliable and more sustainable shared travel environment.

What is a Patriot? A Cross-National Study in China and the United States

Abstract Patriotism is a pervasive political force. However, not much is known about how people understand what it means to be “patriotic” in the first place. We conduct a cross-country study of mass understandings of patriotism. Through parallel national surveys in two global superpowers—China and the United States—we uncover the substantively different understandings of what it means to be “patriotic” between and within countries, and how the different understandings may map onto different policy preferences. In particular, while the literature draws a distinction between (benign) patriotism and (malign) nationalism, we find that most Chinese respondents—and about a third of American respondents—understand patriotism as nationalism. The nationalistic understanding of patriotism, in turn, corresponds to more hawkish foreign policy preferences. By unpacking folk intuitions about patriotism and mapping them onto existing scholarly debates, we bridge the distance between the academic literature and the mass political behavior it seeks to explain.

Образ дороги в русских и китайских паремиях: сопоставительный анализ

The relevance of the study is due to the development of intercultural relations between Russian and Chinese societies, their interest in learning foreign languages. Russian and Chinese paremia with the road component, which have not been previously described, are considered from the standpoint of linguoculturology. The classification of Russian and Chinese proverbs with the road component from the point of view of verbalized cultural attitudes is presented. Particular attention is paid to stereotypical ideas about the road in two linguistic cultures. It has been established that cultural settings recorded in Russian and Chinese proverbs with the road component have more differences than similarities. It was found that common features are associated with the understanding of the road as a place for movement in the literal sense and as a way of life in a figurative sense. It has been established that in Russian proverbs the road is the path of a person, on which he must show wisdom, observe the law, and help his neighbor. In Chinese proverbs, a person is advised not to rush, gaining practical experience, and take care of his home. An associative experiment conducted with Russian and Chinese native speakers with the stimulus word the road revealed direct associations with the place of movement among Russian and Chinese respondents. In addition, Russians present the road as a way of life in interaction with other people, and the Chinese more often associate the road with ancient poetry, history, and the “One Belt, One Road” economic program.

Relationships between motivation, service quality, tourist satisfaction, quality of life, and spa and wellness tourism

AbstractThis study explores the relationships between motivation, service quality, tourist satisfaction, quality of life (QOL), and spa and wellness tourism. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) approach was used to analyze the hypotheses generated. The ‘snowball’ sampling technique was used to collect data via an online survey. Derived from a sample of 270 Chinese respondents, the results demonstrate that motivations positively impact service quality perception and tourist satisfaction, which in turn influence QOL. The tourists who perceived good spa and wellness services quality are more likely to be satisfied with their tourism experience. Furthermore, tourist satisfaction mediates the relationship between service quality and the QOL resulting from spa and wellness tourism.

Shared Leadership and Employee Satisfaction in China: A Multiple Correspondence Analysis of Gender and Education Aspects of Participative Leadership Models

The relevance of researching on modern management approaches is today´s dynamic labor market’s demand for flexible leadership models, such as shared leadership, to attract talents in companies by meeting employee´s requirements of more participation in management tasks. This paper aims for the investigation of gender and education level related influences on attitudes toward shared leadership and employee satisfaction in a Chinese cultural context for a better understanding of possible limitations of shared leadership. Shared leadership is mainly explored with a focus on its origins in North America, the study of shared leadership in the Chinese culture is underrepresented. This quantitative research is conducted through an online survey, distributed by WeChat, involving 103 Chinese employees, with 39 women and 64 men, 34 years old on average, in a manufacturing work environment to approve the industry relevance. The convenience sampling ensures a high level of trust and data quality of the respondents regarding sensitive information about employee satisfaction and attitude toward shared leadership. Only existing, validated questionnaires were used. The survey regarding employee satisfaction is based on Spector (1985). The survey regarding attitude toward shared leadership is based on Small (2007). The results are evaluated by their means, standard deviations, correlation analysis and multiple correspondence analysis. Statistical analysis is performed by XLSTAT. The first hypothesis (H1), suggesting a clustering effect by gender and education level on shared leadership’s scope, is not significantly confirmed by the correlation analysis. The multiple correspondence analysis raises suspicions about men exhibiting higher employee satisfaction and a more negative attitude toward shared leadership than women. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree tend to display ambivalent attitudes toward shared leadership. The second hypothesis (H2), proposing a positive correlation between attitude toward shared leadership and employee satisfaction, is not confirmed by the correlation analysis. No significant correlation is found among the variables for the entire sample of Chinese respondents. The third hypothesis (H3), proposing an ambivalent attitude of Chinese employees toward shared leadership, is confirmed by the calculated mean score within the survey by Small (2007). There are potential reasons for this ambivalence, e.g. suggesting a conflict between traditional and modern values in China. This paper recommends a deeper understanding of ambivalent employee satisfaction at work to enhance the effectivity and efficiency of planned leadership changes. Tailored leadership training should be designed to align with the preferences of these specific target groups. Future research directions could focus on strategies for persuading team members to embrace a shared leadership approach. Additionally, exploring the reasons behind negative attitudes toward shared leadership paves the way for further research, such as examining potential connections with hierarchical power structures.

Consumers' perceptions of partnering brands: The roles of perceived sustainable development goals and partnership authenticity in a cross‐national context

AbstractThis paper explores the ways in which consumers' perceptions of brands' sustainable development goals (SDGs) may influence perceptions of partnership authenticity and consumer loyalty toward partnering brands. Data collected from American, French, Turkish, Chinese, and Taiwanese respondents (n = 1241) were used to study the relationships among a Mega Sport Event Organizer – the International Olympic Committee, one of its sponsors, Airbnb, and their consumers. Findings reveal that both the salience of the partners' SDGs and the degree to which their SDGs align significantly impact the partnership authenticity which, in turn, fosters brand loyalty. Salience of brands' SDGs yields stronger predictions of partnership authenticity compared to SDG‐congruity. Additionally, while collectivism strengthens the effect of partnership authenticity, its impact on sustainable development is comparatively limited. From a conceptual standpoint, the research's contributions to categorization theory are discussed. Practical implications are presented for marketers seeking to enhance the effectiveness of their sustainable development strategy.

Abstract C140: A population-based analysis of awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine among Asian American adults by origin group, 2014-2019

Abstract Background: Awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV vaccine are critical antecedents of HPV vaccine uptake. While emerging literature has examined racial and ethnic differences in these areas, most either exclude Asian Americans, subsume them under the category of “other,” or aggregate all origin groups under a single category of “Asians.” To fill this gap in the literature regarding data disaggregation, we conducted an analysis of awareness and knowledge of HPV, the HPV vaccine, and HPV-related cancers among six Asian origin groups (Chinese, Filipinos, Indians, Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese), using nationally representative samples. Methods: We performed a pooled cross-sectional study utilizing the Health Information National Trend Survey data (HINTS-4 cycle 4 [2014], HINTS-5 cycles 1-3 [2017-2019]), a nationally representative survey administered by the National Cancer Institute. We analyzed questions about knowledge of HPV, the HPV vaccine, and the facts that HPV causes cervical, oral, anal, and penile cancers by race and/or ethnicity. The sample included those who self-reported as Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese origins; non-Hispanic White (NHW) respondents were the reference group. We used survey-design adjusted Wald chi-square tests. Results: A total of 8,865 non-Hispanic White respondents and 623 Asian respondents were included in this study. Significantly lower proportions of most Asian origin groups (Chinese 45.5%; Indian 45.6%; Korean 39.7%; and Vietnamese 43.5%) had heard of HPV compared with NHW counterparts (69.4%). Significantly lower proportions of Chinese (50.9%), Filipino (47.0%) Korean (46.1%), and Vietnamese (38.8%) respondents had heard of the HPV vaccine compared with NHW respondents (68.1%). Significantly lower proportions of Chinese (41.0%), Indian (36.2%), Korean (32.9%), and Vietnamese (30.6%) respondents knew that HPV causes cervical cancer compared with NHW (55.7%). Significantly lower proportions of Chinese and Vietnamese respondents knew that HPV causes anal and oral cancers, and significantly lower proportions of Indian respondents knew that HPV causes penile cancer, when compared to NHW counterparts. Discussion: Most Asian origin groups had lower knowledge of HPV-related facts, with varying magnitudes, compared with NHW counterparts. Vietnamese and Chinese respondents had significantly lower knowledge compared with NHW respondents for 5 out of 6 questions. For most questions, Vietnamese was the group with the lowest proportions of respondents reporting knowledge. Heterogeneity in HPV-related knowledge suggests the need to culturally tailor interventions about the HPV vaccine in appropriate languages to effectively reach different Asian origin groups, with particular attention to those with low awareness. Continued monitoring of HPV-related knowledge with disaggregated data collection for Asian origin groups is critical for efforts to increase educational outreach, combat vaccine misinformation, and improve HPV vaccine uptake. Citation Format: Milkie Vu, Yenan Zhu, Duy D. Trinh, Young-Rock Hong, Ryan Suk. A population-based analysis of awareness and knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine among Asian American adults by origin group, 2014-2019 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C140.

Abstract A074: Cancer fatalism among Asian American adults by origin group, 2014-2022

Abstract Background: Cancer fatalism encompasses beliefs about external causes of cancer and the perceived inability of humans to prevent it. Existing research suggests that individuals with higher levels of cancer fatalism are less likely to engage in cancer prevention behaviors or adhere to cancer screening practices. However, limited information exists regarding the prevalence of cancer fatalism within various Asian origin groups. Understanding whether this prevalence varies by origin group can offer valuable insights for developing strategies to enhance beliefs and knowledge about cancer among these populations, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes. To fill this gap in the literature, we conduct a disaggregated analysis of cancer fatalism among Asian origin groups (Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Vietnamese, and other Asian respondents), using nationally representative samples. Methods: We performed a pooled cross-sectional study utilizing the Health Information National Trend Survey data (HINTS-4 cycle 4 [2014], HINTS-5 cycles 1-3 [2017-2019], and HINTS-6 [2022]), a nationally representative survey administered by the National Cancer Institute. We analyzed respondents’ agreement to two items: “It seems like everything causes cancer”; and “There’s not much you can do to lower your chances of getting cancer.” We used a survey-design adjusted Wald chi-square test for bivariate analyses. Results: The sample included 234 Chinese respondents, 173 Filipino respondents, 185 Indian respondents, 97 Vietnamese respondents, and 222 other Asian respondents (e.g., Korean, Japanese). Significantly lower proportions of Indian respondents (38.9%; 95% CI 26.1 – 51.8%) endorsed the statement “It seems like everything causes cancer,” when compared with Vietnamese respondents (70.4%; 95% CI 54.9% – 86.0%) and Filipino respondents (76.2%; 95% CI 65.1% – 87.4%). Additionally, lower proportions of Indian and Chinese respondents endorsed the statement “There’s not much you can do to lower your chances of getting cancer” when compared with Vietnamese and Filipino respondents, though these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Our study represents one of the first efforts to use nationally representative data to explore disaggregated prevalence of cancer fatalism beliefs among Asian American origin groups. Filipino adults exhibit nearly double the prevalence of one of the cancer fatalism beliefs compared to Indian adults. Vietnamese adults also have a high level of cancer fatalism beliefs. These findings highlight the heterogeneity among Asian American origin groups and emphasize the importance of culturally tailored interventions, specifically targeting those groups with higher levels of fatalism beliefs. Data collection that is disaggregated by Asian origin group should be prioritized to gain a comprehensive understanding of these beliefs and design effective interventions. Citation Format: Milkie Vu, Yenan Zhu, Ryan Suk. Cancer fatalism among Asian American adults by origin group, 2014-2022 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A074.

Surveying Willingness to Learn About and Share Results of Brain MRIs in South and East Asian Adults

AbstractBackgroundDementia in South Asian (SA) and East Asian (EA) adults is often under‐reported by family due to stigma or under‐recognized by medical practitioners due to language barriers. Older SA and EA adults are also underrepresented in dementia research. While recruiting for a memory and aging study in the New York City/New Jersey (NYC/NJ) area, we noted hesitancy among older SA adults towards undergoing brain MRI analysis. We hypothesized that differences in attitudes towards MRI and brain health research may differ between older SA and other adults.MethodWe recruited a convenience sample of community‐dwelling adults in the NYC/NJ area from August 2022 to January 2023 to complete an anonymous survey on knowledge and attitudes towards MRIs and dementia. Topics and wording reflected concerns reported in the literature, including potential harms from MRI, desire to learn about incidental MRI findings, and stigmatizing beliefs. We specifically targeted SAs, but also recruited older Chinese and Korean adults.Result210 participants (n = 151 for 50+) completed the survey, including 69 (33%) SA adults. Chinese and Korean respondents had similar attitudes and perceptions, and were hereafter analyzed together as an EA group. Compared to non‐Hispanic White (White) respondents, SA and EA respondents were less interested in learning about incidental brain MRI findings. EA and White respondents were much more likely to share de‐identified brain MRI for research purposes than SA respondents, and this was mediated by future concern for dementia/stroke in EA, but not White, respondents. There was no difference in perception of MRI‐related harm or dementia‐related stigma.ConclusionSA and EA adults were both less interested in learning about incidental brain MRI findings than White adults, but the two Asian groups differed in willingness to share de‐identified MRI for research and concern for future dementia/stroke. In the absence of knowledge differences, these may be explained by cultural attitudes towards health and locus of control. Future studies on these factors are needed to promote research participation and dementia prevention among older SA adults.

How Does News Coverage of a Rival Nation Affect People’s Attitudes about Their Own Countries? Evidence from China

Mass media are a key source of public news, significantly influencing the accessibility of certain issues through media coverage. While media coverage of rival nations is known to influence public perceptions, its potential impact on citizens’ attitudes toward their own country is less explored. This study addresses this gap by investigating Chinese respondents’ reactions to U.S. news stories related to food safety issues. The research reveals that exposure to negative news stories about a rival nation’s food safety scandal can lead to a more favorable assessment of one’s own government when the domestic government is perceived to be handling a similar issue better. Conversely, positive news about the rival nation’s food safety issues or slightly negative news about a less severe issue diminishes government satisfaction. The findings suggest that the impact of international news coverage on citizens’ views is shaped by comparisons between nations’ performances. These findings shed light on the complex dynamics of international news and its influence on domestic perceptions.

Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Medication in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma in China: A Discrete-Choice Experiment.

We aimed to assess the relative importance of attributes and the willingness to pay for pharmacological therapies among patients with renal cell carcinoma in China. Patients with renal cell carcinoma completed a D-efficient-designed, discrete-choice experiment online survey that presented a series of ten trade-off questions and one examining scenario. Based on the literature review and consultations with patients with renal cell carcinoma and clinicians, each question included a pair of hypothetical renal cell carcinoma medication profiles characterized by seven attributes including progression-free survival, objective response rate, medication regimen, fatigue, gastrointestinal reaction, hand-foot syndrome, and monthly out-of-pocket costs. Relative importance and willingness to pay were calculated using coefficients estimated by mixed logit regression in the main analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted considering the heterogeneity of the participants, based on sex, education level, and income level, using conditional logit regression. The analysis incorporated responses from 182 Chinese respondents. Except for the medication regimen, all attributes were statistically significant. Progression-free survival was the most important attribute, followed by objective response rate, monthly out-of-pocket costs, fatigue, gastrointestinal reaction, and hand-foot syndrome. Patients were willing to pay ￥2010.51 ($298.30), ￥494.93 ($73.43) for 1 unit improvement of progression-free survival, and objective response rate, and￥7558.93 ($1121.50), ￥6927.24 ($1027.78) to avoid experiencing fatigue and gastrointestinal reaction, respectively. Differences in preferences and willingness to pay were found according to patients' gender, income, and education level. In China, patients with renal cell carcinoma preferred medications with better efficacy (objective response rate and progression-free survival) and lower out-of-pocket costs. Heterogeneity can be found in preferences and willingness to pay based on patients' gender, income, and education levels.

Attentive immobility: Investigating the emotional-cognitive mechanism underlying conspiracy mentality and Covid-19 preventive behaviors.

While conspiracy theories have received extensive attention in the realm of misinformation, there has been limited research exploring the impact of conspiracy mentality on individuals' preventive behaviors during acute public health crises. This study investigates how conspiracy mentality may affect compliance with preventive health measures necessary to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and the underlying emotional and cognitive mediators. Data was collected through a survey among 1878 Chinese respondents at the conclusion of the pandemic. The results indicate that individuals with higher levels of conspiracy mentality are significantly less engaged in preventive behaviors. Furthermore, this correlation is mediated by a sequence of mediating factors, starting from anger leading to institutional distrust and fear leading to perceived risk. Conspiracists' response mode can be described as a state of "attentive immobility," in which the impact of heightened institutional distrust outweighs their perceptions of risk, ultimately reducing engagement in preventive behaviors during crises. These findings underscore the importance of debunking initiatives that aim to address and mitigate the negative consequences of conspiracy mentality by targeting the mediating psychological processes during future pandemic threats.

Young consumers’ perceptions of and preferences for alternative meats: an empirical study in Japan and China

IntroductionAlternative meats have the potential to shape a sustainable food system. This study examined young consumers’ perceptions of and preferences for plant-based and cultured meats. Since comparative studies on consumer preferences for alternative meats in different key Asian markets remain insufficient, this study was conducted in Japan and China, both of whom have promising alternative meat markets in Asia.MethodsWe conducted a discrete choice experiment and co-occurrence networks among 2006 (n = 887 in Japan and n = 1,119 in China) young consumers. This study adopted a treatment-control design where respondents in the treatment groups received health information on the use of antibiotics in meat production.ResultsRespondents in both countries perceived meat alternatives to be substitutes to conventional meat and associated them with plant-based proteins, processed products, and health benefits. In general, Japanese and Chinese respondents differed in their preferences for burger patties but had similar preferences for other attributes. Respondents in both countries were willing to pay a premium for “antibiotic-free,” “traceable,” and low carbon footprint labeling. This study reveals the heterogeneity of consumer preferences and the complexity of the impact of information interventions on consumer preferences.DiscussionPlant-based meat is already available on the market in both countries, whereas cultured meat is still in the research and development stage. Hence, young consumers were more familiar with plant-based meat than cultured meat. It is worth noting that young Japanese consumers preferred cultured meat to conventional meat. This is attributed to the concerns about food security and food animal welfare. Furthermore, this study found that information intervention can induce and direct respondents’ attention to an aspect of alternative meats that is negatively perceived. Based on the findings, this study has three implications for promoting alternative meat products: marketing messaging, food labeling, and product development.

How technology, organization and environment affected open government data during COVID-19: the moderating role of pandemic severity

PurposeWith the worldwide open government data (OGD) movement and frequent public health emergencies in recent years, academic research on OGD for public health emergencies has been growing. However, it is not fully understood how to promote OGD on public health emergencies. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the factors that influence OGD on public health emergencies.Design/methodology/approachThe technology–organization–environment framework is applied to explore factors that influence OGD during COVID-19. It is argued that the effects of four key factors – technical capacity, organizational readiness, social attention and top-down pressure – are contingent on the severity of the pandemic. A unique data set was created by combining multiple data sources which include archival government data, a survey of 1,034 Chinese respondents during the COVID-19 outbreak and official COVID-19 reports.FindingsThe data analysis indicates that the four factors positively affect OGD, and pandemic severity strengthens the effects of technical capacity, organizational readiness and social attention on OGD.Originality/valueThis study provides theoretical insights regarding how to improve OGD during public health emergencies, which can guide government efforts in sharing data with the public when dealing with outbreak in the future.

Understanding passenger exit choices during airplane emergencies: Insights from hybrid choice modeling

In transport accident rescue operations, the primary focus is on saving lives. However, people's behavior and choices in such dangerous situations are unforeseeable. This paper employs a hybrid choice model to investigate how unobservable human heterogeneity impacts passengers’ decisions in airplane emergency evacuations. Three primary latent factors – fear of flying, knowledge of air safety, and no perception of risk – were identified based on indicators from fifteen statements. Subsequently, the hybrid choice model was expanded to include a time perception variable and interaction effects. The findings revealed that compared to Chinese respondents, individuals from the USA exhibit lower fear of flying, more air safety knowledge, and a higher risk perception in flying. All else being equal, aviation professionals can accept longer distances to exits than other passengers, and individuals with higher fear of flying choose middle exits more frequently. In contrast, those with lower risk perception prefer exits at either end of the cabin. Interaction terms indicated that increased air safety knowledge and lower risk perception contribute to a greater acceptance of more distant exits. A lack of risk perception makes traveling alone a significant factor in choosing an exit other than the frontmost, and people tended to avoid following others in densely populated evacuation flows. Regarding time perception, participants perceived the frontmost exit as the quickest, followed by the backmost exit, while the middle exits were viewed as the slowest. This study provides valuable insights for exit choice behavior modeling and airplane evacuation enhancement.

Predicting and Empowering Health for Generation Z by Comparing Health Information Seeking and Digital Health Literacy: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.

Generation Z (born 1995-2010) members are digital residents who use technology and the internet more frequently than any previous generation to learn about their health. They are increasingly moving away from conventional methods of seeking health information as technology advances quickly and becomes more widely available, resulting in a more digitalized health care system. Similar to all groups, Generation Z has specific health care requirements and preferences, and their use of technology influences how they look for health information. However, they have often been overlooked in scholarly research. First, we aimed to identify the information-seeking preferences of older individuals and Generation Z (those between the ages of 18 and 26 years); second, we aimed to predict the effects of digital health literacy and health empowerment in both groups. We also aimed to identify factors that impact how both groups engage in digital health and remain in control of their own health. The Health Information National Trends Survey was adopted for further use in 2022. We analyzed 1862 valid data points by conducting a survey among Chinese respondents to address the research gap. A descriptive analysis, 2-tailed t test, and multiple linear regression were applied to the results. When compared with previous generations, Generation Z respondents (995/1862, 53.44%) were more likely to use the internet to find out about health-related topics, whereas earlier generations relied more on traditional media and interpersonal contact. Web-based information-seeking behavior is predicted by digital health literacy (Generation Z: β=.192, P<.001; older population: β=.337, P<.001). While this was happening, only seeking health information from physicians positively predicted health empowerment (Generation Z: β=.070, P=.002; older population: β=.089, P<.001). Despite more frequent use of the internet to learn about their health, Generation Z showed lower levels of health empowerment and less desire to look for health information, overall. This study examined and compared the health information-seeking behaviors of Generation Z and older individuals to improve their digital health literacy and health empowerment. The 2 groups demonstrated distinct preferences regarding their choice of information sources. Health empowerment and digital health literacy were both significantly related to information-seeking behaviors.

The role of individual perceptions in the completion of formalistic tasks

Formalistic tasks are common in collective cultural societies such as China. They bring a great loss of efficiency as well as some potential social benefits. The study aims to explore the perception mechanism of formalistic tasks at the individual level, helping understand and better manage them. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, we proposed that individuals’ perceived value (PV), perceived cost (PC), and perceived pressure (PP) would significantly influence their participation in and completion of formalistic tasks. We therefore developed two studies: Study 1 explored how individuals perceive formalistic tasks, and Study 2 tested the effects of individual perceptions on the completion degree (CD) of formalistic tasks. We collected the data from 319 and 536 Chinese respondents by questionnaire survey for the two studies respectively. Statistical approach and structural equation model (SEM) were used to analyze the data. Through empirical studies, we substantiated the positive role of PV and PC in the completion of formalistic tasks. Furthermore, coercive pressure (CP) and normative pressure (NP), the two elements of PP, would significantly moderate the effect of PC on CD. However, the moderating effects are weak. Our study aroused scholars’ attention to formalistic tasks in organizations and filled the gap in formalistic management. Our findings therefore make a contribution to organization management in collective culture and guide managers to better develop and promote formalistic tasks.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Values and Religiosity in a Multi-Ethnic Population.

We investigated the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on values and religiosity in multi-ethnic Malaysia. Values were measured as changes in values, daily activities, and life priorities using a 5-point Likert scale (-2 to +2). Centrality of Religiosity Scale measured changes in religiosity. Around 176 predominantly female (66.5%), Chinese (68.2%) respondents, aged 35.5 ± 14.1 completed the survey. Most life values changed positively: a sense of security at home (2, interquartile range [IQR]: 1-2), connection with family (1, 1-2), and contribution to society (1, 1-2). Certain life priorities' importance increased: health (2, IQR 2-2), family (2, 2-2), and happiness (2, 1-2); except power and money. These significant positive changes in values and religiosity varied between genders and ethnicities.