Significant Predictors Of Participation Research Articles

Pet attachment and owner personality.

Research points to a relationship between owner personality and strength of attachment to one's pet, with implications for psychological health. So far, studies in this area, albeit sparse, have focused on the 'Big Five' traits of owner personality. The 'Dark Triad' is a cluster of traits that has also been linked to emotional deficits, but has been overlooked in relation to pet attachment. This study therefore examined the association between owner personality and pet attachment, focusing on both the 'Big Five' and 'Dark Triad' traits of personality. A cross-sectional design was employed to collect quantitative data from dog and cat owners across the globe between May-June 2023. A purpose-designed online survey collected sociodemographic details, along with information on pet ownership, strength of the pet-owner bond and participant personality, assessed using the Big Five personality scale and the Short Dark Triad scale. The survey was fully completed by 759 dog and 179 cat owners. Analysis revealed significant correlations between many of the participants' personality traits, both within and between scales. Strength of pet attachment was positively correlated with neuroticism and conscientiousness, and, more weakly, to Machiavellianism. Regression analysis revealed that females, dog owners, people over the age of 50 and individuals who had children under 18 years to care for were more strongly attached to their pets than others. Both neuroticism and conscientiousness were found to be significant predictors of participants' pet attachment scores. None of the Dark Triad traits significantly predicted the criterion. This study points to a relationship between strength of attachment to one's pet and owner personality, at least as measured using the Big Five approach to personality assessment. There was little to support an association between the Dark Triad traits and strength of attachment to one's pet, although the link between these characteristics and attachment styles is still unknown. The investigation lends support for the idea that high attachment levels are associated with personality traits aligned to psychological ill-health. Further work is recommended in this area, with a greater focus on both strength and quality (e.g., attachment style) of the pet-owner bond.

Sun Exposure and Usage of Sun Protection: Knowledge, Perception and Practice among University Students.

Exposure to the sun is vital for the body but is associated with problem ranging from pigmentation to cancer. Therefore, knowledge about protective measures is critical. This study aims to assess undergraduate students' knowledge, perception and practices towards the adverse effects of sun exposure and the usage of sun-protective measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 September 2022 and 20 September 2022 using a web-based questionnaire. Undergraduate students from medical and non-medical colleges in Iraqi universities participated in this study. Descriptive and inferential statistics and logistic regression were performed to analyse the data. A total of 655 students participated in this study. The knowledge level of more than one-half of the students (53%) was inadequate. Approximately three-quarters of the study sample used sunscreens products. Skin type was the main factor in choosing the appropriate sunscreen product. Media and advice from specialists were the main factors affecting participants' usage of sunscreens. Gender (females), college (medical), year(s) of study (sixth), residence (urban), daily sun exposure (1 h-3 h) and less-than-normal vitamin D levels were found to be significantly associated with better knowledge (P-value < 0.05). Age, gender, being a student in medical colleges and not knowing vitamin D levels were found to be significant predictors of participants' knowledge. The low level of knowledge reported among the participants' calls for more attention from health authorities in educating the public about the harmful effects of sun exposure and the importance of adopting protective measures.

Factors Affecting the Participating Intention in Online Voter Contact: A Case Study of Long An Province

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing online voter contact intention in Long An province, based on merging the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) and TPB (Theory of Planned Behavior) frameworks. Analysis conducted using PLS-SEM with a sample size of 201 participants reveals that perceived usefulness is the most significant predictor of participants’ attitudes. The constructs of TPB, including attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control, exhibit positive and statistically significant effects on the intention to participate in online voter contact. The findings of this study have several implications for agencies involved in promoting policies related to online voter contact.&#x0D;

Future career expectations of college students - the contribution of disability status, self-advocacy, self-efficacy, and support

ABSTRACT This study examined future career expectations of college students with and without learning disabilities (LD) and/or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) while focusing on the contribution of academic self-efficacy, self-advocacy, and family and academic support. Among participants with disabilities, assistance from support centres was also examined. Participants were 342 college students: 179 with LD and/or ADHD and 163 without disabilities. They completed a self-advocacy questionnaire, a general academic self-efficacy scale, a future expectations scale, and a background questionnaire. Whereas students with LD and/or ADHD reported lower levels of academic self-efficacy than students without disabilities, there were no significant differences between the two groups in future expectations. One component of self-advocacy (knowledge of self), family support, and academic self-efficacy were significant predictors of participants’ future career expectations. When participants with disabilities were examined separately, only knowledge of self and academic self-efficacy were significant predictors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Gender Role Ideology, Ambivalent Sexism, and Homonegativity as Predictors of Individuals’ Attitudes Toward Stalking and Its Victims

ABSTRACT Stalking is a public health concern that affects both heterosexual and non-heterosexual individuals. Consequences to victims include being blamed for their stalking victimization and having their victimization minimized by others. However, less research has been conducted regarding attitudes toward non-heterosexual stalking victims and the fear individuals feel for stalking victims in general. Therefore, using a scenario-based approach, we examined how participants blamed stalking victims, minimized stalking incidents, and felt subjective fear for heterosexual and non-heterosexual stalking victims in hypothetical scenarios. Participants were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk for two separate research studies. In Study 1, participants read about heterosexual stalking situations, and in Study 2, participants read about same-gender stalking situations. Participants responded to dependent variable questionnaires that assessed blame, minimization, and subjective fear. Participants also responded to predictor variables questionnaires that assessed gender role ideology, ambivalent sexism, attitudes toward lesbian women, and attitudes toward gay men. MANOVAs and simultaneous multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the hypotheses. There were no main effects of participant gender or hypothetical scenarios for either of the two research studies regarding blame, minimization, or subjective fear. However, gender role ideology, ambivalent sexism, and homonegativity were significant predictors of participants’ attitudes toward stalking. Explanation for the current studies’ findings and implications of these findings were discussed.

Boreout at the Office: The Role of Leisure Boredom in Predicting Job Burnout and Social Media Addiction

ABSTRACTIn this study, we aimed to examine the levels of leisure boredom, job burnout and social media addiction according to some variables, and the predictive power of the leisure boredom on job burnout and social media addiction was determined. In this quantitative study, the relational screening model was used. Convenience sampling method was preferred in determining the study group. 224 women (54.7%) and 185 men (45.2%) participated in the study. The results indicated that women had higher levels of job burnout than men. Furthermore, individuals who regularly participated in physical activity had lower levels of job burnout and leisure boredom. In addition, the study determined that participants’ virtual tolerance and virtual communication levels increased with an increase in their daily social media use frequency. The results revealed that leisure boredom was a significant predictor of participants’ job burnout and social media addiction. It can be inferred that as participants’ leisure boredom increased, their job burnout and social media addiction increased.Keywords: Job Burnout, Leisure Boredom, Social Media Addiction.

Exploring Socioeconomic, Demographic and Psychological Predictors of At-risk Gambling and Participation in Specific Gambling Activities: A Comparative Approach.

In this research, we aimed to provide a comparative examination of at-risk gambling and four types of gambling activities from the standpoint of socioeconomic, demographic and psychological factors. Using data collected from 7,385 adults aged 18-64 from Serbia, we investigated how specific variables contribute to the likelihood of participation in lottery playing, sports betting, casino games, and slot games across the three time frames (lifetime, last year, and last month), and at-risk gambling. Logistic regressions revealed that male sex, ages 18 to 34, drug use, harmful alcohol use, and elevated levels of distress were significant predictors of participation in any point of life in sports betting, casino games, and slot games, and at-risk gambling. Secondary education, residing in an urban area, and harmful alcohol use predicted - across three time frames - the engagement in lottery playing, sports betting, and slot games playing, respectively. Smoking, and specifically heavy smoking, was shown to be predictive of lifetime participation in all types of gambling, while having single marital status and being unemployed emerged as the factors increasing the odds for the last-month slot games playing. Notably, the 18 to 24 age cohort turned out to be the most vulnerable part of the population, as they displayed the largest odds for at-risk gambling, and both lifetime and last-year involvement in sports betting, casino games, and slot games playing. This highlights the necessity of targeted public health interventions for the young adult population and people who experiment or already experience problems related to substance use.

Benefits of a short course on mental health well-being and resilience for healthcare workers in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe study explored whether an asynchronous short online course in mental health well-being and resilience for healthcare workers (HCWs) showed improved self-reported results among participants during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive cross-sectional study evaluated the course outcomes using the 10-item Connor and Davison's Resilience Scale, the World Health Organization's WHO-five well-being index and self-developed questions. Data were collected via online questionnaires before and after course completion.FindingsA total of 1 301 HCWs participated. The highest proportion of participants was from South Africa (SA) (93.7%) and females (78.7%). Analysed mean pre- and post-training scores showed increased scores in all five domains: knowledge, confidence in course outcomes, behaviour, resilience and well-being. Confidence in the course outcomes was the only common significant construct for both well-being and resilience. Mindfulness activities (β = 0.12, 95%CI [0.032, 0.213], p = 0.008) and self-care behaviours (β = 0.14, 95%CI [0.035, 0.241], p = 0.009) were significant predictors of participants' well-being. Coping mechanisms for stress (β = 0.12, 95%CI [0.036, 0.21], p = 0.006) and connecting with a social support network (β = 0.085, 95%CI [0.0007, 0.17], p = 0.048) were significant predictors of participants' resilience. Those working in the private sector, those working in clinical settings and those who were female showed significant associations with well-being and resilience.Research limitations/implicationsThe results are self-reported data which may be susceptible to social desirability and acquiescent effects. There are no guarantees that positive effects observed during this study are sustained over time. The study sample was selective in that it excluded those who did not consent for the use of their data and those who did not complete the course.Originality/valueThe research is noteworthy as literature shows that female HCWs tend to have worse mental health outcomes than males in the same field. Online learning can enable HCWs to conveniently access mental health education, accommodate their work commitments and explore topics that are potentially stigmatising.

Predicting sense of coherence among caregiving partners of persons with multiple sclerosis.

Within the framework of the Salutogenic Model of Health, this study aimed to investigate sense of coherence among caregiving partners of persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), and its relationship with perceived social support and illness beliefs conceived as generalized resistance resources in tension management. In this cross-sectional study, 398 caregiving partners of PwMS (Mage = 44.62; 34.9% women and 65.1% men) filled in questionnaires measuring sense of coherence (Sense of Coherence Scale-13), perceived social support from family, friends and significant others (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), and illness beliefs (Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire). Hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to assess the contribution of perceived support and illness beliefs to sense of coherence, controlling for sociodemographic and clinical variables. Perceived support from family and beliefs concerning illness-related emotional representations, illness coherence, and treatment control emerged as significant predictors of participants' sense of coherence. Higher perceived support from family and stronger beliefs in illness coherence and treatment control were associated with higher sense of coherence, while more negative emotional representations were related to lower sense of coherence values. Findings lend support to the relevance of a salutogenic approach to caregiving in multiple sclerosis. They further suggest the usefulness of interventions that can promote caregivers' sense of coherence and successful coping in life by benefitting from family support, favoring the construction of a coherent illness view, offering comprehensive information and expert guidance on treatment and rehabilitation opportunities, and promoting adaptive management of negative emotions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Fifth-Grade Multilingual Learners’ Emotional Capital, Approaches to Learning, and Reading Achievement

ABSTRACT Drawing on the data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011), this paper used structural equation modeling to investigate the relations among emotional capital (behavioral engagement, school belonging, grit, peer social support, and life satisfaction), approaches to learning, and reading achievement of 942 fifth graders who speak a home language other than English. Results first endorse the five components as indicators of emotional capital. Additionally, participants’ emotional capital is significantly associated with their fifth-grade approaches to learning, controlling for background variables, instructional variables, and previous approaches to learning. Furthermore, participants’ emotional capital significantly, directly predicts their fifth-grade reading achievement, and indirectly predicts their reading achievement through their fifth-grade approaches to learning, controlling for background variables and previous reading achievement. Finally, gender and being identified as an English Language Learner at school are significant predictors of participants’ emotional capital.

A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Study of Midwestern Latino Parents Participation and Preferences for Parenting Education Programs.

Parenting programs are an important tool that can provide support for parents and families and improve family functioning. This concurrent nested QUANT + qual mixed methods study sought to better understand parenting education program participation and examine format, delivery, and content preferences for parenting programs among Latino parents in Nebraska. Results from a statewide survey (N = 173) indicated that 31.4% of parents in the sample had participated in a parenting program. Significant predictors of participation in parenting education programs included being unmarried, not working full-time, having a higher income, and having excellent or very good health. Major barriers to participation included lack of information about available programs and logistical concerns. Focus group participants discussed key program design concerns which included: (1) cultural clashes related to acculturation gaps between parents and children; (2) cultural relevance of programming; (3) logistical considerations; and (4) the inclusion of technology to enhance parenting. Overall, participants were particularly interested in group-based learning, flexible scheduling, and improving the cultural relevance of programs. Implications for program design and outreach to improve Latino parents' access and willingness to participate in parenting education programs are presented. Future research should explore the effectiveness of parenting program implementation and dissemination with Latino parents in rural communities, if there are differences in the benefits of parenting programs by Latino subgroup or level of acculturation, and assess the impact of near-peers in the delivery of parenting programs with Latinos.

The effects of expressions of fear induced by background music on reading comprehension

BackgroundResearch has suggested that background music can have a positive or negative effect that can influence the affective state of individuals. Although research has demonstrated that fear negatively influences our cognitive performance, there is a research gap in understanding the combined effects of different background music tempo and fear in influencing reading comprehension performance.MethodsData were collected from 70 participants enrolled at a public university in Canada. Participants were required to listen to background music of varying speeds with three conditions (no music, slow music and fast music). We adopted a cross‐sectional multi‐level modelling approach for the main analyses, and further analyses using t‐test and ANOVA.ResultsResults indicated that expression of fear was not a significant predictor of participants' reading comprehension performance (Model 1). However, when music condition was added (Model 2) in addition to expression of fear, a significant relationship between reading comprehension performance and music condition was found, showing better reading comprehension performance in the slow music condition than in the no music condition. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction effect between music condition and expression of fear on reading comprehension performance (Model 3). Importantly, not all individuals were affected by the music to the same extent, with the possibility that baseline level of fear being the key issue in influencing comprehension performance.ConclusionsConsidering both expression of fear and music condition is required to understand the combined effects on cognitive performance. Expression of fear during cognitive tasks such as reading could be an essential signal that interventions should be applied. Such strategies may be especially beneficial for task performers with higher baseline levels of fear and possibly provide us with insights for best practice and research implications in the field of reading comprehension among individuals with special needs.

The interplay between social media virality metrics and message framing in influence perception of pro-environmental messages and behavioral intentions

Present study explored how message framing (gain vs loss) and social media virality metrics (e.g. the number of ‘likes’ and ‘shares’; SMVM) affect pro-environmental message’s influence perception and behavioral intention. In a 2 (framing: gain vs loss) × 2 (SMVM: high vs low) between-subjects experiment (N = 404), participants were exposed to Facebook posts about mitigating climate change. Major findings indicate: (1) gain framing, compared to loss, resulted in increased social desirability perception of pro-environmental messages when they are accompanied by high numbers of likes and shares; (2) social desirability perception mediated the effect of message framing on third person perception (TPP) but not on second person perception (SPP); (3) numbers of likes and shares affected participants’ message influence perceptions (TPP and SPP), and this was mediated by social desirability perception; and (4) message influence perceptions were found to be significant predictors of participants’ intentions for climate change mitigation actions. Study results implicate that SMVM can signal media content popularity and this can further affect social desirability and influence perceptions of the content. Message framing appeared to have an effect on how one thinks media content influence other people, especially in the presence of high levels of endorsement by others. The potential role of SPP, the perception of shared media influence, in augmenting public awareness and engagement is discussed in detail.

GENERATION Z CONSUMERS’ GREEN FOOD CONSUMPTION INTENTION

The study aims to provide food businesses’ guide in formulating green food marketing campaigns. The study is anchored in the theory of planned behavior. The study used awareness of green foods as an extension variable. The research design is quantitative with descriptive, exploratory, and explanatory nature. It used descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson r correlation, and multiple linear regression for data analysis. The Generation Z of Laguna, Philippines was highly aware of the features of green foods as healthy, quality, and environmentally safe foods. The attitude was found to be the most significant predictor of participants’ green food consumption behavioral intention. Managers are suggested to draw insights from the study in formulating a green food marketing campaign to encourage Generation Z consumers to consume green foods. Though convenience sampling limits the generalizability of the results, managers are still expected to benefit from the analytical generalizations that can be generated from the study.

Physical education teachers' attitudes toward inclusion of students with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.

The attitudes of physical education (PE) teachers toward inclusion are critical to the successful provision of inclusive teaching for students with disabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of Saudi Arabian PE teachers toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE classes and the effect of sociodemographic variables (e.g., gender and length of teaching experience) on their attitudes toward inclusion. A total of 1,314 PE teachers (M age = 41.09, SD = 9.40, females = 42.8%) completed the Arabic version of the Sentiments, Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education-Revised Scale (SACIE-R). Analyses found that, in general, PE teachers had moderately positive attitudes toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE lessons. A significant difference was found between the two genders in their attitudes toward inclusion. Specifically, female PE teachers demonstrated more positive attitudes toward inclusion than males. Multiple linear regression analysis, meanwhile, showed that the length of teaching experience and the experience of teaching a student with a disability were significant predictors of participants' attitudes toward inclusion. Our findings highlighted the importance of reconsidering the quality of PE teachers' experiences and interactions with students with disabilities as a means to improving their attitudes, which in turn would translate into successful inclusion.

Self-awareness predicts fitness to drive among adults referred to occupational therapy evaluation.

Driving is associated with independence, well-being, quality of life, and an active lifestyle. Driving requires cognitive, motor, and visual skills, including self-awareness and processing speed. This study examines whether driver self-awareness, motor processing speed, and cognitive processing speed can predict fitness to drive among individuals referred to occupational therapy evaluation due to concerns about their driving ability. In this cross-sectional study, 39 participants were referred to off- and on-road driving evaluation to determine their fitness to drive due to changes in health status, advanced age, license renewal requirement, or prior automobile accidents. A registered occupational therapist (OT) classified 23 of the participants as fit to drive and 16 as unfit to drive. Motor and cognitive processing speed were assessed by the Stationary Perception-Reaction Timer and the Color Trails Test, respectively. Driving self-awareness was assessed by comparing the DI and OT evaluations to the participants' estimation of their own on-road driving performance. The fit-to-drive participants had a better motor and cognitive processing speed than those unfit-to-drive. The unfit-to-drive group overestimated their driving ability, whereas the fit-to-drive group accurately or almost accurately estimated their driving ability. Driving self-awareness was a significant predictor of participants' fitness to drive. This study demonstrates the importance of self-awareness for predicting fitness to drive among people at risk for compromised driving skills. Thus, driving self-awareness should be addressed as part of fitness-to-drive evaluations and interventions.

Investigating the Relationship between Emotional Well-being and Grit as Predictors of Saudi EFL Female Students’ Foreign Language Achievement

Research into language learning psychology has shown that personality and psychological traits have influenced learners’ academic outcomes. Nevertheless, the literature contains very little research into the positive psychology of language learners and positive constructs such as grit and well-being. Consequently, this study aimed to examine how the psychological factors of well-being and grit impact the academic achievement of foreign language Saudi female learners concerning their age. Thus, this study attempted to determine the possible statistical relationships between grit, emotional well-being, and foreign language achievement for Saudi female EFL learners. To answer this central research question, the data were obtained via an online survey of 84 Saudi EFL female college-level students. Pearson correlational tests and hierarchical regression tests were used for statistical analyses. The findings revealed that: (1) grit had a positive and significant correlation with well-being levels; 2) grit (perseverance of effort-POE) had a significant and positive relationship with well-being; (3) well-being and grit were significant predictors of participants’ academic achievement, and (4) older EFL learners had higher grit levels than their younger peers. The results imply that understanding the positive psychology of language learners contributes to helping them to achieve academic success. Based on these findings, several pedagogical implications were suggested

Self-reported emotional health and social support but not executive function are associated with participation after stroke

ABSTRACT Background Participation restrictions continue to be prevalent for community-dwelling stroke survivors. Research is needed to understand the associated post-stroke factors that limit or facilitate optimal participation and quality of life. Objectives To investigate emotional health, executive functioning (EF), and social support as predictors of participation restrictions post-stroke. Methods Cross-sectional data collected from participants ≥ 6 months after mild stroke with and without aphasia (N = 114) were analyzed using three participation outcome measures: Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNL), Activity Card Sort (ACS), and the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) Version 2.0 Participation/Role Function domain. Predictor variables investigated were emotional health (SIS Emotion domain scores), EF (Delis Kaplan Executive Function System Trail Making Condition 4: DKEFS), social support (Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey: MOS-SSS), stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale: NIHSS), and education level. Results Using multiple regression, these predictors accounted for 26.4% to 40% of the variance for the three participation outcomes. Emotional health was a significant independent predictor across all three measures. Social support was a significant predictor of participation as measured on the RNL. Executive function was not a significant predictor of participation when controlling for the other predictor variables. Conclusions Emotional health and social support should be considered as modifiable factors that could optimize meaningful participation and quality of life.

The impact of driving time on participation in colorectal cancer screening with sigmoidoscopy and faecal immunochemical blood test

BackgroundHigh participation rates are important for a colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programme to be effective. Having a long travelling distance to screening centres may impede participation. MethodsWe analysed the association between driving time from home address to screening centre and participation among individuals invited to screening with faecal immunochemical test (FIT) (n = 68,624) or sigmoidoscopy (n = 46,076) in a randomized trial in Norway in 2012–17. Two screening centres were involved. We fitted multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and health characteristics, and reported odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). ResultsParticipation rates were 58.9 % (n = 40,445) for FIT and 51.9 % (n = 23,911) for sigmoidoscopy. In sigmoidoscopy, participation was 56.9 % and 47.9 % in those living < 20 and > 60 min by car from the screening centres, respectively. For each 10 min driving time increase, OR for participating in sigmoidoscopy screening was 0.93 (95 % CI 0.91–0.95). There was a significant difference between the two screening centres (p-value for heterogeneity <0.001). Participation in FIT screening were 61.2 % and 57.1 % in those with < 20 and > 60 min driving time, respectively, and the OR was 0.98 (95 % CI 0.96–0.99) for each 10 min increase (heterogeneity between screening methods, P-value <0.001). Among those with a positive FIT, compliance to colonoscopy was higher in those living < 20 compared to > 60 min from the centres (95.1 % vs. 92.9 %, respectively, OR 0.86; 95 % CI 0.77–0.93 for each 10 min increase). ConclusionsDriving time to screening centre was a significant predictor of participation, mainly in sigmoidoscopy. There were local differences in the impact of driving time on participation. Driving time also affected compliance to colonoscopy after a positive FIT. When planning a CRC screening programme, one should consider offering people living far from screening sites special assistance to facilitate their participation.

Visual images of the biological microcosmos: Viewers’ perception of realism, preference, and desire to explore

Visual images are crucial for communicating science in educational contexts and amongst practitioners. Reading images contributes to meaning-making in society at large, and images are fundamental communicative tools in public spaces such as science centers. Here, visitors are exposed to a range of static, dynamic, and digital visual representations accessible through various multimodal and interactive possibilities. Images conveying scientific phenomena differ to what extent they represent real objects, and include photographs, schematic illustrations, and measurement-based models. Depicting realism in biological objects, structures and processes through images differs with respect to, inter alia, shading, color, and surface texture. Although research has shown that aspects of these properties can both potentially benefit and impair interpretation, little is known about their impact on viewers’ visual preference and inclination for further exploration. Therefore the aim of this study is to investigate what effect visual properties have on visitors’ perception of biological images integrated in an interactive science center exhibit. Visitors responded to a questionnaire designed to assess the impact of three indicators of realism (shading, color, and surface texture) and biological content (e.g., cells and viruses) on participants’ preferences, perceptions of whether biological images depicted real objects, and their desire to further explore images. Inspired by discrete choice experiments, image pairs were systematically varied to allow participants to make direct choices between images with different properties. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the three indicators of realism were all significant predictors of participants’ assessments that images depict real objects. Shadows emerged as a significant predictor of preference for further exploration together with the presence of cells in the image. Correlation analysis indicated that images that were more often selected as depicting real objects were also more often selected for further exploration. We interpret the results in terms of construal level theory in that a biological image perceived as a realistic portrayal would induce a desire for further exploration. The findings have implications for considering the role of realism and preference in the design of images for communicating science in public spaces.