Choice Theory Research Articles

Under the Shadow of the Siamese Twins: Ethnicity, Religion and Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Election

Nigeria is considered a heterogeneous society per excellence. This is courtesy of its multi ethnic and multi religious character. While there is no agreement among scholars as to the exact number of its ethnic and religious diversities, its ethnic and religious composition closely follow same geographical boundary such that while the Eastern Ibo are mostly Christians, the Northern Hausa are predominantly Muslims while the Western Yoruba people are partly Christians and partly Muslims. Thus both often exercise joint influence on its politics. This is more profound at moments of decision making such as elections. This paper examines the 2023 Presidential elections in Nigeria viz a viz ethnic and religious influence in the election. Anchored on the rational choice theory, the paper relied on secondary source of materials such as text books, journals, electronic sources and official publications especially from the Independent National Electoral Commission. These were analysed using content analysis. It argued that both ethnic and religious influences are like Siamese twins as far as elections in Nigeria are concerned especially because of their geographical boundaries that roughly coincided. It concluded that Nigeria is yet to witness a significant departure in the pattern of ethno-religious influence on its elections. It, therefore, recommends the need for all stakeholders to be deliberate in stemming the tide of destructive ethnic and religious influence on politics in the country.
 Key Words: Ethnicity, Religion, Politics, Election, Influence

Professional Gender Segregation in Scientific Discourse: Trends and Contradiction

Introduction. The article examines current ideas about professional gender segregation in Russian and foreign scientific discourses. Comparative analysis of various approaches to understanding gender issues allows us to identify new potentials for their study, as well as to pay attention to the development of the optics of Russian science in considering gender differences. Gender issues in the field of information technology require the closest attention and study, since this area is at the forefront of scientific, technological and social development.Methodology and sources. The theoretical and methodological basis for interpreting the results of the study was the main provisions of sociological and economic theories: the theory of social representations (S. Moscovici), the concept of habitus (P. Bourdieu), role theory (R. Linton), and rational choice theory. To work with empirical data, we used the methods of comparative text analysis, analysis of documents and research reports (The Gender Inequality Index, The Global Gender Gap Index, Global Gender Gap Report, “Women and Men of Russia-2022”), and discourse analysis.Results and discussion. In foreign studies, with the long-established vision and acceptance of gender problems, there is an understanding that past steps to achieve gender parity in the labor market lead to a new configuration of gender differences, which requires new efforts to eliminate them. In Russian scientific literature, the main emphasis is on monitoring the current situation of women in the professional environment, analyzing statistics and searching for hidden mechanisms of professional gender segregation.Conclusion. The results of the analysis show that in the presence of demonstrative statistics and large-scale empirical research, there is no theoretical consensus in the scientific discourse about the professional gender situation. There is a clear dissonance between the statement of problems by theorists and the lack of a request to find their solution on the part of practice, where gender “neutrality” or “indifference” reigns in some professional contexts. Conclusions are drawn about the nature of the Russian scientific gender discourse, which needs to develop a thesaurus of nonbinarity and develop an effective way of reasoning about gender issues.

FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY OF MEDICAL STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

The article analyses the main models and theories on the study of the concept of "professional identity" and the main factors influencing the formation of students' professional identity during their studies in higher education institutions. The article studies and compares the Erikson model of identity development, the theory of social identity, and the theory of career choice. The main provisions of professional identity in the works of world and national scientists are considered. Novelty of the work includes the study of domestic and international experience of educational work aimed at the formation of a positive professional identity of students. The authors propose forms and methods of work that will contribute to the formation of the professional identity of medical students, in particular, it is proposed to introduce comprehensive educational programmes and include certain topics, courses, etc. in the curriculum that would contribute to the formation of professional competence and identity of students of professional higher education. Relevance of the topic is due to the fact that the problem of professional adaptation and identification of students in higher education institutions after they have chosen a speciality, and the effectiveness of their work requires a detailed study. The authors investigated the content of the concept of "professional identity". The authors reviewed the influencing factors on the formation of professional identity, in particular, the role of educational work and the role of the teacher in the process of forming students' professional identity. The problems of professional identity formation at the university stage in Ukrainian higher education institutions are studied. The emphasis is placed on the modernisation of teaching and educational work in the higher education system of Ukraine. It is emphasised that practical training, which universities should provide through internships, cooperative programmes, research projects and practices, is of great importance in the formation of professional identity in students.

On Volunteering – Mostly from Female Perspective

The goal of this research was to determine students’ perceptions of acquired knowledge and information (and experience) on volunteering; personal preparedness/competence for volunteering; the usefulness of different teaching methods; and potential changes in the students’ attitude towards volunteering. In addition to the above, the participants were asked to state their reasons for deciding to volunteer in the future, the desirable characteristics of volunteers, and the personal qualities they wish to develop and advance to be prepared for volunteering. The research sample was limited by the number of students in a course and consisted of 24 female students and one male student. Therefore, the research’s focus on the female perspective of volunteering is justified. The research results confirmed the following: the appropriateness and usefulness of the course content, which enabled the students to acquire scientific-theoretical and expert knowledge and information on volunteering; the manner in which the students evaluated their preparedness and competence for volunteering as excellent or very good; the manner in which different forms of work contributed to the personal preparedness and competence evaluation, which resulted in the students’ change of attitude towards volunteering – ‘I want to volunteer’ – or confirmation of this attitude. Furthermore, the participants stated different reasons for their volunteering activities; they specified the desired characteristics of a successful volunteer and a number of personal qualities they wish to develop to be prepared for volunteering. It is precisely this aspect (self-improvement) that is considered extremely important in the early years of study, as it might be expected that the participants will continuously work on empowering themselves and acquiring and improving their own competencies (in all areas). The theoretical framework of the research is William Glasser’s Choice Theory.

Choice Modeling of Laundry Detergent Data for Sustainable Consumption

Consumer choice modeling takes center stage as we delve into understanding how personal preferences of decision makers (customers) for products influence demand at the level of the individual. The contemporary choice theory is built upon the characteristics of the decision maker, alternatives available for the choice of the decision maker, the attributes of the available alternatives and decision rules that the decision maker uses to make a choice. The choice set in our research is represented by six major brands (products) of laundry detergents in the Japanese market. We use the panel data of the purchases of 98 households to which we apply the hierarchical probit model, facilitated by a Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation (MCMC) in order to evaluate the brand values of six brands. The applied model also allows us to evaluate the tangible and intangible brand values. These evaluated metrics help us to assess the brands based on their tangible and intangible characteristics. Moreover, consumer choice modeling also provides a framework for assessing the environmental performance of laundry detergent brands as the model uses the information on components (physical attributes) of laundry detergents. Through a comprehensive evaluation of product performance, including brand tangible estimation, we shed light on the sustainability attributes of laundry detergents, offering a roadmap for consumers and manufacturers alike to make more informed, environmentally responsible choices of laundry detergents based on their physical attributes. Knowing the estimates of the attributes for the laundry detergent products, manufacturers can modify their physical attributes, e.g., decrease the amount of the detergent needed for one wash while increasing the total weight of the laundry powder in the package. In this way, more ecology- and consumer-friendly decisions can be made by manufacturers of laundry detergents.

The Voter Experience Around the World: A Human Reflexivity Approach

ABSTRACT The experiences that voters have of elections are pivotal in the democratic experience of citizens. However, there has been relatively few multidirectional theorisations of the nature of this experience and the implications. This article reviews existing canonical approaches to understanding the voter experience which are informed by rational choice theory, behaviouralism and constructivism. It offers an alternative human reflexivity approach which anchors the voter experience in structure-agency relationships using realist social theory. The voter experience is defined as the simultaneous process of gathering and responding to knowledge, perceptions and emotions about the electoral process through observing and (non)participating in electoral activities. The citizen is reflexively situated in this experience and is involved in a process of interpreting, re-interpreting, and responding to stimuli, structures and other actors. Using cross-national data, the article identifies the overall global characteristics of the voter experience around the world. Older and more educated voters tend to have a more positive voter experience. Poor voter experiences are also found to lead to citizens ‘checking out’ of future elections or disengaging from the voting process. The article concludes by setting out the research agenda that arises from the new framework which the special issue takes forward.

Choice of Participation Method in Setting International Accounting Standards: Evidence from EFRAG as an Intermediary for Indirect Participation

Synopsis The research problem Prior empirical research on constituents’ participation in setting international accounting standards has focused on their decision whether or not to participate directly in the standard setter’s due process. However, because that focus neglects constituents’ choice between direct participation and indirect participation via an intermediary, we investigated the determinants of using an indirect method of participation as a substitute for, or in complement to, direct participation. Institutional setting We exploited the European institutional setting, where the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) serves as an intermediary for indirect participation in the due process of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The test hypotheses Based on rational choice theory, we hypothesized that constituents from EFRAG’s inner circle and from countries with smaller capital markets, lower English-language proficiency, and/or an accounting value profile more different from that embodied in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) have a higher probability of choosing to use indirect participation. Adopted methodology Using a sample of 7,766 comment letters (CLs) from 2005–2017, we focused on individual constituents and traced their use of indirect participation (i.e., sending CLs to EFRAG) versus direct participation (i.e., sending CLs to the IASB). We employed logistic regression models using the methods of participation as dependent variable to test our hypotheses. Controlling for factors used in prior research on direct participation, we estimated a primary model for the full sample of constituents and a secondary model with firm-specific variables for the subsample of constituents classified as corporate preparers. Findings and implications We found strong evidence that the constituents’ membership in EFRAG’s inner circle is positively related, and capital market size in the constituents’ home countries is negatively related, to choosing to use indirect participation. Country-level English-language proficiency and differences in the accounting value profile in relation to IFRS also determine the choice of participation method. Our findings suggest that a preference for indirect participation relates to the barriers to using direct participation. We provide initial evidence of a neglected aspect of Sutton’ s ( 1984 ) rational choice model and implications for EFRAG’s role as an intermediary.

The Identity of Garut Transgenders in Social Media

The background of this research is the use of social media by transgenders in the Garut Regency, although the transgender issue is contradictory to Indonesian values. This qualitative research uses rational choice theory to analyze social media usage as an identity for transgenders in the Garut Regency. The data are collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and literature study. The results show that transgenders use social media as an associative interaction. It shows their identity by 'behaving gender' and expressing the 'sense of we' as Sundanese women.

ОСНОВИ НА СЪВРЕМЕННАТА ИКОНОМИКА: ЕЛИНОР ОСТРОМ И ОБЩИТЕ РЕСУРСИ

Elinor Ostrom changed the way of thinking about common-pool resources in econom-ics. She provided an institutional analysis that shows how groups can find solutions to complex problems for collective goods. Ostrom showed that collective action can work among rational individuals. She and her husband Vincent objected privatization, nation-alization, and centralized government for governing the commons. Instead, they pro-moted polycentric governance as a solution for many common-pool resources. Her ap-proach is known as the Bloomington School of Political Economy, a thriving direction in Public Choice Theory.

Refined tastes, coarse tastes: Solving the stratification-of-goods enigma

The “Stratification-of-Goods” expresses social ranking where the lower status group consumes almost exclusively coarse goods such as Rambo films while the upper status group consumes almost exclusively refined goods such as Shakespearean plays. The Stratification-of-Goods is an enigma for the social welfare function (SWF)—which also applies at the level of the individual utility function. It is an enigma because it makes SWF and individual utility function ill-defined: there is no single metric that allows us to compare the utility functions across groups, as well as the tastes across a single decision maker (DM), insofar as they are segregated by the refinement of taste. This paper proposes a model that promises to solve the Stratification-of-Goods Enigma. The model, consistent with rational choice theory, starts with DMs who have identical tastes but differ with respect to income level. If income inequality is non-trivial, DMs invest differently in what this paper calls “sophistication capital”—the education needed to appreciate refined goods. The difference in investment in sophistication capital sets in motion dynamics that generates hard-to-reverse status stratification. In this fashion, this paper offers a solid endogenous account that solves the Stratification-of-Goods Enigma.

Ecolinguistics, Ecotranslatology, Ecology of Translation: Correlation of Concepts in the Light of Modern Discourse Practice

In today's world, there is a notable shift not only towards the "ecologization" of human consciousness but also within various domains of scientific knowledge, including translation theory and linguistics. Translation studies that incorporate the prefix "eco" necessitate a systematic classification and the establishment of semantic connections among terms. This article seeks to delve into the emergence of an ecological approach to translation within the contexts of both Russian and Chinese translation studies, aiming to elucidate the interrelationships between key concepts that characterize modern trends in translation research across diverse academic traditions. The primary objective of this article is to establish a symbiotic relationship between ecotranslatology, which originated in China, and the ecology of translation, a discipline that has emerged in Russia. Ecotranslatology, as an independent subfield within translation studies, is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture and currently stands as a thriving area of inquiry in the People's Republic of China. In contrast, the ecology of translation is actively advancing under the purview of Russian linguists, who emphasize that high-quality, harmonious translation encompasses not only cultural congruence but also ecological alignment. This ecological perspective is posited to underpin the development of a translation ecosystem within the broader global ecosystem. Methodologically, this study draws from several dimensions: firstly, it brings together the ideas of international linguists specializing in linguistic ecology and ecolinguistics; secondly, it explores research on cognitive modeling of the translation process in an ecosystem that unites the translator with the socio-natural environment of his habitat. Finally, the study includes the perspective of Chinese scholars based on the classical theory of adaptation and choice in translation. Ultimately, this study highlights the importance of environmental science in understanding the cognitive mechanisms inherent in the translation process.

Social Ranking Problems at the Interplay between Social Choice Theory and Coalitional Games

This paper reviews the recent literature on the “social ranking problem”, that is, the problem of converting group rankings into individual rankings. We introduce and categorize existing social ranking methods and we briefly explain their attributes. Three main categories of social ranking methods are identified: lexicographic social rankings, methods based on voting mechanisms, and those inspired by the theory of coalitional games. An open-source R package called socialranking for computing the majority of the existing social rankings is also presented and discussed.

Explaining mobilization for revolts by private interests and kinship relations.

Mobilization for revolts poses a significant challenge for rational choice theory because revolts are vulnerable to free-riding, which disincentivizes rational actors from mobilizing. Strong, informal relations such as kinship ties have been identified as factors that can shift the rational calculations of individuals and lead to mobilization for revolts. In social networks that are polarized by the presence of mobilized individuals, such as rebels, and actors opposing the mobilization effort such as the elite, kinship relations have not only a bridging effect but also a diverging one. Building on Tullock's private interest theory, we develop a framework in which kinship relations determine the extent of individual's payoffs and costs of mobilization for revolts against an elite. We posit that distant kin of the elite expect high payoffs of mobilization for revolts and face the lowest costs of mobilization for revolts by virtue of their position in the network of kinship relations. Using a unique, hand-collected dataset that reconstructs a revolt in Basel, Switzerland, in 1691, we test our framework and contribute to a better relational understanding of the mechanisms that lead rational actors to mobilize for revolts. Our analyses show that mobilization for revolts is mainly driven by distant kinship relations to the ruling elite rather than close kinship relations to the rebels.

Dramaturgi Pengemis Badut Karakter Di Kota Pekanbaru

The phenomenon of the presence of beggars clown characters has been often found in society, one of which is in the city of Pekanbaru. This study aims to determine the background of the beggar clown charater’s rational choice in choosing the job and aims to determine the front stage dan back stage of beggar clown character’s life. The type of this research is field research and uses a qualitative approach with a purposive sampling techniques. Data collection techniques use observation, interviews and documentation. Data analysis in this study used rational choice theory by James Coleman and dramaturgical theory by Erving Goffman. The result of this study indicate that their rational choice become a beggar clown character because they get income every day, there are factors involved and their identities are covered. There are differences shown on the front stage and the back stage. Entertaining behavior, looking friendly and compassionate towards children and looking for compassion are the front appearance of the beggar clown character. The beggar clown character’s back stage, they are not looking for a sympathy and the necessities of their life are fulfilled.

Model podmiotowego rozwoju miast. Analiza politologiczno-prawna

THE MODEL OF SUBJECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES: POLITICAL AND LEGAL ANALYSIS The development policy of the cities is analyzed and studied mainly with the help of concepts typical of geography, spatial economy and sociology. The article proposes to look at this issue through the prism of political science. The epistemology of the concept of political subjectivity, the theory of rational choice, the new institutionalism and system analysis will be used. Based on the conclusions from the theoretical part, the authors distinguish four criteria for the political analysis of the position of cities in Poland. They are: the criterion of resources and interests, the criterion of efficiency, the criterion of relations, and the criterion of coordination. Those criteria relate to, i.a. activities of political authorities in relation to cities, the influence they have on implementation of functions assigned to them, as well as the way in which the role of cities in the state’s political system changes. Based on the analysis of the four criteria, it is possible to determine whether cities are to a greater extent subjects or objects of activities of the central center of political power in the state. Using a schematic matrix of city development models proposed by the author, it is then possible to determine whether, in political terms, we are dealing with a subjective development of cities in Poland.

Salience theory and cryptocurrency returns

The salience theory of choice under risk shows that investor behavior drives cross-sectional cryptocurrency returns. Investors place too much weight on salient payouts, causing overvaluation of cryptocurrencies with upward salience returns and undervaluation of those with downward salience returns, leading to negative expected returns for the former and positive expected returns for the latter. The salience effect in the cryptocurrency market is more pronounced than in equity markets, making it a significant risk factor for explaining other cross-sectional returns in the cryptocurrency market. Unlike other documented return predictors, the salience theory uniquely contributes to understanding the cryptocurrency market.

Praktik Prostitusi pada Profesi ‘Sales Promotion Girl’ di Kota Malang

Sales Promotion Girl (SPG) chooses to become a Commercial Escort (Hookers) with some reason. In the process of choosing a side job, lifestyle, daily needs, and paying debts/installments play an important role. This study aims to reveal the rational choice of SPG who make themselves Escort outside working hours. The research design is a qualitative interpretive with a case study approach. The data processing technique uses data analysis methods, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing or verification. Data was collected through observation and in-depth interviews with 5 (five) informants who chose side jobs as Escort. Researchers use James S. Coleman's rational choice theory to explain this phenomenon by looking at the aspects of resources, collective behavior, sacrifices, and rewards. Lincoln et al., (1985), state that a case study is an in-depth and detailed study of everything related to the research subject. The results of this research show that the otherside of this professions pursued can support the SPG economy, the SPG work environment that occurs in the field plays a role in improving their self-quality and the reasons that make SPG has to choose to become prostitutes can be explained in this research.

A document analysis of the South African national guidelines for medical male circumcision and the implications for infant and child male circumcision decision-making

South Africa’s 2016 medical male circumcision (MMC) guidelines (“the guidelines”) provide direction for the MMC programme’s implementation in South Africa. The aim of our document analysis was to assess the guidelines, particularly in lieu of changing guidance from WHO and PEPFAR. We then assessed how the guidelines might be applied to infant and child male circumcision (ICMC). The analysis was performed by reviewing South Africa’s guidelines, along with international documents used in developing those guidelines, to identify the historical development of the guidelines, as well as the implications for MMC and ICMC decision-making within the South African context. The following principles were analysed within the context of South Africa’s guidelines: (1) quality and safety; (2) informed consent; (3) confidentiality; (4) human rights; and (5) accessibility of services. Tthe document analysis also identified ambiguities that exist in the guidelines, particularly regarding consent, recognising religious or cultural exemptions, and guaranteeing the best interests of the child. South Africa’s MMC guidelines could benefit from incorporating common definitions to assist with interpretation and understanding, thus preventing confusion and controversy among programme planners, parents and boys. The guidelines were made available in 2016 and recommendations for circumcision have evolved as new research and information has become available. South Africa’s National Department of Health should review and update these guidelines, with a focus on both MMC and ICMC issues, so that they reflect the most up-to-date, accurate information available, to avoid inconsistent practices, risks, and litigation in the management of the programme. This study was situated within a qualitative paradigm and applied a social choice theory perspective to make sense of the MMC guidelines. The study concludes that future policy revisions should develop a broader understanding of the complex medical male circumcision decision-making process, particularly faced by parents.

A contextual range-dependent model for choice under risk

We introduce a context-dependent theory for choice under risk, called range utility theory. It builds on Parducci’s range principle from psychophysics and modifies expected utility by positing that risky prospects are evaluated relative to the range of consequences of all prospects in the decision context. When the context is fixed, choices typically exhibit the four-fold pattern of risk preferences, yet are fully consistent with expected utility (linear in probabilities) without invoking rank-principles. We illustrate this advantage in game theory contexts. As the same time, when the context varies, the relative value of an alternative also does, yielding different forms or preference reversals, some of which have been robustly documented.

Exploring How Systemic Racism Affects African American Students’ College Choice Decisions: A Comparative Case Study Analysis

A lot of attention has been given to the problem of institutionalized racism in academia lately. From a young age, the road to success in school has not always been an easy route for African American students. According to Bottiani, Bradshaw, and Mendelson (2016), students' perceptions of differential treatment, exclusion, and discrimination by teachers and adults in school appear to play a significant role in the poor outcomes among the youth of color. The climate change surrounding racial issues and U.S. economic downturn have had a significant impact on students of color as regards to their commitment to higher education (Karkouti, 2016). This paper attempts to answer the overarching research question such as: How does systemic racism play a role in African American students' college choice decisions? The results from this paper are displayed in critical race theory, as it is a crucial factor in the analysis of choice theory.