Different Patterns Of Behavior Research Articles

Внутриличностные ресурсы поведения педагога в сфере здоровья

Introduction. The article focuses on health and wellness behavior patterns of teachers as an important factor promoting a value-based attitude to health in students. The research is a comparative analysis of health behavior in teachers with different levels of intrapersonal resources. Materials and Methods. The study involved 120 teachers doing a professional development course at the Kamchatka Institute of Educational Development in 2020. The methods included Janoff-Bulman’s World Assumptions Scale (WAS) (adapted by M. A. Padun and A. V. Kotelnikova); Maddi’s Hardiness Survey (adapted by Ye. N. Osin); the subscale “Purpose in Life” of the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being (adapted by N. N. Lepeshinsky). The health behavior of teachers was assessed using questionnaires and the methodology “Attitude to a Significant Life Situation” by E. Yu. Korzhova and A. V. Berdnikova. Results. The study involved two experimental groups (EG) of teachers with different levels of intrapersonal potential: EG 1 (66 people) of teachers with a high level of intrapersonal resources and EG 2 (39 people) of teachers with a lower level of resources. The groups included women of different age, work experience, educational levels and subject areas. Teachers with different levels of intrapersonal resources showed differences in behavioral patterns, e.g., sleep adequacy (φ* = 2.63**); attitude to seeking help of a psychologist (φ* = 1.8*) and significant relatives, e.g., a spouse (φ* = 3.76**); attitude regarding significant situations: acceptance (φ* = 2.33**), active participation (φ* = 2.25*), optimistic forecast (φ* = 2.78**); self-assessment of health (φ* = 3.29**); the subjective representation of somatic health, e.g., the frequency of headaches (φ* = 1.85*), etc. Conclusion. The obtained data allow to identify prevention targets as regards health. They also contribute to the solution of applied issues in the system of professional development of teachers.

The Intercultural Perspective on Project Information Management: An Empirical Study

In recent years, cross-cultural differences and inter-cultural aspects of cooperation have become increasingly prevalent. Undoubtedly, this diversity can generate different patterns of behavior in the project teams. In this study, we present project knowledge management from a cross-cultural perspective, which expands the role of knowledge management and examines the related concepts through an empirical study. To examine the propositions in the context of theoretical implications, we studied the knowledge processes in IT offshoring projects in a company, which has subsidiaries worldwide, including in Japan and China. The case study was conducted for a global IT company with subsidiaries worldwide. To understand the knowledge flow in these situations, survey questionnaire data were collected from the members of the Japan and China departments of the company. Findings from the case study were presented that describe the situation and knowledge flows in an international project setting. Finally, from the findings of the empirical study, the theoretical implications for project information management from cross-cultural perspectives are proposed. The research accommodated inconsistencies in previous studies and provided empirical evidence on the complex-performance relationship.

Влияние феназепама на паттерны поведения крыс

Due to the development of information technology, many researchers have received access to the latest methods in the observation, recording, and analysis of various kinds of data arrays. Thus, machine analysis based on new algorithms facilitates the comparison of different patterns of behavior, including the study of the dynamics of animal activity under the influence of neurotropic drugs, an example of which is phenazepam. The aim of our study was to use computer analysis systems to compare the behavior patterns of two groups of laboratory rats: the control group and the group following phenazepam, as well as to study the overall effect of phenazepam on the behavior of rats. As the study showed, features were revealed in the level of expression of the general trajectories of rat movement during the testing. In addition, the use of home-developed color time coding techniques, made it possible to detect the existence of a correlation in behavior between two time positions of the same animal. The scope of the methods developed by us is not limited to scientific and laboratory practice. Some of these methods are applicable to humans, especially patients suffering from a wide range of neurological and motor disorders.

PROFILE OF B-CELL NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMA AND RESPONSE TO CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC REGIMENS IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN SOUTH INDIA

Abstract: Introduction: Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma’s (NHL) are a group of malignant lympho-proliferative disorders arising predominantly in lymph nodes with different patterns of behavior and responses to treatment. NHL clinical presentation varies with histology sub type and with sites of involvement. Accurate staging is important, which helps in risk stratification and management decisions. Aim: Aim was to study the clinical profile of patients with B-cell NHL and to assess response to various chemotherapeutic agents. Materials and methods: We evaluated data of patients diagnosed with B-cell NHL between 2015 and 2019 at a tertiary care cancer hospital in Andhra Pradesh, India. Data regarding demographic variables, clinical features and examination findings were collected using a pre-designed study proforma. Lab investigations including complete blood picture, liver and renal function tests, bone marrow examination, immunohistochemistry and treatment details were noted. Results: A total of 91 patients with B-cell NHL were managed. Mean age was 53yrs,with males accounting for 60%. Mean duration of presentation was 4.32 months. Most common presentation was lymphadenopathy,followed by loss of appetite, weight loss, fever and night sweats.Majority of study subjects were diagnosed as Diffuse large B Cell Lymphoma 70 (76.9%), followed by Follicular lymphoma 10 (11.0%), Small lymphocytic lymphoma 7(7.7%). Bone marrow involved in 22 (24.2%); Stage IV accounted by 34 (37.4%) followed by Stage III. CHOP regimen of 6 cycles was received by 30 (33.0%) patients, out of which 23 patients had complete response; 61 (67.0%) patients received R-CHOP, out of which 58 had complete response. Conclusion: B-cell NHL has an early onset in India compared to western literature. Accurate staging is important, which helps in risk stratification and management decisions. Treatment with R-CHOP is superior to CHOP regimen with better prognosis and survival. Monitoring at periodic intervals for possible relapse is important as many patients whose disease recurred can be salvageable.

Экономический человек в эпоху интернета: сравнение России и США

The article examines the dynamics of Internet search queries in the American and Russian segments of Google. The data are used to analyze common and different patterns of behavior of the population of the two countries. The role of globalization and unification of the system of economic institutions in the process of their convergence is shown. The author discusses the stability of the perception of certain economic concepts that accompany the search activity of the population on the Internet. The article notes the multiplicity of factors that at a particular point in time can determine the economic behavior of people. According to the author, all this diversity can be attempted to be reduced to three main groups of factors. First, behavior will largely depend on the meaning people put into their actions, how they evaluate and define them. Each deed or action is reflected in language, forming a unit of meaning that allows people to construct social communications, including resorting to Internet searches. Secondly, economic actions depend on the motivations underlying them, which, in turn, are the result of the correlation of goals and opportunities to do this or that. Third, economic behavior depends to a large extent on the development of the institutional system, which determines the different types and breadth of possible economic behavior of people. The author analyzes the dynamics of search requests according to these groups of factors. The author believes, the study of the economic behavior of the population of different countries, can serve as a starting point for assessing its adaptive capacity in the face of economic shocks.

Convergencia en tasas de mortalidad infantil: el caso de las regiones españolas

This paper studies the evolution of infant mortality rates in Spanish regions. Our results allow us to reject the null hypothesis of convergence, but we find the presence of several convergence clubs, which implies the existence of different patterns of behavior. We also find some degree of connection between the Great Recession and the evolution of infant mortality rates. The popula-tion density, the evolution of the labor market and the percentage of the female population that admits to having drunk alcoholic beverages in the previous two weeks are the factors that help us to explain the forces that drive the creation of the clubs.

Sličan se sličnom raduje ili se suprotnosti privlače / Birds of a Feather Flock Together or Opposites Attract

Despite the time when the body-positive concept challenges the ways in which the media and society present the image of the “ideal body”, one gets the impression that the most valuable trait is physical appearance. Those who dictate today’s standards are physically attractive, attractive, popular, and thus more desirable as potential partners. People, regardless of their own attractiveness, tend to choose attractive partners. However, the matching hypothesis assumes that individuals choose partners with a similar level of attraction. In this review, we will see if choosing a partner from the “same league” increases our chances of a successful outcome. One of the conclusions of the initial research of the matching hypothesis is that pure physical attractiveness is the most important determinant of likeability. Although, we know of couples who are not equally physically attractive, and even then, one’s social desirability other than physical attractiveness can be offset by personability and material status. The tendency to prefer highly attractive partners weakens when moderating factors are present that include the low availability of attractive potential partners in the general population and predict the possibility of rejection. The matching hypothesis has not been empirically confirmed and many aspects have not been tested. Therefore, we present a new theory based on the assumption that there is a difference in the extent to which a gender values physical attractiveness, implying that men can easily compensate for the deficit in physical attractiveness with other desirable characteristics such as high socioeconomic status. Although it is basically designed to explain and predict different patterns of behavior when choosing a partner, it is possible to generalize to other dimensions of desirability.

Inflammatory reactivity to the influenza vaccine is associated with changes in automatic social behavior

Recent evidence suggests differential patterns of social behavior following an inflammatory challenge, such that increases in inflammation may not uniformly lead to social withdrawal. Indeed, increases in inflammation have been associated with enhanced self-reported motivation to approach a specific close other, and greater neural sensitivity to positive social cues. However, no known studies have examined the association between inflammation in response to an inflammatory challenge and social behavior in humans, nor has past research examined specifically how approach and withdrawal behavior may differ based on whether the target is a close other or stranger. To address this, 31 participants (ages 18–24) received the influenza vaccine to elicit a low-grade inflammatory response. The morning before and approximately 24 h after the vaccine, participants provided a blood sample and completed a computer task assessing automatic (implicit) approach and withdrawal behavior toward a social support figure and strangers. Greater increases in the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in response to the vaccine were associated with an increase in accuracy in avoiding strangers and a decrease in accuracy in approaching them. Increases in IL-6 were also associated with a decrease in reaction time to approach a support figure, but only when controlling for baseline IL-6 levels. There were no associations between change in IL-6 and changes in self-reported motivation to engage in social behavior with either close others, or strangers. Together, these findings reveal that increases in inflammation following the influenza vaccine are associated with automatic social behavior, especially behavior suggesting avoidance of unfamiliar social targets and ease in approaching a support figure. These data add to the growing literature suggesting that the association between inflammation and social behavior includes both social withdrawal and social approach, depending on the specific target.

A comparison of occupational physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns of nurses working 12-h day and night shifts.

Past studies have reported nurses working day shifts engage in high amounts of light and moderate-intensity occupational physical activity. However, little is known regarding how occupational physical activity and sedentary behavior is accumulated within shifts and/or over consecutive shifts. This study compared occupational physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns of nurses working 12-h. day vs. 12 -h. night shifts. We hypothesized nurses working day shifts would be more active and less sedentary while at work compared to nurses working night shifts and that within shift and between shift differences would emerge. Prospective-cohort study design. Midwestern trauma one academic medical center medical units (medical surgical, critical care, pediatrics, mother and baby, and other). A total of 56 registered nurses working 12-h. day and night shifts participated in this study. Occupational physical activity and sedentary behaviors (e.g., step count, time spent sitting, standing, and walking) were measured for 14 continuous days using the ActivPAL 3 micro activity monitor. Repeated measures mixed-effects regression models were used to examine the effects of shift type, consecutive shifts, and time within a shift on occupational physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Nurses spent more time standing and walking, and less time sitting overall during day shifts compared to night shifts. Nurses walked less during the third consecutive night shift and stood less and sat more during the second and third consecutive night shifts, compared to day shifts. Nurses tended to walk less and sit more during the middle portion of each night shift compared to day shifts. Our findings suggest nurses spend more than half of each shift either standing or walking and that differential patterns of occupational physical activity and sedentary behavior exist between day and night shifts. These findings should be used to inform future interventions designed to advance the health and work performance of nurses.

Brain Lateralization and Cognitive Capacity.

Simple SummaryWe used to think of brains as symmetrical, functioning in the same way on the left and right sides, but we now know that this is not so. From the small brains of insects to variously sized brains of vertebrates, including humans, the left and right sides process information differently and control different patterns of behaviour. This is known as lateralization. Lateralized brains can carry out different functions simultaneously on the left and right sides (e.g., monitoring for predators while searching for food). Avoiding duplication in this way increases cognitive capacity. This paper considers the cognitive advantages of two kinds of lateralization. The first, known as individual lateralization, means that most individuals in a species are lateralized, roughly half in one direction and the other half in the other direction. The second type of lateralization, known as directional or population lateralization, means that most individuals have the same direction of lateralization. Directional lateralization is important for social behaviour but, as this paper argues, it may not increase cognitive capacity any more than does individual lateralization. Strength of lateralization is discussed and so is the communication between the left and right sides of the brain.One way to increase cognitive capacity is to avoid duplication of functions on the left and right sides of the brain. There is a convincing body of evidence showing that such asymmetry, or lateralization, occurs in a wide range of both vertebrate and invertebrate species. Each hemisphere of the brain can attend to different types of stimuli or to different aspects of the same stimulus and each hemisphere analyses information using different neural processes. A brain can engage in more than one task at the same time, as in monitoring for predators (right hemisphere) while searching for food (left hemisphere). Increased cognitive capacity is achieved if individuals are lateralized in one direction or the other. The advantages and disadvantages of individual lateralization are discussed. This paper argues that directional, or population-level, lateralization, which occurs when most individuals in a species have the same direction of lateralization, provides no additional increase in cognitive capacity compared to individual lateralization although directional lateralization is advantageous in social interactions. Strength of lateralization is considered, including the disadvantage of being very strongly lateralized. The role of brain commissures is also discussed with consideration of cognitive capacity.

Skeleton Driven Action Recognition Using an Image-Based Spatial-Temporal Representation and Convolution Neural Network

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) typically present difficulties in engaging and interacting with their peers. Thus, researchers have been developing different technological solutions as support tools for children with ASD. Social robots, one example of these technological solutions, are often unaware of their game partners, preventing the automatic adaptation of their behavior to the user. Information that can be used to enrich this interaction and, consequently, adapt the system behavior is the recognition of different actions of the user by using RGB cameras or/and depth sensors. The present work proposes a method to automatically detect in real-time typical and stereotypical actions of children with ASD by using the Intel RealSense and the Nuitrack SDK to detect and extract the user joint coordinates. The pipeline starts by mapping the temporal and spatial joints dynamics onto a color image-based representation. Usually, the position of the joints in the final image is clustered into groups. In order to verify if the sequence of the joints in the final image representation can influence the model’s performance, two main experiments were conducted where in the first, the order of the grouped joints in the sequence was changed, and in the second, the joints were randomly ordered. In each experiment, statistical methods were used in the analysis. Based on the experiments conducted, it was found statistically significant differences concerning the joints sequence in the image, indicating that the order of the joints might impact the model’s performance. The final model, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), trained on the different actions (typical and stereotypical), was used to classify the different patterns of behavior, achieving a mean accuracy of 92.4% ± 0.0% on the test data. The entire pipeline ran on average at 31 FPS.

Theoretical approaches to understanding the essence of intercultural communication in public administration

Problem setting. Regular contacts between representatives of different cultures determine the need to solve problems that always arise in the form of the need to adapt representatives of one culture in the conditions of their existence in another culture. It is important to understand that the cooperation of such entities on a professional basis also requires the development of approaches that would allow a high level of effectiveness of such interaction. A special role should be played by public authorities and management, designed to implement the relevant functions.
 Recent research and publications analysis. At the present stage, the issue of intercultural communication is covered in the works of such scientists as Hasanov Z., Zasluzheniuk V., Kucherian S., Miroshnichenko V., Zhornova O., Nieto S., Rulker T. and others. Socio-cultural environment forms certain patterns of behavior of individuals, as claimed by such researchers as Verbytska P., Manakin V., Traiger G., Hall E., Shaigorodskyi Y. and others. Scientists argue that intercultural communication underlies the implementation of civilized relations observed in modern society.
 Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. It should be noted the need for in-depth research in the context of public administration, as this aspect is extremely important for state building and the transition to a new communicative format among the population and public authorities. Such research should begin with the elucidation of the theoretical foundations and features of intercultural communication in public administration.
 Paper main body. Communication will be effective if the participants of the communication process are able to understand each other. It occurs in accordance with the worldview of an individual and is the main way of human communication.
 The term “intercultural communication” appeared in the scientific literature in the 1970s. Already in the next decade there was a significant surge of interest in the issue of intercultural communication among specialists in the field of linguistics, psychology, culturology and sociology. Currently, there are a large number of special institutes and scientific schools that study the features of intercultural communication
 The set of terminological positions of intercultural communication gives grounds for such generalizations. The subjects of intercultural communication are the representative of one culture as the producer of the message and the representative of another culture as the recipient of this message. Intercultural communication should be considered as “adequate mutual understanding of two participants in a communicative act who belong to different cultures”. The interaction of parties with different experiences, and their individuals are the different patterns of behavior that have historically developed in different periods. This refers to a communicative format in which the sender and recipient of information belong to different cultures.
 In the process of studying the peculiarities of intercultural communication, it is necessary to focus on the study of differences between cultures on the basis of the theory of four dimensions: the first dimension is the distance of power; the second dimension is individualism and collectivism; the third dimension is the avoidance of uncertainty; the fourth dimension is male and female.
 The public aspect is dominant in intercultural communication, as it is realized through open interactions, which in one way or another must regulate, coordinate and be guided from the outside. Publicity in this case manifests itself as the influence of certain external factors, the most important of which is public authority.
 In particular, the power-management vectors aimed at ensuring that the process of intercultural communication is carried out within the legislative and regulatory framework of those countries in which such communicative interaction is observed. And public authorities and administration are called to perform the following functions: to inform participants of intercultural communication by placing information in the media, on the official websites of government agencies, providing answers to inquiries, etc.; to advise communicators in order to acquaint the parties with the position of public administration bodies regarding a particular format of behavior; to conduct a dialogue with the participants of intercultural communication by transmitting the necessary information bilaterally and waiting for the relevant results; to cooperate with the authorities and participants of intercultural communication on the basis of partnership.
 Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. The studied concept has a sufficient justification in the scientific literature. Based on the versatility and multifaceted nature of this definition, it is correct to say that it is closely related to various sciences and worldviews, which allows us to deeply understand the importance of understanding the term under study by participants in intercultural communication. The sphere of public administration contributes to the establishment of effective cooperation between representatives of different cultures and countries, while performing a number of functions. The main ones are informative, consultative, partnership and dialogue function. Effective cooperation between public authorities and participants in intercultural communication helps to improve the quality of the communication process and meeting of the goals.

Consumer Attitudes on the Food Market: The Case of Poland

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to explore contemporary consumption trends in Poland, with special consideration for the determinants of consumer attitudes adopted when choosing food products. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research method was a diagnostic survey with the use of a research tool - a questionnaire. The basic source of data presented in this article was information collected from a survey carried out in December 2020. In the process of preparing this publication, both literature analysis of the discussed issue and questionnaire research were used. The article presents in detail differences in behaviour patterns at the stage of making purchasing decisions in Poland, depending on gender, education, and percapita income in the household. Findings: The conclusions from the study indicate that consumers in Poland display some differences at the stage of analysing whether a product is organic. When shopping for food products, they adopt various attitudes which can be distinguished based on consumption determinants. The knowledge obtained can be used both for practical purposes and for further theoretical considerations. Practical Implications: The article sheds some light on the determinants of the purchasing choices of contemporary consumers in Poland, and on the attitudes they adopt when choosing food products. This knowledge can influence the means of conveying information about the ecological nature of products, facilitating the forms of presenting labels and compositions by producers so as to meet consumer expectations, and using the knowledge about the factors characterising each of the attitudes to present information about producers ' own activities in a way better tailored to expectations. Originality/Value: This article presents the results of a study on the determinants of shopping choices conducted on a representative group of1000 Poles at the end of2020.

Reducing drug-use harms among higher education students: MyUSE\xa0contextual-behaviour change digital intervention development using the Behaviour Change Wheel

BackgroundDigital harm-reduction interventions typically focus on people with severe drug-use problems, yet these interventions have moderate effectiveness on drug-users with lower levels of risk of harm. The difference in effectiveness may be explained by differences in behavioural patterns between the two groupings. Harnessing behavioural theories to understand what is at the core of drug-use behaviours and mapping the content of new interventions, may improve upon the effectiveness of interventions for lower-risk drug-users. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically apply the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) approach to understand the components, influencing capabilities, opportunities, and motivations (COM-B) of higher education students to change their drug-use behaviors. It is also the first study which identifies specific patterns of behaviours that are more responsive to harm reduction practices through the use of the Theoretical Domain Framework (TDF).MethodsWe employed an explanatory sequential mix-method design. We first conducted an on-line survey and a Delphi exercise to understand the factors influencing COM-B components of higher education students to change their drug-use. Subsequently, we mapped all evidence onto the COM-B components and the TDF domains to identify clusters of behaviours to target for change, using a pattern-based discourse analysis. Finally, a series of multidisciplinary group meetings identified the intervention functions—the means by which the intervention change targeted behaviours and the Behavioural Change Techniques (BCTs) involved using the behaviour change technique taxonomy (v.1).ResultsTwenty-nine BCTs relevant to harm-reduction practices were identified and mapped across five intervention functions (education, modelling, persuasion, incentivization, and training) and five policy categories (communication/marketing, guidelines, regulation, service provision, and environmental/social planning). These BCTs were distributed across eight identified saturated clusters of behaviours MyUSE intervention attempts to change.ConclusionsThe BCTs, identified, will inform the development of a digitally delivered behaviour change intervention that focuses on increasing mindful decision-making with respect to drug-use and promotes alternatives to drug-use activities. The findings can also inform implementation scientists in applying context-specific harm-reduction practices in higher education. We present examples of how the eight identified clusters of target behaviours are mapped across the COM-B components and the TDF, along with suggestions of implementation practices for harm reduction at student population level.

Exploring user movie interest space: A deep learning based dynamic recommendation model

Exploring user interest behind massive user behaviors is essential for online recommendations. Although recommendation models have been proposed recently with great success, existing studies ignore not only the timeliness of online users’ behaviors in terms of their interest, but also the sequential characteristics of their behaviors. To overcome this limitation, we construct a User Movie Interest Space (UMIS) model based on the sequential ratings of users. We define three indexes to elucidate the features of the interest of users for UMIS, which describe different patterns of behaviors of users related to their interests. Based on UMIS we propose a deep learning model named Dynamic Interest Flow (DIF) to provide dynamic movie recommendations. The DIF model achieves intelligently multi-dimensional observations on a user’s interest space and to predict simultaneously a variety of their future interests. Experimental results indicate that DIF outperforms traditional rating-based models and other state-of-the-art deep learning models. Results also demonstrate that modeling a dynamic recommendation as a sequential prediction is supposed to obtain outstanding advantages.

Toward evidence-based severity assessment in mouse models with repeated seizures: I. Electrical kindling

ObjectiveEthical decisions about an allowance for animal experiments need to be based on scientifically sound information about the burden and distress associated with the experimental procedure and models. Thereby, species differences need to be considered for recommendations regarding evidence-based severity assessment and refinement measures. MethodsA comprehensive analysis of behavioral patterns and corticosterone or its metabolites in serum and feces was completed in kindled mice. The impact of kindling via two different stimulation sites in the amygdala and hippocampus was determined. Data were compared to those from naive and electrode-implanted groups. ResultsAmygdala and hippocampus kindled mice exhibited comparable behavioral patterns with increased activity in the open field, reduced anxiety-associated behavior in the elevated-plus maze, and increased anhedonia-associated behavior in the saccharin preference test. In addition, repeated stimulation of the hippocampus caused a reduction in burrowing behavior and an increase in active social interaction. Levels of corticosterone and its metabolites were not altered in serum or feces, respectively. A comparison of mouse data with findings from amygdala kindled rats confirmed pronounced species differences in behavioral patterns associated with the kindling process. SignificanceTaken together the findings suggest a severity classification for the mouse kindling paradigms as moderate regardless of the stimulation site. The outcome of the species comparison provides valuable guidance for species selection for studies exploring behavioral comorbidities. In this context, it is emphasized that the mouse kindling paradigms seem to be well suited for studies exploring the link between ictal events and network alterations on the one hand, and hyperactivity and anhedonia-associated behavior on the other hand. Moreover, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and the impact of therapeutic interventions on these behavioral alterations can be studied in these paradigms providing guidance for the clinical management of respective psychiatric comorbidities in patients.

Do e-cigarette sales reduce the demand for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products in the US? Evidence from the retail sales data

Despite mixed evidence, many smokers use e-cigarettes to quit smoking. With the substantial growth of e-cigarette sales in recent years, it is important to understand how it may affect FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products in the US. This study aims to investigate the impact of e-cigarette prices and TV advertising on the demand for NRT products. Quarterly (2010 Q1–2017 Q4) retail sales and price data of e-cigarettes and NRT gum and patch, compiled from Nielsen retail store scanner database, were linked with contemporaneous quarterly television rating data for e-cigarettes and NRT products, compiled from Kantar Media, using state and county identifier. Market, year, and quarter fixed effects models were used to estimate the impact of NRT price and TV advertising, as well as e-cigarette price and TV advertising, on the demand for NRT gum and patch. NRT gum price elasticity was estimated to be −0.91. Higher patch price was found to decrease gum sales (cross-price elasticity −0.96). Higher e-cigarette prices were found to decrease NRT gum sales. Higher cigarette prices were found to increase NRT gum sales. NRT patch price elasticity was estimated to be −2.05. Higher gum price was found to increase patch sales (cross-price elasticity 0.97). E-cigarette TV advertisement was positively associated with NRT gum sales. NRT gum appeared to be complements for e-cigarettes. Recent growth in e-cigarette sales may have increased the demand for NRT gum. More studies are needed to understand the differential behavioral patterns of NRT gum users and NRT path users.

Mobile Mood Tracking

Commonly used mood measures are either lengthy or too complicated for repeated use. Mood tracking research is, therefore, associated with challenges such as user dissatisfaction, fatigue, or dropouts from studies. Previous efforts to improve user experience are mostly ambiguous concerning their validity and the extent of improvement they provide (e.g., compared to established measures, such as PANAS). This paper investigates the shortening of a self-reported mood measure using smartphones with four independent samples, and provides a baseline for comparing the usability and accuracy of future measures. It first examines whether user self-assessment of overall positive and negative activations with a two-item measure can capture mood as well as I-PANAS-SF. It next examines user's learning effect in repeated usage of the measure. Finally, it introduces the design of an adaptive mood measure that reduces the number of questions based on its prediction of user mood fluctuations. This adaptive measure can potentially capture specific mood states, as well as overall mood. The paper then explores user satisfaction and compliance with this measure in a longitudinal study. The results of this paper reveal that the investigated two-item measure is a valid and reliable tool for capturing a user's overall mood and mood fluctuations. The negative activation from this measure is associated with stress. Our results suggest that the association between mood and stress generally depends on the measure of mood and its items. We discovered that a non-complex self-explanatory measure is fairly resilient for repeated use with respect to the required effort and the accuracy of the measure in both daily and weekly evaluations. Adaptively reducing the length of a mood measure does not seem to impact user compliance but may slightly improve usability. We also noticed that positive and negative activations have a slightly different pattern of behavior with reference to the preceding mood states.

Internethasználati szokások feltérképezése a Rogers-féle elmélet szerint a magyarországi idősödők körében

A fejlett társadalmakban egyre nagyobb arányt képviselő idős generáció innovációs magatartásának kutatása – az információtechnológia rohamos fejlődését figyelembe véve – üzleti, társadalmi és erkölcsi szempontból nézve sem megkerülhető feladat. Az idős korosztálynál a szükséges tudás és képességek hiánya az online aktivitásnak jellemzően korlátokat szab, ugyanakkor a használati előnyök is egyre inkább kirajzolódnak számukra, sőt, ez a fajta felkészültség akár megkerülhetetlenné válik. Mindez ráirányítja a figyelmet az idősek innovációs magatartásának minél többoldalúbb feltérképezésére. Figyelembe kell venni, hogy az idős korosztály is erősen tagozódik, az egészségi állapot, az életkörülmények, az életstílus, az értékek és más tényezők innovációs elfogadás szempontjából is eltérő magatartásmintákat rajzolnak ki. De különbségek vannak az idősek két generációja, az érettek (veteránok) és a baby boomerek (Ratkó-korszak szülöttei) között is, hiszen más életszakaszban érte el őket az internet berobbanása. Primer kutatásukban a szerzők ennek a két időskori generációnak az információtechnológia használatára vonatkozó magatartását vizsgálják hazai viszonylatban, a Rogers-féle innovációelfogadási modellt elméleti alapul véve.

Assessing Preknowledge Cheating via Innovative Measures: A Multiple-Group Analysis of Jointly Modeling Item Responses, Response Times, and Visual Fixation Counts.

Many approaches have been proposed to jointly analyze item responses and response times to understand behavioral differences between normally and aberrantly behaved test-takers. Biometric information, such as data from eye trackers, can be used to better identify these deviant testing behaviors in addition to more conventional data types. Given this context, this study demonstrates the application of a new method for multiple-group analysis that concurrently models item responses, response times, and visual fixation counts collected from an eye-tracker. It is hypothesized that differences in behavioral patterns between normally behaved test-takers and those who have different levels of preknowledge about the test items will manifest in latent characteristics of the different data types. A Bayesian estimation scheme is used to fit the proposed model to experimental data and the results are discussed.