Information Environment Research Articles

Creation and functioning of the information-rich space of biological and ecological education of the Technopark "Quantorium" in the conditions of integration of interaction between schools and pedagogical University

The publication reflects the solution of the task of creating a Technopark space functioning on the basis of the latest information, communication and IT technologies for the implementation of modern biological and environmental education in the school-university system using the resources of the Quantorium Technopark. The authors of the study discuss the importance of integrating modern technologies and resources into the educational process in order to increase the effectiveness of learning and the practical applicability of knowledge in this field. The purpose of the article is to describe the concept of an information–rich technological space of biological and environmental education and the principles of its implementation on the basis of the Technopark “Quantorium”. The research methodology is based on the principles of developing training courses and educational and methodological support for them, involving the preparation of educational programs designed to implement innovative methods and the latest technologies in the field of biology, bioengineering, biotechnology and ecology; the use of laboratory and practical work, as well as large-scale application of biological and environmental experiments based on the use of technical resources of the Technopark. The results of the study. The paper analyzes in detail the main components of the technological information-rich space, including information systems, equipment and software used to develop training courses and laboratory work on environmental and biological topics. The role of the Technopark “Quantorium” as a center for innovation and support of educational projects, contributing to the introduction of modern educational technologies, is also considered. In their article, the researchers present the concept of an innovative information-rich space for the practical implementation of biological and environmental education. It is based on the multidisciplinary integrated application of all the resources of the Technopark “Quantorium”. The implementation of this concept will create an effective and innovative information and educational environment for school students and pedagogical university students, contributing to the development of environmental awareness and the training of qualified specialists in the field of ecology and biology.

Psychological Operations During the Russian War of Aggression in Ukraine

Abstract The article analyzes the way and motivation of the Russian Federation to carry out psychological operations in the war of aggression that it has unleashed in Ukraine from the perspective of the information environment. These operations are specific to the cognitive layer of the information environment and are aimed at influencing the perceptions, behavior, and decisions of both the Ukrainian population and the international community by using disinformation, propaganda, and manipulation. By analyzing these operations, it highlights how Russia has exploited the lack of robust regulation of social networks. The analysis underlines the importance of developing effective strategies to counter these operations by increasing information resilience and strengthening protection mechanisms against harmful external influences.

Mapping the Way: Teaching Music Information Literacy in the Contemporary Information Landscape

abstract: Information literacy instruction in the twenty-first century stands at a crossroads of multiple socio-cultural trends, recent technological advances (specifically, artificial intelligence applications and large language models), shifting professional standards, and new developments in local educational settings. It is now necessary for instructors to act as explorers of the information environments in which they live and work, observing and staying cognizant of these developments while utilizing the principles of information ethics as a compass for guiding their work. In this article, the author explains how developments in local settings, combined with the above factors, can serve as an impetus for reinventing information literacy instruction. The author presents a variety of strategies for teaching information literacy in music in both credit-bearing courses and "one shot" instructional sessions that incorporate existing information literacy standards and values in information ethics. Curriculum mapping is highlighted as a strategy for planning and codifying pedagogical strategies while keeping lesson planning adaptable and responsive to specific learning needs. Recommendations for other instructors acknowledge that the process of delivering effective information literacy instruction in music is ongoing; success will depend upon how instructors choose to respond to contemporary societal developments and the educational needs of students and colleagues at their respective institutions.

Development of a Informal Environmental Education Program for Out-of-School Youth

Development of a Informal Environmental Education Program for Out-of-School Youth

Against Disinformation: Bridging Science and Public Discourse

The Science and Society Research Group at the Ludovika University of Public Service organised a conference in Budapest on 13 October 2023 titled: ‘Science and disinformation: how science can support society against disinformation’. The conference explored the complex relationship between science, society, and disinformation. A panel discussion was held with the aim of examining the challenges and strategies for science communication in the context of the ever-increasing issues of dis-/misinformation. The discussion highlighted the multifaceted factors that influence public trust in science; the role of digital culture on science communication and scientific knowledge production; the impact of artificial intelligence; and the relationship between science and business developments on science disinformation, especially on science-related conspiracy theories. The participants helped shed light on how science communication strategies can be improved to stabilise trust in a multi-stakeholder information environment. This article summarises the main insights and conclusions from the discussion.

The co-evolution of AI technology and information environment: Diagnosing social impacts and exploring governance strategies

The co-evolution of AI technology and information environment: Diagnosing social impacts and exploring governance strategies

Supporting Aging-in-Place: Drivers and Desired Outcomes of a Healing Environment for Older Adults in Block Spaces of High-Density Cities.

Aim: The objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive multidimensional framework by identifying the key drivers and components associated with the health of older people in healing environments, and to apply this framework in high-density city block spaces, creating opportunities for aging in place. Background: Effective theoretical and practical research frameworks are necessary to determine how to best support older adults in high-density city areas as they face aging-related challenges. Methods: The methodological approach involved bibliometric analysis (SciMAT) and systematic literature review of approximately 4446 articles related to rehabilitation settings and older adults. The review focused on literature that developed concepts and research frameworks and provided an empirical foundation. Results: The review identified four types of drivers for a healing environment for older individuals in high-density city blocks (HEOI-HCBs): self-environment, interpersonal, physical, and informational environments. These drivers were linked to eight desirable outcomes: initiative acquisition, shared vision, trust, empathy, integrity, systematicity, networking, and perceived usefulness. Conclusion: The drivers and outcomes formed the HEOI-HCBs framework, each representing a distinct dimension of the HEOI-HCBs concept. This study and the resulting framework facilitate the application and understanding of healing environments.

Features of Reference and Bibliographic Services for Students in University Libraries

Students are in a continuous process of communication, using various information environments and electronic resources of the Internet. But at the same time they do not interact with libraries enough, they do not know their capabilities. This paper highlights the issue of effective use of modern technologies to create forms and methods of reference and bibliographic services adapted to the information needs of students. The purpose of the article is to identify the experience of foreign university libraries aimed at attracting students and increasing their awareness of reference services on the basis of publications in English-language periodicals. Readers belonging to the Internet generation are an active segment of the target audience, and specialists of reference and bibliographic services should study their individual information needs and purposefully promote library resources and services oriented to the youth audience. One of the ways to solve these problems is to organize library cooperation programmes, where librarians integrate their knowledge and skills into the educational process, being in constant contact with both students and university lecturers. The article considers the key vectors of development of reference and bibliographic services in the conditions of modern society. It is concluded that students prefer a multi-level hybrid model of reference bibliographic service with the fulfillment of user requests (remotely and face-to-face) in the context of their personal preferences in combination with independent search using information resources of libraries.

The applications of artificial intelligence in personalized medicine

Personalized medicine provides advanced diagnostics, customized therapies, and proactive health management, taking into account the distinct genetic and socioeconomic profiles of each patient. The rapid development of contemporary technologies, such as the combination of biology and information technology, has laid a solid foundation for the development of artificial intelligence in the field of personalized medicine. This article primarily explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to personalized diagnosis and treatment. Firstly, AI can use big data analysis, machine learning, and especially deep learning to quickly detect early disease indicators from massive medical data to provide patients with more accurate diagnosis and prediction. Secondly, AI can help develop a more personalized treatment plans by analyzing relevant data such as patients' genetic information, lifestyle, and social environment. This article focuses on the technical advantages and current applications of AI in personalized medicine to better understand the known challenges and future potential of the field.

Capitalizing on Diversity: The Impact of Board Gender Diversity on the Value of Excess Cash

This paper provides novel and comprehensive evidence regarding the impact of board gender diversity on the valuation of excess cash in companies. By analyzing a robust dataset of publicly listed firms in France from 2005 to 2017, the study finds that companies with a higher representation of women on their boards tend to significantly increase the value attributed to their excess cash reserves. The results suggest that investors perceive these companies as more capable of managing their cash efficiently, leading to a higher valuation. This perception likely stems from the belief that diverse boards contribute to better decision-making processes, which in turn enhances the effectiveness of cash utilization. Furthermore, the study uncovers that the positive relationship between board gender diversity and the valuation of excess cash is even more pronounced in firms that demonstrate high earnings quality. This finding underscores the importance of a transparent and reliable informational environment in strengthening the link between gender diversity and the efficient use of corporate resources. The research contributes to the broader corporate governance literature by emphasizing the critical role of board gender diversity in not only promoting effective cash management but also in increasing overall firm value through improved investor confidence and resource allocation strategies.

Corruption and insider trading

We investigate firm corruption in China by extracting a measure of corruption from published financial statements and use this to demonstrate that corruption impacts the trading decisions of insiders. Specifically, we show that insiders in firms that are more corrupt trade more aggressively, and they are more willing to trade on their private information as evidenced by the increased informativeness of their trades, in respect of both purchases and sales. This link between firm corruption and trade informativeness is robust to the inclusion of a number of factors that are known to influence the informativeness of such trades, including trade characteristics, insider characteristics and the firm's information environment. We also consider the effect of the appointment of a new CEO or Chair. Overall, corruption related trade informativeness holds consistently for both purchases and sales. Finally, we show that this measure of corruption is robust to the inclusion of several alternative indicators of corporate misconduct.

The architecture of the system of intelligent analysis of competencies for updating university educational programs

The problem of updating educational programs and educational content is closely related to the need to adapt them to the changing conditions of regional labor markets. The solution to the problem is achieved through the collection and analysis of data on the competence requirements of employers for the qualifications of specialists (the data itself can be extracted from job advertisements on open resources on the Internet). The article presents a method of using search robots and text data processing modules to obtain formalized descriptions of competence requirements and compare them by degree of similarity with competence descriptions from educational programs. For a comparative analysis of competency requirements, a clustering method was developed using fuzzy logic and a neural network. The architecture of the collection and intelligent analysis system includes search crawlers, a module for parsing text data with cleaning from information noise, a data consolidation module, a keyword dictionary generation module, a module for synthesizing competency vectors, a clustering module, a distributed registry of formalized descriptions of competencies, etc. The results of the comparative analysis are crucial for assessing the compliance of competencies of specialists trained in regional universities with the requirements of employers in the regions. The assessment allows to develop recommendations for updating educational programs and educational content of an educational institution, as well as to carry out adaptive adjustment of information and educational environment components of higher educational institutions.

Well-informed or misinformed? News-Finds-Me perception in shaping sexual and reproductive health knowledge and behavioral intentions among Chinese women

The News-Finds-Me (NFM) perception reflects individuals’ belief of being well-informed even without actively seeking out news on social media. Despite studies examining the NFM perception in political and COVID-19 contexts, its implications in specific health contexts and the underlying mechanisms toward behavioral outcomes remain largely unexplored. Through a nationwide online survey of Chinese women residing in both rural and urban areas, this study revealed a positive association between the NFM perception and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) misperceptions, as well as an overassessment of factual knowledge. Furthermore, this study identified the mediating roles of knowledge miscalibration and SRH misperceptions linking the NFM perception to SRH behavioral intention. Notably, the relationship between the NFM perception and knowledge miscalibration was contingent upon individual differences in optimism regarding personal risks related to SRH diseases. The findings of this study not only extend the negative implications of the NFM perception in the SRH context and behavioral outcomes but also provide practical guidelines for promoting effective health learning in the contemporary algorithm-driven information environment.

Determinants of disposition effect in the real estate market: Evidence from Taiwan

This paper examines the disposition effect and its determinants in the Taiwanese real estate market. Our empirical results show that while a disposition effect does exist, its effects decayed after 2012. Further analyses employing quantile regression on the holding period reveal that the disposition effect persists even after investors retain assets for extended durations. Our findings also indicate that investors maintain a propensity to sell wining assets and hold losing assets even when confronted with extreme returns. Thus, we conclude that disposition effect in the real estate market could be best explained by prospect theory. Most importantly, we demonstrate that changes in the disposition effect are attributed to an enhanced information environment involving, for example, economic events, policy changes, and market conditions associated with information transparency. These findings suggest that information environment and trading volume are pivotal factors influencing households' behavioral biases.

Navigating informal business institutions in Africa: Expatriates’ response to the ‘magendo’ phenomenon in Uganda

This paper explores how expatriates deal with host country informal business practices that differ from their home country institutional frameworks. We note that expatriate business people working in emerging markets of Africa often contend with corrupt business practices rooted in local informal institutions and the lack of strong formal institutions regulating business practices. We also observe that while local people take informal institutions such as magendo, as a way of life and adjust to them, expatriates being ‘outsiders’ respond in different ways. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological design that involved in-depth interview of a small sample of expatriates operating in Uganda. For data analysis, NVivo 11 was used to search for and retrieve chunks of labelled data. The key findings indicate that expatriates from countries with strong formal institutions experience the most frustrations and often reject informal business practices. On the other hand, expatriates from countries with weak institutions are more pragmatic and easily adapt to existing practices in the new environments. Multinationals however, often reject informal business practices due to their market power and strict codes of conduct.The study recommends that small-medium category expatriates targeting Africa need to align with influential local people so as to navigate business informalities that characterise informal business environments.

China's cognitive bias premium: An exploration of innovation information

The complexity of innovation information often results in investors' cognitive bias, manifesting as an imbalance in the significance attributed to innovation quantity versus innovation quality. Based on investor cognitive bias, this paper explores the problem of innovation pricing in China's A-share market. Empirical findings indicate that cognitive bias creates a premium, primarily driven by mispricing. Moreover, we contend that mispricing originates from the innovation information environment and firms' innovation strategy. Our heterogeneity analysis indicates that the cognitive bias premium is more pronounced in high-tech industries, firms with lower market capitalization, and those facing stronger financial constraints.

Understanding and Combating Misinformation: An Evolutionary Perspective.

Misinformation represents an evolutionary paradox: despite its harmful impact on society, it persists and evolves, thriving in the information-rich environment of the digital age. This paradox challenges the conventional expectation that detrimental entities should diminish over time. The persistence of misinformation, despite advancements in fact-checking and verification tools, suggests that it possesses adaptive qualities that enable it to survive and propagate. This paper explores how misinformation, as a blend of truth and fiction, continues to resonate with audiences. The role of narratives in human history, particularly in the evolution of Homo narrans, underscores the enduring influence of storytelling on cultural and social cohesion. Despite the increasing ability of individuals to verify the accuracy of sources, misinformation remains a significant challenge, often spreading rapidly through digital platforms. Current behavioral research tends to treat misinformation as completely irrrational, static, finite entities that can be definitively debunked, overlooking their dynamic and evolving nature. This approach limits our understanding of the behavioral and societal factors driving the transformation of misinformation over time. The persistence of misinformation can be attributed to several factors, including its role in fostering social cohesion, its perceived short-term benefits, and its use in strategic deception. Techniques such as extrapolation, intrapolation, deformation, cherry-picking, and fabrication contribute to the production and spread of misinformation. Understanding these processes and the evolutionary advantages they confer is crucial for developing effective strategies to counter misinformation. By promoting transparency, critical thinking, and accurate information, society can begin to address the root causes of misinformation and create a more resilient information environment.

Information needs of students in the information and educational environment, as a method of solving educational and cognitive tasks of lifelong education

Information needs of students in the information and educational environment, as a method of solving educational and cognitive tasks of lifelong education

Careless responding detection revisited: Accuracy of direct and indirect measures.

To screen for careless responding, researchers have a choice between several direct measures (i.e., bogus items, requiring the respondent to choose a specific answer) and indirect measures (i.e., unobtrusive post hoc indices). Given the dearth of research in the area, we examined how well direct and indirect indices perform relative to each other. In five experimental studies, we investigated whether the detection rates of the measures are affected by contextual factors: severity of the careless response pattern, type of item keying, and type of item presentation. We fully controlled the information environment by experimentally inducing careless response sets under a variety of contextual conditions. In Studies 1 and 2, participants rated the personality of an actor that presented himself in a 5-min-long videotaped speech. In Studies 3, 4, and 5, participants had to rate their own personality across two measurements. With the exception of maximum longstring, intra-individual response variability, and individual contribution to model misfit, all examined indirect indices performed better than chance in most of the examined conditions. Moreover, indirect indices had detection rates as good as and, in many cases, better than the detection rates of direct measures. We therefore encourage researchers to use indirect indices, especially within-person consistency indices, instead of direct measures.

Environmental factors and management practices associated with beef cattle carcass quality in the mid-west of Brazil.

The "Precoce MS" program, established by the Brazilian government in Mato Grosso do Sul in 2017, aims to encourage beef producers to harvest animals at younger ages to enhance carcass quality. About 40% of the beef produced in the state now comes from this program, which offers tax refunds ranging from 49% to 67% based on carcass classification and production system. Despite the program success, with participants delivering younger animals (with a maximum of 4 incisors), there remains significant variability in carcass quality. This paper investigates management practices and environmental factors affecting farm performance regarding carcass quality. Data from all animals harvested between the beginning of 2017 and the end of 2018 were analyzed, totaling 1,107 million animals from 1,470 farms. Farm performance was assessed based on the percentage of animals achieving grades "AAA" and "AA." Each batch of harvested cattle from each farm was categorized into two groups: high farm performance (HFP, with more than 50% of animals classified as "AAA" or "AA") and low farm performance (LFP, with less than 50% classified as such). A predictive logistic model was developed to forecast farm performance (FP) using 14 continuous and 15 discrete pre-selected variables. The most effective model, obtained through backward stepwise variable selection, had an R 2 of 0.18, accuracy of 71.5%, and AUC of 0.715. Key predictors included animal category, production system type, carcass weight, individual identification, traceability system, presence of a feed plant, location, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from the 12-mo average before harvest. Developing predictive models of carcass quality by integrating data from commercial farms with other sources of information (animal, production system, and environment) can improve our understanding of production systems, optimize resource allocation, and advance sustainable animal production. Additionally, they offer valuable insights for designing and implementing better sectorial, social, and environmental policies by public administrations, not only in Brazil but also in other tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.