Psychological Concepts Research Articles

President Joko Widodo's foreign policy shift on Egypt? Analysis of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's visit to Indonesia in 2015

This dissertation research aims to analyze and answer Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt which has been running since the time of President Soekarno to President Joko Widodo. During the time of President Soekarno, Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt was in a very strong or ideal position. This turns out to be different from the time of President Soeharto, who was in quite a worrying position. Efforts to strengthen Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt were carried out through President Soeharto's state visit to Egypt as carried out by President Soekarno. State visits to Egypt became a continuing tradition for Indonesian foreign policy during the period of Presidents Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The transition of Indonesian leadership from SBY to Jokowi apparently had an influence on Indonesia's foreign policy tradition towards Egypt, which was originally structured to change. President Jokowi's absence from visiting Egypt on several occasions has increasingly become a big question mark and has become an unprecedented problem in Indonesia's foreign policy. This research answers why President Joko Widodo's foreign policy in relation to Egypt looks different from his predecessor, as well as what considerations are the background to President Jokowi's policy of not visiting Egypt. The type of research is qualitative research. The research method uses case studies with the primary data obtained through interviews and secondary data obtained through documentation data collection techniques and literature study. The theoretical approach used is foreign policy, psychological concepts in foreign policy making. This research finds that Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt during President Jokowi's leadership has undergone changes from the traditions of previous presidents. This change was marked by the absence of President Jokowi's visit to Egypt and Indonesia's current foreign policy priorities which prioritize economic cooperation and investment with China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the factors that influenced President Jokowi's considerations in his policy of not visiting Egypt were due to the domestic situation in Egypt after the Arab Spring which had not fully improved, President Jokowi's individual background and President Jokowi's cognitive (psychological) considerations regarding the information he believed.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF LITERARY AND EDUCATIONAL VALUE IN THE NOVEL PSYCHOPATH TEST

This journal explores the relationship between literature and psychology, focusing on Jon Ronson's "The Psychopath Test." It examines the novel's structure, psychological insights, and its relevance as educational material in intensive reading classes. The text highlights the intertwining of psychology and literature, highlighting how psychological concepts are used to explore themes like identity, trauma, and personal growth. The passage also discusses the educational values of literature, including critical thinking, ethical awareness, understanding mental health, empathy, scepticism, interdisciplinary learning, and media literacy. The moral values learned from "The Psychopath Test" include empathy, ethical responsibility, compassion, justice, self-reflection, and the critical examination of power dynamics. The research methodology is a descriptive qualitative approach, utilizing a literary psychology approach.

Promoting a foundation of resilience in older adults: pilot trial of a strengths-based positive psychology intervention for chronic low back pain

ABSTRACT Introduction Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a global public health problem and a leading cause of disability among older adults. Recent years have seen a burgeoning interest in promoting resilience in individuals with chronic pain; however, therapeutic strategies that focus on positive psychological resources and individual strengths are understudied among older adult populations. The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a resilience-promoting intervention among older adults with cLBP, and to assess preliminary treatment effects on pain severity, pain interference, and quality of life. Methods Participants included 50 adults, ages ≥50 years, with back pain rated (at minimum) of moderate intensity and having a significant impact on daily activities. This single-arm trial included seven weekly group sessions targeting positive psychology concepts and techniques that have established benefits in pain management. Results Results suggest high credibility and engagement in the intervention program. Participants found the weekly session content to be beneficial and global treatment satisfaction was high. Pain intensity (−4.3 [−6.14, −2.54]), pain interference (−3.3 [−4.83, −1.80]), depression (−1.6 [−3.16, −0.04]) and QoL-health satisfaction (0.3 [0.01, 0.55]) improved from pre- to post-intervention. At the 3-month follow-up, improvements were also observed for pain intensity (−2.1 [−9.29, −5.04]), pain interference (−5.3 [−6.54, −2.86]), and QoL-physical health (0.9 [0.11, 1.74]). Discussion Results support the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of a resilience intervention for older adults with cLBP. These findings may be a step toward the advancement of therapeutic pain modalities and provide a foundation for future research on resilience-promoting interventions for aging populations with chronic pain.

President Joko Widodo's Foreign Policy Shift on Egypt? Analysis of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's Visit to Indonesia in 2015

This dissertation research aims to analyze and answer Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt which has been running since the time of President Soekarno to President Joko Widodo. During the time of President Soekarno, Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt was in a very strong or ideal position. This turns out to be different from the time of President Soeharto, who was in quite a worrying position. Efforts to strengthen Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt were carried out through President Soeharto's state visit to Egypt as carried out by President Soekarno. State visits to Egypt became a continuing tradition for Indonesian foreign policy during the period of Presidents Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The transition of Indonesian leadership from SBY to Jokowi apparently had an influence on Indonesia's foreign policy tradition towards Egypt, which was originally structured to change.President Jokowi's absence from visiting Egypt on several occasions has increasingly become a big question mark and has become an unprecedented problem in Indonesia's foreign policy. This research answers why President Joko Widodo's foreign policy in relation to Egypt looks different from his predecessor, as well as what considerations are the background to President Jokowi's policy of not visiting Egypt. The type of research is qualitative research.The research method uses case studies with the primary data obtained through interviews and secondary data obtained through documentation data collection techniques and literature study. The theoretical approach used is foreign policy, psychological concepts in foreign policy making. This research finds that Indonesia's foreign policy towards Egypt during President Jokowi's leadership has undergone changes from the traditions of previous presidents. This change was marked by the absence of President Jokowi's visit to Egypt and Indonesia's current foreign policy priorities which prioritize economic cooperation and investment with China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the factors that influenced President Jokowi's considerations in his policy of not visiting Egypt were due to the domestic situation in Egypt after the Arab Spring which had not fully improved, President Jokowi's individual background and President Jokowi's cognitive (psychological) considerations regarding the information he believed.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ОНТОЛОГІЧНОГО МОДЕЛЮВАННЯ ЯК ЗАСОБУ ВЕРИФІКАЦІЇ РЕЗУЛЬТАТІВ ПСИХОЛОГІЧНОГО ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ (НА ПРИКЛАДІ ВИВЧЕННЯ ЯВИЩ ГРИ)

Purpose. Methodological differences in the verification standards for the results of scientific knowledge between individual psychological branches represented in the domestic and global scientific space, the peculiarities of extremely complex psychological knowledge objects indicates the need to modernize the relevant standards and choose the optimal methodological platform for the verification of the results of modern psychological research. This paper discusses the feasibility of choosing such a ontological modeling platform, which is a special descriptive methodology and an alternative to the naturalistic experimental approach in verifying the results of psychological research. Ontological modeling provides the possibility for a more objective verification of the achievements for the study of intelligible objects, which have a distinct cultural and historical meaning, extremely complex structure and functionality, an ancient and diverse history of their own empirical representations. The purpose of the article is a theoretical study of ways to modernize the standards of verification of the results of modern psychological research using the example of the verification of the promising theory of game modeling of human vital activity in uncertainty conditions. Methods.The research uses the methods of analysis and systematization for psychological and interdisciplinary approaches in the study of verification patterns for the psychological knowledge results, comparison and optimization for the content of its standards on the study example of game modeling of human vital activity in uncertainty conditions. Results. According to the results of the study, the expediency of choosing ontological modeling (the names "conceptual modeling", "formal ontology", "formal ontology" and "ontological engineering" are also used synonymously) as a perspective basis for the verification of the psychological research results, a new universal methodological tool of Ukrainian psychology, has been proven using the example for game modeling of human vital activity in uncertainty. The existing scientific approaches that argue for the choice of ontological modeling as the basis for the verification of new psychological knowledge are specified. The methodological perspective of the modernization for the verification norms of psychological theories and concepts based on the ontological approach has been updated and substantiated. Modern scientific ideas are generalized and fundamental approaches to the verification of the results of knowledge of unlimited generality objects, i.e. ultra-complex simultaneously intelligible and empirical objects, are deepened. It has been established that ontological modeling has a universal scientific purpose and is able to overcome the shortcomings of the naturalistic experimental method for verification of research products, to be the optimal methodological platform for the verification of the modern psychological research results. Conclusions. The results of the study allow us to conclude about the relevance of the above issues and the expediency of choosing ontological modeling as a prospective basis for the verification of the psychological research results using the example for game modeling of human vital activity in uncertainty. A well-founded description of the standards and the process for verification of the psychological research results for game modeling of human vital activity in uncertainty conditions is considered promising.

Contributions of Gibson's Ecological Psychology to the Creation of Interactive Sound Installations

This article explores the potential contributions of Gibson's Ecological Psychology to artistic creation within the scope of Interactive Sound Installations. It provides a historical overview of the evolution of this form of art, highlighting the growing emphasis on the role of space and body (audience action) in shaping interactive art concepts. The article delves into how ecological acoustics research has integrated interdisciplinary perspectives from sociology, anthropology, and cognitive science to promote a more equitable and fair acoustic environment. Considering that the concept of the body embedded in the world is both central to interactive arts and Cognitive Science, particularly to Gibson's Ecological Psychology, this text presents its main aspects. It then discusses how these aspects can be applied in Interactive Sound Installations. In conclusion, it suggests that applying Ecological Psychology concepts to Interactive Sound Installations can contribute to the goals of recent acoustic ecology in creating a fairer acoustic environment.

The Javanese Rasa: Sense, psychology, and spirituality

Rasa for Javanese people is an important part of daily life. Rasa is the Javanese way of communicating with themselves and with their society. With Rasa, Javanese people develop moral ethics. The theoretical construction method is used in this paper with the basis of old literature and the results of the study of today’s social scientists to build an ideal picture of Rasa’s theory. The main argument of this paper is that there is another model besides ratio used by the Javanese for knowledge, namely Rasa. Rasa for the Javanese is both a tool and a goal. As a tool, Rasa serves to build moral and intellectual integrity, while as a goal Rasa is a meeting between the self and the divine. Rasa as a tool is a psychological study space to build a healthy person using introspection (self-examination) personally and in social relations. As a goal, Rasa is a spiritual space. The formulation of the concept of Rasa psychology in this manuscript is developed from the perspective of Javanese culture, specifically on the thoughts of Suryomentaram. Furthermore, this manuscript opens up great possibilities in the scientific processes of Rasa-based knowledge with relevant research in various other cultures.

Stratification economics: historical origins and theoretical foundations

Abstract Stratification economics (SE) investigates how economies are organized around group inequalities, especially by race and gender but also by ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Its historical origins and theoretical foundations have both a structural strand that addresses how and a social behavioural strand. SE’s structural strand goes back to Ricardo and Marx regarding the relationship between growth and distribution, and then draws on recent economic theory of noncompeting groups and dual economy models of labour market segmentation. SE’s structural strand produces an inequality-based understanding of economics’ standard goods taxonomy. The social behavioural strand builds on Du Bois’s psychological wage concept, Veblen’s social ladders theory of emulation, Blumer’s theory of prejudice and stereotyping, and current social identity theory. SE’s social behavioural strand makes it possible to explain how discrimination selectively stigmatizes people’s social identities in order to reinforce existing intergroup inequalities.

EXPLORING MUSICAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT: PERSPECTIVES OF STAGE THEORY, SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY, AND LIFESPAN APPROACH

Music has a profound impact on a person's identity and has a complicated and deep relationship with the self. The psychological concept called "musical identity" includes a variety of elements derived from "personal, social, emotional, and musical competencies." It represents how people behave in a cultural and social context and is influenced by their involvement in music and practice. This study examines how people acquire musical knowledge and skills and also the cognitive, emotional and social aspects of this process. Trevarthen and Malloch’s Stage Theory, which hypothesises that there are discrete transitions in musical development across the lifespan, is a well-known framework in this area. Another approach is Evans and McPherson’s application of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which empasises the significance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in forming musical identity. Using a lifelong perspective, Lamont emphasizes the impact of social settings and cultural environments on the negotiation of musical identity. Her work emphasises the significance of early musical encounters, the influence of formal and informal musical interactions during infancy, and the development of musical identity during adolescence and maturity. Understanding these frameworks enhances our knowledge of how musical identities are formed and also has implications for music education, therapy, and the promotion of lifelong musical participation.

From self-care to social-self care: toward a sociology of wellbeing

To move beyond the hyper-individualism of popular neoliberal understandings of self-care, we must reconceptualize self-care as social-self care—care for fundamentally social selves. First, I examine how self-care has—and has not—been conceptualized around sociality by tracing historical lineages in modern medical discourse, Black Feminist thought, Ancient Greek and Foucauldian philosophy, the popular self-help tradition, and contemporary literatures of refusal. Next, I explore current popular neoliberal conceptualizations of “self,” “care,” and “self-care” that prioritize the individual and depoliticize wellbeing, trapping people in myopically individualistic worldviews. Finally, I argue that the social psychological concept of the “social self” (Cooley; Mead) as well as Mills’ “sociological imagination” necessitate a reframing of self-care to social-self care. This reframing emphasizes sociality and relationality and has the potential to free people from neoliberal disconnection and promote resistance against systemic injustice—positioning social-self care as transformative and counter-hegemonic. Desires to protect financial interests, pass blame, and retain individual autonomy stand as barriers to this reframing. Still, reconceptualizing self-care around a fundamentally social self is imperative, holding the potential to shape daily lived experience and broader understandings of wellbeing in the twenty-first century.

Enhancing Tourism Villages Through VRIN Resources and Local Endorsement: A Resource-Based View on Achieving Sdgs in Rural Development

Objective: This study aims to analyze the influence of local endorsement on VRIN resources as part of the resource-based view (RBV) framework, which together with non-VRIN resources influences competitive advantage and then BUMDes performance. Theoretical Framework: The RBV framework is often used to look at resources that influence a company's competitive advantage, which then affects business performance. In this study, the adoption of psychological empowerment as part of the Rural Empowerment through Tourism Scale is used to measure citizen involvement in the form of local endorsement. Method: The study used a quantitative approach with purposive sampling to obtain 657 research respondents according to the established criteria. Online questionnaires were used to be distributed to various BUMDes in Indonesia. Results and Discussion: The results of the study show the influence of local endorsement on VRIN resources, which then also affects competitive advantage. Competitive advantage affects BUMDes performance. The results of the study also show that non-VRIN resources do not affect competitive advantage. These results emphasize community involvement in generating competitive advantage for BUMDes-managed tourist villages. Research Implications: The results of the study show the importance of focusing on intangible assets to develop tourist villages. Building local endorsement is a way to encourage local communities to be involved in managing tourist villages through BUMDes. Originality/Value: The adoption of the psychological empowerment concept from RETS provides a new direction in the context of developing competitive advantages in tourist villages, especially from the perspective of local communities.

POSSIBILITIES OF USING VR TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING PSYCHOLOGY TO STUDENTS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL CLASSES

When organizing the activities of schoolchildren in specialized psychological and pedagogical classes, it is necessary to equip them with the most advanced methods, organizing professional tests and acquiring specifi c experience through immersion in a new digital reality. Purpose of the work is to study the possibilities of using VR technologies in the process of teaching psychology to students in psychological and pedagogical classes. Research methods include analysis, synthesis, generalization, and questioning. Sample consists of psychology teachers of  classes of psychological and pedagogical orientation in the city of Tula and the Tula region. Main results. Possible areas for the use of VR technologies in teaching psychology are highlighted: visualization of abstract psychological concepts, virtual excursions to psychological laboratories, acquaintance with specifi c psychologists of the past and present, virtual participation in psychological experiments, virtual games for training professionally signifi cant skills; immersion in school reality; trying oneself as a teacher; creating lesson projects; using immersive methods; visiting specialized virtual exhibitions, bookstores; virtual visit to the university, etc. Conclusion. Using the capabilities of VR technologies can signifi cantly affect the increase in the effi ciency of the learning process and the development of cognitive interests of students in psychological and pedagogical classes in the specialized discipline of psychology.

Investigating resilience in patients with IBD: preliminary insights for understanding disease-specific resilience skills.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) significantly impact patients' quality of life. While research highlights the potential role of psychological resilience to enhance overall health and well-being in patients with chronic conditions, its specific role in the context of IBD remains underexplored. This study aimed to identify key components of resilience, while serving as a precursor to the development of a disease-specific Resilience Scale for IBD (RISE-IBD). In semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews, fifteen patients with IBD discussed their perspectives on the construct of resilience, particularly in terms of the diverse strategies they employed to overcome IBD-related challenges. Patients also deliberated on the relevance of themes identified in two widely used and validated resilience measures. Four analysts coded the transcripts using MAXQDA. Selected items for the drafted measure were refined based on constructive feedback from an additional focus group with study participants and six multidisciplinary IBD professionals, thus establishing face and content validity. The qualitative analysis revealed critical themes of resilience for IBD including: (1) seeking physical and emotional support from others, (2) developing personal coping mechanisms to manage stress, and (3) employing strategic disease-management techniques. These themes led to the identification of 17 items, which were categorized into three domains: interpersonal fortitude, individual character strengths, and logistical strategies. This study highlights the critical role of resilience, a core concept in positive psychology, in the effective self-management of IBD. The findings underscore the importance of building upon resilience strategies to help patients bolster the psychological potencies needed to manage their condition more effectively. Future research will focus on the psychometric validation of items identified for the scale. By incorporating resilience-building strategies into IBD care, we can support patients in developing a more positive outlook and improved life satisfaction.

Relationship Between Physical Activity and Subjective Well-Being Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Social Support.

Subjective well-being is a key concept in positive psychology and is associated with a variety of physical and mental health outcomes. Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable health behavior that has been identified as a potential correlate of subjective well-being. However, the underlying mechanisms that connect PA to subjective well-being are not well-understood. This study aimed to examine the association between the PA and various components of subjective well-being in college students, and to determine if social support mediated this association. A total of 1158 college students (46.3% female, mean age = 19.75years) voluntarily completed a set of questionnaires measuring PA, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and social support in a single-wave assessment. Three sets of mediation analyses were conducted (employing bootstrapping techniques with 10,000 samples), with life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect serving as the dependent variables, PA as the independent variable, and social support as the mediator. The findings revealed that the relationships between PA, subjective well-being, and social support differ by the component of subjective well-being. While no association was detected between PA and negative affect, increased PA led to enhanced social support, which in turn contributed to higher levels of life satisfaction and positive affect. As social support was found to mediate the relationship between PA and subjective well-being, future interventions are suggested to foster supportive social environments and develop effective strategies to modify the social experience of PA to maximize their benefits in enhancing subjective well-being.

Современные перспективные тренды профессиональной подготовки сотрудников уголовно-исполнительной системы в условиях цифровизации образования

The article examines the current promising trends in the professional training of employees of the penitentiary system. The conducted express review of modern aspects of professional training of employees of the penal enforcement system allows us to identify the following trends: the use of distance learning technologies, along with traditional training, and a competent combined version of their use and "necessary castling" in the textbook of academic disciplines; regular interactive interaction of subjects of the educational process through an electronic information and educational environment; the use of multimedia technologies as additional learning tools in modern education; additional classes with students on digital hygiene in interaction with various information systems and software products; the use of electronic textbooks, audio-visual aids and interactive courses as alternatives to traditional textbooks, teaching aids in printed form; the use of webinars as an effective form of interactive classes with students; the possibility of developing cognitive processes (attention, memory, thinking, etc.) in students through the use of intelligence simulators - on the example of professional training of psychologists of law enforcement agencies; personalized training. The relevance and discussion of relatively new concepts in modern education, psychology and pedagogy, which are designated as "digital engagement" and "digital professionalism", is noted. Today, the digital transformation of scientific and educational activities sets guidelines for the key areas of development of modern Russian education, taking into account the values for both students (students, cadets, employees of the penal correction system) and the state as a whole.

Sport spectator well-being: a scoping review

ABSTRACT A clear understanding of sport consumer well-being is central to enriching research on the interaction between sport organizations and consumers, and more tangibly, to advancing public policy. This research offers a scoping review of existing studies on the well-being of sport spectators, resulting in the formulation of a Sport Spectator Well-being Process Model designed to direct future research endeavors. The review includes 76 peer-reviewed articles comprising reviews, qualitative and quantitative studies. A dual approach of frequency and thematic analysis was utilized to synthesize the findings. The frequency analysis highlighted an increasing trend in relevant publications over time, and the thematic analysis informed the development of a conceptual model of the four key stages of the sport spectator well-being process. The review also identified three significant research gaps: (1) the narrow scope of research contexts, (2) a limited range of theoretical frameworks employed and (3) challenges in research methodology. The findings significantly contribute to the transformative sport service research by integrating positive psychology concepts into the discourse on sport spectator well-being. The conceptual model is vital for researchers exploring the intricate relationship between sport spectatorship and spectator well-being, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of this significant topic.

From challenges to opportunities: navigating the human response to automated agents in the workplace

Workers are increasingly embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimise various aspects of their operations in the workplace. While AI offers new opportunities, it also presents unintended challenges that they must carefully navigate. This paper aims to develop a deeper understanding of workers’ experiences with interactions with automated agents (AA) in the workplace and provide actionable recommendations for organisational leaders to achieve positive outcomes. We propose and test a simulation model that quantifies and predicts workers’ experiences with AA, shedding light on the interplay of diverse variables, such as workload, effort and trust. Our findings suggest that lower-efficiency AA might outperform higher-efficiency ones due to the constraining influence of trust on adoption rates. Additionally, we find that lower initial trust in AA could lead to increased usage in certain scenarios and that stronger emotional and social responses to the use of AA may foster greater trust but result in decreased AA utilisation. This interdisciplinary research blends a systems dynamics approach with management theories and psychological concepts, aiming to bridge existing gaps and foster the sustainable and effective implementation of AA in the workplace. Ultimately, our research endeavour contributes to advancing the field of human-AI interaction in the workplace.

Two distinct psychological concepts: Diabetes depression and diabetes burnout profiles

BACKGROUND: Diabetes burnout represents a unique experience that shares some similarities with other psychological concepts. Differentiating diabetes burnout from depression symptoms is a challenging issue. This study aims to examine diabetes burnout profiles and their association with depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Iran in 2023. Individuals with type 2 diabetes over 18 years old (N = 1300) were recruited through convenience sampling. Data collection was conducted through demographic information, Personal Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ), and Diabetes Burnout Scale (DBS). Unsupervised clustering methods were utilized to determine the optimal number of profiles. RESULTS: Five burnout profiles were found (fully burned-out, overextended, exhausted, on the threshold of burnout, and not-burned-out(. The mean burnout score increases as we move from the not-burned-out profile to the fully burned-out profile. The mean depression score was 7.04. Some individuals (n = 124) who were not-burned-out still experience different depression levels. As depression levels increase, burnout levels also tend to increase. It is noteworthy that while depressed individuals are also burned-out, not all individuals experiencing burnout are necessarily depressed. This is a crucial finding in distinguishing between these concepts. CONCLUSION: Addressing burnout based on profiles could be more effective for individuals with diabetes. It is a foundation for further exploring the development of diabetes burnout profiles over time and its relationship with diabetes management and outcomes.

A role game to learn about risk perception via downward counterfactual thinking

Italy is exposed to significant seismic and volcanic hazards, particularly in the Campania region, home to the Phlegraean Fields volcanic crater near Naples. Unlike Vesuvius and Stromboli, the Phlegraean Fields threat is not readily visible, and public awareness of volcanic danger and the civic emergency plan is correspondingly quite limited. Recent increased levels of regional seismic activity have concentrated attention on enhancing public volcano risk awareness, especially among younger generations.Recognizing the influential role of the younger demographic in societal scientific awareness, effective language and engagement strategies become paramount. In this context, Serious Games, which balance serious and playful elements, emerge as an innovative science communication tool actively involving participants and enhancing their learning experience.Integral to risk analysis is the use of downward counterfactual analysis, a cognitive psychology concept that prompts a deliberate examination of how events might have taken a more adverse turn. This approach contributes to enhanced disaster preparedness, particularly for extreme natural risks such as volcanic eruptions.An interactive Victorian parlor game was designed for the 2023 edition of the Science Fair “Futuro Remoto” in Bagnoli, in the Phlegraean Fields. This game aims to elevate risk awareness, offering participants an instructive and engaging experience focused on counterfactual thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills development.The initiative places participants at the core of the learning process, fostering not only the acquisition of scientific knowledge but also individual risk intelligence. An evaluation protocol has been developed to assess the impact of the experience on risk perception, with outcomes to be presented after the 2023 edition of “Futuro Remoto,” where nearly 200 participants engaged in the game.

Beyond the game: Well-being amid life disruptions among elite athletes

This study examines how elite athletes perceived, experienced, and coped with the significant interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including canceled competitions, closed facilities, and restricted interactions with coaches and teammates. Framed by Existential Positive Psychology (EPP), this qualitative research explores the meaning-making processes, emotional experiences, and existential challenges of athletes when confronted with life and career disruptions. Semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted with twenty Filipino national athletes (10 female, 10 male) to capture their experiences during the early phase of the global crisis. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed the overarching theme, "being with uncertainty," which portrays how athletes were positioned amid the widescale ambiguity that derailed their career trajectories. Four primary themes were generated: "navigating the ebb and flow of emotions," "redefining identity and selfhood," "strengthening social connections," and "anchoring on meaning, purpose, and faith." The findings are discussed within Indigenous psychological concepts upheld by EPP, offering culturally nuanced insights into athlete well-being that extend beyond Western notions of individual happiness and success. This research provides valuable considerations for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive support systems to help athletes from diverse backgrounds navigate unprecedented disruptions to their lives and careers.