Occupational Perceptions Research Articles

Social and environmental dimensions of public spaces of the indigenous territory of the Sierra de Manantlan mountain range, Jalisco state, western Mexico

The social and environmental dimension of the public space occupants of the indigenous territory of the Sierra de Manantlan, Jalisco, has a crucial place in the heritage of Mexico, such is the case of its form of idiosyncrasy, mutual interaction, and coexistence. The cultural, political, and economic organizations the Sierra de Manantlan mark an identity of the native peoples, where their customs, communal life, and solidarity work are preserved. The research objective was to evaluate the social perception and environmental habitability conditions of public space occupants in the towns of Chacala and Telcruz. Therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted for the primary actors in both study areas and 259 information cards were applied to the inhabitants with data regarding social interaction variables and meteorological conditions in two seasons (summer and winter of a calendar year). Regarding data analysis and statistical purposes, the Pearson and Spearman correlations was used according to the needs of the study. The results revealed that the occupants of public spaces mostly report the pleasure of interacting in said spaces; however, they indicate that they would like an intervention or remodeling in the place that would encourage greater interaction with their neighbors, family, and friends. Another additional fact is that climatic variables, especially in summer, harm the desire to attend or stay in said spaces because of the lack of natural elements or bioclimatic devices that mitigate the environmental impact.

Factors Influencing Occupational Perception of Agricultural Undergraduates towards Agriculture as a Profession

Factors Influencing Occupational Perception of Agricultural Undergraduates towards Agriculture as a Profession

Gendered stereotype content for people with a nonbinary gender identity

Background Gender stereotypes about women and men have a complementary structure, where women and men are seen as high/low in feminine characteristics and low/high in masculine characteristics. These stereotypes are related to representation within social roles, where beliefs about social role occupation influences which characteristics are associated with women or men. It is not known how people with gender identities that do not fit a binary structure are stereotyped. The current study provides a first step towards addressing this gap. Methods Swedish participants (N = 152) reported descriptive stereotype content (positive/negative feminine/masculine personality characteristics) and estimations of representation within domestic and occupational social roles for people with a nonbinary gender identity for the past, present, and future in a between-groups design. Stereotype content for the past included a higher degree of feminine compared to masculine characteristics, but ratings for the present and future showed no differentiation between femininity and masculinity. Results People with a nonbinary gender identity were believed to more frequently occupy feminine compared to masculine social roles for all time points; this was especially pronounced for occupational social roles. The theorised connection between social role occupation and stereotype content did not emerge: degree of positive masculinity and femininity correlated positively with representation in masculine domestic and occupational roles respectively, but positive femininity was negatively correlated with representation in feminine occupational roles. Conclusions These results indicate that stereotypes about people with a nonbinary gender identity do not show the same complementary pattern or reliance on social roles as gender stereotypes about women and men, but that there is a feminine bias in perceptions of social role occupation for people with a nonbinary gender identity.

KENYAMANAN TERMAL DI KAWASAN TENGAH KOTA JAKARTA

This research is to determine the level of thermal comfort based on occupant perception, microclimate and is associated with architectural engineering in human adaptation to urban heat island (UHI). One of the problems in cities is the increase in earth temperature caused by climate change and vertical obstruction. The impact of climate change and vertical obstruction will affect the level of human comfort in their environment. Thermal comfort is an absolute need for the human body, and with its ability, humans also create a built environment to fulfill their comfort both outside and inside a building. This research takes a case study at The Lavande Residence Apartment, which is a residence in the central area of ​​Jakarta. This research uses a descriptive analysis method from data obtained primarily through direct observation and interviews and several other secondary data. The research results show that the suitability of the comfort level based on climate simulations and the comfort calculator is at a neutral level and compared with the perception of residents who still feel comfortable. This perception of thermal comfort after being analyzed is due to architectural engineering efforts carried out by humans in the context of adaptation to climate change.

Digital occupancy assessment for lighting evaluation: a pilot study to prepare for real-time research results

The relationship between lighting and human well-being is pivotal in architecture and environmental design. Adequate lighting enhances visual appeal and significantly influences occupant comfort, productivity, and satisfaction. This pilot study aimed to integrate digital occupancy assessment methods to understand indoor lighting conditions' impact on occupant well-being. Hypotheses explored the potential link between lighting conditions and occupant well-being, as assessed through physiological indicators and the influence of interior attributes on occupants' perceptions and physiological responses. The identified main components were satisfaction with artificial and daylighting, ambiance, and stimulation. The study explored the relationship between lighting conditions, physiological responses, and subjective assessments, revealing potential influences on occupant perceptions. A real-time data visualization could be valuable for data-intensive projects, enhancing comprehension and decision-making for facility management. While limited by the small sample size, trends, and moderate correlations were observed, indicating the need for larger, more diverse samples in future research.

История освобождения Гамбурга весной 1814 года

This article examines the history of the liberation of General L. L. Bennigsen in the spring of 1814 the city-state of Hamburg from soldiers of the Great Army of Napoleon. After a grueling, almost year-long occupation of acrowdedcity that hassurvived the destruction of entire districts, the looting of a local bank, the expulsion of part of the local population from the city, an epidemic of typhus, which claimed the lives of several thousand people, the citizens welcomed the Allied Coalition Forces in the vicinity of theircity again. Incontrast to the first liberation of thecity from the French in the spring of 1813 local authorities now prepared for official celebrations more thoroughly. A special regulation was drawn up and the rules of conduct for the entry of Allied troops into the city were communicated to the citizens through the press. The main imperative of both the city and the Allied military command is to avoid revenge excesses. Also, the article, based on the analysis of sources of personal origin and the press of that time, reveals the perception of occupation by the allied troops of the city as a local population and Russian officers.

Intersectional Group Agreement on the Occupational Order

When a group shares a viewpoint on a status order, their consensus imparts legitimacy to their shared understanding of that order. Conversely, a group espousing multiple viewpoints undermines the notion that one “true” hierarchy exists. To build empirical knowledge about how social groups contribute to the construction of status orders, we take the occupational hierarchy as a case study and map the structure of agreement across intersectional groups. First, we quantify the extent to which groups (1) agree internally on their occupational rankings (within-group consensus) and (2) agree with other groups (intergroup consensus). Using General Social Survey data on occupational perceptions, we find a cluster of privileged groups—namely, highly educated White men and women—who agree internally and with each other on the occupational status order. Lesser advantaged groups exhibit less internal agreement and do not cohere around an alternative conceptualization of value, leaving unchallenged the consensus of privileged groups.

Occupant’s Thermal Perception in Mixed-mode Office Buildings of the Tropical Climate

Thermal comfort and energy consumption in office buildings is a global critical concern. This study investigated this challenge in the Faculty of Environmental Technology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi-Nigeria. Through a field survey and physical environment measurements. The study explored occupant perceptions of thermal comfort and satisfaction. It evaluated the thermal comfort and satisfaction of occupants in a mixed-mode office building, focusing on potential discrepancies between perceived comfort and internationally recommended standards. Despite air temperatures falling outside the PMV model's comfort range, high thermal comfort, and satisfaction levels were reported by the respondents. These findings align with other studies in Nigeria, suggesting adaptation and acclimatization to local conditions. The study further examined the relationship between thermal comfort and occupant satisfaction. The result revealed a moderate positive association, suggesting increased thermal comfort leads to higher satisfaction among occupants. While thermal comfort explained 25% of the variance in satisfaction scores. Finally, the study suggests the localization of comfort standards, improved mixed-mode system performance, and encouraging evidence-based design interventions that will ultimately benefit both occupants and the environment.

The Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality on Occupant Satisfaction in Commercial Buildings: A Comparison of Building Expert Opinions and Residents’ Experiences

This paper investigates the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) factors influencing occupant satisfaction in commercial buildings in Iran, contrasting the views of building experts (architects and engineers) with those of building occupants. Employing the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), this study focuses on the four primary IEQ factors: thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual comfort, and acoustic comfort. The study aims to bridge the gap between expert evaluations and occupant perceptions of IEQ factors in commercial buildings in Iran. By examining the disparities in prioritising IEQ factors between these two groups, the study sheds light on the complexities of IEQ assessment and highlights the importance of considering diverse perspectives in optimising indoor environments. Our methodology includes a survey conducted among 30 building experts (15 architects and 15 building engineers) and 102 occupants, employing FAHP to derive the relative importance weights of each IEQ factor. The results highlight significant disparities between architects, engineers, and occupants in prioritising these factors. Architects emphasise visual comfort (42%), while engineers and occupants view thermal comfort (53% and 41%) as the most crucial factor for occupant satisfaction. The study underscores the complexity of IEQ in commercial buildings and the diverse perspectives influencing its assessment. It contributes to the broader discourse on optimising IEQ, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses both technical expertise and occupant experience.

Occupational Perceptions of Undergraduate College Students Using Q-Methodology

A successful transition into adulthood is marked by occupational identity. From the developmental perspective, it is vital to examine the occupational perceptions of college students who grew up in distinct social and psychological environments from previous generations. To bridge the research gap, this study is to examine college students’ subjective occupational perceptions and the psychosocial factors impacting their views on occupational identity. Fifty college students sorted 72 Q statements about their viewpoints on occupations. Findings revealed four viewpoints on the occupational perceptions with the highly work-engaged; money-minded; intrinsic motivation for career choice; and parent-child conflict. A person-centered counseling approach for individuals experiencing financial difficulties and/or parental conflict could enhance a sense of achievement and occupational identity. Considering delayed developmental tasks and uncertainties about their future career, along with their internal motivation and external conditions, comprehensive educational programs would be beneficial in exploring diverse career choices.

Assessment of occupants’ adaptive capacity: a case study in northern Guizhou of China

The thermal comfort of rural residents is a major issue related to people’s livelihood. Due to differences in climatic factors (e.g. local climate) and non-climatic factors (such as building structures, economic and social–cultural levels, living habits and availability of environmental control) between rural and urban areas, participants have different thermal requirements for a given thermal environment. This difference means that thermal comfort standards that consider only urban conditions may not be applicable to rural situations. Therefore, a thermal comfort field study was conducted on the thermal comfort of traditional residential houses with natural ventilation located in rural areas of northern Guizhou, China. This study aims to understand the indoor thermal conditions and perceptions of occupants in rural areas, with a total of 513 subjects that participated in a questionnaire survey. Most survey respondents accept the thermal environment in which they reside, even if the indoor temperature is not within the recommended thermal comfort range specified by international standards such as Ashrae 55. The adaptive predicted mean vote is established using the least-squares method. The adaptive coefficient λ representing the adaptive capacity is twice the recommended coefficient of the Chinese standard, GB/T 50785-2012. This confirms that rural residents have a stronger adaptability to cold conditions in winter. The findings are beneficial for improving thermal comfort and carbon dioxide emission reduction for traditional residential houses in rural areas of northern Guizhou, China.

Thermal Comfort in a Tropical Climate: Case Study of the Cafeteria in Student Residential College, UTHM Pagoh Branch Campus

Thermal comfort is important for buildings, especially in tropical climates. The issue of increasing indoor temperature is influenced by various factors that cause occupants to face thermal discomfort in cafeterias that uses both mechanical and natural ventilation systems. This study aims to determine the perception of occupants and evaluate parameter variations of thermal comfort in the cafeteria of Pagoh Campus Residential College, UTHM Pagoh Branch Campus. This study was conducted through the measurements of subjective and physical parameters. Data collection is carried out in two days, which are weekdays and weekends. This study uses some parameters variation which are thermal sensation vote index (TSV), predicted mean vote index (PMV), predicted percentage of dissatisfaction (PPD), operative temperature (To) and neutral operative temperature (Tneutop) to determine the thermal comfort conditions in the cafeteria. The results shows that the average values of air temperature, mean radiation temperature, relative humidity and air velocity from environmental measurements were 30.2 °C, 30.6 °C, 66% and 0.1 m/s respectively. In addition, PMV and PPD values were 2.0 and 76% from environmental measurements, while 1.36 and 43% from questionnaires. For To and Tneutop, the average values obtained are 30.4 °C and 28.6 °C. Furthermore, the findings showed that only the morning session was in the acceptable operative temperature range and complied with ASHRAE Standard 55 for both the 80% and 90% acceptability limits. At the end of the study, it was found that the values from the thermal environment measurements and surveys exceeded those recommended by ASHRAE Standard 55. This concluded that the quality of the occupants’ environment in the cafeteria is outside the satisfactory thermal comfort level. Therefore, the improvement through mechanical ventilation may very helpful in improving a good ventilation system as well as encouraging an increase in thermal comfort in the building.

Façade feature extraction for urban performance assessments: Evaluating algorithm applicability across diverse building morphologies

Urban feature extraction methods have presented multiple opportunities in the field of environmental building performance studies, and urban assessments. With reference to façade features, window size and position are key parameters that influence occupant perception and environmental performance of indoor spaces. A myriad of methods have been proposed to automatically detect façade window layouts from street view images yet it is still unclear how to assess the strengths and limitations of these methods or how they can be combined for higher detection performance. This paper aims to add clarity for those aiming to use computer vision techniques for façade layout extraction for urban level sustainability assessments. An automated pipeline to enable the extraction and detection of WWRs (Window to Wall ratios) is introduced that is based on two fundamentally different computational approaches; a grammar-based edge detection framework (Method 1) and a learning-based method (Method 2) that utilizes CNNs (Convolutional Neural Networks). The paper then compares the detection efficacy of both methods, focusing on WWR accuracy, in New York and Lisbon, including their ability to extract more detailed façade properties such as floor-to-floor heights. The study finds that the learning-based method shows lower error scores across the two cities. In Lisbon, 69 % of conditions were detected within the 10 % error range and 91 % were within the 20 % range under Method 1. Under Method 2, 82.5 % of conditions were within the 10 % error range and 95 % were within the 20 % range. In New York, 66 % of conditions were within the 10 % error range and 90 % were within the 20 % range under Method 1 while 77.5 % of conditions were within the 10 % error range and 93 % were within the 20 % range under Method 2. Finally, a hybrid method is proposed to leverage the strengths of the two models, and higher accuracies are obtained in both the New York and Lisbon dataset. In New York, 96.5 % are now detected within the 20 % error range and 81.5 % within the 10 % error range. In Lisbon, 96 % are now detected within the 20 % error range and 83.5 % within the 10 % error range. With reference to the total building height extraction formulated under Method 2, the results show a relative error of 3.5 % in height estimation in the sample set.

Indoor comfort management and energy consumption in Arctic buildings: Occupant perceptions in an indigenous community of Canada

Arctic and subarctic communities currently face major and unique energy and housing challenges. However, the perceptions, needs, and adaptive strategies of occupants related to energy consumption and comfort in their dwellings are not well known. In this study, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Inuit community of Quaqtaq (Nunavik, Quebec, Canada) to investigate occupants’ experiences, observations, and perceptions on these topics. The topics covered comfort, window opening, use of curtains, and usage of thermostats, water, and lighting. Furthermore, awareness of energy consumption and renewable technologies was investigated, and occupants shared their vision of the ideal home. It was found that windows and thermostats are often used simultaneously to regulate temperature and that non-uniform temperature distribution and cold floors were often noted by occupants. Due to the limited amount of water available, coordination with neighbors was needed for activities requiring water. Awareness and interest in energy savings and renewable energy varied significantly among participants. Participants mentioned that their ideal home would have better insulation, larger water tanks, and more storage space. These results help to understand occupant behavior, energy consumption patterns, and well-being in houses of northern communities and can guide the development of future housing units.

The development of new occupation practitioners in China's first-tier cities: A comparative analysis.

Owing to the increasingly complex economic environment and difficult employment situation, a large number of new occupations have emerged in China, leading to job diversification. Currently, the overall development status of new occupations in China and the structural characteristics of new occupation practitioners in different cities are still unclear. This study first constructed a development index system for new occupation practitioners from five dimensions (group size, cultural appreciation, salary level, occupation perception, and environmental perception). Relevant data to compare and analyze the development status of new occupation practitioners were derived from the big data mining of China's mainstream recruitment platforms and the questionnaire survey of new professional practitioners which from four first-tier cities and 15 new first-tier cities in China. The results show that the development level of new occupation practitioners in the four first-tier cities is the highest, and the two new first-tier cities, Chengdu and Hangzhou, have outstanding performance. The cities with the best development level of new occupation practitioners in Eastern, Central, and Western China are Shanghai, Wuhan, and Chengdu, respectively. Most new occupation practitioners in China are confident about the future of their careers. However, more than half of the 19 cities are uncoordinated in the five dimensions of the development of new occupation practitioners, especially those cities with middle development levels. A good policy environment and social environment have not yet been formulated to ensure the sustainable development of new occupation practitioners. Finally, we proposed the following countermeasures and suggestions: (1) Establish a classified database of new occupation talents. (2) Implement a talent industry agglomeration strategy. (3) Pay attention to the coordinated development of new occupation practitioners in cities.

Occupational perceptions of physiotherapists and physiotherapy students in Turkey: A comparative study.

The social position, perceived prestige and image of a profession are often of interest to members of that profession, and physiotherapy is no exception. The aim of this study was to examine the perceived occupational prestige and image of physiotherapists and physiotherapy students in Turkey. 235 physiotherapy students and 465 physiotherapists were included in the study. A survey questioning occupational image, job satisfaction and prestige of the profession according to eight occupations was completed by the participants online. In terms of prestige, physiotherapy students ranked their profession fourth among eight undergraduate professions, while physiotherapists ranked their profession fifth. Compared to physiotherapists, physiotherapy students had more positive perceptions about their children becoming physiotherapists, the image of the profession in the eyes of the society, and job satisfaction (p < 0.05). Professional expectations of physiotherapists were higher than students. In addition, physiotherapists working for more than ten years had more positive perceptions about their children becoming physiotherapists, the public image of the profession, income level, and social standing, although perceived job satisfaction and need status were lower compared to physiotherapists with less than ten years of experience (p < 0.05). While physiotherapy students in Turkey perceived the prestige of the physiotherapist profession at a moderate level compared to other undergraduate professions, physiotherapists had a slightly lower perception of professional prestige compared to students. More comprehensive studies are needed on this subject.

Exploring U.S. Occupant Perception Toward Indoor Air Quality Via Social Media and NLP Analysis

Exploring U.S. Occupant Perception Toward Indoor Air Quality Via Social Media and NLP Analysis

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS): A Proactive Mitigation Strategy Focused on University Office Buildings in the United Kingdom

Since most people spend more time at work in recent times, this has led to more workplace issues and health problems. The well‐being of occupants and their overall health are strongly impacted by factors that determine the standard of indoor environments. These factors include the air quality, the level of thermal comfort, the inclusion of indoor plants, the admission of daylighting, and a variety of other factors. The absence of any of these may result in sick building syndrome (SBS). Therefore, well‐planned indoor workspaces are vital for occupants’ health and productivity at work. The aim of this article is to investigate proactive measures for mitigating SBS in office buildings located within universities in the United Kingdom. The study administered a questionnaire to gather perceptions of office occupants, followed by a comparative case study analysis of two office buildings at the University of Greenwich located on different campuses to highlight the correlation among the physical parameters of indoor office spaces and the occurrence of SBS. The results showed that a notable percentage of participants reported experiencing at least two symptoms of SBS. This study provided clear evidence that symptoms of SBS are primarily associated with the physical characteristics of the building, and these elements significantly influence the occupants’ experiences. The mitigation of potential adverse effects on the well‐being of inhabitants during the operating phase of a building resulting from physical variables can be achieved by the implementation of conscious design considerations during the initial planning stages of future buildings. One of the practical implications of this study is that it raises the urgency for built environment professionals to be fully aware of how their design decisions could either contribute to or prevent SBS symptoms.

General Knowledge and Attitudes about Safety and Emergency Evacuation: The Case of a Higher Education Institution

The implementation of a safety culture and awareness of emergency issues in buildings has been growing in more developed societies. It is essential that all occupants know how to act in an emergency situation, particularly during an emergency evacuation. In higher education institutions (HEIs), which annually host not only their many employees, but also national and international students, it is essential to know and understand the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that the academic community demonstrates in this matter. This study aimed to characterize the perception of occupants regarding safety, specifically in the emergency evacuation phase, within the academic community of an HEI. In this observational cross-sectional study, data on general knowledge and attitudes regarding safety and actions during emergency situations were collected through an anonymous questionnaire targeting students, faculty, and non-teaching staff, which was sent via institutional email. Valid responses were received from 392 participants and then scored and assessed on different domains. The results obtained showed that, despite a reasonable average regarding the general level of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the occupants on the subject, the community falls somewhat short in terms of training. It is noteworthy that approximately 64% of the sample has never received awareness or training related to emergency evacuation, and around 68% are unaware of the location of their institution’s meeting/gathering point. Finally, by identifying the most common gaps, namely the training dimension, some simple measures could be improved, such as the dissemination of safety instructions accessible through QR codes placed in strategic locations or even conducting small drills during class sessions, as well as learning with simulation concerning different scenarios of emergency.

Thermal Comfort Analysis on the Residential Buildings in Sarawak

Thermal comfort is a subjective response that reflects the contentment between one’s state of mind and the current environment. The energy consumption of the building sector has rapidly increased due to improved living standards and rising expectations of residents regarding thermal comfort. Mechanical ventilation, especially air conditioning systems, is essential for hot and humid countries aiming to achieve an ideal indoor comfort condition. However, such cooling systems often consume a significant amount of electricity, which contradicts the concept of energy conservation. Therefore, thermal comfort assessment is a method that can be employed to address this issue. Evaluating the thermal perception of occupants can subsequently facilitate more efficient electricity usage, aligning with the goal of energy conservation. In this study, a thermal comfort analysis was conducted on free-running residential buildings in Sarawak. These buildings were naturally ventilated with minimal use of mechanical ventilation systems. Physical measurements and subjective assessments were employed to evaluate the thermal responses of the residents based on various sensation and comfort scales, including the ASHRAE scale, Bedford scale, thermal acceptability scale, and thermal preference scale. Additionally, the widely used PMV model was utilized to predict the thermal sensation experienced by the residents. The results of the study indicated that the Bedford scale exhibited the highest percentage of acceptable responses, followed by the ASHRAE scale, thermal acceptability scale, and thermal preference scale. The PMV model was observed to overpredict the residents’ thermal responses. The comfort temperatures derived from the study were 27.5 ∘C, 28.1 ∘C, and 26.2 ∘C according to the ASHRAE scale, Bedford scale, and PMV model, respectively. Based on the actual percentage of dissatisfaction that ensures 80% satisfaction, the acceptable indoor temperature range was found to be 27.3 ∘C to 29.6 ∘C. Similarly, the acceptable range for relative humidity was 74.0% to 92.0%, and for air velocity, it was 0.18 m/s to 0.66 m/s.&#x0D; Keywords: thermal comfort, thermal perception, sensation, comfort scales