Social Sciences

Abstract: Background: Aging in place (AiP) and healthy cognitive aging (HCA) are closely interrelated concepts but seldom examined together within real-world care systems. Integrated care (IC) offers a framework to understand how community settings can support both. Methods: This qualitative case study examined a 25-year-old community-based integrated health and social care program in a rural Czech microregion. Utilizing a realist-informed context–mechanism–outcome framework, the study integrated data from documentary analysis, semistructured interviews, and participant observation. Results: The findings suggest that IC may support AiP and HCA through interrelated, context-dependent, cumulatively operated mechanisms, including environmental predictability, continuity of care, coordination across services, social embeddedness, supported autonomy, and reductions in cognitive and organizational burden and stress. IC is not a direct intervention, but acts as a context-dependent mediator that shapes the conditions for AiP and HCA. Behaviorally, these mechanisms minimize decision-making complexity and establish predictable interaction patterns that support everyday functioning. Conclusions: AiP and HCA are co-produced through shared underlying mechanisms embedded in care systems and community contexts. IC may facilitate this by fostering stable, person-centered environments that may reduce cognitive demands and support relational continuity. The study contributes to behavioral science by demonstrating how IC can shape conditions relevant to cognitive and functional outcomes in later life and provides actionable insights for the design of IC systems.

Abstract: This study conceptualises a novel function called Brain Awareness by creating a Comprehensive Model of Self-Regulation through a systematic conceptual review of self-regulation, and functionalising it using the Composite Hierarchical Concept reformation process of De Boecke et al. The resulting Brain Awareness is the result of reconceptualising self-regulation into a composite hierarchical scaffolded function that enables contextual adaptation across six domains of human self-regulation: physiological, affective, behavioural, social, motivational and cognitive. Brain Awareness functions through a looping process of meta-awareness, detecting deviations from the contextually ideal state in each domain and uses cognitive control to enable domain specific mechanisms aimed at restoring equilibrium in the affected domains. This holistic and functional nature of Brain Awareness may facilitate neuroplastic brain development through the creation of therapeutic and educational experiences. Such experiences could rehabilitate neuropsychosocial deficits in self-regulation or improve self-regulation for optimal functioning throughout the lifespan for all populations.

Abstract: Environmental concern is widely recognized as a driver of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, yet less is known about whether this relationship differs between current car owners and non-car owners. This distinction matters because car owners evaluate EVs as potential replacement vehicles, while non-car owners may express a more aspira-tional future preference. Using a cross-sectional online survey of 328 adults in Canada, this study examines whether environmental concern predicts EV adoption intentions across ownership groups. Car owners were asked about the likelihood of choosing a plug-in electric vehicle if purchasing another vehicle, whereas non-car owners were asked whether they would prefer to drive an EV instead of a conventional car. Ordered logistic regression results show that environmental concern significantly predicts EV purchase likelihood among car owners (beta = 0.649, p < 0.001; OR approximately 1.91) and EV preference among non-car owners (beta = 0.440, p = 0.018; OR approximately 1.55). Personal environmental responsibility is positive but not statistically significant in the main car-owner model. The findings support Value-Belief-Norm theory while indicating that environmental concern alone may not overcome practical ownership barriers. EV adoption strategies should therefore connect environmental benefits with affordability, charging infrastructure, and everyday usability.

Abstract: Retail investors increasingly bring large language models (LLMs) into cognitively demanding trading decisions - not as tools but as conversational reasoning partners that help frame problems, test scenarios, and judge feasibility. This creates a calibration problem with direct bearing on trading behaviour: the same assistance can yield nhancement or miscalibrated confidence, deference, and offloading. Existing adoption and intention theories explain why investors engage such systems but leave unspecified the decision-time mechanism through which dialogic assistance enters evaluative reasoning - a gap diagnosed here as a three-layer (temporal, ontological, phenomenological) insufficiency. The Augmented Behavioural Capacity (ABC) Model addresses it as a domain-bounded extension for LLM-assisted retail-investor decision-making, specifying a moderated process architecture of three elements: Capacity, operationalised through Perceived Cognitive Assistance (PCA); Calibration, a diagnostic overlay separating calibrated enhancement from miscalibrated confidence, deference, or offloading; and Choice, the proximal outcomes spanning complexity intention, strategy evaluation, structural complexity, and risk assertion. The method is theoretical model development - construct roles, boundary conditions, rival explanations, and falsifiable propositions. The contribution is bounded: ABC claims neither improved returns nor full causal validation, but offers a specified architecture, partially anchored by prior PCA validation, and a staged agenda for causal, calibration, longitudinal, and behavioural-footprint testing.

Abstract: Self-medication is known to have potential harmful consequences. In times of a health shock, like the COVID‑19 pandemic, preventive drug intake may imply irresponsible behaviour. To provide insight into this phenomenon, this study explores the preventive behaviour of 4,642 respondents of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) for the period 2020-2022 and 15 European countries. It aims at highlighting relevant drivers and relies on an econometric analysis backed by random-effects panel logistic as well as pooled logistic estimators. The results indicate that being female, more educated, with income, in worse health, or out of work due to COVID‑19 relates to higher odds of using preventive drugs for COVID‑19 disease. Interaction effects illustrate that those who report symptoms are additionally more likely to take preventive drugs when in poor health, with income, or having hardly any difficulties with making ends meet. Surprisingly, preventive drug intake when reporting symptoms decreases at older ages. No relevant impact is found for relationship status, financial distress, and country of citizenship. Overall, the study identifies important drivers of preventive drug intake informative for policymaking in the context of a health shock like COVID‑19.

Abstract: In information-saturated digital environments, students' vulnerabilities in information processing, emotion regulation, and social connection may fluctuate together within individuals, yet the role of information-environment homogeneity remains uncertain. Using a three-wave design with four-week intervals, we surveyed 615 students from two mainland Chinese universities that experienced qualifying campus public-discussion events and 190 comparison students from a third university. Analyses combined measurement modeling, RI-CLPM, latent growth modeling, and exploratory moderation tests using Shannon entropy of information-source exposure. A three-factor parcel-level model outperformed one- and two-factor alternatives. The RI-CLPM showed modest within-person coupling along all three primary paths after false discovery rate correction, but the IPD-ERV association was bidirectional, with the reverse ERV→IPD path numerically larger at the post-event lag. The linear three-wave LGCM indicated descriptive co-movement among growth indices but showed elevated RMSEA; H3 is therefore not interpreted as evidence of a well-fitting growth model. Neither global nor path-specific environmental moderation was supported. The SCV→IPD entropy interaction was directionally consistent but non-significant. Overall, the data support a distinguishable three-facet structure and modest within-person coupling, but not a strong ordered feedback loop, a well-fitting linear growth process, or confirmatory moderation by information-environment homogeneity.

Abstract: This study examines the relationships between human resource system performance, perceived process quality, and risk-related outcomes within an organizational systems framework. Using data from 750 respondents from the European Social Survey, Round 9, the study applies correlation, regression, mediation, and exploratory factor analyses. Since the dataset does not include direct organizational-level measures of formal HR systems, process quality, or corporate risk, a perception-based proxy approach is adopted. The findings indicate that human-resource-related indicators are significantly associated with perceived system stability and risk-related organizational outcomes, with general satisfaction and work engagement emerging as the most consistent predictors. Mediation analysis suggests that perceived process quality and reliability partially mediate the association between human resource system performance and risk-related outcomes. Exploratory factor analysis indicates a broadly interpretable two-dimensional structure of the examined indicators. The study contributes to systems-oriented organizational research by showing how human-resource-related conditions, perceived process quality, and risk-related outcomes may be interconnected within broader organizational systems. The findings offer practical implications for strengthening process reliability, organizational resilience, and risk-oriented management.

Abstract: Hypnotic hypoalgesia effectively reduces various types of pain, but its neurophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. EEG and somatosensory event-related potentials (SERPs) can help elucidate how hypnotic suggestions influence pain processing across sensory, emotional, and cognitive domains. This review synthesizes evidence on EEG oscillatory activity and SERP correlates in hypnotic pain modu-lation and interprets the findings through predictive coding and active inference frameworks. The review integrated relevant studies on EEG frequency-band oscillations, SERPs, and the modulation of pain by hypnosis, focusing on a convergent neurophysiological account of hypnotic pain modulation rather than on individual studies. Research indicates that hypnotic hypoalgesia is associated with concerted changes across multiple EEG frequency bands. Theta activity is linked to focused internal attention and the maintenance of sugges-tion-consistent representations, while increased alpha activity may indicate inhibitory sensory gating and reduced nociceptive gain. Beta oscillations enhance pain relief in cognitive and motor functions, while de-creased gamma activity indicates reduced significance of pain signals. SERP findings show that hypnotic suggestions primarily affect late evaluative components (e.g., P200/P250, P300) rather than early sensory elements, suggesting changes in salience attribution and affective-cognitive appraisal rather than uniform suppression of nociceptive input. Predictive coding and active inference explain how hypnotic suggestions change pain-related expectations and bodily perceptions. This insight is key to enhancing personalized pain management and guiding future neuroscience research.

Abstract: Infant-directed speech (IDS) has long been associated with attachment, yet this association has remained theoretically underspecified. Existing accounts treat attachment as a nominal placeholder rather than a precisely operationalized construct, and either ignore attachment formation or conflate it with attachment quality. The present paper advances two arguments. First, IDS is best understood as a formation-relevant signal operating within a biologically regulated sensitive period window rather than as a caregiving quality signal. Second, the signals operating in the parent-infant dyad during the attachment formation window constitute two independent evolved registers serving different organisms on different timetables. The Infant-Directed Register (IDReg) drives infant attachment to the parent through Phase 1 orientation of a broadly permissive infant toward species-typical caregiver stimuli. The Caregiver-Directed Register (CDReg) drives parental attachment to the infant through Phase 2 arousal-target coupling during the parent's open formation gate. This account is consistent with evolutionary theory, in which selection operates on individual organisms rather than dyadic relationships, and resolves longstanding ambiguities in the IDS-attachment literature.

Abstract: Consumption of conventional white and red meat is a societal and environmental problem. The assertion of these problems stems from factors that influence consumers’ intention to purchase plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) from retailers which are fragmented. Thereby warranting a comprehensive synthesis of precursors that determine purchase intention of PBMAs based on an evidence-based multi-layered model. Applying the Value-Attitude-Behaviour (VAB) theory with the integration of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study examined how values (green value and animal welfare value) influenced perceived attitudes towards PBMAs, which further influenced consumer purchase intention of PBMAs. To close the literature gap, further testing was conducted on the mediating role of perceived behavioural control (PBC) and the subjective norms (SN) variable on the perceived attitude (PA) and purchase intention (PI) relationship. Data was collected by applying convenience and snowball sampling techniques. A total of 501 red and white meat consumers participated in the study to ascertain their potential intention to purchase PBMAs. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS for the descriptives statistics and PLS-SEM to test the direct and indirect effects. Findings indicate that direct relationships were supported, except that subjective norm did not influence purchase intention. Behavioural control mediated the attitude and purchase intention relationship, whereas subjective norms did not mediate the attitude and purchase intention relationship. The introduction of the mediators in the proposed model underscores the value of integrating multiple analytical perspectives in the complex formation of PBMA decision making.

Abstract: The article focuses on the changing paradigm that the energy transition is increasingly shifting from a purely technological domain toward a socio-political and behavioral process shaped by regional disparities and social conditions. Recent studies indicate that regional disparities and differences in policy effectiveness have increased the importance of behavioral factors, including awareness, social norms, motivation, and cultural practices, in shaping energy transition outcomes. This study is grounded in an interdisciplinary framework combining behavioral theories, socio-technical transition approaches, and regional development concepts. It aims to investigate the role of consumer behavior in shaping energy transition outcomes, with a particular focus on regional and educational factors. An empirical survey of 997 respondents across different regions of Ukraine was conducted. Using cluster analysis, three distinct groups were identified, reflecting different levels of awareness and engagement with energy transition issues. Factor analysis revealed that region and education are the most significant determinants of cluster formation. The results confirm that behavioral patterns are strongly influenced by socio-regional characteristics and cannot be explained solely by traditional energy indicators. Based on these findings, the study validates the need for region-sensitive energy policies and provides recommendations for designing targeted interventions that account for regional context and educational level to enhance the effectiveness of energy transition strategies.

Abstract: In the 21st century, digital development, which has become an indispensable element of all processes of human life, has a “bi-directional effect” on the efficiency of outputs, “both positive and negative”. This idea has been put forward in the cited studies. The case studies presented in this study reveal the negative effects of digital addiction in various fields. The study focuses on the individual and social damages of digital addiction, as well as its negative impact on productivity, which is our main topic, and discusses the measures and solutions that can be taken at the individual and organisational level. In this study, firstly, the concepts of digital addiction and work productivity will be defined in order to draw a conceptual framework. After drawing the conceptual framework, an overview of the relationship between “productivity and digital addiction” will be presented.

Abstract: Parents with a history of suicide attempt may face complex decisions about whether to disclose their suicidal behaviors to their children, yet little is known about how these decisions are shaped within family and social contexts. This exploratory mixed methods study examined parental disclosure of suicide attempt history among parents of children aged 5–17 years receiving behavioral health services. Parents with a documented suicide attempt history were recruited from a metropolitan children’s hospital. Eleven parents completed structured assessments of suicidal thoughts and behaviors followed by semi-structured qualitative interviews. Most parents discussed mental health with their child; however, fewer disclosed their suicide attempt history. Disclosure decisions were influenced by family dynamics, prior experiences of dismissal or support, stigma surrounding suicide, and distrust of mental health care. Parents who did not disclose identified judgment, perceived lack of need, and minimization of mental health concerns as barriers. Parents who engaged in open conversations described opportunities to foster trust and emotional closeness. These findings suggest that stigma and social context shape parental disclosure decisions and that supporting open parent–child communication may represent a potential component of family-centered youth suicide prevention efforts.

Abstract: Academic stress represents a major challenge to university students’ wellbeing and is associated with both psychological and physiological consequences. Although dog-assisted interventions have shown promising effects in reducing stress and anxiety in higher education settings, methodological challenges remain regarding the integrated assessment of physiological responses. This study examined cardiovascular changes associated with dog-assisted university sessions and explored the usefulness of integrated cardiovascular indices for physiological stress monitoring. A quasi-experimental pre–post repeated-measures design was implemented within the StressLess program at the University of Granada. A total of 147 university students participated, generating 375 valid physiological records including systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate measurements obtained before and after intervention sessions. Results revealed significant reductions in all cardiovascular variables following participation. Furthermore, the StressLess Cardiovascular Dynamics Index (SCDI) and alternative integrated cardiovascular formulations consistently detected physiological changes associated with the intervention, showing moderate-to-large effect sizes and high convergence among indices. The findings suggest that dog-assisted interventions may facilitate short-term physiological regulation in university students and that integrated cardiovascular approaches represent practical, non-invasive tools for stress assessment in real educational settings.

Abstract: The study examined the extent of bribery within the public healthcare system in Greece and the influence of its determinants at the macro-, meso-, and micro-levels, highlighting institutional and cultural influences, systemic weaknesses, inequalities, and high-risk groups. Structured questionnaires were administered to a representative sample of adult users of healthcare services in public hospitals located in urban areas. The analysis included descriptive statistics to examine variable distributions and trends, bivariate non-parametric tests to assess associations between informal payments and selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as binary logistic regression modelling to estimate the probability of exposure to informal payments based on specific individual characteristics. The study sample comprised 2,072 adults, of whom 59.5% were female and 40.5% male, with the largest age group being 36–55 years. A proportion of 23.2% resided outside the metropolitan areas of Athens and Thessaloniki, while nearly 50% reported a monthly household income of up to €1,500, indicating a substantial representation of socio-economically disadvantaged groups. The analysis revealed the existence of a significant problem of informal payments within the Greek public healthcare system and identified specific institutional, cultural, and organizational determinants, as well as demographic and socioeconomic groups that are particularly vulnerable to such practices. The phenomenon disproportionately affects economically, educationally, and geographically disadvantaged populations. Addressing informal payments in healthcare is essential to preventing the erosion of the social fabric of the country and requires comprehensive transparency-oriented policies, the strengthening of equitable access to services, and targeted interventions for high-risk groups, in order to ensure the sustainability of the public healthcare system and the promotion of equitable and healthy living conditions for the population.

Abstract: This study explores the impact of physical activity on psychological well-being in older adults, emphasizing the different roles of social relationships. Utilizing data from the 2020 Korean National Survey of Older Persons, we applied structural equation modeling to analyze both direct and indirect pathways connecting physical activity to well-being through social contact and emotional support. The results reveal a significant positive direct effect of physical activity on psychological well-being. Additionally, social contact serves as a beneficial mediating pathway by promoting active social engagement, while emotional support shows a negative mediating effect, indicating it may reflect underlying vulnerability instead of functioning as a universally positive resource. These findings highlight a dual-pathway mechanism in which the structural and functional aspects of social relationships operate through distinct and sometimes conflicting processes. By differentiating between these dimensions, this study addresses inconsistencies in previous research regarding the impact of social relationships on well-being in later life and suggests important implications for fostering active social participation in aging societies. The results underscore the need for interventions that encourage active social engagement rather than relying solely on passive support in aging populations.

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between social-emotional skills (SES) and perceptions of school violence among middle school students, considering both associations and heterogeneity in social-emotional profiles. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design was used, with a sample of 311 students aged 8 to 15 (M = 10.65, SD = 1.69). SES were assessed across four dimensions (stress management, adaptation, sense of safety, and expectations), while perceptions of school violence included verbal, physical, relational, digital, and teacher-perpetrated acts. The results show that all dimensions of SES have significant inverse associations with perceptions of violence, with moderate magnitudes, suggesting their role as cognitive-emotional resources. Likewise, three distinct SES profiles (high, medium, and low; n = 151, 134, and 26, respectively) were identified, with the profile exhibiting the highest levels generally reporting lower perceptions of school violence. However, differences between profiles do not follow a strict, linear pattern, suggesting a possible threshold pattern. Nevertheless, no differences in the perception of violence were found based on gender, despite evident differences in SES. The results indicate that SES operate as situated functional systems that modulate the interpretation of violence. It is concluded that understanding school violence requires integrating variable- and profile-centred approaches and considering the interaction between individual resources and school contexts.

Abstract: Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often encounter significant challenges in social interaction and communication. The integration of portable devices (e.g., mobile phones and tablets) into educational frameworks could transform the support landscape for students with ASD, facilitating the implementation of innovative and high-ly effective instructional strategies. The objectives of this review are threefold: (a) to synthesize internationally recognized peer-reviewed research regarding the use of portable devices to enhance social skills in children with ASD; (b) to evaluate and analyze the efficacy of these digital interventions; and (c) to identify current limitations in the literature while providing evidence-based recommendations for practitioners, educators, and future research. The article selection process was carried out in strict adherence to the PRISMA (Pre-ferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, ensuring methodological rigor and transparency in the systematic review process. A systematic search was conducted using the following electronic databases: (a) PsycINFO, (b) Educa-tion Resources Information Center (ERIC), (c) Scopus, and (d) Web of Science. Fourteen studies were selected, and data on intervention components, implementation strategies, and outcomes were extracted. The results suggest that the use of portable devices as in-tervention tools can have a positive effect on the social skills of children with ASD. Future research should prioritise rigorous designs, including studies with larger samples and long-term follow-up to assess the sustainability of outcomes.

Abstract: This study examines whether AI-powered chatbot training was associated with changes in university students’ facial and vocal emotional reaction time during simulated job interviews. A one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was conducted with 54 third- and fourth-year students enrolled in a Human Talent Management course at a private Latin American university. The study was implemented in an Applied Neuroscience Laboratory using iMotions-supported facial expression recognition, eye-tracking, and vocal tone analysis technologies. Participants first completed a baseline simulated interview, followed by three chatbot-based training sessions using HR-expert-validated questions, real-time scoring, and qualitative feedback. A final simulated interview was then conducted to compare pre- and post-training emotional indicators. Facial emotional reaction time was analyzed through aggregate indicators and specific emotions, including joy, surprise, anger, sadness, disgust, fear, and contempt. Vocal emotional reaction time was examined through happiness, sadness, anger, and neutrality. Pre-post differences were assessed using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results showed a significant increase in positive facial emotional reaction time, from 3.52% to 14.75%, and in joy, from 2.38% to 10.10%. Vocal happiness also increased from 2.79% to 10.71%. Several negative and neutral indicators decreased after training, although some of these changes were supported mainly by the Wilcoxon test and should be interpreted cautiously. Overall, the findings suggest that chatbot-based interview training may support emotional expressiveness and vocal modulation in simulated job interview settings, offering a complementary tool for employability training in higher education.

Abstract: Generative AI (Gen AI) adoption increasingly recognizes the need to access and validate virtue ethics in relation to Large Language Models (LLMs) and their integration into higher education. The focus is shifting from rules- or outcomes-based towards moral character, personality traits, integrity and practical wisdom (phronesis), although much of the existing work remains towards ethical paradigms from the Global North. This paper assesses the construct validity and reliability of the Virtue Ethics Measurement Scale (VEMS) within South African and the Continent’s largest Comprehensive Open Distance eLearning (ODEL) Higher Education Institution (HEI). Guided by the positivist paradigm, a cross-sectional 36-item measuring six virtue dimensions (justice, honesty, responsibility, care, prudence, and fortitude) was administered to a sample of N = 503 undergraduate and postgraduate university students. For construct validation, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to assess four competing models: (1) single-factor, (2a) six-factor first-order baseline, (2b) refined six-factor first-order, and (3) second-order hierarchical structure. While the single-factor model demonstrated poor fit, which rejected unidimensionality, the second-order model demonstrated a comparable fit, thus supported a hierarchical structure where six specific virtues successfully loaded onto an overarching virtue ethics construct. Through its robust psychometric properties, the proposed VEMS proves to be a reliable virtue ethics assessment instrument for adoption and use of Gen AI within South African higher education ODEL environment.