Social Environment Research Articles

For the Sake of Knowledge: The Epistemic Value of Other-Regarding Epistemic Virtues

AbstractThis paper examines the epistemic value of other-regarding epistemic virtues, challenging the common view that these virtues are primarily moral in nature. To this end, it proposes a new framework to explain the role of epistemic virtues: the Epistemic Social Environment (ESE). It is argued that the value of an epistemic virtue stems from its contribution to a healthy ESE. This approach enables a broader and unified theory of epistemic virtues, emphasising their role in the communal production of knowledge. Ultimately, the paper aims to reconcile virtue epistemology with insights from social epistemology, offering a comprehensive account of the epistemic value of sharing knowledge.

An Evidence-Based Comprehensive Review of Laughter Therapy in Depression Management

Abstract: Depression is a widespread mental health challenge, necessitating diverse therapeutic approaches. Emerging research suggests that laughter may offer a valuable adjunctive intervention for individuals grappling with depressive symptoms. This review systematically investigates the multifaceted relationship between laughter and depression, elucidating the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic benefits. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Keywords used in the search included “laughter therapy,” “humor,” “depression,” “mental health,” and “psychological well-being.” The search was limited to articles published in English and included both peer-reviewed journal articles and relevant gray literature. Relevant data were extracted from each study, including the study design, sample size, participant characteristics, type of laughter intervention, duration and frequency of the intervention, outcome measures, and key findings. The extracted data were organized into tables to facilitate comparison across studies. By synthesizing findings from clinical studies, neuroscience research, and anecdotal evidence, this review examines the physiological, psychological, and social dimensions of laughter's impact on depression. Special attention is given to neurochemical pathways, stress modulation, cognitive restructuring, and social dynamics. The physiological effects of laughter on depression encompass neurochemical regulation (endorphins, serotonin, dopamine), stress reduction, and immune system modulation. Psychologically, laughter contributes to cognitive reframing, enhanced coping mechanisms, and mood regulation. Socially, it strengthens social bonds, mitigates social isolation, and fosters a positive social environment. In conclusion, this review synthesizes current knowledge on the healing potential of laughter in mitigating depression, providing a holistic understanding of its multifaceted impact. The findings underscore the importance of integrating laughter-based interventions into mental health care practices and highlight avenues for future research and clinical applications in the realm of depression treatment.

Raising Spiritual and Educational Work To A New Level In Uzbekistan, Studying The State Of The Socio-Spiritual Environment, and Technologies For Its Improvement

This article analyzes the technologies for elevating spiritual and educational activities in Uzbekistan to a new level, studying and improving the socio-spiritual environment. It examines the composition of the social environment, the spirituality of youth, problems in the education system, and the role of mass media. Methods for solving existing problems through innovative approaches, educational programs, and modern technologies are proposed. The article emphasizes the necessity of joint efforts by the state and the public in enhancing social values and provides practical recommendations aimed at educating future generations.

Individualistic reward-seeking strategies that predict response to nicotine emerge among isogenic male mice living in a micro-society.

Individual animals differ in their traits and preferences, which shape their social interactions, survival, and susceptibility to disease, including addiction. Nicotine use is highly heterogenous and has been linked to the expression of personality traits. Although these relationships are well documented, we have limited understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms that give rise to distinct behavioral profiles and their connection to nicotine susceptibility. To address this question, we conducted a study using a semi-natural and social environment called "Souris-City" to observe the long-term behavior of individual male mice. Souris-City provided both a communal living area and a separate test area where mice engaged in a reward-seeking task isolated from their peers. Mice developed individualistic reward-seeking strategies when choosing between water and sucrose in the test compartment, which, in turn, predicted how they adapted to the introduction of nicotine as a reinforcer. Moreover, the profiles mice developed while isolated in the test area correlated with their behavior within the social environment, linking decision-making strategies to the expression of behavioral traits. Neurophysiological markers of adaptability within the dopamine system were apparent upon nicotine challenge and were associated with specific profiles. Our findings suggest that environmental adaptations influence behavioral traits and sensitivity to nicotine by acting on dopaminergic reactivity in the face of nicotine exposure, potentially contributing to addiction susceptibility. These results further emphasize the importance of understanding interindividual variability in behavior to gain insight into the mechanisms of decision-making and addiction.

Exploring the Role of Business Incubators to Sustainable Startups: A Systematic Literature Review

Business incubators play a crucial role in fostering the sustainability and growth of early-stage startups. They provide access, financial support, training, infrastructure, connections with investors, and more. However, many business incubators do not effectively maximize startup potential. This study aims to systematically review and analyze the key characteristics contributing to the role of business incubators in promoting sustainable startups. The study will follow the PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and employ document analysis integrating multiple research designs, based on established standards. It will compile and analyze 68 articles from global sources, utilizing open-access articles and accessing primary databases such as Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus for article retrieval. Through content analysis, this study identified fifteen main categories that significantly impact startup businesses: (1) financial support, (2) business support and services, (3) networking support, (4) mentoring activities, (5) infrastructure, (6) human capital, (7) access to knowledge and information, (8) social values and environment, (9) marketing capabilities and support, (10) technology support, (11) entrepreneurship education (courses and curriculum), (12) programs, projects, and events, (13) research and development support, (14) government policy support, and (15) legitimacy involvement. The findings highlight five main aspects—financial, business, networking, mentoring, and infrastructure—as crucial for effective startup support and implementation. From an economic sociology perspective, these articles discuss the dynamic roles of business incubators, emphasizing urgent factors and essential designs for success in the face of future challenges.

An Analysis of Student Satisfaction and its Relationship with Academic and Social Factors in University Dropout

Over the last 50 years, Higher Education has experienced significant development, which has been associated with challenges that have yet to be solved. In this sense, university dropout is a global phenomenon that worries universities all over the world. Many research studies describe the possible causes of this phenomenon, but the most interesting are those that, due to their predictive potential, have the possibility of preventing it. The aim of this article is to study how important students perceive the different reasons for dropout in relation to the idea of abandoning the degree. For this purpose, the Spanish version of the Questionnaire of Motives for Higher Education Dropout (QMA_es; Almeida et al., 2019) was applied to a sample of 927 first- and second-year university students. These data have been processed using educational data mining (EDM) techniques, obtaining a decision tree that correctly classifies the sample in 81.1%. The results show that variables related to student satisfaction (satisfaction with academic choice, satisfaction with performance, and satisfaction with the financial situation) and to the academic and social environments play a predominant role in the approach to dropout, above other institutional, financial, and wellbeing variables.

Gender and violent crime modify associations between greenspace and cardiovascular disease mortality in Philadelphia, PA

Few studies have explored variability of associations between greenspace and cardiovascular (CVD) mortality according to demographic or neighborhood contextual factors. We estimated overall and sex-stratified associations between greenspace and CVD mortality rates in Philadelphia, PA, and quantified effect modification of the sex-stratified associations by neighborhood violent crime rates. Sex- and age-stratified census tract CVD mortality rates (years 2008–2015) were linked with proportion tree canopy cover, grass/shrub cover, and total vegetation cover, and proportion of adult residents reporting access to a park. We used multivariable negative binomial models to estimate overall and sex-stratified associations between neighborhood greenspace and CVD mortality rates, and quantified effect modification by tract-level rates of violent crime. Higher proportion tree canopy cover and higher proportion adults reporting access to parks were associated with modestly lower rates of CVD mortality, with more pronounced estimates in males than females. In tracts with higher rates of crime, higher tree canopy coverage and perceived park access were associated with lower CVD mortality rates. We did not observe strong evidence of sex-based differences in interaction between neighborhood crime rates and greenspace. Results from this study reveal variability of associations between greenspace and CVD mortality rates according to sex categories, and according to neighborhood social environments. There is a need for further research exploring the extent to which differences in perceived safety explain gender-based differences in associations between greenspace and cardiovascular outcomes.

Democratic Civic Engagement in Occupational Therapy

Democratic adult education (AE) promotes social change through active and pragmatic learning. This learning considers the impact of individual, community, organization, and broader cultural influences. Democratic civic engagement (DCE) in higher education institutions (HEIs) emphasizes inclusive participation and reciprocity. These values are deeply grounded in democratic adult education (AE) practice and community problem-solving processes in practice-based professions like Occupational Therapy (OT). In this article, we examine a new graduate OT program in the northeast region of the US and the roles of OT stakeholders as co-creators and co-educators in both institutional and community education settings. We highlight how this program is grounded in DCE which helps bridge the gap between an academic program (OT within HEI) and the broader social environment (interlocking systems not built to support diverse lived experiences) using a DCE model.

Analisis Pengaruh Implementasi Teori Vygotsky Terhadap Pembelajaran Di Kelas

Vygostky's learning theory discussed in this article was pioneered by a figure named Lev Vygotsky who argued that learning is a social process. According to him, children have expertise in developing knowledge starting from social interactions with their social environment. One of the applications is cooperative learning conducted in a group, which contains a group of children who have different abilities to work together and help each other. Vygotsky's theory has the advantage that students are able to think together in solving problems so that the problem can be solved, but it also has the disadvantage that the time needed is longer because of the different abilities of students. The writing of this article aims to find out the history of the Vygotsky theorist, the concept of Vygotsky theory, the implementation of Vygotsky theory in education and its influence in learning. The author uses literature review and questionnaire methods in writing this article. The results obtained from this study were that some of the respondents felt helped by the implementation of Vygotsky's theory in learning, while others did not feel helped or neutral.

Hymer and the theory of the MNE: A commentary

AbstractThis article provides a commentary on the paper by Pitelis and Piteli on Hymer as the pioneer of the theory of the multinational enterprise (MNE). I suggest that Stephen Hymer and his contemporary, John Dunning, also laid the foundation for an analysis of an international business (IB) system, which reaches well beyond the theory of the MNE and its strategy. I argue firstly that early IB theories, including Hymer's, which emerged from the late 1950s onwards, mostly had a holistic view of the IB system, of which the MNE was just one element. Secondly, I contend that both Hymer and Dunning developed from the outset some seminal ideas on the interrelationships that exist between the MNE and its strategy, on the one hand, and the wider economic and social environment in which firms are embedded, on the other. I suggest that Dunning's eclectic paradigm was intended as a framework for the study of the IB system in its entirety as a complex, relational system. Thirdly, while Hymer's ideas on cross‐border geographic hierarchy, uneven development and IB were highly original and remain relevant today, they need to be substantially updated and revised in the current IB context, as opposed to the context which prevailed in the IB system of the 1950s through to the 1970s.

The influence of the social environment on the development of critical thinking skills in young people: A study in the city of Durres, Albania

Critical thinking is an essential skill for individuals, especially young people, enabling them to analyze and evaluate information to make informed decisions. Young people who are able to make informed decisions have the opportunity to improve their future and contribute to a better society. In Albania, the level of development of young people's critical thinking skills, according to the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), is very low. In this context, this work aims to explore the social environments that influence the development of critical thinking in young people. The study employed quantitative and qualitative approaches, as well as an analysis of secondary data extracted from similar studies. The quantitative method consists of the analysis of a questionnaire that was completed by 260 young people from 15–30 years of age. The study data show that schools, society, and social media play a very important role in the development of young people's critical thinking skills. The data confirmed that the socioeconomic status of families influences critical thinking abilities. This highlights the importance of supporting young people from all walks of life to ensure that they all have the opportunity to develop critical thinking, regardless of social background. The findings of this study are important for understanding and fostering the development of critical thinking skills in young people. This research supports teachers, parents, policymakers, researchers, and others in their efforts.

The Understanding America Study (UAS)

PurposeThe Understanding America Study (UAS) is a probability-based Internet panel housed at the Center for Economic and Social Research at the University of Southern California (USC). The UAS serves as...

Physician development through interprofessional workplace interactions: A critical review.

Increasingly, medical training aims to develop physicians who are competent collaborators. Although interprofessional interactions are inevitable elements of medical trainees' workplace learning experiences, the existing literature lacks a cohesive model to conceptualise the learning potential residing in these interactions. We conducted a critical review of the health professions and related educational literatures to generate an empirically and theoretically informed description of medical trainees' workplace interactions with other health professionals, including learning mechanisms and outcomes. Informed by Teunissen's conceptualisation of workplace learning, we highlight the individual, social and situated dimensions of learning from interprofessional workplace interactions. Workplace interactions between medical trainees and other health professionals tend to be brief, spontaneous, informal and often implicit without the predefined educational goals and roles that structure trainees' relationships with physician supervisors. Yet they hold potential for developing trainees' knowledge and skills germane to the work of a physician as well as building their capacity for collaboration. Our review identified a spectrum of learning theories helpful for examining what and how trainees learn from these interactions. Self-regulated learning theories focus attention on how learning depends on trainees interpreting and judging the cues offered by other health professionals. Sociocultural frameworks including the zone of proximal development and legitimate peripheral participation emphasise the ways other health professionals support trainees in performing tasks at the border of their abilities and facilitate trainees' participation in clinical work. Both the landscapes of practice theory and cultural historical activity theory highlight the influence of surrounding social, cultural and material environments. These theories are unified into cohesive model and demonstrated through an illustrative example. Interprofessional workplace interactions harbour a range of learning opportunities for medical trainees. Capitalising on their potential can contribute to training collaborative practice-ready physicians alongside traditional intra-professional interactions between physicians and merits future research.

The Role of Faith and Moral Education in Generation Z and Generation Alpha to Welcome the Golden Indonesia 2045

The great vision of the Indonesian nation is towards the Golden Indonesia 2045. To establish this vision, it is necessary to have moral education as a basic capital for Generation Z and Generation Alpha as an internal fortress in facing challenges in the future. However, many moral decline behaviors continue to be shown by Generation Z and Generation Alpha, even though this generation is the hope of the Indonesian nation in the future. So the purpose of this study is to the role of moral education in Generation Z and Generation Alpha in welcoming the golden Indonesia 2045. The research method used is Library Research with a descriptive approach. The results of the study show that moral education is the key as part of the moral values ​​of religious-Pancasilaism to the two generations. Because through faith (nature) moral education (nurture) is born as an internal and external factor in humans to filter bad influences that come from within or from outside. The future of Indonesia is at stake because it is in the hands of Generation Z and Generation Alpha. Therefore, through the synergy of multi-connected projections of positive trends in faith and moral education in the family environment, educational environment, and social community environment as a manifestation and embodiment of nature and nurture from the cradle to the present and the future, it can shape generation Z and generation Alpha into a religious-Pancasilaist generation as a great capital to lead the Indonesian nation in the future. Keywords: Faith and Morals, Generation Z, Generation Alpha

المعنى المشترك وجماليات الخطاب في التصميم الداخلي

Designers seek to create a design product that is dialogic and communicative with the largest number of segments of society, with visual formations that prepare for a spatial environment that is distinguished by intellectual richness and seeks to communicate with minds. Then, the design represents a visual discourse that influences the recipient, as an intentional message that reaches his imagination with its idea, including the aesthetic meanings inherent in it, and what its intellectual and semantic content carries, the aim of which is to reach a common meaning between the designer and the recipient so that the designer can lead the recipient's behavior according to the ideas presented by the design. Therefore, the research problem was formulated with the following question: "Is interior design concerned with visual formations to highlight formal values that aim to improve the aesthetic taste through the visual reception system of the recipient only, or is it an ideology that indicates that these formations are more than just what the eye sees because of their connection to the shared latent meaning between the designer and the recipient, which is reflected in the nature of collective behavior?" The research aimed to "reveal the data of the aesthetic image of the formal discourse by translating the latter into an internal space that gives the recipient interpretations that are in harmony with what the designer is going for as a directed message with intent and meaning." The research came out with a set of conclusions, the most important of which are: The design product constitutes a message with a clear meaning when it is a reflection of the social, cultural, material and geographical environment of the design context through the aesthetic formations of the design discourse, and that the reception mechanism is not destined to succeed unless the designer has a specific idea that reflects the privacy of society and the identity of the place through what the design broadcasts in order to obtain a clear and easy response from the recipient and decipher the symbols of the discourse and enjoy its connotations and goals.

EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS AND NEEDS OF TRIBAL STUDENTS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL IN ALIPURDUAR DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

India is home to over 84.4 million tribal people, or Adivasis, who represent some of the country's poorest communities, still reliant on traditional practices such as hunting, agriculture, and fishing, with distinct cultures, languages, and lifestyles. In West Bengal's Alipurduar District, over 80% of the population belongs to ethnic tribes. This study investigates the educational problems and needs of secondary-level tribal students in Alipurduar, focusing on gender differences. A survey of 60 students was conducted using the standardized "Educational Problems Questionnaire" and a self-developed "Educational Needs Questionnaire." The findings revealed that 51% of students face challenges in teaching methods, 54% in the social and educational environment, 56% in organizational and administrative issues, and 59% due to cultural and historical factors. Additionally, 48% of respondents expressed educational needs related to school education, 55% expressed societal support, and 44% expressed family involvement. These results underscore the importance of addressing the specific educational challenges faced by tribal students to promote equitable learning outcomes.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0710/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Urbanization, loneliness and mental health model - A cross-sectional network analysis with a representative sample

With increasing urbanization, more people are exposed to mental health risk factors stemming from the urban social or physical environment. However, research on the relationship between urbanization and mental health is lacking. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationships of the physical environment (spatial cohesion and urban environment) and social factors (neighborhood cohesion) with mental health (stress, anxiety and depression symptoms) and physical health and the mediating role of loneliness based on the proposed theoretical model. The study was conducted in Metropolis GZM (Silesia, Poland) in a representative sample of 3296 residents (48% women). The measurements used were the PSS-10, GAD-7, PHQ-9, R-UCLA3 and neighborhood cohesion scale. ANOVA results showed that city residents had better mental health indices than residents of villages and small towns. The network approach revealed that urbanization was one of the most influential nodes and played the role of a bridge between all other nodes. The model was confirmed and showed that the relationships between the physical environment and mental health were consecutively mediated by neighborhood cohesion and loneliness. Spatial cohesion related to factors of the physical environment and physical health, while physical health was directly connected to sociodemographic factors and weakly to stress. Anxiety was the strongest risk factor. Mental health can be improved by social and architectural factors, such as strengthening neighborhood cohesion and improving neglected buildings.

Barriers and facilitators of healthcare access for long COVID-19 patients in a universal healthcare system: qualitative evidence from Austria

BackgroundLong COVID-19 challenges health and social systems globally. International research finds major inequalities in prevalence and healthcare utilization as patients describe difficulties with accessing health care. In order to improve long-term outcomes it is vital to understand any underlying access barriers, for which relevant evidence on long COVID-19 is thus far lacking in a universal healthcare system like Austria. This study aims to comprehensively identify access barriers and facilitators faced by long COVID-19 patients in Austria and explore potential socioeconomic and demographic drivers in health and social care access.MethodsApplying an exploratory qualitative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 experts including medical professionals and senior health officials as well as focus groups with 18 patients with confirmed long COVID-19 diagnosis reflecting varying participant characteristics (age, gender, urbanicity, occupation, education, insurance status) (July-Nov 2023). Data were analysed following a thematic framework approach, drawing on a comprehensive ‘access to health care’ model.ResultsBased on expert and patient experiences, several access barriers and facilitators emerged along all dimensions of the model. Main themes included scepticism and stigma by medical professionals, difficulties in finding knowledgeable doctors, limited specialist capacities in the ambulatory care sector, long waiting times for specialist care, and limited statutory health insurance coverage of treatments resulting in high out-of-pocket payments. Patients experienced constant self-organization of their patient pathway as stressful, emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary care and centralized coordination. Facilitators included supportive social environments, telemedicine, and informal information provided by a nationwide patient-led support group. Differences in patient experiences emerged, among others, as women and younger patients faced gender- and age-based stigmatization. Complementary health insurance reduced the financial strain, however, did not ease capacity constraints, which were particularly challenging for those living in rural areas.ConclusionsThe findings of this study indicate a call for action to improve the long COVID-19 situation in Austria by empowering both providers and patients via increased information offerings, strengthened interdisciplinary treatment structures and telemedicine offerings as well as research funding. Our insights on potentially relevant socioeconomic and demographic drivers in access barriers lay the necessary foundation for future quantitative inequality research.

The role of ethnic enclaves and neighborhood socioeconomic status in invasive breast cancer incidence rates among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander females in California.

Few studies have examined whether the incidence rates of invasive breast cancer among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations differ by the neighborhood social environment. Thus, we examined associations of ethnic enclave and neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) with breast cancer incidence rates among AANHPI females in California. A total of 14,738 AANHPI females diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2008-2012 were identified from the California Cancer Registry. AANHPI ethnic enclaves (culturally distinct neighborhoods) and nSES were assessed at the census tract level using 2007-2011 American Community Survey data. Breast cancer age-adjusted incidence rates and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated for AANHPI ethnic enclave, nSES, and their joint effects. Subgroup analyses were conducted by stage of disease. The incidence rate of breast cancer among AANHPI females living in lowest ethnic enclave neighborhoods (quintile (Q)1) were 1.21 times (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.11, 1.32) that of AANHPI females living highest ethnic enclave neighborhoods (Q5). In addition, AANHPI females living in highest vs. lowest SES neighborhoods had higher incidence rates of breast cancer (Q5 vs. Q1 IRR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.40). The incidence rate of breast cancer among AANHPI females living in low ethnic enclave + high SES neighborhoods was 1.32 times (95% CI 1.25, 1.39) that of AANHPI females living in high ethnic enclave + low SES neighborhoods. Similar patterns of associations were observed for localized and advanced stage disease. For AANHPI females in California, incidence rates of breast cancer differed by nSES, ethnic enclave, when considered independently and jointly. Future studies should examine whether the impact of these neighborhood-level factors on breast cancer incidence rates differ across specific AANHPI ethnic groups and investigate the pathways through which they contribute to breast cancer incidence.

Do elephants really never forget? What we know about elephant memory and a call for further investigation.

Despite popular culture's promotion of the elephant's ability to "never forget," there is remarkably limited empirical research on the memory capacities of any living elephant species (Asian, Elephas maximus; African savanna, Loxodonta africana; African forest, Loxodonta cyclotis). A growing body of literature on elephant cognition and behavioral ecology has provided insight into the elephant's ability to behave flexibly in changing physical and social environments, but little direct evidence of how memory might relate to this flexibility exists. In this paper, we review and discuss the potential relationships between what we know about elephant cognition and behavior and the elephants' memory for the world around them as they navigate their physical, social, and spatial environments. We also discuss future directions for investigating elephant memory and implications for such research on elephant conservation and human-elephant conflict mitigation.