Specific Beliefs Research Articles

Exploring the links between religiosity and learning motivation, belief in science, and need for cognition: insights from studies on Polish Catholics and atheists

ABSTRACT This article examines the relationships between Catholic religious beliefs and learning motivation among Polish Catholics and atheists. Study 1 (n = 691) found that Catholics exhibited lower learning motivation compared to atheists, a difference linked to a weaker Belief in Science (BIS) and a lower Need for Cognition (NFC). Interestingly, monotheistic beliefs were positively related to learning motivation. To explore this relationship further, based on the similarities between monotheistic beliefs and intrinsic religious orientation, Study 2 focused on Catholics (n = 754) and examined their religious orientation. The results revealed that Catholics’ intrinsic religious orientation was associated with lower BIS, higher NFC, and greater learning motivation, both directly and indirectly. In turn, Catholics’ extrinsic religious orientation correlated with lower NFC. Considering the effect sizes, the mixed findings suggest that although Catholicism is strongly associated with weaker cognitive orientation (learning motivation, BIS, and NFC), certain aspects of Catholic belief, such as belief in a monotheistic God, may be weakly positively related to cognitive outcomes. These findings emphasise the importance of considering specific belief systems and cognitive processes in understanding Catholics’ learning motivation.

Unraveling Antiseizure Medication Adherence in Paediatric Epilepsy: Implications for Clinical Practice and Patient Care

ObjectiveNon adherence to antiseizure medications (ASM) is a common and modifiable risk factor for poor control of epilepsy and contributes to increased hospitalizations, bias in assessing the effectiveness of therapy and inaccurate clinical decision making.The aim of the study was to estimate proportion of nonadherence to antiseizure medications among children with epilepsy and to identify clinical and demographic factors that contribute to antiseizure medication non adherence. MethodsConsecutive subjects ≤ 18 years with epilepsy, on antiseizure medications for atleast three months, attending Pediatric Neurology OPD, Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India were included in the study. Self reported adherence to antiseizure medications was measured using Medication Adherence Report Scale questionnaire. Perceptions towards medications were assessed using Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire Clinicodemographic factors and medication beliefs were analysed to examine their association with non-adherence in the participating children. ResultsThe rate of non-adherence in children with epilepsy was 32%. 68% of the study population had high necessity beliefs and 60% showed low concern beliefs, which indicated overall positive perception towards medications. Univariate analysis showed that the following were significantly associated with ASM non adherence: ASM side effects (OR:3.01; 95% CI:1.52–5.92; p < 0.001) and ASM Concerns (OR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.77–0.92; p 0.0003) and Necessity-Concern Differential Score (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.10–1.29; p 0.0001). Other clinic-demographic variables did not exhibit a significant association with adherence. Multivariate analysis showed that both ASM side effects and ASM beliefs, represented by NCD score remained significant. ConclusionPerceptions towards medications have an important and potentially modifiable association with medication non adherence. Interventions to improve adherence should be tailored to each patient, including measures to address the specific beliefs of the patient and the family, along with practical barriers such as side effects of medications.

Coached habitus: Mapping the role of shadow education in shaping students' educational trajectories

AbstractStudies have shown how family (typically parents) and formal institutions (specifically schools and universities) shape individuals' dispositions—or habitus. However, other sites of academic socialisation, such as tutoring centres and coaching institutions (collectively forming a shadow education system), are seldom scrutinised for their role in this process. To address this gap in scholarship, this paper draws on interviews with 30 Indian students who narrated their experiences of shadow education in its diversified form, from schooling and higher education to moving to the United Kingdom for advanced education. The discussion of the research findings unveils how shadow education experiences impact students' (academic) dispositions throughout their scholastic lifespan, thus aiding in nurturing academic selves (in early schooling years), cultivating competitive selves (during the transition to university), harnessing enterprising selves (when transitioning within and from university education) and developing transnational selves (as students prepare for international mobility). A synthesis of these empirical realities culminates in introducing a new concept of coached habitus that accounts for the role of shadow education in orchestrating the practices by which students may inculcate specific values, beliefs and habits aiming to prepare them to navigate increasingly competitive educational fields throughout their academic trajectories successfully. The paper argues that shadow education is a key site for habitus formation, particularly in contexts such as India and other Asian countries where non‐formal education is inextricably entwined with everyday schooling experiences.

Innovation on the Integration of AIGC and Ideological-political Education in Vocational English Curriculum

The integration of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) technology in vocational English curriculum offers innovative pathways for enhancing educational experiences and embedding ideological-political education. This paper examines the potential of AIGC to transform vocational English education by personalizing content, fostering interactive learning, and promoting specific values and beliefs. The study explores the innovative applications of AIGC in vocational settings, drawing on theoretical frameworks. The findings suggest that AIGC can significantly improve student engagement and ideological alignment when integrated thoughtfully into the curriculum.

Cultural Competency in Dental Practice: Navigating the Experiences and Perspectives of Dentists in South Punjab, Pakistan.

Introduction Cultural competence in healthcare embraces the principles of equal access and nondiscriminatory services in healthcare delivery. Dentists as significant healthcare professionals should definitely have the skills needed to diagnose and treat patients' conditions, but it is crucial to also address nontechnical skills such as cross-cultural communication, the ability to empathize, and inclusive-mindedness. Globally, cultural competency training has been included in healthcare educational programs; however, national practices reportedly have revolved around patients' clinical competencies and thus entailed overlooking the cultural dimensions of dental education that include diverse sociocultural factors that influence how dental practices are taught, learned, and delivered. These dimensions encompass elements such as language, communication styles, attitudes toward healthcare, and culturally specific oral health beliefs and behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the experiences and perspectives of dentists practicing in South Punjab regarding cultural competency. Methodology The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach. Data was collected through purposive sampling techniques utilizing semistructured interview guides. The participants recruited were licensed dentists practicing in dental institutions in South Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 18 dentists were recruited in the study. The interviews were focused on the different aspects of cultural competency by exploring the perspectives of dentists. Thematic analysis was carried out utilizing the Bran and Clarkes framework to categorize data into key themes and subthemes utilizing inductive coding. Results The study revealed that dentists lack awareness and understanding of cultural competency; they also faced significant problems due to limited cultural proficiency while dealing with diverse patients. Major challenges included inadequate training, communication barriers, and cultural bias in dentists while dealing with such diverse populations. Patients recognized the benefits of cultural competency and highlighted facilitators like institution support, peer support, mentorship support, and patient trust.Participants suggested incorporating cultural competency in dentistry curricula, continuous professional development, and community outreach programs for the development of cultural competency among dentists. Conclusions The study highlighted perspectives and experiences of dentists regarding cultural competency. The findings demonstrated key problems due to limited or lack of cultural proficiency that included communication and language barriers and unconscious cultural bias among dentists. The study also highlighted facilitators of cultural competency like institutional facilitation, mentoring opportunities from peers and seniors, and patient trust. Facilitating cultural competency among dentists may result in improved patient satisfaction, enhanced patient care, and an increase in compliance, hence overall enhancing the quality of care.

Religion, Wealth, and Health: Exploring the Economic Dimensions of Four Major Faiths.

Religions shape the economic attitudes of their congregations. Thus, in a country where a particular faith dominates the economic ideas of that faith will significantly influence its economic growth and the health and well-being of its population. Using an extensive bibliographic review, this article analyses the economic impact of four major religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism) and studies the channels through which religion exerts its economic influence. Three key economic markers are correlated with religion, and results show significant differences in economic outcomes based on religion. In-depth analysis of the literature suggests that these differences have their roots not only in the specific beliefs of a given religion but also how its institutional structures foster elements essential to economic success such as trust.

수학의 아름다움에 대한 초등교사의 인식 조사

In order to teach students the aesthetic value of mathematics, teachers must first recognize such value in various aspects. Accordingly, this study investigated elementary school teachers' perceptions of beautiful mathematics problems and the 'aesthetics of mathematics. The responses were classified by undergraduate major using the repeated constant comparison method, and then frequency analysis and qualitative analysis were conducted in parallel. The conclusions from the research results are as follows. First, the areas of problems that perceive beauty differ by undergraduate major, and teachers who majored in other fields presented beautiful mathematics problems in various areas. Second, most of the elementary school teachers had specific beliefs about the beauty of mathematics and gave explicit explanations for their beautiful mathematics problems. Third, teachers who majored in mathematics education tended to perceive the beauty of mathematics because of its mathematical beauty, while teachers who majored in other fields tended to perceive the beauty of mathematics because of its usefulness. Fourth, teachers who majored in mathematics education had a higher percentage of beliefs related to mathematical beauty than to the usability of mathematics. The results of this study can provide basic data for research on the aesthetics of mathematics and contribute to raising teachers' awareness of the aesthetic value aspects of mathematics.

중등수학교사의 수학적 신념에 따른 수업목표 이해 및 과제 선별

The purpose of this study is to determine how secondary school mathematics teachers interpret the geometry unit lesson objectives in relation to the characteristics of teachers' mathematical beliefs and what main tasks they present during specific classes with the interpreted lesson objectives. For this purpose, a survey was conducted targeting secondary mathematics teachers regarding mathematical beliefs, teaching goals, and task selection. As a result of the study, no evidence was obtained that there was a difference in mathematical beliefs depending on the teaching goals understood by teachers. In general, teachers were found to select class goals that correspond to knowledge and understanding, and only in some units did specific mathematical beliefs appear to influence teachers' interpretation of class goals. Second, there was no significant difference in the level of cognitive demand of tasks teachers wanted to present in class depending on the class goals. However, in certain units, it was found that there was a difference in the ratio of cognitive demand levels. The findings provide important implications for better understanding of teachers' behaviors focusing on cognitive demands of tasks and mathematical beliefs.

What’s God got to do with it? The relationship between religion, sadism, and masochism

Although “BDSM” (i.e., bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism) has become increasingly present in popular media in recent years, much remains unknown about the etiology and correlates of BDSM. Research has demonstrated a relationship between religion and sexual behaviours/attitudes; therefore, religion could also be associated with sadism and masochism. To address gaps in existing knowledge, we conducted an online survey of 515 participants who answered a questionnaire on sexual life and behaviour, including questions on arousal in response to sadism and masochism scenarios, associated negative impacts, and religion. We found a higher prevalence of arousal in response to sadism scenarios amongst non-religious participants (64.6%; n = 228/353) than religious participants (54.7%; n = 88/161) with a small, but potentially meaningful effect size (Φ = -.095, p = .032). Increased impact of religious beliefs on sex life was associated with slightly lower sadism arousal, r(499) = -.080, p = .075. This association was strong enough to be considered a potentially meaningful factor but was not statistically significant. There was also a small negative correlation between masochism arousal and impact of religious beliefs on sex life and behaviour, r(500) = -.129, p = .004. Based on these findings, we conclude that there could be a limited but meaningful relationship between religion and sadism/masochism arousal. Further research should explore specific religious affiliations and beliefs as potentially associated with sadism and masochism arousal.

Exploring barriers and facilitators to feeding children with minimal or no "Junk Food": Insights from Mexican women.

This study aims to investigate the factors that promote or hinder the feeding of children with minimal or no ultra-processed products to inform the design of an mHealth strategy in Mexico and prevent child malnutrition among the economically vulnerable. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted, involving 24 in-depth face-to-face interviews with caregivers of children aged 24-59 months from both urban and rural communities. To analyze the data, we used thematic analysis and incorporated a few elements of grounded theory. More barriers than facilitators were identified. Key barriers included: misconceptions and the widespread availability of junk food through an extensive network of grocery stores; neighbors and family gifting junk food; the association of soda with celebrations; the practice of indulging children with junk food; and the normalization of junk food consumption by both adults and children. Facilitators included: caregivers' awareness of the health risks associated with junk food; economic constraints limiting junk food purchases; support from husbands in regulating children's junk food consumption; the presence of a family member with diabetes; specific cultural beliefs about children's digestive health; as well as displacement of "healthy" foods that nourish children. Based on our findings, we formulated recommendations for interventions at intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy levels to support healthier feeding practices for children.

Mediating role of specific environmental beliefs in the relationship between general beliefs and water consumption

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of general environmental beliefs (GEB) on water consumption behaviour (WCB) and the mediating role of specific environmental beliefs (SEB) in Kuala Lumpur. By administering 1584 surveys via a 5‐point Likert scale questionnaire, the study analyses the influence of utilitarian beliefs (UB) and ecological beliefs (EB) at both the Kuala Lumpur and district levels. The results demonstrate that EB significantly mediates the relationship between GEB and WCB, while UB also plays a significant mediating role. The study highlights practical measures for environmental preservation, such as prioritizing utilitarianism for environmentally beneficial choices, afforestation, waste reduction, reusability and recycling of production materials and ensuring ecological system compatibility for waste disposal.

Parental self-efficacy and early language development in deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

This study examined the relationship between parental self-efficacy in parents of young deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children and children's spoken language skills. A retrospective within-subjects study design was used that included 24 mother-child dyads with DHH children. Parental self-efficacy was assessed using the Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy-Revised. Children's language abilities were assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-5th edition. Our data revealed no significant associations between global measures of parental self-efficacy and children's auditory comprehension, expressive communication, and total language scores. However, positive correlations were found between child language skills and specific parents' beliefs about their ability to support their child's spoken language development, their ability to use strategies to help their child communicate, and their active involvement in intervention. Findings highlight the importance of examining discrete aspects of parental self-efficacy as it specifically relates to parents supporting their DHH child's spoken language development. Future directions and implications are provided.

Belief in divine (versus human) control of earth affects perceived threat of climate change

Religious characteristics are predictive of Americans’ skepticism toward climate-related science and policy. Though attributable to a variety of interrelated factors, we propose specific religious beliefs help explain the dynamic in part. Specifically, we theorize that belief in divine (versus human) control over Earth’s climate likely engenders skepticism toward scientific claims that human behavior is leading Earth toward environmental crisis. Regression analyses with national survey data (N = 5321) demonstrate that believing “God would not allow humans to destroy the Earth” is associated with lower concern about climate change. Next, a pre-registered survey experiment (N = 3345) finds that manipulating belief in God’s—vis-à-vis humans’—control of Earth’s climate reduced the perceived severity of climate change and need for policy intervention. Our manipulation also reduced demand for climate-related information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. These results establish an important causal link between a religious belief and climate change attitudes in the U.S. public.

General and maladaptive traits as predictors of specific conspiracy beliefs related to COVID-19 and Russian-Ukrainian war: three-wave longitudinal study

AbstractThe aim of the study was to investigate how general personality traits (Big Five) and maladaptive traits (Personality Inventory for DSM-5) predict specific conspiracy beliefs related to COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukrainian war. 925 participants from Slovakia, recruited via an online panel of a research agency (50.6% women, mean age 50.9 years), were interviewed in October 2021 with the Big Five Inventory Short (BFI-S) and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 Brief Form (PID-5-BF). Later (July-August 2022 and April-May 2023), they completed the original scales to measure COVID-19 and Russian-Ukrainian war conspiracies. The results showed that after controlling for demographic variables, belief in specific conspiracies was positively predicted by extraversion and negatively predicted by agreeableness. Of the maladaptive traits, only psychoticism was a positive predictor of specific conspiracies. Since the effects were consistent across all types of conspiracies, the results suggest that personality traits may play a role in how people come to believe in specific conspiracies.

Beliefs, taboos, usages, health perceptions, and practices toward wildlife among different ethnicities in Tak and Mae Hong Son Provinces, Thailand

This concurrent qualitative study was carried out with the main objective to determine wildlife beliefs, taboos, usages, health perceptions, and practices among ten ethnic groups in four communities in Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces of Thailand from November 2020 to January 2021. We also gathered comprehensive information on study respondents’ knowledge related to potential risk behaviors that could lead to zoonotic disease transmission and infection. Furthermore, we intended to use the study’s findings to develop communication strategies and health literacy improvement interventions for mitigating risky behaviors, with a focus on ethnic groups and particular individuals who live in close proximity to forests and wildlife, to prevent future pandemics. Sixty-five respondents were purposively selected based on their extensive knowledge, active participation in local cultural contexts, beliefs, and exposure to wildlife contact or consuming game animals. Twenty (30.8%) participated in in-depth interviews (IDIs), while 45 (69.2%) participated in eight focused group discussions (FGDs). The results revealed that the characteristics of wildlife contact are similar and distinct based on their beliefs and taboos among various ethnic groups and study locations, which are influenced by cultural backgrounds and traditions. Although some ethnic groups do not have explicit restrictions on the consumption of wildlife, others adhere to specific beliefs and taboos that forbid the consumption or killing of specific wild animals. These beliefs frequently correspond with conservation initiatives, thereby facilitating the preservation of threatened species. The study also revealed a lack of appropriate health knowledge, perceptions, and practices regarding wildlife contact and consumption. As a result, it is recommended that public health officials and local governments develop and execute communication and education initiatives. These campaigns should aim to increase health literacy and promote safe handling, preparation, and cooking practices to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission and infection effectively. Moreover, it is necessary to design and implement wildlife conservation education and outreach activities. The programs should promote environmental stewardship while considering the cultural contexts, beliefs, and practices of various ethnic groups. The activities should involve diverse stakeholders, including local leaders, religious influencers, community members, schoolteachers, students, health professionals, village health volunteers, and civil society organizations.

Comparison of cultural values in the myths of Mount Semeru and Mount Kunlun

Myths are stories about gods and goddesses who are connected with supernatural powers, used by ancestors as instruments to interpret phenomena that could not be explained. The existence of myths functions as an educational tool to instill specific cultural values and beliefs. This exploration is directed at comparing the myths of Mount Semeru and Mount Kunlun to gain further enlightenment regarding the cultural values in the two stories. The research was managed using a comparative descriptive research method through a literature study as a data collection technique. Research has found that the cultural values that are common among the people are that mountains are believed to be the house of gods and other creatures, the peaks of both mountains are trusted to be places where humans cannot pass, and several gods and goddesses are said to have helpers in the form of animals. The differences in cultural values accepted by society are in the form of differences in figures that are prioritized in their distribution and what is prioritized in their transmission in myths. That way, it is known that each region and country still has unique characteristics and specialties in its cultural life, which are reflected in mythical stories.

How I think about how I feel: Personal beliefs about emotion prospectively predict suicide-related outcomes and depression symptoms

One transdiagnostic process that may be critical to depression and suicidal ideation is beliefs about the nature of one's own emotions, both concurrently and longitudinally. In a sample of community adults (n = 143), we assessed personal emotion beliefs about the degree to which one's own emotions are malleable, unique, and last a long time. There were significant associations between stronger views that one's own emotions were fixed, unique to you, and had a longer duration and higher clinical symptom severity, including higher levels of current suicidal ideation, and less adaptive emotion regulation. Mediation analyses using longitudinal data clarified that the differential engagement in emotion regulation, specifically rumination, represented the link tying specific personal emotion beliefs to clinical symptoms and that, in certain cases, the opposite pathway is also significant – differences in clinical symptoms mediated the relationship between specific personal emotion beliefs and emotion regulation (rumination) longitudinally. Additionally, personal emotion beliefs varied based on depression status, as determined using a semi-structured clinical interview. For example, individuals meeting current criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) held stronger views that their emotions were unique to them compared to individuals with remitted MDD or no history of MDD. The current study's findings highlight the important role of specific personal emotion beliefs in clinical symptoms concurrently and longitudinally and mechanisms in these relationships. These results could guide future research on interventions to promote more adaptive beliefs about emotion to improve clinical outcomes.

Affective evaluation and exposure perception of everyday mobile phone usage situations.

To understand citizens' reactions to the 5G rollout, their affective reaction and perception of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure are of interest. Although precursor studies on 2G-4G have investigated exposure perception mostly quantitatively, the present study applied a qualitative exploratory approach. A number of 35 individual interviews and 6 focus groups with the same participants were conducted in December 2022. Participants were recruited from several locations in Germany, where 5G rollout was at different stages. Interactive tasks, particularly an affective evaluation task and a ranking task, encouraged participants to consider their affect regarding mobile communications and their exposure perception. This approach allowed the participants to first engage with the topic of mobile communications/5G in an intuitive way, before talking about their specific beliefs on RF-EMF exposure. Several pictures showing a person (1) interacting with a mobile phone, (2) surrounded by other peoples' mobile phones, or (3) in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations (antennas) were used as stimulus materials. Data were analyzed using an exploratory content analysis. In the affective evaluation task participants revealed more negative associations with base stations than with mobile phones. The analysis showed that the reasons for their evaluation were very diverse, whereby exposure to RF-EMF only played a subordinate role. Further, the ranking task indicated that most participants (n=20) felt more exposed from base stations than from mobile devices. Results are mostly in-line with the literature on 2G-4G and do not indicate a substantially different exposure perception for 5G.

Association between pathogenic beliefs and personality disorders

Background and objectivesPersonality disorders are significant entities in the field of psychiatry and serve as predisposing factors for Axis I clinical disorder. The Treatment of choice is psychotherapy, and one specific approach is Control Mastery Therapy, which emphasizes addressing Pathogenic beliefs (PB). This study aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between PB and specific personality disorders and whether these beliefs align with the core features specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for that personality disorder. Materials and methodsThis study employed a retrospective cross-sectional design and included 319 participants, comprising individuals receiving treatment at the Psychotherapy Clinic at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University between 2007 and 2023. All participants were assessed and completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II - Personality Disorders Questionnaire (SCID-II-PQ), Pathogenic Beliefs Scale, and Outcome-Inventory (depression). A generalized linear model (binary logistic regression) was employed, and the predictors included personality disorders. The outcome was the pathogenic belief, and covariates encompassed age, sex, education, clinical diagnosis, and depression score. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the effect on the model when outliers of depressive scores were present. ResultsAfter adjusting for depression, ten personality disorders were found to predict 16 pathogenic beliefs out of the 27 outcomes examined. Notably, histrionic and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders showed no association with specific pathogenic beliefs. Furthermore, certain pathogenic beliefs were predicted by multiple personality disorders, while conversely, some personality disorders were associated with multiple pathogenic beliefs as well. Sensitivity analysis revealed that outliers influenced the relationships between certain disorders and pathogenic beliefs, particularly those with small effect sizes. ConclusionsThe profound impact of pathogenic beliefs intertwined with personality disorders, particularly influenced by childhood trauma and evident in Cluster B and schizotypal disorders, underscores the critical need for targeted psychotherapeutic interventions. Addressing these beliefs directly is key to enhancing treatment efficacy and patient outcomes. Pathogenic belief should be elicited in clinical settings regardless of personality disorder, especially those who experienced depression. Moving forward, rigorous research is imperative to validate and refine therapeutic approaches aimed at reshaping pathogenic beliefs, ensuring they become pivotal in transforming clinical practice and advancing mental health care.

Ethical Bioprospecting: Harnessing Traditional Wisdom for Sustainable Insect-derived Therapeutics

This review article brings out the traditional medicinal knowledge of insects. Insects have been used in various forms of tribal medicine in different cultures around the world. It’s important to note that the specific practices and beliefs related to tribal medicine and insect usage can vary significantly among different tribes and regions. Additionally, we should give importance to that tribal medicine is rooted in cultural traditions and beliefs, and its effectiveness differs among people. It’s essential to approach these practices with respect and sensitivity, as they are part of indigenous knowledge systems and should not be exploited. Therefore, we should document the indigenous knowledge of the therapeutic use of insects and develop strategies for more sustainable preservation and development of a wealth of knowledge helpful for humans. Beyond the pharmacological aspects, exploring the cultural and traditional significance of these practices can provide valuable insights into their usage and potential benefits.