Popular Sites Research Articles

Unveiling tourist typology: using online reviews and LDA to understand motivations for visiting Kyoto's prominent temples

Purpose This study aims to identify motivations for visiting Kyoto's prominent religious attractions using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) text analysis of online reviews; establish linkages between push motivational factors and pull factors of the religious sites, forming distinct tourist typologies; and suggest strategies for Kyoto's destination marketing based on the findings. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzed 37,772 TripAdvisor reviews for Kyoto's top 25 religious sites from the pre-pandemic period (March 2020). LDA topic modeling extracts 18 underlying thematic dimensions from the review texts. Axial coding of these dimensions revealed five distinct tourist motivation typologies. Findings Five motivation typologies emerged: cultural seekers drawn to Japan's unique heritage, nature lovers attracted by scenic landscapes, chrono-seasonal experiencers seeking distinct seasonal views, crowd-avoiders prioritizing less congested visits and city wanderers engaging in local activities. Practical implications The findings offer valuable guidance for destination marketers and managers in Kyoto, enabling the development of targeted strategies to enhance visitor experiences and manage overcrowding at popular religious sites. Originality/value This research provides novel insights into nonreligious tourists' motivations for visiting religious sites in a crowded destination. By identifying distinct motivation-based tourist typologies, the study informs strategies for enhancing visitor experiences tailored to diverse needs, contributing to tourism literature and practical destination management.

A Comparison of Butterfly Diversity Results between iNaturalist and Expert Surveys in Eastern Oklahoma

Ongoing worldwide biodiversity declines and range shifts associated with climate change increase the importance of documenting the current distributions of species to establish baseline data. However, financial and logistical constraints make it impossible for taxonomic experts to conduct thorough surveys in most locations. One popular approach to offset the lack of expert sampling is using community science data collected by the public, curated, and made available for research. These datasets, however, contain different biases than those typically present in data collected through conventional survey practices, often leading to different results. Recent studies have used massive datasets generated over large areas; however, less is known about the results obtained at smaller scales or with more limited sampling intervals. We compared butterfly observations in eastern Oklahoma using a dataset obtained from the popular community science website iNaturalist and one collected during targeted surveys of glade habitats conducted by taxonomic experts. At the county-level scale, the relative abundances of butterfly species correlated well between the glade surveys and the iNaturalist observations, and there was no difference in the relative abundance of different butterfly families between the two survey methods. However, as anticipated, the conventional surveys outperformed the community science data in measuring biodiversity at a smaller geographic scale.

The Impact of Adopting Facebook on Developing Descriptive and Narrative Paragraph Writing Skills of ESL Young Adult Learners

Facebook, as one of the popular social media sites worldwide and in Sri Lanka, has been highlighted as a powerful influencer on language learning. While Sri Lanka is working to modernize its paper-based traditional education system and follow global trends of incorporating technology and social media into teaching methods, Facebook use by students for learning reasons is a rarely explored area. The current study's problem stems from students' poor performance in English writing assessments and decreased interest in paper-based education. The objective of this study was to see how using Facebook assisted tertiary-level ESL students build descriptive and narrative paragraph writing skills. The study used an intervention research approach, with data obtained through pre and post-tests. The study included 60 intermediate-level ESL students from the University of Kelaniya who studied in the first-year "English for Social Sciences" course. Participants were chosen after the pre-test, and the experimental group's 30 students were taught for six weeks through a closed Facebook group, whereas the control group's 30 students were taught using paper-based method in regular classes. The similar lessons on descriptive and narrative paragraph writing were delivered to the students on the Facebook group and for the controlled group employing the conventional paper-based approach. The findings demonstrated statistically significant differences between scores of the controlled group and the experimental group, in favour of the experimental group subjected to Facebook learning, proving that Facebook is a modern arena that should be promoted as an appealing online platform to refine students' language skills.

Transformer-based end-to-end attack on text CAPTCHAs with triplet deep attention

Websites frequently use text-based captcha images to distinguish whether the user is a person or not. Previous research mainly focuses on different training strategies and neglects the characteristics of the text-based captcha images themselves, resulting in low accuracy. For text-based captcha images characterized by rotation, distortion, and non-character elements, we propose an end-to-end attack using a Transformer-based method with triplet deep attention. Firstly, the features of text-based captchas are extracted using ResNet45 with triplet deep attention module and Transformer encoder. The TDA module is capable of learning rotational and distortion features of characters. Subsequently, based on self-attention mechanism, design query, key, and value, and adopt the query enhancement module to enhance the query. The query enhancement module can strengthen character localization and reduce attention drift towards non-character elements. Finally, the feature maps are transformed into probabilities of character for the final text recognition. Experiments are conducted on captcha datasets based on Roman characters from 9 popular websites, achieving average word accuracy of 91.14%. To evaluate the performance of our method on data with small samples, experiments are conducted different scales of training data. Additionally, we use the method on Chinese text-based captcha tasks and achieve average word accuracy of 99.60%. The effectiveness of the method is also explored under conditions of lack of illumination and scene text recognition, where background interference is present.

Measurement invariance of the Facebook intrusion questionnaire across 25 countries.

Facebook is one of the most popular social networking sites. However, Facebook intrusion or addiction is a growing concern as it involves an excessive attachment to Facebook, which disrupts daily functioning. To date, few studies have examined whether cross-cultural differences in the measurement of Facebook addiction exist. The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-cultural validity and measurement invariance of the Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire (FIQ), one of the most widely used measures of Facebook addiction, across 25 countries (N = 12,204, 62.3% female; mean age = 25 years). Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (MGCFA) assessed cross-cultural validity as well as invariance. Additionally, individual confirmatory factor analyses evaluated the factorial structure and measurement invariance across genders in each country. The FIQ demonstrated partial metric invariance across countries and metric (13 countries), scalar (11 countries) or residual (10 countries) invariance across genders within individual countries. A one-factor model indicated a good fit in 18 countries. Cronbach's alpha for the entire sample was .85. Our findings suggest that the FIQ may provide an adequate assessment of Facebook addiction that is psychometrically equivalent across cultures. Moreover, the questionnaire seems to be universal and suitable for studying different social media in distinct cultural environments. Consequently, this robust tool can be used to explore behaviours related to specific media that are particularly popular in any given country.

Public perceptions of international genetic information sharing for biomedical research in China: a case study of the social media debate on the article “A Pangenome Reference of 36 Chinese Populations” published in Nature

BackgroundThe international disclosure of Chinese human genetic data continues to be a contentious issue in China, generating public debates in both traditional and social media channels. Concerns have intensified after Chinese scientists’ research on pangenome data was published in the prestigious journal Nature.MethodsThis study scrutinized microblogs posted on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media site, in the two months immediately following the publication (June 14, 2023–August 21, 2023). Content analysis was conducted to assess the nature of public responses, justifications for positive or negative attitudes, and the users’ overall knowledge of how Chinese human genetic information is regulated and managed in China.ResultsWeibo users displayed contrasting attitudes towards the article’s public disclose of pangenome research data, with 18% positive, 64% negative, and 18% neutral. Positive attitudes came primarily from verified government and media accounts, which praised the publication. In contrast, negative attitudes originated from individual users who were concerned about national security and health risks and often believed that the researchers have betrayed China. The benefits of data sharing highlighted in the commentaries included advancements in disease research and scientific progress. Approximately 16% of the microblogs indicated that Weibo users had misunderstood existing regulations and laws governing data sharing and stewardship.ConclusionsBased on the predominantly negative public attitudes toward scientific data sharing established by our study, we recommend enhanced outreach by scientists and scientific institutions to increase the public understanding of developments in genetic research, international data sharing, and associated regulations. Additionally, governmental agencies can alleviate public fears and concerns by being more transparent about their security reviews of international collaborative research involving Chinese human genetic data and its cross-border transfer.

The awe-habitual model: exploring tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors in religious settings

This study proposes a novel comprehensive model integrating contextual, habitual, and psychological processes to address the multi-determination feature of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior (TPEB) intention. The model includes religious ambience as a contextual process, domestic pro-environmental behavior (DPEB) as a habitual process, and awe, along with Norm Activation Theory, as a psychological process. A questionnaire survey was administered at Guandi Temple, a popular religious site in Haizhou, China, collecting 363 valid datasets to test the model using the Structured Equation Modelling method. The results indicate that TPEB intention is directly associated with DPEB and religious ambience. This connection also reveals that when visitors immerse themselves in a strong religious ambience, the stimulated awe will induce a higher level of TPEB intention, with the Norm Activation Theory mediating this relationship. Furthermore, this theory also explains the indirect spillover effect from DPEB to TPEB intention. Conclusively, this study proposes the validated comprehensive Awe-Habitual Model for TPEB intention, particularly applicable in religious destinations, integrating psychological, contextual, and habitual processes. It also verifies the self-transcendence of awe and extends the application of Norm Activation Theory to measure pro-environmental behavior spillovers. Practical suggestions on encouraging TPEB and promoting sustainable tourism are offered.

EXPLORING THE MYTHS AND REALITY OF SALASAR BALAJI

Oral stories/folk narratives have been passed on from generation to generations in order to preserve culture and history. Myth and mythology have always been at the heart of India’s culture. In this process of passing on traditions, the myths originated in particular time periods have changed their forms and are being moulded according to contemporary needs and demands. The paper focuses on one such site of cultural and historical significance in the northern part of India– Salasar. It has now become one of the most popular religious and cultural sites. The place has rich oral history and is surrounded by various myths associated with Balaji in Salasar. The present paper aims to explore the prevalent myths enveloping this site and to analyse that how this place has acclimatised in accordance with the contemporary times and culture and thrive as popular mythical and miracle place.

Mind the Gap! An interpretative phenomenological analysis of solidarity among Ibero-American female translators in the Spanish Wikipedia

As one of the most popular websites in the world, Wikipedia’s success has long resided in the fact that anyone can contribute to this repository of human knowledge. However, behind this democratisation and wisdom-of-the-crowd initiative lie some entrenched inequalities and biases. MostWikipedia’s regular contributors are men from the Global North, which has led to much criticism and speculation. Consequently, the user-generated encyclopaedia has often been accused of both portraying women from a male perspective and downplaying their professional achievements. Against this background, this paper explores the narratives of six experienced female Latin and Ibero-American editors that have been actively involved in the translation of women’s biographies in the Spanish Wikipedia. Drawing on interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study seeks to ascertain the role of female editors-translators and how they perceive solidarity in the context of their work in the encyclopaedia. Our findings indicate that the participants view solidarity as a transformative activity whereby they collectively unite to promote equality, protect one another against harassment and oppression, and re-narrate women’s biographies. Moreover, although most participants did not identify as translators, translation was widely regarded as a means to increase the number of women’s articles on Wikipedia and help bridge the gender gap.

A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF CYBER SOCIALISING INTERACTIONS IN ENGLISH AMONG STUDENTS

The influence of modern technology and engagement in cyber socialising have become a prominent part of modern communication. A new learning pedagogy with proper guidelines is needed to assist users to engage with social networking platforms efficiently. The researcher investigated discourse analysis involving participants to answer questions about both the contextual application of the language, and the functions and results of aspects pertaining to discourse such as diction, cohesion, and metaphors. The researcher employed a quantitative approach in this study. The study randomly sampled 80 students from a University of Technology (UoT) in Gauteng to participate in quantitative discourse analysis of communication using Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter texts. The methods of data elicitation embraced extracts from Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter texts provided by 80 participants. Statistics were used to present the findings of the quantitative data which included mainly frequency of certain aspects pertaining to discourse. Data were collected via email and texts were numbered according to the participants. These texts remain anonymous and the identities of the participants were concealed. The study found that the language used on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter was characterised by the use of emoji, low register words, code-switching few spelling errors and the modern tendency to shorten words by using clipping and number homophones which are not seen as errors but a unique style of writing. Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter remain three popular communication sites and discourse surfaces since it is important for users to communicate meaningfully even when using excessive punctuation to indicate excitement and emoji to communicate emotions.

Visual Analysis of Social Media Data on Experiences at a World Heritage Tourist Destination: Historic Centre of Macau

The burgeoning field of sustainable tourism in historically significant urban districts has derived increasing attention in tandem with broader urban economic development. The perceived image of a tourist destination significantly affects tourist consumption behaviors and destination choices, while negative evaluations provide destination managers with insights for targeted improvements to tourist amenities, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of these historically significant districts. This study leveraged Python 3.12.3 software to collect online textual data from popular tourism websites, specifically Ctrip 8.71.4 and Mafengwo 11.1.7. Then, ROST CM6.0 software facilitated high-frequency word analysis, network semantic analysis, and sentiment analysis to outline the perceived image and characteristics of the Macau Historic District, a UNESCO World Heritage site, from the perspective of tourists. The findings are as follows: (1) The image of the Historic Centre of Macao as a tourist destination comprises four primary dimensions: cultural (16.02%), landscape (30.85%), emotional (16.97%), and local (36.16%). (2) Tourists perceive the Historic Centre of Macao as a blend of dynamism and tranquility, tradition, and modernity. (3) Emotional evaluations of the Historic Centre of Macao as a tourist destination are primarily positive (85.45%), whereas negative sentiments constitute 5.76%, with recurring themes pertaining to overcrowding, high prices, a lack of interactive experiences at attractions, excessive commercialization, and insufficient public rest facilities. These findings offer valuable directives for the future planning and development of tourism in Macau, a city recognized for its World Heritage status. (4) In summary, the thematic image of the Historic Centre of Macao can be considered authentic, romantic, and commercialized.

Does generative artificial intelligence pose a risk to performance validity test security?

Objective We examined the performance validity test (PVT) security risk presented by artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots asking questions about neuropsychological evaluation and PVTs on two popular generative AI sites. Method In 2023 and 2024, multiple questions were posed to ChatGPT-3 and Bard (now Gemini). One set started generally and refined follow-up questions based on AI responses. A second set asked how to feign, fake, or cheat. Responses were aggregated and independently rated for inaccuracy and threat. Responses not identified as inaccurate were assigned a four-level threat rating (no, mild, moderate, or high threat). Combined inaccuracy and threat ratings were examined cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Results Combined inaccuracy rating percentages were 35 to 42% in 2023 and 16 to 28% in 2024. Combined moderate/high threat ratings were observed in 24 to 41% of responses in 2023 and in 17 to 31% of responses in 2024. More ChatGPT-3 responses were rated moderate or high threat compared to Bard/Gemini responses. Over time, ChatGPT-3 responses became more accurate with a similar threat level, but Bard/Gemini responses did not change in accuracy or threat. Responses to how to feign queries demonstrated ethical opposition to feigning. Responses to similar queries in 2024 showed even stronger ethical opposition. Conclusions AI chatbots are a threat to PVT test security. A proportion of responses were rated as moderate or high threat. Although ethical opposition to feigning guidance increased over time, the natural language interface and the volume of AI chatbot responses represent a potentially greater threat than traditional search engines.

The role of YouTube videos on creating child violence behavior from the perspective of mothers

The entry of modern technology into our society, particularly the emergence of the Internet with various sites that are easy to search, is one of youtube most important and popular sites, creating a new generation of children addicted to their use despite the large number of YouTube has become a real danger in the light of excessive use by children, however, it is ifficult to control the prevention of children from being exposed to the Internet in general and to YouTube videos in particular, many children in the developing stage of the disease. Psychological and neurological as a result of the content presented to them via video. The aim of this research is the role of YouTube videos on children's belligerent behavior at the age of 2-6 for this 200 forms on mothers in the city border Rania was divided into 100 male and 100 female children, for example. It was later revealed that children are most likely to be YouTube users at a high rate and that mothers don't monitor their children at the time you've seen YouTube and the degree of aggressive behavior that has changed according to gender, which is more likely to be male than female.

The impact of animated content on the thinking and behaviour of Algerian children A descriptive-analytical study of YouTube content

Digital screens are among the primary media that play a crucial role in the reproduction of values. These media provide a set of behaviours that children may perceive as models and imitate, as they are unable to filter what they see. However, the content presented in these media, particularly cartoons, can sometimes contradict the traditions of dignity and respect known in Algerian society. This can potentially undermine children's deeply rooted values, behaviours and habits and contribute to the adoption of inappropriate behaviours. This research aims to identify the behaviours portrayed in electronic screens containing animated drawings by analysing the content of the YouTube application. YouTube was chosen because it is one of the most popular websites used by children, offering the latest animated content.

Depth and Quality of Recommendations in Popular Sources About How to Play with Infants: Content Analysis

Aim Systematically evaluate the depth and quality of play recommendations provided in popular sources for parents of infants in the first year of life. Methods This represents the second stage of a larger analysis of educational content available to parents. Two coders (>90% agreement) extracted and coded play activities from popular websites, applications, and books screened from a systematic online search. Depth of instruction variables were extracted. Activity quality was rated based on opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, and responsive communication. Results 4370 play activities from 214 sources were analyzed. Activities were likely to suggest specific ages for infants and that a caregiver be present. Less than half of the activities incorporated toys or provided guidance about how to position or physically support infants. Activity quality was low; most activities did not explicitly encourage parents to provide opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, or quality communication. Conclusions Parents may encounter a large number of play activities in popular sources, but the depth of instruction and quality of those activities could be improved. Provision of higher-quality education to parents may enhance parent-child play interactions to positively impact parent and child outcomes, especially for children at risk for delays.

Quality of Popular Online Resources About Vestibular Migraine.

To evaluate the readability, understandability, actionability, and accuracy of online resources covering vestibular migraine (VM). Cross-sectional descriptive study design. Digital collection of websites appearing on Google search. Google searches were conducted to identify common online resources for VM. We examined readability using the Flesch Reading Ease(FRE) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores, understandability and actionability using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), and accuracy by comparing the website contents to the consensus definition of "probable vestibular migraine." Eleven of the most popular websites were analyzed. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level averaged at a 13th-gradelevel (range: 9th-18th). FRE scores averaged 35.5 (range: 9.1-54.4). No website had a readability grade level at the USAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommended 5th-grade level or an equivalent FRE score of 90 or greater. Understandability scores varied ranging from 49% to 88% (mean 70%). Actionability scores varied more, ranging from 12% to 87% (mean 44%). There was substantial inter-rater agreement for both PEMAT understandability scoring (mean κ = 0.76, SD = 0.08) and actionability scoring (mean κ = 0.65, SD = 0.08). Three sites included all 3 "probable vestibular migraine" diagnostic criteria as worded in the consensus statement. The quality of online resources for VM is poor overall in terms of readability, actionability, and agreement with diagnostic criteria.

Analysis of the usability of selected auction websites

The selection and use of an e-commerce service can be conditioned by its properties such as ease of use, intuitiveness, productivity, offered functionalities, and aesthetic appeal. Within this study, the usability of three popular auction websites: eBay, Amazon, and Allegro, was examined. Selected interfaces of these websites and the ways in which users use them were analyzed. For this purpose, an experiment was prepared and conducted consisting of two parts: a survey and eye-tracking tasks. The obtained results indicate differences in usability among the websites. Suggestions provided by users show that despite the popularity of each of these well-known services, there are still some of their elements that require improvement and enhancement.

TRENDS IN ECO-TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE UNDER CONDITIONS OF THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR

Objective. The article aims at analyzing the current trends in the development of ecological tourism in Ukraine under conditions of the russian-Ukrainian war. Methods. The results of the study are obtained applying the following methods: theoretical generalisation and system-structural method (to study the theoretical foundations of ecotourism), analysis (to analyse the main trends in the development of ecotourism in Ukraine), statistical method (to process statistical information), classification method (to divide the regions by ecotourism potential), abstract-theoretical method (to formulate theoretical conclusions). Results. The current trends in the development of ecological tourism in Ukraine are analysed according to two main directions: ecological tourism within and outside protected areas. The main organisational forms of ecological tourism are identified, including ecological tourist routes and trails, cultural and educational ecological excursions, recreation in eco-hotels of various types, active mountain and water eco-recreation. The author analyses the security features of ecotourism under the conditions of the russian-Ukrainian war, the activities of the international certification programmes "GreenKey" and "BlueFlag", and the most popular ecotourism sites in Ukraine. As a result of the analysis, it is proposed to conditionally divide the regions of Ukraine, according to the existing ecotourism potential, into 4 categories: regions with high ecotourism development potential, regions with medium ecotourism development potential, regions with low ecotourism development potential and regions where ecotourism is impossible to organise.

Exploring The Characteristics of Cyberbullied TikTokers Based on Their Ethnicity

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the motivations of cyberbullies and characteristics of cyberbullying on TikTok. Past research explains that a key indicator of cyberbullying is moral disengagement. Researchers found that the lack of empathy is a factor in cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can negatively influence the mental health of people according to research, and is oftentimes correlated with depression. However, these studies only focus on social media as a whole and do not highlight the comment culture of TikTok and the content of these comments. Therefore, a content analysis was conducted to analyze the words and creators used to convey hate. This study answered the following research question: “What are the characteristics of cyberbullying on TikTok based on the comments left on the content creator's posts?” The sample was selected through purposeful random sampling and the participants were split into two groups: the content creators and the commenters. There were 7 content creators and 37 comments. The content of the comments were coded and organized into eleven relevant codes. These codes were then categorized into three themes: Comments Regarding Creators’ Appearance, Comments Regarding Creators’ Intellect, and Comments Impacting the Creators’ Psychological Well-Being. To ensure the validity of this study the codes were peer reviewed and rich thick descriptions are provided to uphold the integrity of these comments. Commenters mainly used mockery as a way to humble content creators especially when the content creators were trying to uplift themes. The majority of these commenters utilize profile pictures that did represent themselves most likely to avoid the consequences of their comments. The population most comfortable commenting as themselves was black women, especially when it was under posts of other black women. The demographics of this study was limited and would be best if there was more diversity, the nature of comment sections based on ethnicities could have an influence on the hate comments. This study could be useful for the education system and parents because they deal with adolescents who may be experiencing cyberbullying on the popular social media site, TikTok.

Historical Narratives and Spatial Strategies of Reappropriation in Three Romanian Orthodox Monasteries

Contrary to the abundance of shared religious places throughout south-eastern Europe, multi-religious interaction is not a regular feature in Romania. Pilgrimages and visits to the popular Orthodox monasteries of Prislop and Nicula in Transylvania and Dervent in Dobruja are an exception to this trend. Unsurprisingly, these two regions are historically characterized by a remarkable ethnic and religious diversity. The two Transylvanian monasteries attract practitioners of different Christian denominations (Orthodox, Greek-Catholic, Roman-Catholic and Evangelical), while Dervent is a devotional site for Christians and Muslims (Tatars, Turks and Roma) alike. Common to all three monasteries is the presence of allegedly miracle-working objects, artefacts and bodies: a stone cross at Dervent, the Virgin Mary icon at Nicula, and the tomb of the charismatic monk Arsenie Boca at Prislop, respectively. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the three monasteries during both important feasts and everyday monastic life, this article is a multidisciplinary exploration of the workings of inter-religious competition, sharing and interaction. It combines the methods typical of ethnographic research with observations on how the religious space is navigated and socialized through the support of cartography and archival satellite images. The article casts light on how the historical narratives and spatial strategies enacted by the Romanian Orthodox Church overlap in the attempt to reclaim legitimate ownership and exclusive primacy over three popular devotional sites with a composite ethnic and religious past.