Personality Variables Research Articles

The interaction of ambient ozone and personal temperature variability on blood markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation, endothelial function, and stress hormones

The interaction between ozone and temperature on cardiovascular biomarkers has not been thoroughly examined. A panel study was conducted among 40 college students with four equal interval follow-ups in Hefei, Anhui Province, China between August and October 2021. Real-time concentrations of ozone were collected from a nearby monitoring device. Temperature variability parameters included diurnal temperature range (DTR), the standard-deviation of temperature (SDT), and temperature variability (TV). A set of cardiovascular biomarkers were measured, including markers of inflammation (Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, GM-CSF and serum amyloid A, SAA), coagulation (D-dimer and ADAMTS13), oxidative stress (Myeloperoxidase, MPO and Growth differentiation factor-15, GDF-15), endothelial function (vascular endothelial growth factor A, VEGFA), and stress hormone (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). Linear mixed-effect models were conducted to analyze the associations between ozone, temperature variability, and all blood markers. The results showed significant associations among ozone, DTR, SDT, TV, and blood markers, suggesting harmful effects on markers. For instance, a 10-μg/m3 increase in ozone at lag 2d was associated with higher levels of SAA by 19.65% (95%CI: 13.70, 25.60), VEGFA by 10.90% (95%CI: 4.57, 17.22), GDF-15 by 5.33% (95%CI: 0.59, 10.06), and GM-CSF by 2.52% (95%CI: 1.70, 3.34), but 13.09% lower D-dimer (95%CI: 6.99, 19.19). We also found statistically significant interaction between ozone and TV exposures for GM-CSF and SAA. This study shows that ambient ozone and personal TV exposures may independently have acute effects on markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation, endothelial function, and neuroendocrine stress response. Simultaneous exposure to these factors may also lead to interactive effects on inflammation markers. These findings offer valuable insights for developing comprehensive strategies in cardiovascular disease control and prevention.

Online Learning Resources for Radiology Education: An Educational Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted radiology education, leading to a rapid transition from traditional in-person instruction to online learning. This article reviews the innovative digital tools and strategies adopted during this period, such as microlearning, virtual reality, and tablet apps, which were central in maintaining educational quality. While online platforms offered flexibility, accessibility, and global reach, challenges such as the lack of personal interaction and variability in resource quality persisted. The article emphasizes the importance of balancing online and in-person learning and highlights future directions in radiology education, including the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) to enhance training. By leveraging these advancements, radiology education can continue to evolve, offering comprehensive and adaptable learning experiences for trainees.

Prediction of Employees’ Addiction Potential Based on Some of the Most Important Psychological Variables: A Discriminant Analysis Study

Background: Drug addiction significantly impacts employee performance, leading to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and higher rates of occupational accidents. Therefore, identifying predictive factors for addiction potential is crucial in preventing drug dependence. Objectives: This study aimed to develop a group membership model using discriminant analysis to predict employees' potential for addiction based on key psychological variables. Methods: A correlational study was conducted with a statistical population consisting of all employees working in public departments in Bojnord City, Iran, in 2021 (N = 2,837). A random sample of 303 employees was selected to complete the Iranian Form of the Addiction Potential Scale, the Big Five Inventory, the Cognitive Emotional Regulation Questionnaire, and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. Data analysis was performed using the discriminant analysis method in SPSS software version 23. Results: The findings revealed that employees' addiction potential can be predicted using personality and cognitive variables. The discriminant analysis equation effectively distinguishes employees with high and low addiction potential based on psychological variables, including extroversion, neuroticism, self-efficacy, and cognitive emotional regulation. Conclusions: The study concluded that self-efficacy, cognitive emotional regulation, neuroticism, and extroversion are significant predictors of addiction potential. It is recommended to incorporate these variables into training courses and personnel selection processes for government jobs.

Individual Difference Predictors of Attitudes toward Polyamorous Targets and Likelihood to Date a Polyamorous Partner in a Student Sample

An online survey was completed by a convenience sample of 495 students to assess attitude toward polyamorous targets as an outgroup using 0–100 feeling thermometers. Also assessed was the likelihood of dating a polyamorous partner. These two measures were only weakly related for women participants but modestly related for men participants. Overall, feeling thermometer averages were favorable (66%) but dating likelihood was very low, with 89% rating dating a polyamorous partner as unlikely. Women were slightly more favorable toward polyamorous targets than were men but target gender showed no effect (i.e., ratings of polyamorous men were the same as those of polyamorous women). However, men were slightly more willing to date a polyamorous partner than were women. In terms of personality and individual difference variables as predictors of attitudes, authoritarianism, erotophobia–erotophilia, and participant sexual orientation accounted for a quarter of the variance in feeling thermometer ratings of polyamorous targets. Specifically, those who had lower authoritarianism, were more comfortable with sexuality, and were sexual minority in orientation were likely to rate the polyamorous targets the most favorably. Individual difference variables did not predict willingness to date a polyamorous partner consistently across gender and sexual orientation participant subgroups; the most consistent predictors were sociosexuality and erotophobia–erotophilia. This study adds to our knowledge in a nascent area of sexual attitude and discrimination research—it demonstrates the differences between rating an outgroup person and attitude toward engaging with them personally. The latter appears to involve more complexity in terms of the relationship with personality and the type of social perceiver. More research is needed into the differentiation between general ratings of others who engage in non-mainstream, stigmatized sexual practices versus when the ratings involve personal involvement or behavior of the social perceiver (i.e., such as dating).

Clues to fostering a program culture of academic integrity: findings from a multidimensional regression model

Using multivariate regression, we identified situational, personal and contextual variables correlated with business students’ self-reported rates of academic misconduct. The most influential predictors of increasing academic misconduct were: higher estimates of peers’ academic misconduct, increasingly negative perceptions of the program’s academic integrity culture, and rating questionable academic behaviours less seriously. Individual priorities, personal characteristics and social support were less influential. We then analyzed our quantitative results in light of our deep understanding of the broader context to derive richer insights from the interplay of our independent variables. Importantly, our results indicate that program-led proactive messaging designed to foster a culture of academic integrity can effectively buffer tendencies towards academic dishonesty. Absent ongoing messaging, however, increasing academic pressures may erode those initial benefits. Moreover, repercussions of major academic integrity breaches can be long lasting, suggesting an even greater need for fostering a culture of academic integrity a priori. Finally, we recommend a public health practice of identifying positive deviants – individuals who thrive in challenging environments – and then in an effort to change a peer support system that fosters academic misconduct into one that discourages it, engaging with those individuals to understand why and how they resist the status quo.

A Descriptive Study to Assess the Impact of Covid-19 and Lockdown on Mental Health of School Children in Selected Schools at Mysuru

Background: Child development includes the biological, psychological and emotional changes that occur in human beings between birth and end of adolescence period. Childhood is classified into three stages of life which involves early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. Children might be in special need for support in handling anxiety caused by the disruptive situation. The conditions probably make the situation particularly challenging for young children, which is hypothesized to lead to increased emotional and behavioral problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a lot of anxiety, stress, and grief. These stressors can cause mental health problems for anyone, and they can trigger acute symptoms in persons who already have mental health problems. Methods: The aim of the study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health of school children in selected schools at Mysuru. Research design adopted for the study was descriptive survey design. Non probability convenience sampling technique was adopted to select 50 school children with in the age group of 12 to 15 years. Personal Variable Proforma was used to assess the selected personal variables and Structured Knowledge Questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge of school children regarding impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health of school children in selected schools at Mysuru. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that majority of the school children had negative impact regarding COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health. Impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health of school children were not found to be significant with the personal variables. The COVID-19 related interruptions need to be focused some key challenges and measures to control and manage COVID-19 crisis. Health care professionals play a vital role in educating and providing basic health care services to the school children.

Investigating Iraqi EFL Learners’ Social Intelligence and Their Performance in Speaking: A Correlational Study

The ultimate goal of learning a language is to use it when interacting with others regardless of the mode of communication. This use of the language, however, is socially and psychologically affected. In this regard, social intelligence plays a crucial role in creating effective interactions. The problem is that the correlation between social intelligence and speaking skill has received little attention in the field of linguistics concerning the Iraqi context. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the correlation between these variables to better understand how they correlate to each other. It asks to what extent there is a correlation between them and whether some personal variables affect this correlation. To this end, the alternative hypothesis is adopted which claims that there is a statistically significant positive correlation among the variables. For this purpose, the correlation design that draws on the quantitative approach is adopted. Moreover, a sample of 77 EFL third-year students from the University of Mosul for the academic year 2023-2024 was randomly selected. They were males and females coming from ethnic backgrounds, namely, Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen. To collect data, two research instruments were used they were: an adopted and adapted social intelligence scale and a speaking test designed by the researcher. The data were statistically treated by a statistician using SPSS. The results of the study show that there is a positive moderate correlation between social intelligence and speaking skill. It is also concluded that personal variables such as gender and ethnicity have no significant influence on the correlation between the variables. Finally, some recommendations were presented based on the conclusions inferred.

Risk factors for student dropout in higher education institutions in latin america

Introduction: In Latin America, university dropouts significantly influence the individual development of students and the socioeconomic progress of the region. Identifying risk factors allows educational institutions to recognize and address the specific needs of their students to create effective methods that foster academic success and retention. Objective: Analyze the various risk factors for student Dropout in Higher Education Institutions in Latin America with the purpose of proposing strategies that reduce the negative rates of this problem. Methods: A bibliographic review of studies published between 2010 and 2024 on risk factors for student dropout in higher education in Latin America was carried out, using relevant databases and applying rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Personal, academic, institutional and socioeconomic variables are part of the risk factors for University Dropout. The lack of access to Higher Education has a significant impact on the economic and social growth of Latin America since it is essential for the training of qualified professionals. The high dropout rate contributes to a less prepared workforce and limits job opportunities for young people. Conclusions: The prevalent risk factors were academic and personal associated with university dropout in Latin America, which is why various strategies were proposed to generate inclusive and equitable higher education through the reformulation of public and institutional policies.

The Influence of Extraversion Personality, Peer Conformity, and School Climate on Relational Bullying in Boarding School Students

Relational bullying is a form of indirect bullying that often occurs in schools, involving acts of exclusion, neglect, spreading negative rumors, gossip, and social manipulation. This research aims to develop a theoretical model of relational bullying and determine the influence of extraversion personality, peer conformity, and school climate on it in boarding students. This research uses a quantitative approach. The study involved 210 madrasah tsanawiyah students boarding at Makrifatul Ilmi and Al Quraniyah Islamic boarding schools in South Bengkulu Regency. The results showed that theoretical models of influence can influence relational bullying among students. The R square value was 0.68, indicating that personality variables extraversion, peer conformity, and school climate can explain relational bullying by 68%. Extraverted personality had a positive effect on relational bullying, peer conformity had a positive effect, and school climate had a positive effect. This research contributes to the development of a more specific relational bullying theory model in psychology and suggests a holistic approach that includes guidance and counseling for teachers, collaboration between parents and the school, socialization and education for interventions to overcome relational bullying behavior.

People-environment relations following COVID-19 pandemic lifestyle restrictions: a multinational, explorative analysis of intended biophilic design changes

The study analyzes the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions for the human–environment relations through the lenses of biophilic design. The mixed-method quantitative and qualitative explanatory research combines contextual and personal variables, such as, among others, country, age group, gender, overcrowding, time spent outside, access to nature/food and the exposure to biophilic elements, during and after the lockdown. The results indicate that psychological pressure on individuals caused by pandemic restrictions imposed early 2020, triggered changes in human-environmental relation. More precisely, our comparative analysis of six European countries (Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, Denmark and Sweden) indicates that people-environment relations do not depend on the objective severity of country-wise restrictions, but rather on the individual perceptions of these restrictions. The results complement the lack of the research for the role of biophilic design in understanding and enhancing human–environment relations during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and thereafter.

Pengaruh Personal Identity, Social Identity, Kredibilitas Influencer Terhadap Green Purchasing Behavior

This research tests and analyzes personal identity, social identity, influencer credibility on green purchasing behavior. And knowing which variables are the most dominant in influencing green purchasing behavior. The research uses a quantitative approach that uses causal relationships. The sample selection criteria in this study were aged 12 years to 43 years who had purchased and used Tisoo brand tissue and were in the Jabodetabek area. Questionnaires were collected from 100 respondens, the data was then processed using the multiple linear regression method. Based on the results of the analysis, it is known that the personal identity variable partially has a positive effect on green purchasing behavior. Meanwhile, the social identity variable and the influencer credibility variable partially have a negative effect on green purchasing behavior. Simultaneous hypothesis testing states that personal identity, social identity and influencer credibility have a positive effect on green purchasing behavior. and the most dominant variable in influencing green purchasing decisions is the personal identity variable. The implication is that companies like Tisoo should emphasize environmental values in their marketing and select influencers who understand eco-friendly products to encourage green purchasing.

The mediational role of hearing acuity in the association between personality and memory: Evidence from the health and retirement study and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

ObjectivesPersonality traits (i.e., the enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) are associated with cognition across adulthood. There is interest in identifying potential mechanisms to explain this association, but none has focused on sensory function. Therefore, the present study examined whether an objective measure of hearing acuity mediates the association between personality and memory. MethodsParticipants were from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, N = 5497, 60 % women, Mean age = 65.66, SD = 9.00) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA, N = 4706, 57 % women, Mean age = 64.47, SD = 7.59). In the HRS, participants had data on personality and demographic variables in 2012/2014, hearing acuity in 2016/2018, and memory in 2020. In ELSA, participants had data on personality and demographic variables measured in 2010/2011, hearing acuity in 2014/2015, and memory in 2018/2019. ResultsIn both HRS and ELSA, higher hearing acuity partially mediated the association between lower neuroticism (4 % and 5 % proportion effect mediated), higher conscientiousness (6 % and 15 %) and higher openness (3 % and 7 %) and better memory performances at follow-up. ConclusionsThe present study provides novel evidence that hearing acuity mediates the association between personality and cognition.

Effective use of skin microbiome signatures for fingerprint identification.

Recent advances have increased the importance of the human microbiome, including the skin microbiome. Despite the hand microbiome research, the factors affecting the composition of the hand microbiome and their personal characteristics are incompletely known. Despite changing environmental factors and personal variation, we aimed to indicate the interpersonal distinction between skin microbiota using simple and rapid molecular methods. Over a non-consecutive 10-day period, samples were taken from 10 adult individuals, and ribotyping analysis of the 16S and 23S genes of S. epidermidis was performed on each skin sample. Additionally, EcoRI and HindIII enzyme reactions and variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) reactions of S. epidermidis obtained from DNA samples were performed. The skin microbiomes of individuals were evaluated along with the microbiome profiles left on the surfaces they touched. In the environmental samples taken, it has been observed that people preserve their core skin microbiota characters and carry them to their environment. It was determined that the highest similarity rate was 77.14%, and the lowest similarity rate was 31.74%. Our study showed that the core skin microbiota retains its characteristics and leaves traces in environments. The fact that the personal microbiome remains unchanged despite environmental differences and has characteristic features has shown that it can be used in forensic sciences to distinguish individuals from each other. These results with simple and rapid methods further increased the importance and significance of the study. The findings indicate that personal skin microbiota can provide a significant contribution to criminal investigations by increasing accuracy and reliability, especially in forensic analyses.

Older persons making a life closure: experiences of loneliness in an academic nursing home – a phenomenological qualitative interview study

ABSTRACT Background Loneliness is a public health concern and more than half of the residents in nursing homes experience lonliness. Risk factors are age and loss of close relatives. Purpose This study aimed to describe experiences of loneliness among older people living in an academic nursing home. Methods Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten older people and data analysed with systematic text condensation inspired by a phenomenological approach. Results Three themes were identified: “Relatives and health care professionals matter”; “Acceptance and meaningful existence alleviate loneliness”; and “Challenges affecting the experience of loneliness”. The older persons described themselves as lonely, but their experience of loneliness differed. They managed loneliness by adapting to it or getting used to it; some also chose to be alone. To add meaningfulness to their daily life, talking about memories and their past were appriciated. Personality traits and variations in functional ability were identified as barriers to social interactions. Conclusions Health care professionals can reduce negative experiences of loneliness by listening to nursing home residents, creating a meaningful daily life with individualized activities, and by encouraging contacts with close relatives. This can be a way of maintaining older persons’ dignity and coping with the longing for what has been.

Large Language Model Use in Radiology Residency Applications: Unwelcomed but Inevitable

ObjectiveThis study explores radiology program directors’ perspectives on the impact of large language model (LLM) use among residency applicants to craft personal statements. MethodsEight program directors from the Radiology Residency Education Research Alliance participated in a mixed-methods study, which included a survey regarding impressions of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated personal statements and focus group discussions (July 2023). Each director reviewed four personal statement variations for five applicants, blinded to author type: the original and three Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer-4.0 (GPT) versions generated with varying prompts, aggregated for analysis. A 5-point Likert scale surveyed the writing quality, including voice, clarity, engagement, organization, and perceived origin of each statement. An experienced qualitative researcher facilitated focus group discussions. Data analysis was performed using a rapid analytic approach with a coding template capturing key areas related to residency applications. ResultsGPT-generated statement ratings were more often average or worse in quality (56%, 268 of 475) than ratings of human-authored statements(29% [45 of 160]). Although reviewers were not confident in their ability to distinguish the origin of personal statements, they did so reliably and consistently, identifying the human-authored personal statements at 95% (38 of 40) as probably or definitely original. Focus group discussions highlighted the inevitable use of AI in crafting personal statements and concerns about its impact on the authenticity and the value of the personal statement in residency selections. Program directors were divided on the appropriate use and regulation of AI. DiscussionRadiology residency program directors rated LLM-generated personal statements as lower in quality and expressed concern about the loss of the applicant’s voice but acknowledged the inevitability of increased AI use in the generation of application statements.

Some Personal Variables Associated with Speech Disorders among Elementary and Intermediate Students

Some Personal Variables Associated with Speech Disorders among Elementary and Intermediate Students

Loop and Enjoy: A Scoping Review of the Research on the Effects of Processing Fluency on Aesthetic Reactions to Auditory Stimuli.

Processing fluency has been shown to affect how people aesthetically evaluate stimuli. While this effect is well documented for visual stimuli, the evidence accumulated for auditory stimuli has not yet been integrated. Our aim was to examine the relevant research on how processing fluency affects the aesthetic appreciation of auditory stimuli and to identify the extant knowledge gaps in this body of evidence. This scoping review of 19 studies reported across 13 articles found that, similarly to visual stimuli, fluency has a positive effect on liking of auditory stimuli. Additionally, we identified certain elements that impede the generalizability of the current research on the relationship between fluency and aesthetic reactions to auditory stimuli, such as a lack of consistency in the number of repeated exposures, the tendency to omit the affective component and the failure to account for personal variables such as musical abilities developed through musical training or the participants' personality or preferences. These results offer a starting point in developing novel and proper processing fluency manipulations of auditory stimuli and suggest several avenues for future research aiming to clarify the impact and importance of processing fluency and disfluency in this domain.

Shaping psychotherapy trainees' potential: insights from training program directors.

The role of the therapist has received growing attention in psychotherapy research, suggesting that training effectiveness may also depend on the person of the trainees, with relevant implications in terms of candidate selection or tailoring training to the person. In the present study, we focused on how and how much psychotherapy training can be effective in fostering trainees' characteristics associated with successful therapists and contrast trainees' characteristics that could represent limitations as therapists. The aim was to explore training program directors' perspectives on individual trainees' limitations and strengths, and on the effectiveness of training in shaping successful therapists. To this aim, we interviewed 14 training program directors with different psychotherapy approaches. Audio recordings of these semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using NVivo software. According to our findings, transversally to different psychotherapy approaches, trainees' self-awareness and the ability to embrace uncertainty were recognized as the main characteristics of good trainees. Four training elements were fre- quently mentioned by directors as effective in shaping trainees' development: experiential learning, the use of paradigm that pri- oritizes self-awareness (instead of technique-focused approaches), the centrality of supervision and inter-vision, the trainer-trainee relationship. These insights highlight the importance of trainees' self-awareness and the ability to embrace uncertainty as potential personal variables that may influence the effectiveness of future psychotherapists and suggest giving attention to experiential learning and training relationships as crucial elements of psychotherapists' development during the training.

Modeling pedestrians' activity time-use choices in a virtual urban public space: The influences of the environment and affective experience

Understanding pedestrians' time-use choices for multiple activities in urban public spaces is crucial for developing diverse and inclusive public spaces. Few studies have explored how pedestrians' time-use choices are influenced by the physical environment when engaging in various micro-level activities in public spaces, nor have they captured the influence of experience-based factors (e.g., emotion and perceptions) triggered by varying environments, as well as heterogeneity between individuals. This study employs the multiple discrete-continuous extreme value (MDCEV) model to estimate the effects of public space environmental attributes, visit purpose, emotion, and perceptions on individuals' activity time-use choices using data collected in varying virtual hypothetical public spaces. A latent class MDCEV model incorporating personal variables is used to further examine individual heterogeneity. The results indicate that outdoor dining spaces and benches significantly promote outdoor activities. Emotional pleasure and arousal, as well as perceived legibility and liveness, significantly influence various activities in varying ways and to varying degrees. Differences in activity time-use choice patterns between two groups are revealed - one more emotionally driven and the other more cognitively driven. The results complement existing knowledge of pedestrians' activities and inform the planning and design decisions for positive human-environment interactions in urban public spaces.

Rating writing: Comparison of holistic and analytic grading approaches in pre-service teachers

BackgroundIn a typical instructional setting, teachers are responsible for making ongoing decisions that involve judgments of students’ capabilities, knowledge, learning needs, and progress toward a certain pre-specified goal. However, there is a significant within-teacher as well as a great between-teacher variability in the actual determination of grades. Grades appear to be an amalgam of characteristics of a student, filtered through a range of teacher personality variables. AimsThe purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which pre-service teachers agreed on students’ grades in writing task between holistic and analytic grading approaches and how their individual characteristics and beliefs about features of assessment explained the variability in grading practices. SampleTeacher candidates (N = 231, 65% female) enrolled in a training program in 2020 and 2021 cohorts at the University of València, Spain, were asked to read two essays, identified by experts as being of low and high quality, and assign holistic and analytic grades. Resultsalthough teacher candidates provided grades consistently across the two approaches (intra-individual differences), there was a high variability in the distribution among participants (inter-individual differences). We found that, gender, area of specialization, attitudes toward feedback, and extraversion were significant predictors of grading variability. ConclusionThis study highlights the considerable variation in grading practices among pre-service teachers, indicating the influence of individual factors such as gender, specialization, feedback receptivity, and extraversion. Despite consistent grading within specific approaches, the inter-individual differences in scores were substantial. Due to the consequential nature of teacher grades, our findings offer important insights and have critical implications for teacher preparation and professional development programs.