Psychological Perspective Research Articles

Analysing the Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Mental Health Differences in Chinese Society: Integrating Cultural, Psychological and Technological Perspectives.

Mental health (MH) differences remain an issue in contemporary Chinese society, with various factors influencing individuals' well-being. This study investigates the complex connection between results related to psychological wellness and social issues, integrating cultural, psychological and technological perspectives. Through a quantitative research methodology, data were collected from 1000 individuals using a questionnaire survey and analysed using SPSS software. The study's findings shed light on the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on MH stigma, help-seeking behaviour and overall well-being. The findings identify that lower SES was associated with heightened levels of MH stigma and decreased the search for assistance actions. Cultural beliefs emphasising MH stigma and societal expectations were identified as mediators in the connection involve SES and MH outcomes. Digital technology use emerged as a moderator, indicating that higher levels of technology utilisation were linked to reduced disparities in accessing MH resources. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive examination of the multifaceted factors influencing MH disparities within Chinese society. Additionally, psychological factors such as resilience and social support were observed to mitigate the negative lower SES's effect on MH consequences. The interaction between SES and cultural factors was found to predict MH outcomes, with lower SES exacerbating the effects of MH stigma and cultural barriers.

How can level of trust in conditional driving automation vehicles be improved? Road condition feedback strategies and the mediating role of anxiety

ABSTRACT Conditional driving automation (CDA, Level 3) vehicles will become widespread in the next few years. The driver only needs to take over the vehicle in an emergency and pay attention to the feedback from the vehicle. However, the mechanism by which feedback strategies and drivers' emotional factors influence drivers' levels of trust in automation is not clear. This study compares the effect of three road condition feedback strategies on drivers' trust in automation: no feedback, concentrated feedback (multiple feedback messages are presented together before the takeover request is issued) and real-time feedback (the road condition messages are fed in real time based on changes in the external environment). The mediating effect of anxiety in the relationship is also examined by a within-subjects factorial simulated driving experiment (N = 41). The anxiety score was significantly lower in the real-time feedback group than in the other two groups, but the level of trust in automation was significantly higher. Furthermore, an analysis of the mediating effect showed that anxiety plays a fully mediating role in the relationship between real-time feedback and the level of trust in automation. This finding will help professionals design more trustworthy feedback strategies from a psychological perspective.

Flexible working on employees’ quality of work life: the role of locus of control through psychological perspective

Flexible working on employees’ quality of work life: the role of locus of control through psychological perspective

Dimensional Interaction, Intimacy Building: Roles of Perceived Intimacy and Parasocial Effects on Fans Relations with Virtual Idols

Abstract: The appearance of virtual idols has introduced discussions about the connection with fans, even though their idols are always disembodied and fictitious. To some degree, the theory of parasocial interaction can have academic value in the virtual characters, extending beyond the impact on the real stars and fans. This study emphasizes particularly on exploring the role of intimacy in the parasocial relationship, which contains the perspective of fan psychology and youth subculture. By exerting structured interview, the survey collects records from 7 college students who are fans of popular virtual idols including A-SOUL, Luxiem, LASER, etc. The results provide insights into how fans perceive the presence of intimacy and what factors influence the levels of intimacy based on the behaviors of online media usage. Compared with the real idols and life, there are some findings showcasing characteristics of virtual idol-fan intimacy when fans have developed the parasocial interaction.

The ethical model of orchestra conducting: a psychological and philosophical perspective

ABSTRACT This article investigates the ethical requirements and features that characterize the professional life of successful contemporary classical orchestras, with particular focus on the leadership style of their conductors. As we will show, the traditional authoritarian approach, marked by the conductor’s commanding charisma and strict demand for obedience from orchestra members, has evolved today into a more ethically-based transformational style of leadership. This new approach is rooted in principles of respect, voluntary compliance, and trust. The present paper delves into the interpersonal dynamics within contemporary orchestras, focusing specifically on the character traits required to establish trust and collaboration between the conductor and the orchestra members, as well as among the orchestra members themselves. In particular, drawing from recent research in psychology, we underscore the significance of deference, empathy, and shared commitment toward the common goal of excellence in performance. We conclude that the ethics-centered style of leadership adopted by most contemporary conductors may extend beyond the realm of music, offering insights applicable to leaders in various other fields. By fostering deep connections, shared purpose, and collaboration, this approach has the potential to enhance organizational performance and outcomes in general.

Exploring Resilience and Its Determinants in the Forced Migration of Ukrainian Citizens: A Psychological Perspective

This study enhances the understanding of resilience in forced migration through a psychological lens, highlighting the importance of identifying resilience determinants and evidence-based interventions. By fostering resilience, policymakers and practitioners can support the well-being and adaptive capacities of forcibly displaced Ukrainians, promoting psychological recovery, social integration, and positive long-term outcomes for affected individuals and communities. To determine the key resilience indicators, survey data were collected in 2023 from n = 502 Ukrainian refugees living in the U.S. (M age = 27 years). Individuals reported various psychological factors and cultural experiences, revealing high resilience and low-stress tolerance among forced Ukrainian migrants in the U.S., along with a strong correlation between their adopted acculturation strategies and their resilience and levels of traumatization.

The influence of subjective age and temporal focus on continuing work of the retireess: a psychological perspective

The demographic trend of population aging is a global phenomenon impacting the world community at large and individual national economies. Despite growing interest in the determinants of continued work among retirees, the internal (psychological) factors influencing an individual’s decision to retire after reaching retirement age have been inadequately studied. This study addresses this gap by examining psychological variables such as subjective age and temporal focus among working retirees. The results of comparing groups of working and non-working retirees revealed several key findings: 1) retirees who continue to work have a lower past focus compared to non-working retirees; 2) the subjective age of working retirees is lower (younger) than that of non-working retirees; 3) an association between a younger subjective age and current focus was found in non-working retirees, whereas in working retirees, no links were found between temporal focus and subjective age; and 4) the desire to stay young (younger social age) predicts the continuation of work in retirement. This study contributes to the development of ideas about the role of psychological time in motivating elderly people to continue their professional activities in retirement. The results strengthen the evidence that a younger subjective age, especially social age, is one of the reasons for continuing a professional career in old age. Additionally, the study enriches scientific understanding with new data on the role of temporal focus in the context of aging.

Lou Reed’s Emotional Geography

Starting with his band the Velvet Underground, Lou Reed wrote songs imbued with nonmoral depictions of people’s emotional experiences with drug use, sex work, marriage, poverty, friendships, and other aspects of life and survival in New York City. This paper presents an interpretation of Reed’s words and music from the twin perspective of geography and psychology. Drawing on materials in the Lou Reed Archive at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the author conducted a comprehensive analysis of song recordings released over three distinct periods of Reed’s music career. Each song was considered within the framework of a psychoevolutionary theory of human emotions and situated in New York’s diverse spaces and places. Reed’s grounded lyrics convey a deep empathy for people’s triumphs, setbacks, and conflicts as they search for love and act on a desire for transcendence and freedom. The paper recommends further research into songwriters who use their biography to tell geographic stories.

Confirmatory validation of a brief patient-reported outcome measure assessing psychological distress in caregivers of malignant mesothelioma patients: the Mesothelioma Psychological Distress Tool–Caregivers

ObjectiveThe diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma (MM) can be devastating for both patients and caregivers, who may experience intense suffering from a physical, psychological, and interpersonal perspective. Despite the extensive literature on caregiver distress, there is a lack of validated measures to provide evidence of psychological distress of caregivers of MM patients. Therefore, in a previous study we developed the Mesothelioma Psychological Distress Tool–Caregivers (MPDT-C) to evaluate the specific profile of psychological distress in this population. This paper describes the item selection, factor analysis, and psychometric evaluation of the revised MPDT-C.MethodsThe analyses of this work first aimed to confirm the previous factorial structure. In the case of nonfit, it aimed to find an alternative structure and causes of nonfit in the model. Examination of the fit of the factorial model was conducted using a Bayesian approach.ResultsThe final version of the MPDT-C is a 7-item self-report questionnaire consisting of one factor (Burden for the caregiver).ConclusionHaving a short self-report questionnaire to assess the psychological distress experienced by caregivers of MM patients has several advantages. First, it is suited to epidemiological studies where multiple variables and measures are involved. Second, it is easy to administer and does not take much time to complete. Therefore, the MPDT-C can also be administered in clinical contexts, perhaps when MM patients attend follow-up medical evaluation. Lastly, short measures are less affected by cognitive fatigue, which is very common in a long battery of tests and could affect response reliability.

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The article discusses that various teaching models, understood as methods of delivering ed¬ucation in a space formed according to the demands of civilization, condition an adequate educational envi¬ronment. In this environment, it is necessary for the learner to perceive the goal as an object of cognitive de¬mand in the chosen organizational form and timeframe to ensure the existence of continuous and active learning activities. The research elaborates on “ways to form a teaching system that includes optimal relationships between analytical and heuristic activity types” as one of the student-centered forms of education and provides an interpretation of these methods from scientific-pedagogical and psychological perspectives.

Psychological well - being of nurses in crisis situations during the covid - 19 pandemic: A phenomenological study

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted health workers, one of which is the nurses who are tasked with intensively accompanying COVID-19 patients. Strict health protocols and high workloads due to the COVID-19 pandemic can have a physical and psychological impact on nurses caring for COVID-19 patients. From a psychological perspective, it is important to manage Psychological Well-being (PWB) in order to avoid continuing psychological disorders that will also have an impact on the individual's physical condition. The purpose of this study was to explore the descriptions of PWB among nurses caring for COVID-19 patients. Method: This study uses qualitative research with a phenomenological approach. Informants were selected using a purposive sampling technique and data were analyzed using a deductive thematic analysis approach. Result: The results of this study show that even though nurses experience crisis situations, they are able to manage their psychological well-being. An important initial aspect to manage is self-acceptance. Conclusion: Apart from that, reflective abilities are also important so that nurses are able to find ways to maintain environmental mastery, overcome difficult situations independently, build positive relationships, and be aware of their personal growth while facing the COVID-19 pandemic crisis situation.

Evolutionary Perspective on Tourists’ Conformity to the Minority: The Effect of Mating Motive

Tourists tend to conform to the majority when faced with uncertainty in decision-making, which poses a considerable challenge to the promotion of new, less popular tourism offerings. This study delves into the heuristic promotion of less popular tourism offerings by using the concept of mating motives from the field of evolutionary psychology. Findings show that tourists driven by mating motives are likely to follow the minority, rather than the majority, when making purchase decisions—particularly in the context of souvenir shopping, destination selection, and gift giving—with uniqueness seeking playing a mediating role. Although purchase risk can increase the tendency of tourists to conform to the majority, it does not mitigate the effect of mating motives. The findings contribute to the promotion of less popular tourism offerings by highlighting tourists’ uniqueness seeking. This study broadens knowledge on tourist conformity behavior from the theoretical perspective of evolutionary psychology.

Session frequency in routine psychology practice and perspectives on session scheduling: a mixed-methods study of clinician attitudes and practices

ABSTRACT Objective Some research suggests treatment outcome can be improved through more frequent therapy session scheduling. It is unknown how frequently Australian psychologists see their clients in routine practice. The present study investigated psychologists’ self-reported session-scheduling, attitudes, and perceived barriers towards more frequent scheduling. Method Using mixed methods, 246 psychologists completed an online survey, and 16 psychologists participated in qualitative interviews. Results Most psychologists had positive attitudes towards greater session frequency and perceived increased frequency to be associated with better outcomes, but a significant proportion scheduled sessions at suboptimal frequencies. Various barriers found confirmed previous literature findings, and enablers such as flexible scheduling and funding solutions were identified. Conclusion Psychologists were willing to schedule sessions more frequently if sessions were more affordable to clients, and if they had a schedule able to accommodate more frequent sessions.

Exploring the Impact of AI Enhancement on the Sports App Community: Analyzing Human-Computer Interaction and Social Factors Using a Hybrid SEM-ANN Approach

The iteration of AI technology has enhanced the industry competitiveness of sports apps and brought a new emotional experience to users. However, the community function of AI-enabled sports apps has not yet received sufficient attention. This study adopts the technology acceptance model framework through the human-computer interaction and social psychology perspectives, incorporating perceived interactivity (human-human interaction, human-information interaction, human-system interaction), user experience (functional experience, content experience, and emotional experience), attachment theory (emotional attachment, emotional loyalty), social identity, social trust, and satisfaction variables to construct a theoretical model. It aims to solve the problem of how AI can enhance users’ emotional interaction, community stickiness, and ultimately social interaction satisfaction in sports apps. Through literature review, theoretical analysis, and case study, the Chinese “KEEP” APP was identified as the research object, and the questionnaire was constructed with an improved test scale. The study used a cross-sectional sampling method to collect data from Chinese online platforms for three months (N = 520) and tested the hypotheses in the theoretical model through structural equation modeling and artificial neural networks. The results of the study show that (1) emotional attachment, emotional loyalty, social identity, and social trust positively and significantly affect user satisfaction; (2) emotional attachment and social identity positively and significantly affect human-human interaction; (3) perceived usefulness, social identity, and social trust significantly construct an influence loop on the internal path. Compared with existing studies, this study proposes a multidimensional innovative framework that reveals the deeper influence mechanism of AI technology in sports APP communities and makes up for the shortcomings of existing studies in terms of users’ emotional interactions and community stickiness. Through this study, sports APP developers and operators, marketers, AI technology developers, as well as sports enthusiasts, and general users can obtain specific practical suggestions to further optimize the design and functionality of sports apps, and enhance the overall user experience and satisfaction.

Exploring the job search journey: unemployed graduates in Vleifontein, Makhado Municipality

The study explored the experiences of unemployed graduates at Vleifontein Village Elim in Makhado Local Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa. To achieve the mandate of the study, the researcher adopted a unique qualitative research approach, which gathered in-depth data from the participants. This approach, distinct in its focus on understanding the experiences of unemployed graduates, aided in the elevated understanding of the research problem. The study adopted an exploratory qualitative research design to gather or collect data from the participants, and the researcher used semi-structured interviews consisting of open-ended questions administered face-to-face to observe gestures, emotions, feelings, or even how they react to the questions. Furthermore, purposive sampling was used to select the sample that formed part of the interviews. Additionally, the study adopted the Conflict theory by Karl Marx to integrate with the study. Therefore, the findings of the study deduced that most of the participants understood the meaning of unemployment as their current socio-economic state, both from a financial and psychological perspective. Moreover, on the issue of the challenges, the findings deduced that they are not experienced and skilled enough for the jobs they are applying for. In that light, the study emphasizes the need for increased employment opportunities to minimize the negative impacts faced by unemployed graduates, which includes specialized training of graduates to render services that would make it easier for the graduates to find employment.

Impact of Gen-AI chatbots on consumer services experiences and behaviors: Focusing on the sensation of awe and usage intentions through a cybernetic lens

Generative AI-based chatbots have surfaced as a magical tool, revolutionizing the service industry. Equipped with superior conversational traits and the ability to attune with the conversant, chatbots have forged a coherent bond with the conversant. The untapped potential of chatbots deserves a better understanding of how consumers interact with them. This study recruits the theory of cybernetics to shed light upon the mechanism of chatbot consumer interaction. The theory helps to explain the psychological perspectives of chatbot users and answers the all-important question as to how to craft a coherent communication by enhancing the antecedents to chatbot efficiency. A mixed-method approach is used to identify factors that add to the dynamics of chatbot efficiency, a sensation of awe, and usage intentions. In method 1, the grounded theory approach is used to identify themes and factors to develop a conceptual model. In method 2, the conceptual model devised is subjected to empirical testing through Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling. The theory of cybernetics highlights the importance of information exchange and attunement which leads to higher usage intention in chatbots. The results disseminate the indispensability of AI-enabled chatbots for retailing businesses to attain commercial competency.

Harmonisation outcomes after insourcing services in South African higher education institutions

Orientation: The study was conducted in two higher education institutions that underwent insourcing and harmonisation of conditions of employment for support services.Research purpose: This study aims to determine how harmonisation shapes outcomes among support service labour in selected higher education institutions and to develop a management framework to harmonise conditions of employment following insourcing.Motivation for the study: The study capitalises on organisational complexities in higher education institutions that experienced insourcing of support services employees to address concerns assumed to be premised on historical exclusionary and exploitative employment practices. The study documents the experience and perceptions of institutional stakeholders in creating new knowledge on harmonisation following insourcing.Research approach/design and method: Employing a qualitative approach, 16 interviews were conducted with selected multi-level management and personnel directly involved in a harmonisation.Main findings: The study found tangible and intangible aspects, processes and other psychological perspectives on implementing harmonisation across employment levels. Furthermore, it was found that an efficient and effective harmonisation framework is required. Effective harmonisation for inclusion was viewed as being compromised by factors such as government intervention, and a lack of policy, framework and legislation to guide the process.Practical/managerial implications: Practical recommendations are provided for implementing harmonisation strategies following insourcing across employment levels in South African higher education institutions.Contribution/value-add: The study contributes to novel theory on harmonisation after insourcing and provides a management framework for harmonisation of conditions of employment.

Development of the Parent-Child Communication Quality Scale from the Perspective of Children's Psychological Needs.

Parent-child communication plays a crucial role in children's healthy growth. Nevertheless, there is currently a paucity of instruments designed to measure the quality of parent-child communication from a psychological perspective. Accordingly, based on the self psychology theory, this study has developed the Parent-Child Communication Quality Scale (PCCQS) to assess the quality of parent-child communication in terms of the extent to which children's psychological needs are met. A total of 1095 urban children (50.9% girls, M = 9.92, SD = 1.15) aged 8 to 12 years in eastern China were surveyed in this study. The measurement structure of the PCCQS was examined using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results of the CFA supported the second-order, four-factor structure of the PCCQS, with the 15-item PCCQS consisting of four factors (i.e., mirroring, idealization, empathy, and appropriate response). In conclusion, the PCCQS has good construct and criterion validity, as well as high internal consistency and split-half reliability. The scale is therefore a valuable tool for assessing the quality of parent-child communication.

Toward a synergistic framework of investment and motivation: Bridging imagined identities and English learning of Chinese university students

AbstractImagined identity, which opens up a variety of future possibilities for language learners, has been theorized from seemingly incompatible psychological and sociological perspectives in applied linguistics. Researchers have thus appealed for a transdisciplinary theoretical combination of these perspectives for a more nuanced understanding of language learning in context. This article makes the case for a synergistic theoretical framework of investment and motivation to theorize the idiosyncratic relationship between individuals’ imagined identity and language learning behavior. Empirical findings from a multiple‐case study conducted in Yunnan, in the south‐western corner of China, are presented to demonstrate how this framework enables a nuanced analysis of individuals’ language learning. Findings suggest that the interconnectedness of imagined identity, motivation, and investment is informed by both learner agency and contexts. This paper proposes that learners’ development of imagined identities and ways of investing in learning could be individually different, even under similar circumstances, which indicates the need for personalized teaching to improve learning outcomes. This synergistic framework thus provides implications for pedagogical practices and a need for personalized teaching.

Mindful Wealth Management: Thematic Integration and Analysis of Mindfulness in Financial Decision-Making

Purpose: This paper explores the influence of mindfulness on financial decision-making, aiming to develop a comprehensive framework that integrates psychological and behavioral finance perspectives. It addresses gaps in current literature, including the limited exploration of personality traits like openness and conscientiousness and the role of mindfulness across generations. Study Design: The research employs a conceptual analysis based on a comprehensive literature review, synthesizing insights from psychology, finance, and neurobiology. The study also examines the intersection of mindfulness and emerging financial technologies such as robo-advisors and cryptocurrencies. Findings: The study identifies how mindfulness influences financial behaviors, particularly in risk aversion, cognitive flexibility, and emotional regulation. It highlights generational differences in financial decision-making and mindfulness’s role in navigating digital financial environments. Contributions: This paper introduces a revised conceptual framework that expands the understanding of mindfulness in financial decision-making. It includes new dimensions, such as personality traits, generational differences, and the interaction between mindfulness and digital finance. Implications: The findings provide actionable insights for financial advisors, practitioners, and policymakers. Recommendations include the integration of mindfulness-based strategies tailored to individual traits and generational needs, as well as mindfulness training in leadership development programs to foster ethical and resilient decision-making.