Abstract Books of the World Conference on Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
The World Conference on Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (WPBCONF) presents carefully peer-reviewed research presented at the annual Psychology and Behavioral Sciences conference organized by Proud Pen. This collection captures original work across the field of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, spanning theoretical frameworks to applied studies. Each volume serves as a reference for ongoing research and study in the discipline.
Influence of Social Media on Adolescents’ Perception of Social Norms: A Scoping Review
Social media has become a major factor in shaping adolescents' views on societal norms. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok often showcase idealized portrayals of reality, which can distort young users' perceptions of body image, peer behavior, and social expectations. Understanding how social media shapes these perceptions is essential for addressing its effects on adolescent mental health and overall well-being. This scoping review, following PRISMA guidelines, investigates the influence of social media on adolescents' perceptions of societal norms, specifically focusing on body image, peer influence, and mental health. An extensive literature search was conducted across databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar, covering studies published from 2000 to 2023. The review focused on adolescents aged 10–19 and included studies examining social media’s role in shaping social norms. Thirteen studies which met the criteria were thematically analyzed and synthesized narratively. The findings reveal that social media exposure significantly impacts body image perceptions, especially among adolescent girls, leading to increased body dissatisfaction and potentially unhealthy behaviors. Social media also intensifies peer influence, creating perceived norms around behaviors like substance use and social activities, which adolescents often adopt as standard. Furthermore, exposure to idealized societal expectations on these platforms has been associated with increased levels of anxiety, depression, and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). Nevertheless, social media also presents opportunities to promote positive social norms, such as body positivity and social activism.In conclusion, social media plays a complex role in shaping adolescents’ perceptions of societal norms, both by distorting certain aspects of reality and by providing a space for positive social influence. Further research is recommended to explore cultural variations and develop strategies to reduce negative impacts while enhancing positive effects.
Copyright (c) 2025 Proceeding of the World Conference on Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
Applying Ethical Guidelines from Psychology to Widening Participation in Higher Education: A Case Study
Widening participation is usually taken to refer to activities and interventions aimed at creating a higher education system that includes all who can benefit from it – people who might not otherwise view learning as an option, or who may be discouraged by social, cultural, economic or institutional barriers (Campbell, 2020). Widening participation is linked with a global effort towards the 2030 United Nations’ agenda for sustainable development; and in particular the goal to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (United Nations, 2015). It is important in terms of social justice and for local economy (Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland, 2012). Drawing on findings from a case study spanning a two-year cycle; this paper focuses on the application of the British Psychological Society (BPS; 2021) guidance on conducting research with vulnerable groups as outlined within the BPS Code of Human Research Ethics (2021) as applied to the development of a widening participation programme evaluation for care experienced young people within a higher education institution in the UK. The research evaluation aimed to increase client-centered engagement with the programme and increase its relevance to their goals; whilst upholding the wellbeing of the participating care-experienced young people. Key considerations and theory to practice implications are outlined with reference to the case study. The utility of these ethical guidelines is highlighted for those implementing WP programmes internationally, in addition to those who work with vulnerable young people, as defined by the BPS (2021).
From Childhood Trauma to Civic Engagement: The Transformative Role of Family Resilience
This study investigates how childhood traumatic experiences influence adult civic participation through sense of community, and whether family resilience serves as a moderating factor. A total of 6,033 Hong Kong residents (female = 3,366, Mage= 41.07, SD = 15.62; age range = 25–65) were recruited between September 2023 and June 2024 using street intercept and snowball sampling methods. Participants completed a survey assessing childhood trauma, alongside measures of sense of community, civic participation, and family resilience. Using PROCESS macro Model 7 with 5,000 bootstrap samples, a moderated mediation analysis revealed that sense of community significantly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and civic participation. This mediation was moderated by family resilience. Among individuals with low family resilience, childhood trauma was associated with reduced civic participation via diminished sense of community. In contrast, among those with high family resilience, childhood trauma was linked to increased civic participation through an elevated sense of community. These findings highlight the transformative role of family resilience in shaping civic outcomes after childhood adversity. Rather than merely buffering against negative effects, family resilience can enable individuals to reinterpret and mobilize early traumatic experiences as a source of civic motivation and engagement. The results highlight the importance of a multilevel ecological framework that considers the dynamic interplay between in familial and community resources in shaping civic outcomes following childhood adversity.
Behavioural Sustainability Messaging in Organisational Settings: Exploring the Moderating Role of Individual-Level Cultural Values
Motivating sustainable choices is difficult in organisational contexts, where decisions involve competing priorities, incentives, and multiple stakeholders. While behavioural science has developed effective nudges for individuals, much less is known about what works in organisational settings – a missed opportunity given their environmental footprint. In fact, listed companies alone are responsible for approximately 40% of all harmful emissions. Furthermore, nudges are not culturally neutral; their effectiveness depends on how decisionmakers interpret cues like loss, exclusivity, and authority, all of which are shaped by cultural values. To address this, we conducted an online vignette experiment, testing whether individual- and country-level cultural values moderate the effect of behaviourally framed messages on business decision-makers’ likelihood of engaging with a digital platform designed to promote sustainability transparency in the global relocation sector. Participants (N=659) from the UK, USA, and India were randomly assigned to one of four message conditions (Loss Framing, Urgency-Exclusivity, Messenger Effect, Control). They then completed measures on platform and message perceptions, and cultural values (CVSCALE). The loss-framed message was rated as the most persuasive, and persuasiveness mediated the effect of the loss-framed message on platform engagement. Moderation analyses revealed that loss framing was less effective among participants high in collectivism and more effective with higher long-term orientation. The effectiveness of the messenger effect increased with higher masculinity and long-term orientation. This study highlights the need for culturally attuned interventions and opens avenues for field-based validation. For practitioners, it also offers actionable insights for designing more effective sustainability communications in global business settings.
Prevalence of Meeting 24-Hour Movement Guidelines Among Older Adults
Sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity shape daily routines and have significant health implications. This study assessed the prevalence of adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines among 258 community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. Each participant wore a triaxial accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+) for seven consecutive days to measure time spent in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. The prevalence of meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines was calculated based on criteria of ≥150 min/week (21.4 minutes/day) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), <8 hours/day of sedentary time, and 7-8 hours/day of sleep. Differences by sex were analyzed using t-tests and ꭓ2 tests. On average, participants (n=258; mean age=74.36 years) had 7.19 hours of sleep, 9.31 hours of sedentary time, 4.0 hours of light physical activity, and 0.21 hours (12.6 minutes) of MVPA daily. Prevalence rates for meeting individual guidelines were 29.1% for sleep, 34.5% for sedentary behavior, and 21.3% for MVPA, while only 1.9% met all three guidelines. Females had lower MVPA adherence than males (16.8% vs. 29.7%), but no significant sex differences were found in other guidelines. The findings highlight low compliance with the 24-hour movement guidelines, particularly for MVPA. The results indicate a need to improve adherence to the guidelines, with a particular focus on increasing MVPA among older adult females.
Family Caregiving to Patients in a Persistent Vegetative State in India: A Multi Family Member Perspective
This study explores the dynamics of adaptation and resilience among families providing long-term care for patients in persistent vegetative states (PVS) at home in India. In the absence of adequate government support services and formal healthcare infrastructure, it becomes imperative for families to undertake the comprehensive and continuous care of patients in PVS. Utilising qualitative research methods and Multi-Family Member Interview Analysis (MFMIA), narratives from six family caregivers were analysed. The findings revealed five overarching themes: struggles with adversity, family values, belief systems, strengthened family bonds, and perceived social support. Caregivers reported significant burdens, including ambiguous loss, emotional distress, and diminished social status. Despite these challenges, families mobilised internal resources such as shared values, cultural beliefs, and social networks to adapt and build resilience. Notable variations in family functioning and adaptation processes were observed, emphasising the need for tailored, cost-effective home care services. These findings offer important insights that will assist family therapists in navigating the complexities of caregiving dynamics and the processes of family resilience in the context of PVS caregiving.
Lifestyle Changes and Sleep Disturbances in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study
This prospective cohort study examined whether changes in risky lifestyle behaviours predict sleep disturbances among middle-aged and older adults in Taiwan. Data were drawn from the MJ Health cohort (1998–2014), including 14,847 participants aged 40 and above (mean age = 50.3, SD = 8.8; 61% men) who completed at least three health screenings over an average follow-up of 7.4 years. Risky behaviours assessed included smoking, alcohol intake, poor diet quality, and physical inactivity. Changes in these behaviours were used to create a lifestyle risk index categorized into reduction, maintenance, or increase, based on participants’ first two assessments. Sleep disturbances were self-reported at the most recent screening. Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for baseline lifestyle risk, age, gender, education, marital status, BMI, occupation, and comorbidities, were used to estimate associations. Compared to those who reduced risky behaviours, individuals who maintained (HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.19–1.41) or increased them (HR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.10–1.17) had significantly higher risks of sleep disturbances. Stratified analyses revealed stronger associations in women. These findings suggest that continuing or increasing risky lifestyle behaviours is associated with elevated sleep problems in mid-to-late adulthood. Promoting healthy lifestyle changes during this life stage may help prevent sleep disturbances and related health risks.
Emotional Triggers and the Learning Crisis Among Veterans
In this paper, I examine how emotional triggers can significantly influence cognitive processes and may serve as a key factor contributing to learning difficulties. Drawing on the research of Ben Haim et al. (2013), Sensen Song (2017), Ashley et al. (2013), and Compton et al. (2003), I argue that emotional stimuli can disrupt attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. These effects are particularly pronounced among military veterans, who are frequently exposed to emotionally charged or trauma-related cues that elicit heightened emotional responses. Despite growing awareness of PTSD and combat-related stress, there remains a significant gap in research specifically addressing how emotional interference impacts learning and adaptation in post-military life. This oversight may hinder the development of effective educational and reintegration strategies. Veterans often face challenges with emotional self-regulation and cognitive control, which can negatively affect academic or vocational training outcomes. This issue is increasingly relevant in light of the growing number of armed conflicts and war-affected individuals in the 21st century. As the global landscape continues to evolve, it is essential for psychological research and practice to more directly engage with the intersection of emotion, cognition, and learning—particularly in populations vulnerable to the long-term effects of emotional trauma.
Group Supervision: Helping Supervisees Transition from Student to Therapist
Students beginning counseling psychology practice consistently reported feeling anxious about their new role as a therapist and subsequently about their performance in group supervision. In this study, it is hypothesized that incorporating mindfulness practice in supervision would help students learn techniques that not only manage their own anxiety related to their new role as a therapist but also increase their sense of competence when incorporating mindfulness in their clinical practice. This study examines the course feedback responses (interviews and written responses) regarding student’s experience in the supervision group when mindfulness exercises were incorporated into every group. Throughout the study, grounded-theory techniques were used and a constant comparative method of analysis. Transcribed data were coded and analyzed using the open, axial, and selective coding procedures of Strauss and Corbin's (1990) grounded-theory method. Four primary domains emerged from the data. In addition to these four primary domains, nine secondary (sub) domains emerged from the data. These domains served to categorize the various responses to the mindfulness activity including the students’ overall reactions and how these techniques impacted their supervision and ultimately their clinical work. Overall, students expressed positive feelings about practicing mindfulness in their clinical supervision and reported that the exercise was useful to them personally and in their clinical training as a therapist. In particular, mindfulness training was most helpful after student’s received more exposure to the various techniques. Based on these findings, clinical implications and future research are discussed.
The Influence of Emotion Perception on Fair Decision-Making in Individuals with High Trait Anxiety: A Moderated Mediation Model
Anxiety influences individuals' social decision-making, and individuals with higher trait anxiety are more likely to accept unfair offers in ultimatum games (UG). However, existing research findings on fair decision-making in individuals with high trait anxiety are inconsistent, and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. The present study aimed to examine fair decision-making in individuals with high trait anxiety and further explore the role of emotion perception in shaping their decision-making processes. A 2 (trait anxiety: high vs. low) × 3 (distributive fairness: fair vs. disadvantageous unfairness vs. advantageous unfairness) mixed-design experiment was conducted. Twenty-seven individuals with high trait anxiety and 27 control participants completed the experiment. We employed a modified UG to measure fair decision-making and to collect participants' emotional perception ratings of each offer. The results indicated that individuals with high trait anxiety had significantly higher acceptance rates for disadvantageous unfair offers compared to the control group. Moreover, emotion perception mediated the relationship between distributive fairness and acceptance behavior, with this mediating effect being significantly stronger in the control group than in the high trait anxiety group. The association between emotion perception and acceptance decisions was weaker in individuals with high trait anxiety compared to the control group. In summary, individuals with high trait anxiety exhibit an impaired ability to flexibly adjust acceptance behavior based on emotional perception, tend to accept disadvantageous unfairness offers, and may rely more on alternative cognitive or contextual cues in their decision-making.
How Emotional States Modulate Cognitive Control Strategies across Language-Switching Contexts
Emotional states have been shown to influence language control, but their specific effects on domain-general cognitive control remain unclear. This study investigates how emotional states (positive, negative, neutral) and language switching contexts with different switching frequencies (low: 25%, medium: 50%, high: 75%) jointly modulate executive control among unbalanced Chinese-English bilinguals. By combining a language switching task with a Flanker task within response trials, we explored the dynamic interaction between emotion and cognitive control under varying language demands. Our findings revealed that in medium switching contexts, individuals in negative states allocated fewer cognitive resources to early conflict monitoring (reflected by smaller N2 effects), but recruited more resources during the later conflict resolution stage (reflected by larger P3 effects), resulting in more effective conflict resolution. In high switching contexts, positive states facilitated proactive control, with greater P3 effects in incongruent trials than in congruent trials, whereas negative emotions relied on reactive control as demonstrated by greater P3 effects in congruent trials than in incongruent trials. These findings suggest that emotional states influence cognitive control strategies differently depending on the frequency of language switching. We put forth the Emotion-Context Modulated Adaptive Cognitive Control Model to provide a more comprehensive perspective of bilingual cognitive adaptation under different emotional states.
Using machine learning to predict AI acceptance, usage, and satisfaction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing our daily lives. With the popularity of AI, researchers have begun to focus on the predictors of people's adoption of AI technology. However, most previous studies examined predictors separately without a comprehensive analytical framework. There was a lack of comparison of the differences in predictors of AI acceptance, use, and satisfaction. Moreover, most previous studies have primarily used traditional regression analysis methods, oversimplifying the association between predictors and outcome variables. In this study, we recruited 2,735 participants with a mean age of 21.12 years to participate in the survey. We adopted and compared six machine learning algorithms to identify predictors of AI acceptance, usage, and satisfaction. Random Forest was selected as the optimal model based on the highest AUC scores and other excellent metrics. Shapley additive explanations analysis revealed that perceived AI empathy, AI literacy, affective attitude, and AI self-efficacy were key predictors for AI acceptance. Perceived AI empathy, AI anxiety in learning, perceived AI trust, social interaction anxiety, and intolerance of uncertainty were key factors in predicting AI usage. AI acceptance, perceived AI empathy, AI literacy, and AI self-efficacy were the key predictors for AI satisfaction. These findings provide empirical evidence for better upgrading AI products and designing AI teaching courses.
Latent Profiles of Academic Help-Seeking and Help-Giving Behavior and Related Factors
Learning is an interactive process involving help-seeking and help-giving behaviors among adolescents. Despite considerable research, potential differences in how they engage in these behaviors remain unclear. The current study aims to examine the heterogeneity of academic help-seeking and academic help-giving behaviors among peers. A total of 633 middle school students participated in the study. Using latent profile analysis, we revealed three profiles among adolescents: adaptive seeker-giver, expedient seeker-giver, and reluctant seeker-giver. We further explore the differences in perceived performance between these profiles and the extent to which the reciprocity belief and perceived teacher autonomy support predict their profile membership. The results found that adaptive seeker-givers showed higher academic performances than the others. Additionally, students with stronger reciprocity beliefs were more likely to be adaptive and expedient seeker-givers, and those who perceived more teacher autonomy support were more likely to be adaptive seeker-givers. Our study is the first to identify subgroups of help-seeking and -giving behaviors within academic settings, revealing its reciprocal nature and providing a theoretical guide for teachers to encourage adolescents to effective peer mutual-help learning.
The Biology of Evil: Dark Triad Traits Blunt Oxytocin Response in Team Success
The Dark Triad, comprising psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism, is associated with diminished empathy, antagonistic interpersonal styles, and strategic self-interest. This study investigated how these traits moderate physiological responses (specifically oxytocin and cortisol) to winning or losing a competitive, creative group task. Sixty-five participants completed a measure of the Dark Triad and then competed in small teams in the spaghetti tower challenge to build the tallest town possible. Salivary oxytocin and cortisol levels were assessed before and after the task. Results revealed that winning generally predicted an increase in oxytocin levels (r = .27, p = .04), but this effect was significantly dampened in individuals with higher Dark Triad scores. Specifically, psychopathy (β = –.09, p = .02), narcissism (β = –.06, p = .03), and Machiavellianism (β = –.07, p = .03) each moderated the relationship between winning and oxytocin, suggesting a blunted affiliative response. In contrast, no significant moderating effects were observed for cortisol (ps > .05), indicating that stress reactivity was unaffected by Dark Triad traits in this context. These findings highlight the social cost of Dark Triad tendencies—even in collaborative success, individuals high in these traits may remain biologically disengaged, suggesting a physiological basis for their interpersonal deficits.
Because ‘you feel alive’: Exploring the Phenomenology of Falling in Love Outside Marriage
Infidelity is one of the most frequently cited reasons for divorce as it can shake the foundations of marriage. This is especially true today, when the concept of infidelity is expanding and may inflate its apparent prevalence. The current study explores the lived experiences of four married men who have fallen in love outside their marriages. The method of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, 2010; Smith & Osborn, 2015) was used, which yielded three superordinate themes capturing the experience of the phenomenon: 1) you feel alive; 2) internal and external transformations; and 3) redefining life. The findings suggest that participants’ experiences are in many ways unique but they also share certain commonalities: the feeling of being alive includes characteristic manifestations or ‘symptom’ patterns and an escalation of feelings by perceived obstacles and hope; a married man’s falling in love with another woman brings about internal and external transformations, whereby most important to the man is he himself, which is why many things are seen from a new perspective. Ultimately, this experience brings a sense of redefining life and gains and/or losses as well as the ability to understand what true love is in retrospect.
interpretative phenomenological analysis
The Relationship of Big Five Personality Factors and Self-Efficacy with Hope to Treatment in Self-Referred Addicts
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Big five personality factors and self-efficacy with hope to treatment. In this descriptive study 350 self- referred addicts consisting of 288 men and 62 women were selected by using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method in Isfahan city centers. The study instruments included the NEO Personality Inventory, the General Self-efficacy Scale, and the Snyder Hope Scale. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. The findings showed that there is a significant relationship between the Big Five personality traits and hope for recovery, general self-efficacy and hope for recovery, and the Big Five personality traits and general self-efficacy (p<0.01). Additionally, the result demonstrated that among the Big Five personality traits, neuroticism and conscientiousness are able to predict hope for recovery and general self-efficacy. Moreover, general self-efficacy is better able to predict significant hope for recovery beyond the Big Five personality traits. These results indicate that the Big Five personality traits and general self-efficacy can effectively predict hope for recovery. Using these predictive variables can be highly beneficial for estimating hope for recovery in individuals seeking treatment for substance avoidance in rehabilitation centers.
Copyright (c) 2024 Proceeding of the World Conference on Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
Understanding Workplace Forgiveness: Associations with Safety Climate and Organisational Trust
Conflicts are inevitable in work relationships among colleagues and have various negative outcomes. One approach to deal with inevitable work conflicts is forgiveness. This study investigated whether there was a correlation between psychosocial safety climate and forgiveness. In addition to that, this study also examines if organisational trust plays a mediating role in the relationship. The sample included 114 employees from various organisations across the globe with an age range of 20-63 years old. This research conducted descriptive statistics, correlations, and mediation analysis by PROCESS v3.5 with SPSS to test the hypotheses. The results suggest that there was a positive association between psychosocial safety climate and forgiveness with organisational trust as mediating role in the relationship. There was no significant effect between psychosocial safety climate and forgiveness directly. In exploratory analyses, it showed that severity and relationship quality were significantly associated with forgiveness. The results revealed that psychosocial safety climate, including organisational trust, may be fundamental to foster the forgiveness climate in the workplace. Future research needs to be conducted to complement this current study and to broaden the understanding of workplace forgiveness antecedents, especially in the safe working environment area
The Corrosive Psychology of Neoliberal Ideology in Current Socio-Ecological Crises
Neoliberal ideology has attained political-economic as well as psycho-social hegemony. Its political, social, and fantasmatic logics pervade societal institutions, work organizations, and psychological representations. Building on associated critical theorizing, a three-dimensional conceptualization underlies the neoliberal ideological beliefs questionnaire (NLI). The three dimensions operationalize (8 items each) political-economic attitudes of a) individualism (self-reliance and self-interest), b) competitiveness (need to dominate and outperform), and c) instrumentality (economic value as reflecting human worth). Extending preceding research, findings from three studies relevant to social and ecological crises are presented. The first two are quantitative. Study 1 examines relationships between NLI, system justification, climate-protective behavior, and self-estimated carbon footprint (N = 344), controlling for demographic variables and environmental attitudes. Neoliberal ideologies act as system-justifying beliefs detrimental to climate-protective behavior, which (along with income) determines carbon footprint. Study 2 reports relationships between NLI, moral disengagement, and political activism concerning refugees and migration in an independent sample (N = 276). Controlling for demographic variables, moral disengagement mediates the negative relationship between NLI and prosocial engagement (distributing materials, signing petitions, discussions, protests). Study 3 qualitatively investigates neoliberal ideologies among economically disadvantaged groups. Interviews with (N = 9) individuals in precarious life situations and long-term unemployment, confirm that respondents aggressively support neoliberal ideologies contradicting their social interests. This includes individualistic explanations for poverty and success, rejection of wealth redistribution, and internalized inferiority. Reduction of cognitive dissonance, epistemic and existential motives (order, security) reinforce this self-marginalizing consciousness. Psychodynamic functions and implications of neoliberal ideologies in escalating socio-ecological crises are discussed.
Weaponization of Brain through Digital Tools Amid a Cognitive Warfare
This article aims to introduce brain weaponization in the context of cognitive warfare. The brain is the biological organ that centralizes the data and interpretation of our environment, it is possible to instrumentalize the brain, and consequently the process of decision-making and the behaviour of an individual, a group or even a nation, for strategic purposes. Given this postulate, it is vital to understand the geopolitical stakes involved in this transformation of conflict. Particularly in a hyperconnected world, where the speed of information and the dependence of digital technology into our lives is unprecedented increasing the cognitive influence through space and time.
Special Challenges in Psychological Profiling of Victims of Crime in the Maldives: Perspectives of a Licensed Maldivian Clinical Psychologist
Maldives reports several incidents of crime every year. Although statistics are not available, many of these cases are sent for psychological profiling. Maldives struggles with its mental health services and have very limited resources. However, as psychological assessments are now considered an important document within the criminal justice system, psychologists are contacted regularly to carry out psychological profiling. The national statistics show that in the year 2023, 3323 crimes were investigated, 2108 reported crimes were closed while 220 cases were sent for prosecution. The type of crime most frequently reported include, drug related offenses, theft, robbery and burglary, physical assault, domestic violence and crimes against children. In the Maldives, there are only a handful of trained psychologists who can carry out these assessments, have limited access to psychological assessment tools, few psychological tests are standardized and available in the local language, and psychologists have to travel to various parts of the country to carry out the assessments and prepare these reports within limited time periods. The current presentation is an experiential account of a licensed clinical psychologist who is involved in carrying out psychological profiling of both offenders and victims in the Maldives.
The Inevitability of Cultural Incompetence: Tolerating Racial Discomfort
Psychologists in the Western world must meet cultural competency standards in their professional practice. In New Zealand, evidence has shown that despite this, mental health outcomes for indigenous Māori populations have not improved. Claims of industry-wide culturally incompetent care towards Māori called for the investigation of non-Māori psychologists’ experiences of achieving cultural competency and working with indigenous Māori clients in this present study. Through interviewing nine clinical psychologists, it was found that participants grappled with issues related to White Fragility and paralysis. The fear of ‘getting things wrong’ is dissected in relation to the colonising tendency to have control and acquire knowledge, and professional tendency to avoid feelings of incompetence and maintain authority. Right-wrong paradigms were often predicated on fears of being racist. Participants described developing an understanding of structural racism and individual complicity. An alternative approach towards cultural competency is explored where psychologists adopt a politics of disappointment in which they forgo a desire for mastery as the experts within therapeutic relationships, and instead accept feelings of unresolve and uncertainty to not fully understand their indigenous clients. Humility is discussed as being the necessary ethical quality in order for psychologists to learn and develop their cultural practice without placing demand on their indigenous counterparts to respond in certain ways or to teach. Participants discussed using discomfort as an indicator of healthy growth beyond their constrained or biased point of view. The ethical importance and responsibility for psychologists to engage in critical reflexivity and tolerate cultural/racial discomfort is discussed.
Maximizing the Power of Reaction Time Research: A Congruency Sequence Effect Simulation Study
Cognitive control is critical for goal-directed behavior, in contrast to otherwise automatic actions. The Stroop task, where participants identify font color while ignoring the word meaning, exemplifies this by inducing cognitive conflict and creating the Stroop effect. The Congruency Sequence Effect (CSE) demonstrates cognitive control by showing smaller Stroop effects following incongruent trials compared to congruent ones. Despite the consensus on CSE’s existence, its effect size is small, necessitating high statistical power for detection. However, inconsistencies in data analysis practices across studies complicate replicability. This study examines how arbitrary analytical decisions impact CSE detection. We reviewed prevalent preprocessing and processing steps in CSE studies, distinguishing between theory-backed and arbitrary decisions. We then employed a multiverse analysis on simulated datasets, reflecting different sample sizes, effect sizes, outlier exclusion criteria, and statistical methods, to assess their influence on CSE detection. We have found that different preprocessing and analytical decisions result in different true positive rates on the same sample and effect sizes, thus careful consideration and transparent reporting of analytical decisions is key to report reliable data. The simulation pipeline reported in this study provides an easy-to-adapt method to pre-analyze statistical power of specific reaction time effects.
The Impact of Poverty-Related Cues on Cognitive Performance
The impact of financial scarcity on cognitive performance likely varies with socioeconomic status, potentially leading to a decline in performance among lower-income individuals. Duquennois (2023) demonstrated in a quasi-experimental study that children from lower-income families perform worse when exam questions include more money-related terms. Other laboratory studies on this effect have shown mixed and contradictory results. In the present work, I investigated this effect through three studies. The first was a replication study, conceptually revisiting the research by Mani et al. (2013). In the second and third experiments, building on Mani and colleagues' methods, we collected data from a demographically diverse sample. Participants created associations for words related to financial scarcity and sleep (control). They then completed tasks measuring attention, fluid intelligence (Study 2), and numeracy (Study 3). I found no evidence that the salience of financial scarcity impacts cognitive performance. This absence of positive results may not necessarily indicate a lack of effect but could be due to participant demotivation or the use of measurement tools insufficiently sensitive to cognitive performance differences.
Correlations between Innate and Environmental Traits and the Attitudes` Assessment towards Active Listening Among Early Childhood Educators
The aim of the study is to examine the correlation between innate (neuroticism and openness) and environmental (self-esteem and emotional regulation strategies) personality traits and the attitudes` assessment toward active listening (AL) among early childhood educators in Israel. Accordingly, this study presents a multipath analysis model exploring the correlations between all those variables. In this study, AL was evaluated using the active listening attitude scale (ALAS) questionnaire, which measures a person-centered attitude through three key factors: “listening attitude,” which identifies values that support active listening; “listening skill,” which represents the technical expression of active listening; and “conversation opportunity,” which identifies listening situations conducive to AL. AL is perceived as an interpersonal communication skill that encourages listeners to integrate multi-sensory and cognitive processes to produce positive and supportive outcomes. To facilitate AL, listeners should be emotionally stable, well-regulated, and possess high self-esteem. Early educators have a decisive influence on children's behavior, so this study examines personality traits and the educators' perception towards active listening. A survey conducted among 390 early childhood educators, both female and male, indicated that both innate and environmental emotional traits correlate with two major factors of AL: “listening attitude” and “listening skill”. The path analysis model supports the perception that an effective and supportive listener must have a stable, open and curious emotional foundation, along with emotional regulation skills and high self-esteem.
The Association Between Mental Health, Peer-to-Peer Confirmation and Learning Motivating Factors in E-Learning
COVID‐19 lead to rapid implementation of e‐learning, but also increased the rates of anxiety, depression (Lawrence et al., 2021; Jojoa et al., 2021), and fatigue (Escudero‐Castillo, Mato‐Díaz, Rodriguez‐Alvarez, 2021), which relate to dramatically diminished e‐learning motivation. Thus, it was deemed important to identify e‐learning motivating factors related to mental health. Furthermore, since computer programming skills are among the core competencies that professionals are expected to possess in the era of rapid technology development, it was also critical to identify the factors related to computer programming learning. Thus, this study aims to identify associations between depression, anxiety, fatigue, and learning motivating factors in e‐learning‐based education. Furthermore, this study aims to compare the patterns in participants and non‐participants of e‐learning‐based computer programming courses, and to identify the specific factors relating to computer programming e‐learners. The sample consisted of 596 e‐learners (198 men, 398 women; age range = 18-56, SD - 8,443), including 281 computer programming e‐learners, other respondents studied social sciences at various Lithuanian Universities; however, these students were studying remotely due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Study instruments: the Learning Motivating Factors Questionnaire (Law et al., 2010), the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (Kroenke et al., 2001), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale‐7 (Spitzer et al., 2006), and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory‐20 (Smets et al., 1995), the Student‐to‐Student Confirmation Scale (LaBelle & Johnson, 2018). The results revealed that computer programming e‐learners differed from other e‐learners in mental health, peer‐to‐peer confirmation and learning motivating factors. T‐test analysis revealed some statistically significant differences between the groups in peer-to-peer confirmation: university students in social sciences demonstrated higher scores of individual attention and acknowledgement than participants of e‐learning based computer programming education. A multiple linear regression showed that mental health was significantly related with learning motivating factors in the group of respondents participating in computer programming courses: depression was significantly related with challenging goals, reward and recognition, social pressure and competition; anxiety, fatigue was significantly related with challenging goals, reward and recognition. The challenging goals factor (intrinsic motivation) was a significant predictor of diminished depression, anxiety and fatigue in e-learning.
Learning and Practicing Mindfulness: Perspectives of a Mmaster’s Degree Education Students
Mindfulness is becoming more and more popular as a coping mechanism for stress and anxiety and an accessible option for improving well-being and relationships. As such, mindfulness is becoming increasingly integrated into the field of education and teacher training programs. But how do students experience this learning and practicing? How does mindfulness relate to their daily work? And what are the implications of these studies for their professional development? This study aimed was to learn how does students in education experience a course in mindfulness and personal development and how it influences them. This is a pioneering, grounded theory, exploratory, and psychology study. To this end, 42 student self-diaries and 20 student reflections were analyzed in a thematic inductive analysis. The main findings were four main themes that described different spheres that formed the learning experience, The spheres are the personal development sphere, the professional development sphere, the classroom sphere, and the immediate family sphere. A cross-sectional theme presents an autonomous process that includes the following stages: scepticism and resistance, a formative experience that creates a turning point, acceptance, and a willingness to learn and practice under guidance and routines. The different spheres support the ecological theory that presents relationships of interdependence that create a personal, unique, and transformative development process.
Lifestyle Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Depression in Young Adults: Results from a Large Cross-Sectional Study in the General Population
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent mental disorder worldwide. 320 million people suffer from depression which is equivalent to ~11% of the adults’ population. MDD is also the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death until 29 years old. It is noteworthy that this mental disorder’s first onset appears at the beginning of adulthood. Beyond the individual impact of MDD, it also consists in a real burden for families and more generally, society. Indeed, MDD impacts everyday life, in all life domains. Lifestyle factors (e.g., sleep quality, physical activities) may play an important role in the prevention, development, progression, and treatment of depression. Consequently, our research aims at assessing the relationships between depressive symptoms and lifestyle in order to highlight which characteristics of the lifestyle consist in risk or protective factors against depression. Further, since adults aged between 18 and 29 years are the most at risk to develop depressive symptoms, we focus our protocol on this population. A minimum of 200 young adults (from 18 to 29 years) complete online questionnaires on lifestyle behaviors (e.g., mindfulness, stress management, sleep quality, dietary habits, physical activities) and depressive symptoms. Data collection is still ongoing. Correlational analysis will be performed to present the results during the conference. According to the research literature, it is expected that the relationship between lifestyle factors and depression will be confirmed at two levels of prevention and treatment.
Factors Explaining Helping Beggars: A Modeling Study
Begging is a universally accepted phenomenon that has existed since ancient times, is similar in many cultures, and beggars as a group are primarily despised and highly stigmatized. Although many countries have made legal regulations to prevent begging, it is a universal phenomenon and a highly visible socio-economic and physical problem in most cities. The study's results generally indicate the multidimensional structure of attitudes toward begging. Two constructs frequently identified are individual and structural explanations of begging. While the individualist explanation emphasizes individual/personal deficits as the primary cause of begging, the structural explanation emphasizes the deficits in the market economy. The study's primary purpose is to determine how begging, which has a multi-dimensional structure, is perceived by society and how the attitude towards beggars is shaped when they come into contact with them. Based on the results of the study conducted in the field, the factors thought to affect attitudes towards beggars were religious tendency, perception of individualism and collectivism, level of altruism, and basic empathy level, and the relationships between these variables were evaluated. Structural equation model was used in the research. The research was conducted with a total of 338 participants, 187 of whom were women and 151 of whom were men, with an average age of 33. The most important result of the study is that religious orientation is critical to the attitude of helping beggars. In addition, the results showed that the perception of collectivism, altruism, and empathy indirectly affected attitudes towards beggars.
Sleep problems as a mediator between work stress and the long-term trajectories of work ability from midlife to retirement
Supporting work ability is crucial for sustainable and prolonged employment. Different work strain factors and sleep problems are known independent predictors of work ability. However, there is little research whether the sleep problems mediates the association between work strain factors and work ability. This study examined whether mid-life work stress, defined as job strain and effort-reward imbalance (ERI), predicts work ability trajectories observed over 12 years from midlife to retirement age and whether sleep problems mediate the association between work stress and work ability trajectories. The study cohort consisted of 2707 Finnish municipal employees. Trajectories of a single-item work ability score were identified using the group-based latent trajectory analysis. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between baseline job strain and ERI and the trajectories. Percentage of excess risk mediated and counterfactual mediation analysis was calculated to examine baseline sleep problems as a mediator of these associations. Four work ability trajectories were identified: ‘Stable Excellent’ (5%), ‘Stable Good’ (71%), ‘Moderate’ (19%) and ‘Low decreasing’ (5%). After adjusting for covariates, both job strain and ERI were independently associated with a greater likelihood of belonging to the lower work ability trajectories compared to ‘Stable Good’ work ability trajectory. Sleep problems explained the association of job strain by 38% and of ERI by 54%. Mid-life work stress, as described by job strain and ERI, is associated with employees’ work ability in the last years preceding pensionable age. Sleep problems seem to be a potential mediator in these associations.
Psychological resilience promotion –Quality assessment of intervention studies
Stress resilience is considered an important condition for mental health and, in the recent years, measures of psychological resilience promotion have increasingly been developed and implemented. To facilitate an evidence-based practice, it is necessary to evaluate the quality of empirical findings on the effects of resilience interventions. This is done, for example, as part of systematic reviews, which contain critical study appraisal as a central task within the review process. However, considering the differences in resilience concepts, research designs and in quality criteria for intervention studies, quality assessment poses a lot of challenges. The paper focuses on the quality assessment of resilience intervention studies, especially on the assessment of the internal validity. In the first step, drawing on a search in theoretical and conceptual work, characteristic challenges for the appraisal of resilience intervention research are considered. In the second step, a set of decisive quality criteria for study assessment is shown, which emerge from the insights gained from two previous systematic reviews conducted by the author. The paper illustrates quality assessment requires accurately planning and a bunch of decisions regarding the evaluation procedure. The set of quality criteria presented provides guidance for the appraisal of empirical results on the efficacy of resilience measures as well as for the development of valid intervention studies on psychological resilience.