Societal Values Research Articles

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex and often debilitating condition characterized by persistent fatigue accompanied by a variety of additional symptoms that often include muscle pain, cognitive impairment, and post-exertional malaise. Despite affecting millions worldwide, CFS remains poorly understood and frequently stigmatized. This paper explores historical and contemporary social perceptions of CFS, framing them within broader discussions of health, morality, and personal responsibility. By drawing on parallels to conditions like neurasthenia and hysteria, this research examines how societal values—particularly those shaped by the Protestant ethic and eugenics—have influenced perceptions of illness and morality. It highlights how attributing unverifiable illnesses to personal responsibility affects societal attitudes toward those with CFS. Additionally, this paper explores the gendered dimensions of CFS, historically linked to women yet increasingly recognized in men. Recent developments, including the condition’s overlap with long COVID-19, emphasize the ongoing need for research and improved treatment strategies.

Societal Impact Statement Plants provide oxygen, food, shelter, medicines and environmental services, without which human society could not exist. Tackling pressing and global challenges requires well‐trained plant scientists and plant‐aware individuals. This manifesto provides a practical evidence‐based vision to strengthen plant science education, focused on five strategic priorities. It is relevant to all stakeholders within plant science and beyond: from frontline educators to institutional leaders; from commercial or charitable professionals to entrepreneurs and donors; from individual community members to their legislative representatives. Strengthening plant science education demands concrete actions from all stakeholders, ultimately to the benefit of us all. Summary Plant science education needs urgent attention. Skilled plant scientists are needed to address major environmental and societal challenges, and global communities require plant‐aware professionals to drive impactful policy, research and environmental stewardship. This manifesto was collaboratively generated by a community of educators who gathered to reflect on the state of plant science education. The forward‐facing document provides a clear strategy for plant science education, complementing existing research strategies. Five themes were identified as essential for meeting the evolving needs of plant science, educators and learners: (i) plants must be at the centre of an education that addresses global challenges and societal values; (ii) plant science education must prepare students for their futures using bold and effective pedagogies; (iii) equity, diversity and inclusion must be robustly embedded in educational practices; (iv) local and strategic partnerships (with industry and beyond) are required to strengthen academic education; and (v) plant science educators need resources and opportunities to develop and connect. The manifesto is intended as a framework for change. Educators, funders, publishers, industry representatives, policymakers and all other members of our communities must commit to sustained investment in plant science education. By proactively and collectively embracing the recommendations provided, the sector has an opportunity to cultivate a new generation equipped with the knowledge, skills and passion to unlock the full potential of photosynthetic organisms.

This article examines the comparative perspective between Ibn Khaldun's social education theory and Jean-Jacques Rousseau's natural education theory, focusing on their implications for curriculum development. The background of this research stems from the fundamental differences in the thinking of these two figures, each offering a unique approach to the goals of education. Ibn Khaldun views education as a tool for maintaining social order and creating individuals who align with societal values. At the same time, Rousseau emphasizes individual freedom and the natural development of children within the educational process. This study aims to identify the similarities, differences, and relevance of both theories in the context of contemporary education. The methodology used in this research is a qualitative approach with a comparative analysis of the literature related to these two theories. The study finds that, despite their differing focuses, both contribute significantly to the development of a holistic curriculum that accommodates both societal needs and personal development of students. Ibn Khaldun emphasizes the importance of instilling social and religious values, whereas Rousseau emphasizes individual freedom and experiential learning. The theoretical contribution of this research lies in the integration of both approaches within educational thought, while its practical contribution is in its ability to provide insights to policymakers in designing a more balanced curriculum that is relevant to contemporary global challenges.

This article addresses the contemporary and highly relevant research area of business sustainability, which attracts the attention of both scholars and management practitioners.Although the social dimension of sustainability is gaining increasing importance, there remains a research gap regarding the extent to which social initiatives contribute to sustainable outcomes. This study specifically focuses on the social dimension of business sustainability. The primary objective of the study is to examine the relationship between activities within the social dimension and sustainable outcomes. Moreover the study extends earlier research by contributing new empirical evidence from the Polish context, thereby enriching the existing body of knowledge. The study encompasses 303 organizations operating in Poland and utilizes a questionnaire-based survey. The collected data were employed to construct a regression model. The results indicate statistically significant relationships between social outcomes and key variables, namely, societal values and employee-related outcomes. The results indicate that social value creation and value chain integration are the strongest predictors of sustainable outcomes The variables were measured using subjective indicators. In addition, the research was conducted only in companies operating in Poland, and the results may be typical of businesses operating in this country. Therefore, the research should be extended to other countries, and it would be particularly interesting to compare with companies operating in countries where sustainability-related indicators are highly rated. It would also be very interesting to expand the data gained through questionnaires through interviews and case studies, linking social-focused business activities to the benefits that businesses can achieve in the area of sustainable outcomes as a result.

IMPACT This article highlights the need for local government accounts to move beyond traditional financial metrics and incorporate broader societal values. Public sector entities are encouraged to adopt inclusive, participatory approaches that involve diverse stakeholders in the reporting process—while leveraging the use of advanced digital tools. By adopting these practices, they can create more comprehensive and relevant local government accounts, ensuring that they meet the diverse needs of their communities and promote sustainable development. This shift towards a pluralistic accounting model is essential for fostering a more responsive and accountable public sector.

This paper proposes a framework to guide cross-national, comparative research on science communication. Current research often relies on ad-hoc criteria for selecting countries (such as geographic proximity) or on pragmatic considerations (like data availability), which may limit the ability to capture broader contexts or identify the cases best suited for analysis. Drawing on the ecosystems concept, we integrate theoretical perspectives on political systems, academic systems, and media systems to identify a set of ideational and structural factors that are essential for understanding country variations in science communication: political system settings, the role of the state/market, political attention to science communication, and societal values and norms. Based on these, we suggest (and preliminarily illustrate) a typology of four ideal-types of science communication ecosystems — public-service-oriented, market-oriented, state-centred and fragmented — that could guide and should be tested in future research.

Excess stormwater from cities and suburbs is recognised as the dominant driver of waterway degradation in urban and urbanising catchments, including the loss of aquatic ecosystems and societal values. Global academic evidence makes the case for streamflow targets for waterway protection. The focus for management in these cities and suburbs is moving beyond target pollutant concentrations or loads (e.g., from wastewater or industry) to consider stormwater runoff quantity targets, i.e., addressing excess stormwater impacts. Despite some applications of stormwater targets worldwide, the application is inconsistent, contentious and commonly contested (often during development phases), leaving waterways vulnerable to unabated excess runoff and often irreversible negative impacts. Given global levels of urban development, and loss of freshwater systems, there is an urgent need for flow targets that protect waterway values through guidance to reduce stormwater quantity from urban areas while concurrently increasing groundwater recharge (e.g., to sustain baseflow) and evapotranspiration. This paper is structured to address four questions: (1) What do stormwater targets and guidance look like?, (2) What are the impediments to the development of targets?, (3) What are the impediments to implementation of targets?, and (4) What are the research gaps? With examples from Australia, Germany and the United States, we conclude that there is adequate knowledge and technical understanding, and ultimately stormwater targets must balance completeness of the underlying concepts, social tolerance, and simplicity of application by designers and regulators. The main impediment to the future of healthy waterways in developing and developed urban areas is inadequate policy and political will. Thus, there is an important role for decision makers in this space to shift the current paradigm towards water sensitive cities and a need for clear, enforceable stormwater targets — supported by adequate guidance, governance and capacity — to protect waterways in urban catchments.

Health logics in and beyond the laboratory: Medicine, public health, and pandemic governance in Denmark.

This article discusses the role of sports sponsorships and the impact of sponsorship agreements on various stakeholders, along with the emotional reactions they evoke in the public. Sponsorship is viewed as a strategic partnership between companies and sports organizations, with the primary goal of increasing brand visibility and ensuring financial growth. The sentiment analyses presented in the article reveal a complex interaction between sponsorships and public opinion, examining the influence of emotions such as anger, anticipation, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, surprise and trust. These emotions are significantly affected by factors such as the commercialization of sports, manipulative practices in sponsorship agreements and ethical concerns. In this respect, the study approaches the phenomenon of sports sponsorship from a sports economics perspective, drawing attention to the balance between economic interests and societal values. The study emphasizes that while sponsorships can enhance sports experiences, they can lead to negative perceptions if financial interests overshadow the values and integrity of sports. The article highlights the importance of transparency and ethical practices in sponsorship agreements and suggests that future research should delve deeper into the emotional effects of sponsorships. Additionally, it stresses the need for research that extends beyond platforms like Reddit to include other social media channels.

Abstract Traditional wood‐pastures are emblematic of multifunctional farming systems. Despite their exceptional ecological and cultural value, these systems are undergoing rapid transformation under the combined pressures of modernization, land‐use intensification and shifting societal values. We apply the Stephenson's Cultural Values Model to assess the biocultural complexity of 110 ancient wood‐pastures across Transylvania, Romania, a unique region of Eastern Europe, where traditional land‐use systems persist amidst accelerating institutional and economic change. The three dimensions of the Cultural Values Model—‘Forms’ (material structures), ‘Practices’ (land‐use activities) and ‘Relationships’ (cultural meanings and memories)—were quantified through field surveys and 32 semi‐structured interviews with local stakeholders. Our results reveal diverse biocultural profiles, with traditional and modern elements (i.e. ‘Forms’ and ‘Practices’) frequently co‐occurring. While many sites retain legacy features such as scattered veteran trees and extensive grazing, signs of social‐ecological reconfiguration are evident, including electric fencing, mechanized infrastructure, and declining communal governance. Landscape‐level analyses show that traditional features (‘Forms’, ‘Practices’ in the Cultural Values Model framework) persist more often in rugged terrains, whereas modernization predominates in flatter, more accessible areas. Interview data show an erosion of cultural engagement, stewardship norms and local agency. Our findings suggest that the transformation of ancient wood‐pastures can be effectively traced through the three pillars of the Cultural Values Model: ‘Forms’, ‘Practices’ and ‘Relationships’. The framework proved especially valuable in disentangling how material, functional and symbolic dimensions of these landscapes evolve in response to socio‐economic and institutional pressures. We also showed that the Cultural Values Model can be a practical tool for assessing biocultural complexity and identifying early signs of system reconfiguration of traditional farming systems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain major global health threats, prompting interest in microbiome-based interventions that introduce beneficial microbes or genetic interventions to control pathogens and reduce AMR genes in hospital environments. Microbiome engineering, which can use advanced biotechnology, genetics, and microbial ecology principles to restructure microbial communities, is a rapidly growing field with applications in infection control. As researchers explore deploying beneficial microbes and other genetic interventions in clinical settings like hospital sinks, public perception becomes critical to responsible implementation. This study addresses how U.S. adults perceive microbiome evaluation, and education. Drawing on a nationally representative survey (N = 1,000), we conducted hierarchical ordinary least squares regression modeling to assess predictors of support across three domains: implementation of introduced microbiomes (IM), rigorous testing, and education for healthcare stakeholders. Results demonstrate that support for IM in hospital sinks is shaped less by demographic traits and more by emotional responses, trust in institutional efficacy, belief in intervention benefits, and a desire to learn about microbiome science. These findings advance previous knowledge by distinguishing cognitive, affective, and contextual predictors across distinct types of support. Contrary to expectations, prior familiarity and information-seeking were negatively associated with IM support, suggesting that some engagement or exposure to risk-framing may drive skepticism. Meanwhile, emotional reactions and perceived efficacy consistently predicted support for IM, testing, and education (i.e., across all dependent variables), underscoring the need to address affective and trust-based components of public engagement. This research contributes to an emerging empirical foundation for responsible microbiome innovation by grounding the analysis in the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework. With the technology still in early development, these insights provide critical guidance for biotechnology developers, policymakers, and hospital leaders seeking to align microbiome engineering with societal values through transparent communication, rigorous oversight, and inclusive education.

Hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain major global health threats, prompting interest in microbiome-based interventions that introduce beneficial microbes or genetic interventions to control pathogens and reduce AMR genes in hospital environments. Microbiome engineering, which can use advanced biotechnology, genetics, and microbial ecology principles to restructure microbial communities, is a rapidly growing field with applications in infection control. As researchers explore deploying beneficial microbes and other genetic interventions in clinical settings like hospital sinks, public perception becomes critical to responsible implementation. This study addresses how U.S. adults perceive microbiome evaluation, and education. Drawing on a nationally representative survey (N = 1,000), we conducted hierarchical ordinary least squares regression modeling to assess predictors of support across three domains: implementation of introduced microbiomes (IM), rigorous testing, and education for healthcare stakeholders. Results demonstrate that support for IM in hospital sinks is shaped less by demographic traits and more by emotional responses, trust in institutional efficacy, belief in intervention benefits, and a desire to learn about microbiome science. These findings advance previous knowledge by distinguishing cognitive, affective, and contextual predictors across distinct types of support. Contrary to expectations, prior familiarity and information-seeking were negatively associated with IM support, suggesting that some engagement or exposure to risk-framing may drive skepticism. Meanwhile, emotional reactions and perceived efficacy consistently predicted support for IM, testing, and education (i.e., across all dependent variables), underscoring the need to address affective and trust-based components of public engagement. This research contributes to an emerging empirical foundation for responsible microbiome innovation by grounding the analysis in the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework. With the technology still in early development, these insights provide critical guidance for biotechnology developers, policymakers, and hospital leaders seeking to align microbiome engineering with societal values through transparent communication, rigorous oversight, and inclusive education.

ABSTRACT Odissi, one of India’s classical dance forms, is rooted in Odisha and holds deep cultural and spiritual significance. It is now transforming, evolving societal values, technological integration, and shifting audience expectations. This study examines how contemporary Odissi practitioners perceive, experience, and navigate these changes through qualitative research with 25 Odissi dancers, sampled from dance academies in Bangalore, India. Data were processed and analysed Atlas.ti . Respondents cited various motivations for learning Odissi, and most reported improvements in mental and physical well-being, discipline, and self-expression. Challenges highlighted included limited digital content, lack of institutional support, language barriers, and the need to adapt performances to contemporary attention spans. Respondents appreciated constructive feedback but valued personal satisfaction more. Some favored preserving Odissi in its original form, while others supported innovation to keep it relevant. This study shows that Odissi dancers value tradition while acknowledging the need for innovation to stay relevant. Balancing preservation and change is crucial for sustaining its growth in today’s cultural and global contexts. Odissi remains vibrant, but its legacy depends on modernisation without losing essence. Curriculum integration, funding, digital archiving, and inclusive performances are key strategies. Dancers’ voices highlight commitment to both preservation and evolution, ensuring a resilient future.

The objective of present study is to investigate green purchase behavior among 422 young Bangladeshi consumers, an environmentally attractive sector. The theoretical foundation comprises TPB, alongside four supplementary constructs, environmental drive as moderator, and green purchase intention as mediator in relation to green purchase. According to structural equation modeling, Ge-WOM, GSI, GPS, and BGC affect GPI. GPB is impacted by Ge-WOM, GSI, BGC, GPI. ED hardly moderates GPI-GPB relationship, although Ge-WOM, GSI, GPS, and BGC with GPB are mediated by GPI. The study expands research on young consumers’ unique personal and societal values, highlighting the implications for policymakers and marketers.

This study establishes a novel framework for systematically evaluating the moral reasoning capabilities of large language models (LLMs) as they increasingly integrate into critical societal domains. Current assessment methodologies lack the precision needed to evaluate nuanced ethical decision-making in AI systems, creating significant accountability gaps. Our framework addresses this challenge by quantifying alignment with human ethical standards through three dimensions: foundational moral principles, reasoning robustness, and value consistency across diverse scenarios. This approach enables precise identification of ethical strengths and weaknesses in LLMs, facilitating targeted improvements and stronger alignment with societal values. To promote transparency and collaborative advancement in ethical AI development, we are publicly releasing both our benchmark datasets and evaluation codebase at https://github.com/The-Responsible-AI-Initiative/LLM_Ethics_Benchmark.git.

<p>The purpose of this study is to understand how values related to environmental and social responsibility are espoused on the websites of listed companies in Poland, Finland and Estonia, and to what extent these values are connected to investors’ beliefs about the growth prospects of stock market value. Content analysis of corporate websites is combined with information from company profiles in stock market databases, reflecting the business sector, size, and P/E ratios of these companies as indicators of investors’ beliefs regarding long-term value growth. <br />The study focuses on how declaring environmental and social sustainability values aligns with innovations intended to convince investors about the sustainability of future business growth when choosing which shares to buy. The findings show that listed companies in the three countries most often espouse cooperation in combination with with innovation and respect. The positive connection between espousing values related to social and environmental responsibility and a high price-to-earnings ratio on stock markets was not supported in the total sample. <br />The research is limited by the fact that it compares countries with a different stock market role due to differences in population, economic development history, and current gross domestic product. The value of this study lies in filling a research gap by examining the impact of environmental and societal values on investors’ perceptions in Central and Eastern European countries.</p>

This study reviews the evolution of the “disaster resilience” concept and attempts to draw implications for disaster risk reduction from it. First, the concept of disaster resilience was influenced by ecology and brought into disaster management research as a concept of system stability. The irreversible damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. has led to disaster resilience being considered not as the ability of a society to “bounce back,” but as the ability of a society to adapt to or transform toward a desirable future. However, the inclusion of transformative capacity in the resilience concept raises several issues in disaster risk reduction practice. Finally, it creates three conflicts: between transformative and maintaining capacity, between the subjects of resilience, and sometimes between transformative capacity and societal values such as justice and equality. This study suggests three conditions that justify transformation under the name of resilience: (1) sustainability, (2) welfare, and (3) dignity.

Estimating divergent moral and diversity preferences between AI builders and AI users.

Abstract Children under the age of 15 are recruited by criminal networks and commit serious crimes. There is now a consensus that gang crime is one of the biggest societal challenges facing Sweden. The political debate has had a clear focus on repressive measures. The Swedish Parliament has voted for search zones, the introduction of child prisons, evictions of families when a child in the family is suspected of committing a crime, and increased penalties. Lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years for serious crimes is the latest among the proposed reforms. What does public health have to offer in such a societal climate? Two things: a voice for children's rights and the value of evidence-based policies. The issue of lowering the age of criminal responsibility is an exceptional shift in the view of children and children's rights. Despite periods of high juvenile crime, the Swedish age of criminal responsibility has been 15 years since 1864. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has made it clear that lowering the age of criminal responsibility is contrary to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. There is no scientific evidence that punishing younger children leads to a reduction in crime because it does not address the reasons why children commit serious crimes. Economic vulnerability, absent parents, school problems, exposure to violence, disability and exposure to gang crime are common. In fact, when Denmark lowered the age of criminal responsibility to 14 (to later revert to 15), children convicted during the reduction period were more likely to reoffend. Preventing recidivism after serious crimes requires intense treatment in the framework of a therapeutic approach, restoring attachment and important relationships with family. PTSD, depression, substance abuse and poor affect regulation, all common among juvenile offenders, also need to be treated. Repressive measures alone will not prevent recidivism - but will put the child on a criminal track. Key messages • Public health specialists need to insist on participating in the debate, protecting key societal values and offering evidence, to prevent putting more children on a criminal track for life. • It is especially frustrating when policies implemented not only lack evidence, but instead have evidence for harm and lack of effect; public health specialists need to speak up.

Globalisation and digitalisation have had a profound impact on public discourse and modern communication within contemporary institutions. In Morocco, these developments have resulted in an ongoing attempt to reconcile the tensions inherited from deeply rooted cultures with the contemporary demands of institutionalisation, namely efficiency and transparency. Based on Hofstede's intercultural model and the work of Bourdieu, Giddens, Morin, and Habermas, this article takes a systemic approach to culture and communicational interactions in public organisations in Morocco. Drawing on an analysis of national administrative culture and theories of structuration and communicational rationality, the author shows the impact of societal values, hierarchical distance, collectivism, and cohesion on inter-state relations and public institutions. Far from being reduced to the circulation of information, public communication, in its modern function, is articulated around a field of tension and power relations where modernity, tradition, and the space for co-civism are negotiated. Keywords : Hofstede's cultural dimensions and public communication in Morocco: between identity heritage and institutional modernity. Received Date: August 21, 2025 Accepted Date: September 13, 2025 Published Date: October 01, 2025 Available Online at https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/477