Significant Positive Indirect Effect Research Articles

Research on the impact of digital economy on green total factor productivity: theoretical mechanism and multidimensional empirical analysis

The digital economy (DE) is emerging as a crucial driver of economic growth and an effective tool for alleviating resource and environmental pressures, thereby evolving into a significant force in facilitating green transformation. This study elaborates on the theoretical mechanism of the impact of DE on green total factor productivity (GTFP), and conducts multidimensional empirical tests using panel data from 284 cities in China. The main findings are as follows: (1) DE exerts significant positive direct, indirect, and spatial spillover effects on GTFP, signifying its growing role as a robust driver of GTFP. Notably, technological innovation emerges as a key mediator of DE’s impact on GTFP. (2) The impact of DE on GTFP exhibits a distinct pattern: initially pronounced, gradually diminishing, and then rebounding as DE progresses. (3) DE tends to exacerbate, rather than alleviate, the development divide and resource curse, especially in underdeveloped and resource-rich cities where its benefits are constrained. (4) Government behavior is pivotal in influencing DE’s impact on GTFP. Supportive policies and strict environmental regulations are critical in harnessing DE’s positive contributions to GTFP. This study lays a scientific foundation for leveraging the “green attributes” of DE and offers insights into bridging the developmental disparities among cities.

Relationship between teachers' professional identity and career satisfaction among college teachers: role of career calling.

Professional identity has been found an important determinant of career satisfaction of employees working in various fields. Teachers' professional identity is a relatively less explored domain. Considering the importance of teacher's career satisfaction, the current study was designed to test the role of career calling in the relationship between teachers' professional identity and career satisfaction. A sample of teachers (N = 300) with (n = 115) men and (n = 185) women was recruited from the colleges of Sargodha City, Pakistan with an age range from 24 to 45 (M = 31.3, SD = 6.4). A purposive sampling technique was employed for data collection. Variables of the present study were operationalized through the Professional Identity Scale, Brief Calling Scale, and Career Satisfaction Scale. Path analysis revealed that normative identity did not have any direct or indirect effects on career satisfaction and career calling. Whereas affective and efficacy identity demonstrated significant positive direct effects on career calling whereas career calling had significant positive direct effect on career satisfaction. Efficacy identity also had a significant positive direct effect on career satisfaction. Finally, both affective and efficacy identity had significant positive indirect effects on career satisfaction via career calling. The findings of the current study may help in devising plans to improve the career satisfaction of teachers working in the higher education sector.

Leveraging influencer marketing for banks: An empirical study on young consumers in Vietnam

This study examines the role of influencer marketing for banks in Vietnam with the objective of reaching to the demographic of young customers between the ages of 18 and 35. A quantitative methodology was utilized in this study, which involved the distribution of an online survey to a total of 732 young banking consumers in Vietnam. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicated significant positive indirect effects on the intention to use influencer marketing in relation to influencer credibility, trustworthiness, expertise, friendliness, similarity, and attractiveness. The impacts mentioned were mediated by the individual’s attitude toward the influencer. Favorable attitudes toward an influencer boosted respondents’ intention to use endorsed banking products/services. Similarly, positive attitudes toward influencers directly increased usage intentions. The results offer innovative empirical proof that partnering with influencers on social media can serve as a successful marketing tactic for banks to positively impact the acceptance of their services among young consumers in Vietnam’s digital landscape. The study provides practical recommendations for banks to effectively identify and collaborate with influencers who have the strongest appeal to youth target audiences. AcknowledgmentI would like to express my gratitude to those of you who took part in the survey and to the Ho Chi Minh University of Banking for their assistance in enabling me to finish my research.

Spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and influencing factors of the rate of cardiovascular hospitalization in Ganzhou city of China.

The objective of this study was to analyze hospitalization rates for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province of China from 2015 to 2020 and to uncover the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and influencing factors, and thus to provide reference for the prevention and control of CVD and public health resources planning. The hospitalization data for CVDs from 2016 to 2020 was obtained from the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, and ArcGIS 10.8, SaTScan 9.5, and Matlab 20.0 were used to analyze the spatial autocorrelation, spatiotemporal scan statistics, and potential affecting factors of the hospitalization rates. The hospitalization rate for CVDs in Ganzhou City showed a slightly increasing trend from 2016 to 2020, with higher rates in winter and summer than that in spring and autumn, and the individuals aged 61 and above constitute a higher proportion compared to other age groups. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between hospitalization rates for CVDs and the counties and districts in Ganzhou City, with high-high aggregation areas mainly distributed in Nankang District, the western urban area of Ganzhou City. The spatial scan analysis identified three different types of significant aggregation areas: high-risk, low-risk, and middle-risk areas. The high-risk area was mainly centered around Zhanggong District or Shangyu County in the central and western regions, with a disease hospitalization rate 2-3 times higher than the rest areas. The study also found that environmental meteorological factors such as the annual average concentration of NO2, O3, average annual temperature, and annual maximum temperature diurnal range had a significant positive effect on hospitalization rates for CVDs in Ganzhou City, with O3 concentration and average annual temperature having significant positive indirect spatial spillover effects. Winter and summer are the seasons with high hospitalization rate of cardiovascular diseases. County residents aged 61 and above are the higher-risk population that needs to pay more attention on for prevention and control of CVD in Ganzhou City, which exhibits significant spatiotemporal clustering. The urban areas of Zhanggong and Nankang in Ganzhou City are the key areas for prevention and control of CVD. The hospitalization rate of CVD in Ganzhou City is influenced by the aforementioned four environmental meteorological factors, with the annual maximum temperature diurnal range showing the most significant positive direct effect.

Relative Efficacy of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Smartphone App with a Standard US Clinical Practice Guidelines-Based App for Smoking Cessation in Dual Users of Combustible and Electronic Cigarettes: Secondary Findings from a Randomized Trial

Background While smartphone apps for smoking cessation have shown promise for combustible cigarette smoking cessation, their efficacy in helping dual users of combustible and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) to quit cigarettes remains unknown. This study utilized data from a randomized trial to determine if an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based app (iCanQuit) was more efficacious than a US Clinical Practice Guidelines-based app (QuitGuide) for combustible cigarette smoking cessation among 575 dual users. Methods The primary cessation outcome was self-reported, complete-case 30-day abstinence from combustible cigarettes at 12 months. Logistic regression assessed the interaction between dual use and treatment arm on the primary outcome in the full trial sample (N = 2,415). We then compared the primary outcome between arms among dual users (iCanQuit: n = 297; QuitGuide: n = 178). Mediation analyses were conducted to explore mechanisms of action of the intervention: acceptance of cues to smoke and app engagement. Results: There was an interaction between dual use of combustible and e-cigarettes and treatment arm on the primary outcome (p = 0.001). Among dual users, 12-month abstinence from cigarettes did not differ between arms (23% for iCanQuit vs. 27% for QuitGuide, p = 0.40). Mediation analysis revealed a significant positive indirect effect of the iCanQuit app on 12-month abstinence from cigarettes through acceptance of emotions that cue smoking (p = 0.004). Conclusions Findings from this study of dual users of combustible and e-cigarettes showed no evidence of a difference in quit rates between arms. Acceptance of emotions that cue smoking is a potential mechanism contributing to cigarette smoking abstinence among dual users.

Research on the Spatial Effect and Threshold Characteristics of New-Type Urbanization on Carbon Emissions in China’s Construction Industry

As the strategic task of China’s modernization, the implementation of new-type urbanization has an important impact on carbon emissions from the construction industry. To fill the gap in considering the spatial correlation and threshold characteristics of new-type urbanization on carbon emissions from the construction industry, this paper constructs a comprehensive evaluation indicator of new-type urbanization, and the spatial economic model and the threshold regression model are adopted to analyze the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2002 to 2020. The results indicate that (1) carbon emissions from China’s construction industry exhibit a significant positive spatial correlation, with more than half of provinces distributed as H-H and L-L types. (2) New-type urbanization has significant positive direct and indirect effects on carbon emissions in the construction industry; the labor efficiency, energy intensity, and development level of the construction industry and trade openness also have a significant spillover effect on carbon emissions from the construction industry. (3) At this stage, new-type urbanization exhibits a threshold effect on carbon emissions from the construction industry due to the different levels of development and energy intensity of the construction industry. After crossing the threshold value, the promotion effect of new-type urbanization on carbon emissions from the construction industry gradually increases. This paper provides a reference for promoting carbon emission reduction in the construction industry in the process of new-type urbanization.

Healthy employees are assets: a structural model based on individual and organizational characteristics for hotel employee well-being

PurposeHealthy employees are assets for organizations, especially in service organizations. This study considered variables that lead to psychological, life and workplace well-being for hotel employees. A comprehensive model is proposed for which Job Demand–Resource (JD-R) theory provides theoretical support.Design/methodology/approachData from four hundred and five hotel employees were collected to observe the individual and organizational factors that directly and indirectly result in three types of well-being: workplace, psychological and life.FindingsResults provide significant positive direct and indirect effects of individual characteristics (personal cynicism and job stress) on psychological, life and workplace well-being. Similarly, organizational characteristics (organizational values and job characteristics) showed positive direct and indirect effects on life and workplace well-being.Originality/valueThe findings provide a strong recommendation for managers to focus on individual- and organizational-level factors that enhance the well-being of employees.

Spatial analysis of carbon emission effect of financial development in Africa: The role of energy and socioeconomic factors

The need to mitigate global warming has led policymakers and other stakeholders to see further understanding of the driving forces behind CO2 emissions. Financial development has been identified among the most influential factors. However, its importance has not been well explored in developing countries, especially in Africa. Several studies have explored the CO2 emissions-effects of financial development in Africa but focused on the temporal aspect and overlooked the spatial dependence which has the potential to influence the estimated marginal effects. In so doing, they consider each country as an island which tends to suggest that there are no spatial spillover effects that could originate from countries’ proximity. In this study, such an inaccurate assumption is relaxed by deploying a spatial Durbin model to explore the spatial dependence in the financial development-CO2 emissions nexus for 52 African countries between 1995 and 2017. Our results reveal a significant positive direct effect (0.020) on financial development in a given country and a significant positive indirect effect (0.074). Thus, our estimated marginal effects show a positive and significant total effect (0.095), indicating that a 1% increase in financial development will result in a net increase of CO2 emissions of about 0.095%. This finding implies that financial development contributes negatively to the surge of CO2 emissions in Africa. While the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis is validated in the continent, renewable energy utilization is found to posit significant environmental effects. This finding is crucial to policymakers as it stands as a reminder about the role of the neighbourhood in designing and implementing environmentally friendly policies that aim at reducing pollution in Africa.

INVESTIGATING THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF GREEN PRODUCT LITERACY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIVENESS AND GREEN PRODUCT PURCHASE ATTITUDE

technology innovativeness and green product attitude of the consumer. With growing environmental concern and the increasing emphasis on sustainable practices, understanding of the drivers that influence green purchasing behavior has become increasingly important. The study utilized a survey questionnaire which was distributed to a sample of 424 respondents. SPSS (26.0) software was used to analyze the data. The results of this study revealed that technology innovativeness had a significant positive direct effect on green product purchase attitude (β = 0.72, p < 0.001), and green product literacy played a crucial role in this relationship by having a significant positive indirect effect (β = 0.10, SE = 0.03, 95% CI [0.05, 0.16]).The descriptive results reveal the significance of green product literacy in shaping consumer attitude and highlight the need for organizations to invest in green literacy programs and initiatives. Investing in green literacy programs to educate and raise awareness of sustainable consumption is important for both researchers and practitioners. Individuals can contribute to SDGs Goal 13 by promoting green product literacy and sustainable practices to ensure a livable future.

Determinan Factors of Decision to Choose an Online Travel Agent to Book a Place to Stay

This study analyzes the factors influencing customers to book a place to stay through Online Travel Agent (OTA). This research was conducted on 382 respondents selected by convenience sampling with the criteria of having booked a place to stay through OTA in the last two years and being at least 18 years old. This research uses quantitative methods by filling out questionnaires distributed online. Data were analyzed using SEM AMOS. The results showed that brand image and perceived ease of use (PEU) have a significant positive direct effect on the decision to choose an OTA to book a place to stay, brand image and PEU has a significant positive indirect effect on e-WOM, e-WOM has a significant negative effect on the decision to choose OTA to book a place to stay and perceived risk does not significantly influence the decision to choose OTA to book a place to stay. The managerial implications can be carried out by company management in collaboration with OTA to increase the intention of repurchasing customers through comments (e-WOM), maintaining the privacy of customers' data to avoid leakage, improving transaction systems safety, and conducting evaluations related to quality and service.

Women Journalists’ Contact Quality with Male Coworkers, Affective Attitudes Toward Men and Intention to Quit: Intergroup Anxiety in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT Along with Saudi women’s increased presence and participation in mixed-gender workforces and the current government’s reform initiative, Saudi Vision 2030, their communication opportunities with male coworkers have also increased. Guided by intergroup contact theory, the current online survey tested the influences of Saudi female journalists’ (N = 198) report of communication quantity and communication quality with male coworkers on their affective attitudes toward Saudi men and intention to quit the current job. Supporting our hypotheses, results indicated that Saudi female journalists’ communication quality with male coworkers was positively associated with affective attitudes toward men. In addition, results revealed a significant positive indirect effect of communication quality with male coworkers on affective attitudes toward men and a significant negative indirect effect on intention to quit through intergroup anxiety. These findings are discussed regarding prior literature on intergroup contact theory and Saudi women in the workplace.

Does industry-university-research cooperation promote the environmental efficiency of China’s high-tech manufacturing?

As one of the important strategic measures to increase the international competitiveness of high-tech manufacturing (HTM), industry-university-research cooperation (IURC) has received increasing attention in China. However, there is little literature to explore the links between IURC and the environmental efficiency (EE) of HTM. To incorporate a variety of environmental pollution indicators into the efficiency analysis framework and reduce the adverse effects of random errors on the estimation results, this article combined the projection pursuit model with the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) method and proposed a translog stochastic frontier model considering undesirable outputs to analyze the multiple impacts of IURC on the EE of HTM. The results show that IURC has both a significant negative direct effect and a significant positive indirect effect on HTM’s EE. Although IURC cannot directly promote EE, it has a positive impact on EE of HTM through its complementary effect with research and development (R&D) investment. The results also confirm that the average EE of the whole country is only 0.346, while that of the eastern area is 0.595, and that of the central and western areas are 0.199 and 0.171, respectively. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to improve the EE of China’s HTM industry through a variety of measures, such as promoting IURC and increasing R&D investment in environmental technology. This study not only provides an improved SFA method for measuring EE, but also deepens research on the mechanism of the impact of IURC on HTM’s EE.

Green HRM as Predicator of Firm s Environmental Performance and Role of Employees Environmental Organizational Citizenship Behavior as Moderator

This study examines the effects of GHRM on environmental performance and the moderating role of environmental and organizational citizenship behavior in the telecommunications sector in Kabul, Afghanistan. The random sampling technique is used to collect the data from the corresponding respondents. Multiple regressions are used to obtain the study's numerical result. The result of the study is the following: The estimated coefficient of green recruitment and selection is 0.074, which is significantly high at 5 percent. These positive values indicate a positive relationship between environmental performance and green recruitment and selection. There is a significant relationship between environmental performance and green recruitment and selection. The top management commitment was found to have a significant (p = 0.048) estimate coefficient, where p <0.05, so we rejected the null hypothesis and accepted the alternative hypothesis, green recruitment and selection and environmental performance have a significant relationship. There is a significant relationship between green performance management and environmental performance. A significant (p = 002) coefficient was found in green performance management, where p <0.05. Wereject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis by stating that green management performance and environmental performance are essential. There is a significant relationship between training, development, and environmental performance. This study also employs a robust and indirect effect to investigate a valid mediation. The product of OBCE and Green Recruitment and Selection show a significant positive indirect effect of green environmental and organizational citizenship behavior in the relationship between environmental performance and green recruitment and selection, which accepts H4 of the study. The estimated coefficient of OBCE * Green Recruitment and Selection is 0.098. This implies that environmental and organizational citizenship behavior has played a critical role in the relationship between environmental performance and green recruitment and selection because the coefficient of OBCE * Green Recruitment and Selection is greater than the estimated coefficient of green selection and recruitment. Keywords: GHRM; OBCE; Environmental Performance; Telecommunication; Afghanistan

Attitudes towards gamification advertising in Vietnam: a social commerce context

ABSTRACT Recognising the rapid growth and enormous potential of gamification and social media advertising in today's digital age, along with the increasing popularity of social commerce (s-commerce), especially in emerging markets, this study analysed attitudes towards gamification advertising in the Vietnamese s-commerce context. This study followed a quantitative approach by conducting interviews with 386 users who interacted with gamification advertising on s-commerce platforms in Vietnam. The empirical results indicate that perceived gamification in advertising (as measured by the experience of gamification ads) has a significant positive indirect effect on attitudes towards advertising via hedonic and utilitarian values. In addition, this study experimentally verified the impact of the prominent characteristics of s-commerce (interactivity, personalisation, and privacy concerns) on both the gameful experiences of ads and attitudes towards advertising in the s-commerce market. Our research has meaningful implications for marketers and social networking platform developers, in that marketers should be more proactive in gamifying advertisements to improve customer attitudes towards them. For social networking platform developers, it is essential to develop optimal algorithms to enhance the interactivity of the platform by taking advantage of a database to generate relevant advertising recommendations for users.

Importance of Social Networking Sites and Determining Its Impact on Brand Image and Online Shopping: An Empirical Study

Social networking influencers are those who use images, videos, and other updates on social media platforms to affect consumers’ impressions of a company or product. The purpose of this study is to assess the present status of social networking sites and the online purchase intentions of consumers. This research paper is an attempt to identify the effect of various attributes of social networking that influence credibility and brand image, eventually leading to the purchase intention of consumers in Delhi NCR (National Capital Region), India. The data were collected using Google Forms via an online questionnaire with a sample size of 262 respondents. A convenient sampling technique was used; structure equation modeling (SEM), convergent and discriminant validity, and model fitness were achieved through Smart PLS 3. This study’s findings reveal that expertise, information quality, and trustworthiness have significant positive effects on credibility and brand image, as well as a significant positive indirect effect on online purchase intention. Other factors, such as entertainment, attractiveness, and likability, have no significant effect on credibility and brand image. The credibility of social networking and brand image mediate the positive relationship between information quality, expertise, trustworthiness, and consumer online purchase intention. On the other hand, the credibility of social networking and brand image mediate the lack of a positive relationship between likability, attractiveness, entertainment, and consumer online purchase intention.

基于扩展计划行为理论的驾驶员跟驰意向分析

Road traffic flow will show the phenomenon of mixed driving of autonomous vehicles and traditional vehicles in the future. In order to explore psychological factors that affect traditional vehicle drivers' intention to follow autonomous vehicles in the human-machine hybrid driving environment, three variables of driver's understanding, risk perception, and acceptance of autonomous vehicles are introduced to construct an extended theoretical framework of planning behavior. Three hundred thirty-one subjective evaluation data are obtained through questionnaire survey. The internal consistency and reliability of the data are tested by SPSS and AMOS softwares. Finally, the path analysis and mediation effect analysis are carried out by using structural equation model to test relationship among the influencing factors. The results show that the structural equation model of driver's car-following intention based on the theory of extended planning behavior has good explanatory power for the driver's car-following intention in the mixed driving environment. Driver's behavioral attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control of autonomous vehicles have a significant positive and direct effect on driver's car-following intention. Driver's risk perception and acceptance of autonomous vehicles have a significant indirect effect on driver's car-following intention through intermediary variables, in which the effect of risk perception is negative, and the effect of acceptance is positive. The degree of understanding has both a significant positive direct effect and a significant positive indirect effect on driver's car-following intention. The research results can be used as the basis for vehicle interaction behavior analysis in the human-machine hybrid driving environment.

School-Day Physical Activity and Academic Achievement: Mediators Among US Elementary Students

ABSTRACT Introduction/Purpose It is recommended that children get 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily. Previous research on MVPA’s effect on academic achievement (AA) is inconclusive, and few studies have investigated the relationship’s mediators. This study assessed whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and body mass index (BMI) mediate the school-based MVPA–AA relationship. Methods Grade 4 students (n = 4936) were recruited in 40 elementary schools from a large, diverse US public school district. Students wore accelerometers measuring school-day MVPA for 15 d across three semesters. Academic performance data were collected from grades 3 to 5, and CRF and BMI were measured in grades 4 and 5. Multilevel modeling assessed whether BMI and CRF were mediators in the cross-sectional and longitudinal MVPA–AA relationship. Stratified analyses assessed differences in mediation by sex. Results Cross-sectional analyses found that school-day MVPA had a significant positive indirect effect through higher CRF for various teacher-assigned course grades and English language arts standardized test scores (all P < 0.001). Cross-sectional analyses found no significant mediation through BMI. Longitudinal analyses found that a 10-min increase in daily grade 4 school-day MVPA was associated with higher CRF with 0.16-, 0.09-, and 0.14-point increases in grade 5 math, reading, and writing grades, respectively (all P < 0.001). Decreased grade 4 BMI mediated a 0.06-point increase and 0.05-point increase for grade 5 math and writing grades, respectively (both P < 0.001). The total effect of school-day MVPA on AA was negative but negligible in practical terms. Stratified analyses found more evidence for positive indirect effects through CRF among females. Conclusions School-day MVPA can positively impact AA through increased CRF and (to a lesser extent) lowered BMI, but the effect is negligible. The negative total effects and positive indirect effects suggest that there are other unmeasured mediators. It remains important for schools to protect school-based physical activity given its health benefits.

COPING AND LIFE SATISFACTION OF OLDER PEOPLE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract Covid-19 put older individuals at high risk for increased morbidity and mortality, isolation, reduced coping and life satisfaction. Optimism, sense of mastery and closeness with family and friends can enhance coping and life satisfaction among older adults. No such studies were found during the pandemic. Our study examined the associations between optimism, sense of mastery, closeness with spouse, family, and friends, physical and psychological functioning and its effects on coping and life satisfaction. A national representative sample of 1,890 community dwelling older adults was obtained from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 data during March 2020-June 2021. A structural equation modeling approach used to test the associations and their direct and indirect effects on life satisfaction. Coping was seen as a mediator affecting these relationships and their effects on life satisfaction. Optimism (β = .318, p < .001), mastery (β = .195, p < .001) closeness with spouse/partner (β = .199, p < .001), closeness with children ((β = .075, p < .010), friends (β = .086, p < .001), had significant positive direct and indirect effects on life satisfaction. Frailty (β = -.137, p < .001), comorbidities (β = -.057, p < .050), and IADL limitations (β = -.118, p < .001) had negative direct effects on life satisfaction. Optimism, sense of mastery and closeness with family/friends promotes coping and life satisfaction whereas frailty and comorbidities negatively influence coping and life satisfaction of the older adults. Community interventions should target coping strategies that enhances optimism, mastery, and interpersonal closeness among older adults during pandemic.

The Influence of Organizational Culture and Work Ethics on Lecturer Competence and Performance

Introduction: Organizational culture determines the direction of individual behavior of an institution. This study aims to analyze and explain the direct influence of organizational culture on competence and the indirect influence of organizational culture on lecturer performance through competence. Analyze and explain the direct effect of work ethic on competence and the indirect effect of work ethic on lecturer performance through competence. Analyze and explain the effect of competency on lecturer performance. Method: This type of research is explanatory research with a survey approach. The sampling technique is a saturated sample with a total of 72 lecturers as respondents. The type and source of data are Primary Data. Result: The hypothesis test results prove that organizational culture has a significant positive indirect effect on lecturer performance through competence (0.031 <0.05). Work ethic significantly positively affects lecturer performance through competence significance (0.019 <0.05). Competence has a significant direct effect on performance (0.003 <0.05). Conclusion: Competence has an intervening role in organizational culture and works ethic on lecturer performance because it has a very high value. If the competency is increased by one interval, the lecturer's performance will increase.

Transforming Children's Live Experiences with Species into Conservation Willingness: The Mediating Roles of Biodiversity Knowledge and Affective Attitudes

<p style="text-align:justify">The loss of direct experiences with nature among today's children is of concern as it affects their conservation willingness (CW). While little is known about the influence of live experiences on CW, much less is known about how these events are related. This study aimed to examine the serial mediating effects of biodiversity knowledge (BK) and affective attitudes (AA) on the relationship between live experiences with species and CW. An online questionnaire was administered to 429 school children (11-12 years) in the Maldives. A two-serial mediation analysis revealed that live experiences exerted significant negative direct and positive indirect effects on CW. Thus, although a predictive sequential pathway from live experiences to BK to AA to CW was confirmed, partial mediation involving other mediators or moderators is likely. The direct effects of live experiences on BK and AA and of BK on AA suggest that experiential learning that stimulates AA is necessary to achieve overall positive impacts on CW. Therefore, educators and policymakers are critical in providing first-hand experiences to instill positive biodiversity conservation traits in children, enabling successful education for sustainable development and long-term biodiversity conservation.</p>