Successful Theory Research Articles

Gamification in Critical Care Education and Practice.

To explore gamification as an alternative approach to healthcare education and its potential applications to critical care. English language manuscripts addressing: 1) gamification theory and application in healthcare and critical care and 2) implementation science focused on the knowledge-to-practice gap were identified in Medline and PubMed databases (inception to 2023). Studies delineating gamification underpinnings, application in education or procedural mentoring, utilization for healthcare or critical care education and practice, and analyses of benefits or pitfalls in comparison to other educational or behavioral modification approaches. Data indicated the key gamification tenets and the venues within which they were used to enhance knowledge, support continuing medical education, teach procedural skills, enhance decision-making, or modify behavior. Gamification engages learners in a visual and cognitive fashion using competitive approaches to enhance acquiring new knowledge or skills. While gamification may be used in a variety of settings, specific design elements may relate to the learning environment or learner styles. Additionally, solo and group gamification approaches demonstrate success and leverage adult learning theory elements in a low-stress and low-risk setting. The potential for gamification-driven behavioral modification to close the knowledge-to-practice gap and enable guideline and protocol compliance remains underutilized. Gamification offers the potential to substantially enhance how critical care professionals acquire and then implement new knowledge in a fashion that is more engaging and rewarding than traditional approaches. Accordingly, educational undertakings from courses to offerings at medical professional meetings may benefit from being gamified.

Abductive Theorizing Is More Than Idea Generation: Disciplined Imagination and a Prepared Mind

We remind readers that the abductive process consists of more than idea generation. The abductive process has four interrelated steps, all necessary for successful abductive theory generation, and ...

Generalised trust in Greenland – institutions and identity matter

ABSTRACT Greenland is a self-governing part of the Danish realm with an institutional system in transition from colonisation to further independence. Greenlandic governance institutions currently represent a mix of Greenlandic and Danish governance systems rooted in the Danish constitution and a Scandinavian universal welfare model. Denmark and other Nordic countries with similar governance systems and welfare models have high levels of generalised trust strongly correlated with institutional trust. No research has however been carried out in Greenland regarding generalised or institutional trust and their correlates – a research gap which this article seeks to remedy. The study is based on data from the Greenland Perspectives survey of 2018 and finds that generalised trust in Greenland is significantly different from the Danish average and the levels of other Nordic countries. Institutional trust positively and significantly correlates with generalised trust in line with theories of institutional trust as a driver of generalised trust. Greenlandic identity is negatively correlated with generalised trust contrary to theories of identity and majority/minority dynamics. The correlations between generalised trust, institutional trust, and identity are surprisingly not confounded by education or income, contrary to success and well-being theories of generalised trust. The study concludes that institutions and identity clearly matter, but in a different way than theories predict. The results raise an important question for further research of how institutions and identity come to matter in Greenland – especially how institutional quality is created under the complex bureaucratic and social conditions of the post-colonial microstate.

On the Structure and Accumulation of Realist Content

Ever since the heyday of the Vienna Circle, scientific realists have worked hard to document and clarify the structure and growth of truth content in theoretical descriptions. Today, this trait is particularly intense among “selective realists” – realists focused on theory parts with high empirical corroboration rather than whole theories. From their perspective, theories with posits systematically deployed in corroborated novel predictions are, with high probability, descriptively true or contain a proper part that is. Unlike traditional realists, selectivists acknowledge that (a) radical conceptual change is a recurring scientific phenomenon and (b) empirical theories have poor reliability records at the most profound ontological level. At the same time, they point to significant descriptive continuities at intermediate theoretical levels between successful theories and their successors – i.e., a false theory can (and often does) contain parts that succeed as correct descriptions. Selectivists seek to identify those parts. Their approaches limit ontological commitment exclusively to highly confirmed theoretical descriptions; unfortunately, the selection criteria they use seemingly support many regrettable choices. One source of trouble is that extant approaches leave unclear the ontology described by the selected parts. Historical cases and scientific practice gesture toward a functional resolution of this difficulty, but the clues could be more transparent and need elaboration. Otherwise, selectivism has improved in consistency over the last three decades. Current projects emphasize the continuity of well-established scientific content (relating to how entities and processes effectively behave within a specific regime or descriptive level) instead of just the continuity of “structure”. This paper provides some clarifications that arguably clear the road for realist commitment toward functional and effective theoretical content. The proposed functional/effective turn is checked against some plausible objections.

Metaverse application, flow experience, and Gen-Zers’ participation intention of intangible cultural heritage communication

With outstanding advantages in virtuality, immersion, connectivity, and openness, the application of the metaverse in the development of intangible cultural heritage has demonstrated great potential to enhance Gen-Zers’ participation intention, but the effect and its mechanism remain unclear. This study constructs a theoretical model based on the stimuli-organism-response (SOR) theory, the DeLone and McLean model of information system (IS) success (D&M) model, and flow theory, and conducts an empirical study using a structural equation model and regression analysis based on questionnaire survey data in China to uncover whether and how metaverse application exerts its impact. Results show that metaverse application can enhance Gen-Zers’ participation intention in the communication of intangible cultural heritage, and their mechanism follows a chain path of “stimulus-state-response” under the joint action of “technology-individual-environment” in which metaverse application is the key stimulus factor, flow experience is the mediator, and self-efficacy and subjective norm are moderators. The findings can offer new insights for research on metaverse application from the perspectives of consequences and effects and can also provide practical implications for metaverse application as well as the development and communication of intangible cultural heritage.

As críticas de Laudan ao socioconstrutivismo

Abstract Social constructivism can be taken as a broad sociological-philosophical approach of science which is introduced as follows: i) an explanation of the acceptance of successful scientific achievements ought to be done through the use of epistemological criteria and social community factors; ii) the knowledge produced by successful scientific achievements cannot be taken as a representation of reality. The social constructivist approach has always been strongly criticized by traditional philosophical conceptions of science because 1) an explanation of the success of successful scientific theories should be made only through the use of epistemological criteria, and 2) the knowledge produced by successful scientific achievements matchs to reality. This paper deals with the first criticism, by means of an expanded analysis of the debate between a representative of social constructivism (David Bloor) and a critic (Larry Laudan), based on the hypothesis that, although Laudan has pointed out some important limits to the scope of the social constructivist approach, the argumentative core of his critique does not hold itself, except as a prescription about the tasks that a philosopher of science must do.

Impact of Information Quality on Satisfaction with E-Learning Platforms: Moderating Role of Instructor and Learner Quality

Based on the information system success and situational strength theories, this study explores the moderating effect of learner quality and instructor quality on the relationship between information quality and student satisfaction with e-learning. Survey data were collected from 333 college students, and the proposed relationships were assessed using the SMARTPLS structural equation modeling tool. The direct relationship between information quality and student satisfaction is significant; however, the moderating effect of learner quality and instructor quality is insignificant. The moderating effects of learner and instructor quality have been less researched in the existing literature. This study contributes to uncovering the complex interactions between these variables and the relationship between information quality and satisfaction.

The Effects of Demographic Factors on Professional Career Success: An Investigation of Higher Education Staff in South Africa

Professional career success has received great attention in the organisational management literature since the 1980s as organisations strive to attract and retain top talent, understanding the factors that contribute to career success has become imperative. Since it is an important topic for individuals, organisations and researchers, there have been efforts to comprehend the organisational elements and people-related factors that contribute to employees' professional career success. Located within the career development theory, this study aims to understand the sociodemographic aspects of academics that contribute to favourable perceptions of professional career success. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on 253 male and female academics and the data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, namely the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The results of the empirical survey revealed that there were practical significant differences among academics concerning their job classification, professional experience, and their perceptions of their career as successful. Nonetheless, the findings reported no statistically significant differences among gender and age of academics and their perception of successful professional careers. Additionally, the results showed that job classification and professional experience of academics were significant predictors of professional career success since individuals with higher job classifications often have more autonomy and decision-making power within their organisations and departments. Individuals with more professional experience may have a better understanding of their industry and are required to comply with its requirements. These findings may enrich career success theories and offer developmental recommendations to support academics’ professional career success in higher education institutions in South Africa.

Customer Shopping Behavior on E-Commerce Effectiveness Using the Information System Success Theory Approach

In addressing the purpose of this research, it seeks to unravel the intricacies of payment systems in e-commerce, particularly focusing on the challenges posed by the indirect nature of transactions. The design and methodology of the study involve a comprehensive examination of customer perceptions and concerns, emphasising payment security and privacy in the digital landscape. This investigation stems from recognising that security is a linchpin for the successful development of Internet-based payment systems. Within the discourse of e-commerce, customer apprehensions regarding the security of their payment and financial information, encompassing details like credit card transaction numbers, are prevalent. As the e-commerce market in Indonesia experiences rapid growth, exemplified by the leadership of Tokopedia, the competition among companies and organisations intensifies. The endeavour to satisfy customers becomes a formidable challenge for many, underscoring the need for nuanced insights into the factors influencing customer satisfaction. Adopting the Information System Success Theory as a theoretical framework, this study posits that customer concerns about the payment system significantly impact the perceived quality of service. In this context, quality serves as a yardstick for measuring effectiveness by delving into the intricate layers of customer satisfaction. The research employs Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) as the chosen methodology, engaging with the perspectives of 100 respondents to derive meaningful conclusions. Despite its contributions, the study acknowledges its limitations, including the inherent subjectivity in customer perceptions. Nevertheless, the implications drawn from this research carry significance for the ongoing refinement and enhancement of e-commerce payment systems, providing valuable insights for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers navigating the dynamic intersection of technology and consumer satisfaction in the digital age.

Running Mice and Successful Theories: The Limitations of a Classical Analogy

AbstractBas van Fraassen’s Darwinian explanation for the success of science has sparked four decades of discussion, with scientific realists and antirealists alike using biologically inspired reasoning to support their points of view. Based on critical engagement with van Fraassen’s proposal itself and later contributions by Stathis Psillos and K. Brad Wray, we claim that central arguments on both sides of this controversy suffer from an insufficient understanding of Darwinism and its underlying biological concepts. Adding the necessary biological background turns out to subvert the argumentative force of viewing the success of scientific theories as analogous to the behaviour of biotic entities. In conclusion, we sketch more productive ways of viewing the relationship between biology and scientific realism.

YOU JUST LEARN WHAT TO HOLD ON TO AND WHAT TO LET GO: NARRATIVES OF MINDFUL AGING IN SOUTH ASIAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Mindful Sustainable Aging (MSA) is a multidimensional concept incorporating elements from four prominent gerontological theories – activity theory, disengagement theory, successful aging theory, and gerotranscendence theory (Nilsson et al., 2015). Informed by mindfulness practices, MSA is a holistic approach to supporting healthy aging in the social, physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of life (ibid.). Using MSA as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study explores mindful aging in community-dwelling South Asian American older adults – one of the fastest-growing yet relatively understudied racial/ethnic minority groups in the US. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 South Asian Americans aged 50+ (18 male, 14 female; mean age=63.5 years). Thematic analysis of the interview data showed that aging was accompanied by significant modifications such as adjusting to everyday life after the death of a spouse, perceived loss of role and status in the family, reduced finances, and limited mobility due to emergent health concerns. Yet, participants expressed an overall sense of peace and gratitude, embracing aging as an “inevitable” and “natural” process of discovery and acquiring wisdom. Participants tried to remain connected to their social networks through messaging and video calling apps like WhatsApp, volunteered at local places of worship like temples and mosques, and helped their adult children with childcare and household chores. Limited availability of culturally-appropriate opportunities for active aging was a key barrier to participants’ sense of well-being. These findings suggest that culturally-sensitive, mindfulness-based interventions like gentle yoga or bilingual guided meditations may enhance subjective well-being in this population sub-group.

Carving Nature at Its Joints: A Comparison of CEMI Field Theory with Integrated Information Theory and Global Workspace Theory.

The quest to comprehend the nature of consciousness has spurred the development of many theories that seek to explain its underlying mechanisms and account for its neural correlates. In this paper, I compare my own conscious electromagnetic information field (cemi field) theory with integrated information theory (IIT) and global workspace theory (GWT) for their ability to 'carve nature at its joints' in the sense of predicting the entities, structures, states and dynamics that are conventionally recognized as being conscious or nonconscious. I go on to argue that, though the cemi field theory shares features of both integrated information theory and global workspace theory, it is more successful at carving nature at its conventionally accepted joints between conscious and nonconscious systems, and is thereby a more successful theory of consciousness.

Analysis of superconducting critical temperature using numerical method

Currently, many studies have shown that the critical temperature (Tc) of a superconductor can be predicted by using the BCS theory. In this work, we analyse Tc of superconductors, which is determined by the spectral function (α2F(ω)) derived from the interaction between electrons and phonons. The equation that we used for the calculation is Tcstrong=f1f2Tcweak . In this equation, Tcweak refers to the Allen-Dynes formula and f is the correction factor. We compare the Tc obtained from this equation with our method. Many important parameters are given and analysed, such as average coupling strength (λ), the square root of the average frequency square (ω2), and average logarithm frequency (ωln). We use numerical methods and expect to improve the equation to calculate Tc to be user-friendly. Normally, the calculation of Tc can be challenging and time-consuming. The most successful theory explaining the general properties of superconductors is the BCS theory. It explains the mechanism in which normal conductors become superconductors, and the pairing of electrons known as the Cooper pairing is formed by the electron-phonon interactions. In the past, the BCS theory predicted the limit of the critical temperature of superconductors to be around 30-40 kelvin. Recently, several researchers have been discovered a higher Tc value than the limited value from experiments under high pressure. Our method could provide a better analysis of appropriate Tc of superconductors to support new discoveries in the future.

Searching for exotic particles in 4 bottom quarks-antiquarks final states with machine learning techniques at the LHC

The standard model (SM) has been a highly successful theory in explaining fundamental particles and their interactions among themselves. However, the SM has not yet explained several phenomena, and many beyond the standard model (BSM) have been introduced to solve these unexplained phenomena. One example is the bulk Randall-Sundrum (RS) model, which proposed a new higher dimensional mechanism for solving the hierarchy problem and predicted the existence of a hypothetical particle, bulk graviton. In this study, we investigate supervised machine learning methods to search for the bulk graviton decays into a pair of the SM Higgs bosons, and each Higgs boson decays into a pair of bottom anti-bottom quarks ( GKK*→hh→bb¯bb¯ ). We train machine learning models to classify events between GKK*→hh→bb¯bb¯ (signal) and QCD 4b multi-jet (background) processes. The evaluation metrics are calculated in the highest score to compare the classification efficiency between Adaptive Boosting and Neural Networks algorithms after performing feature importance and hyperparameter tuning techniques to optimize the models. The results show that the Neural Networks better classify our signal versus background events with the AUC score of 0.9836, compared to the Adaptive Boosting model of 0.9741. Furthermore, the signal significance is also predicted and scaled to the integrated luminosities of Run 2, Run 3 and HL-LHC, data-taking periods of the LHC. The predictions are obtained at 1.952, 2.858 and 9.037 for the Neural Networks and at 1.968, 2.881 and 9.111 for the Adaptive Boosting.

Ordering properties of anisotropic hard bodies in one-dimensional channels.

The phase behavior and structural properties of hard anisotropic particles (prisms and dumbbells) are examined in one-dimensional channels using the Parsons-Lee (PL) theory, and the transfer-matrix and neighbor-distribution methods. The particles are allowed to move freely along the channel, while their orientations are constrained such that one particle can occupy only two or three different lengths along the channel. In this confinement setting, hard prisms behave as an additive mixture, while hard dumbbells behave as a non-additive one. We prove that all methods provide exact results for the phase properties of hard prisms, while only the neighbor-distribution and transfer-matrix methods are exact for hard dumbbells. This shows that non-additive effects are incorrectly included into the PL theory, which is a successful theory of the isotropic-nematic phase transition of rod-like particles in higher dimensions. In the one-dimensional channel, the orientational ordering develops continuously with increasing density, i.e., the system is isotropic only at zero density, while it becomes perfectly ordered at the close-packing density. We show that there is no orientational correlation in the hard prism system, while the hard dumbbells are orientationally correlated with diverging correlation length at close packing. On the other hand, positional correlations are present for all the systems, the associated correlation length diverging at close packing.

Assessing the Impact of Recreational Programs on the Well-being of Senior Citizens

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the assessing the impact of recreational programs on the well-being of senior citizens
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library
 Findings: Participation in recreational programs among senior citizens yielded significantly positive outcomes across various dimensions of well-being. These programs were linked to improved physical health, enhanced social connections, boosted cognitive function, better emotional well-being, and an overall higher quality of life. The cumulative effect of engagement in these activities underlines the importance of recreational programs in promoting well-being among senior citizens.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social Exchange Theory, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Successful Aging Theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the impact of recreational programs on the well-being of senior citizens. Findings can inform the design of recreational programs, tailoring activities to address specific well-being factors like physical health, social connections, and cognitive stimulation Policymakers can incentivize healthcare providers to incorporate recreational programs as part of holistic care for seniors.

Understanding the continuous use of business intelligence: the case of Jordan

ABSTRACT Business intelligence (BI) system has become a crucial cornerstone of decision support, providing valuable information for effective organisational decision-making. This study contributes to BI literature by offering valuable insights into technology adoption in developing countries. It highlights unexplored BI adoption aspects that warrant further investigation in developing economies. Therefore, drawing upon ECM, flow theory, and IS success theory, an integrated model is proposed to study BI's continuous use in Jordan. This study utilised a quantitative survey methodology to examine how the synthesized model impact users’ intentions to continue using BI tools. The survey was conducted with 241 participants from organisations in different sectors in Jordan. The results, as analysed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), indicated significant relationships between quality-related factors, flow-related factors, post adoption factors and the continuous intention to use BI tools. The study's findings hold vital implications for policymakers, highlighting influential factors in BI tools usage.

Quantum theory only makes sense in Lazare Carnot's participatory engineering thermodynamics, a development of Leibniz's dynamics.

Feynman insisted 'no one understands quantum theory'. Yet, experimentalists tell us quantum theory is the most successful theory in history. Quantum theory cannot be understood as a classical mechanical theory since it arose through the 'interpolation' of two highly successful but complementary classical mechanics: Newtonian particle mechanics and Maxwellian wave mechanics. The two-slit experiment illustrates that what is experienced depends on choice of experimental set-up. Quantum theory is properly understood within the more general framework of engineering thermodynamics. In Part One, I point to four essential characteristics of quantum theory that cannot be understood in any framework defined by the classical mechanical presuppositions of symmetry and conservation. These four characteristics are the participatory, the complementary, the indeterminate and the new non-commutative geometry. In Part Two, articulating engineering thermodynamics, I note there are two histories and two formulations of thermodynamics: Carnot's engineering thermodynamics and the 'rational mechanical' tradition of Clausius-Boltzmann. These four essential characteristics of quantum theory are also characteristics of engineering thermodynamics. In Part Three, I trace the precursors of Lazare Carnot's engineering thermodynamics to earlier insights of Huygens, d'Alembert, Leibniz and the Bernoullis. Leibniz brought these forth in his meta-paradigm shift from Statics to Dynamics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Thermodynamics 2.0: Bridging the natural and social sciences (Part 2)'.

Prolegomena to a theory of X-marking

The morphological marking that distinguishes conditionals that are called “counterfactual” from those that are not, can also be found in other modal constructions, such as in the expression of wishes and oughts. We propose to call it “X-marking”. In this article, we lay out desiderata for a successful theory of X-marking and make some initial informal observations. Much remains to be done.

Improving Disaster Preparedness Services for People with Disabilities

Lack of disaster preparedness has contributed to many disaster victims, especially people with disabilities, who are often neglected in making disaster risk reduction plans. In light of the recent World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai, Japan, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030, which establishes new priorities for disaster risk reduction over the next 15 years, this issue has become a hot topic since then. This paper aims to contribute ideas to the Indonesian government in reforming and improving disaster preparedness services for people with disabilities based on successful theories, research, and practices developed in several countries. Through reviewing literature studies related to the issue and interviewing relevant informants in Indonesia, both data sources coped with six strategies that may contribute to improving disaster preparedness for disabled individuals. The strategies as the results of this study are intended to be used as reference material, particularly by the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), in order to aid in the creation of a framework to better comprehend the communication, mobilization, transportation, and medical requirements of people with disabilities in the context of preparing disaster preparedness program scenarios.