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With the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, videoconferencing was rapidly adopted. However, individuals frequently decide to keep their cameras off during videoconferences. Currently, the reasons for this are not well modeled, and neither are the social effects this decision has. The present research addresses the question whether camera use can be conceptualized as prosocial behavior. To this end, two preregistered studies (total N = 437) examined how the decision to turn on one's camera is influenced by established situational determinants (group size, social influence, and social tie strength) and dispositional predictors of prosocial behavior (individual communion, agency, and social value orientation), whether individuals prefer meetings in which others turn on their cameras, and whether camera use impacts social perception (communion and agency) by others. As predicted, people were shown to overall prefer meetings in which others turn on their cameras in Study 1 (a factorial survey). Furthermore, situational determinants of prosocial behavior were demonstrated to influence camera use in the hypothesized directions, while findings regarding dispositional predictors of prosocial behavior were mixed. Study 2 conceptually replicated the effect of social influence on camera use in a correlational survey. As predicted, it was also demonstrated that individuals who have their camera on are perceived as higher in agency, but, in contrast to predictions, not higher in communion. Together, the findings indicate that camera use is prosocial in that it benefits others, but that it is not primarily driven by prosocial intent or commonly interpreted as a prosocial act.
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Hand washing is one of the most effective measures to reduce the risk of transmitting infectious diseases. However, motivation for regular hand washing during the infectious phase of the SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear. We examined four possible reasons for practicing regular hand washing-two involved the perceived effectiveness of this practice in reducing the risk of infection, and the other two involved other motivations. The results of our nationwide survey revealed that people conformed to other people's practice of washing hands and felt relief from their anxiety when washing their hands. The perceived effectiveness of personal risk reduction, however, showed little effect on the behavior, while motivations such as conformity and relief from anxiety successfully explained a large proportion of hand-washing behavior. Our findings suggest that policymakers responsible for public health should consider social motivations when implementing public strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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Background: The New Global Economy is represented by a series of major features, such as the use of green energy, the reduction of the carbon footprint in all industrial and civil fields, as well as finding alternative food resources. Our main objective was the research of a sustainable food product with a special nutritional purpose in the vision of nutrivigilance, developed in Romania, as an adjuvant in the repair of gastric mucosa. Methods: The materials used in the research and development of the new food are the following: inulin, lactoferrin, sericin, and sodium bicarbonate. The new adjuvant food product in the repair of the gastric mucosa was added to certain foods in order to prevent the patients from being satiated by a single food from a sensory point of view. The resulting food products were organoleptically and physico-chemically analyzed. Results: The new food is sustainable and has versatile uses. It can be hydrated with water, non-carbonated drinks, mixed with cottage cheese, or with fruit puree and oatmeal. It is stable under normal storage conditions and microbiologically safe. Conclusions: Through its versatile use, the new food product for special nutritional conditions represents a worldwide novelty. Through the development of forestry for the cultivation of white or black mulberry (Morus alba and Morus nigra), the raising of silkworms (Bombyx mori), the processing of fibroin to obtain natural silk and the processing of sericin resulting as a residue in the textile industry, the new food product developed actively contribute to the global economy II.
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Within the framework of Sustainable Development, Social Work has established areas and fields of intervention around which social services have been developed, mainly those related to water care with respect to quality of life and subjective well-being, determinants of evaluation of public policies, environmental programs and attention strategies for migrant communities [4]. In this scheme, Environmental Social Work acts as a mediator of supply policies and civil demands considering the limitations of space, time and infrastructure, but the generality of its dimensions, categories and variables inhibit the analysis of the subjectivity inherent in the objective indicators. of sustainability. [...]it is necessary to delve into the psychological, cognitive and behavioral dimension, in order to be able to establish the needs, expectations, demands and individual or community capacities in the face of environmental crises and the shortage of water resources [5]. From This Nomenclature, It Is Possible To Notice That Sustainable Development Is A Central Issue Or Node That Involves Climate Change, Global Warming, The Greenhouse Effect And Carbon Emissions As Environmental Factors That Have A Direct Impact On The Quality Of The Environment. Air And Respiratory Health In Economically Developed Cities And Economies, But In Addition To Air Pollution, Water And Municipal Waste Problems Are Central Issues In The Economic And Urban Periphery Because The Natural Resources Of The Southern Hemisphere They Are Transformed Into Satisfiers For The Northern Hemisphere, As Is The Case Of Crude Oil And Its Derivatives [5].
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Political conservatives' opposition to COVID-19 restrictions is puzzling given the well-documented links between conservatism and conformity, threat sensitivity, and pathogen aversion. We propose a resolution based on the Dual Foundations Theory of ideology, which holds that ideology comprises two dimensions, one reflecting trade-offs between threat-driven conformity and individualism, and another reflecting trade-offs between empathy-driven cooperation and competition. We test predictions derived from this theory in a UK sample using individuals' responses to COVID-19 and widely-used measures of the two dimensions - 'right-wing authoritarianism' (RWA) and 'social dominance orientation' (SDO), respectively. Consistent with our predictions, we show that RWA, but not SDO, increased following the pandemic and that high-RWA conservatives do display more concerned, conformist, pro-lockdown attitudes, while high-SDO conservatives display less empathic, cooperative attitudes and are anti-lockdown. This helps explain paradoxical prior results and highlights how a focus on unidimensional ideology can mask divergent motives across the ideological landscape.
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Herd immunity through vaccination has been a major technique for long-term COVID-19 infection management, with significant consequences for travel willingness and the recovery of the hospitality and tourism industries. However, indications that vaccine-induced immunity declines over time imply the need for booster vaccines. This could minimize the perceived health hazards of travel while enhancing travel propensity. This study integrated the theory of basic human values, the norm activation model, and the theory of planned behavior to investigate the role of cognitive aspects of individuals' booster vaccine intention on domestic and international travel intention. More importantly, the study examined the role of value in activating moral responsibility and individuals' beliefs to take the booster vaccine before traveling. A total of 315 Korean samples were collected to test the proposed conceptual model using structural equation modeling. In general, the results supported the proposed hypotheses. Notably, the intention to take the booster vaccine has a substantial impact on the intention to travel internationally. Furthermore, the communal values accept benevolence have an influence on personal morals and beliefs about receiving booster vaccines before international traveling.
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PurposeThis viewpoint paper aims to discuss sustainable digitalisation of facilities management (FM) through the implementation of the newly recognised International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards within the ISO 41000 series.Design/methodology/approachThis viewpoint paper provides a review of the literature of the recent ISO documents and academic study. The content is also dependent on the authors' opinions and interpretation.FindingsFM is currently shifting emphasis towards a strategic focus through the adoption of the new recognised international ISO standards that consider sustainable digitalisation in business decisions. However, the FM sector is encountering potential risks to the implementation of the new recognised international ISO standards. Digitalisation is one kind of force that has shaped the management of the built environment and FM recently and rapidly, especially in the Covid-19 period. This is impacting the FM industry. As standardisation aims at establishing a constantly evolving baseline of proven practices, standardisation can be considered a part of sustainable FM. It is believed that standardised and strategic level support is crucial for the smooth adoption of sustainable FM practices and processes. Standards such as the ISO standards, applied to the global FM industry, help in objectively quantifying the added value of FM to the core business. Advanced technology and digitalisation can contribute to the sustainability of any profession and industry, but it also requires a community to tackle the problems.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the FM industry by making recommendations for improvement in the use of digitalisation. In summary, the significant finding of this viewpoint paper is that digitalisation offers both possibilities and problems in the application of the new recognised international ISO standards within the FM industry.
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We have seen massive global behavioral change as billions of people radically altered their ways of life in response to COVID-19. Here, we review how research on conformity and deviance can inform understanding of and effective responses to the pandemic. Group identities are critical for understanding who is influenced by whom, as well as how partisan divisions can obstruct cohesive and coordinated action. We identify several questions highlighted by the pandemic, including when people will react more harshly to ingroup members who violate health-protective norms (black sheep effect) or to outgroup members violating the same norms (intergroup hypocrisy). As a working hypothesis, we propose a goal-based approach, positing that differentially negative reactions to ingroup and outgroup deviants are likely influenced by the relative salience of goals to protect ingroup image, enforce group norms, maintain intergroup boundaries, and seek justice for potential victims put at risk by norm-violating behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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Global supply chains rely on the compliance and safety of their products, processes, and facilities. These vital services (often referred to as ‘quality assurance' or ‘conformity assessment' services) are provided by Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). This empirical study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CABs as well as their response to the resulting challenges. Data was gathered through an online survey among all accredited CABs in Germany, which resulted in 555 valid responses. Taking a resilience perspective, we reveal that CABs were hit hard by the disruptions caused by the pandemic, albeit to different degrees, in part due to their type of services, size, and sectors served. Furthermore, we find that contingency plans do not directly cushion order declines (as the main indicator of the economic impact of the pandemic) but rather indirectly through helping CABs respond more quickly, which in turn mitigates their order declines. However, our results show that contingency plans can also have adverse effects if they hinder flexible reaction to the crisis. The findings of our study help managers and policymakers learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and improve the resilience of the conformity assessment sector and quality assurance in the event of future crises.
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Conformity and polarization are two reactions to pathogen threats like the Covid-19 pandemic. This article discusses the dilemma between protecting public health as well as preserving the democratic dialogue and constitutional rights. I compare two countries which reacted very differently to the pandemic. While Germany was marked by high social conformity levels, in the United States political polarization was predominant. The analysis focuses on the time between March and November 2020. I show, first, the differences and interactions between conformity and polarization. Second, societies seem to be more aware and concerned about polarization than about conformity. Third, I show that both reactions, high conformity and polarization levels are detrimental for the democratic dialogue and constitutional rights © 2022, Eastern Journal of European Studies.All Rights Reserved.
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According to conventional wisdom, one of the main reasons for the spectacular failure of former British Prime Minister Liz Truss during her extremely short stint in the top job was her allegedly radical and obstinate "Brexit ideology." However, this off-the-cuff explanation misses the point since it lacks a solid theoretical base and reliable evidence. Instead, using state-of-the-art scientific concepts-especially the new "cybernetic leadership levers" framework-and sound empirical methods, it is possible to pinpoint the real objective causes for stunning derailment at the top, as witnessed in the case of Liz Truss, the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom. Viewed in comparative perspective, the striking difference between her failed approach towards governing and the successful, transformational and sustainable leadership methods used by the Russian Federation's president, Vladimir Putin, coupled with his concomitant significantly longer political life, serves as a vivid illustration of the four key factors contributing to effective "helm longevity."
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Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to vaccination, health authorities have strongly advocated the wearing of face masks as a crucial measure in combating the virus. Nevertheless, the recommendation or legal requirement to wear a face mask is no guarantee of adherence to the rules. A person's decision to wear a mask may also be based on their beliefs and is likely to be influenced by their observation of the mask-wearing behavior of other people. This study aims to explore the role of conformity on the wearing of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that there is little evidence on how the mask-wearing behavior of others and demographic factors affect people's decisions to wear face masks in public settings, we performed a large-scale observational study in the Czech Republic during a period of rapidly increasing COVID-19 related cases and deaths. We observed a total of 1753 customers and 472 employees in 67 highly frequented shopping venues. The data were collected by trained observers and analyzed using multilevel logistic regression modeling. The results indicate that the mask-wearing behavior of new customers was influenced by the proportion of other customers wearing masks and the behavior differed according to the demographics of age and sex. A notable finding was that the greater the presence of customers wearing masks in a store, the lower the propensity of new visitors to wear masks. Which may be evidence of problematic free-riding behavior. These findings therefore have policy implications and can aid the formulation of specific (communication) strategies to promote mask-wearing behavior.
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BACKGROUND: Medical devices (MDs) represent the backbone of the modern healthcare system. Considering their importance in daily medical practice, the process of manufacturing, marketing and usage has to be regulated at all levels. Harmonized evidence-based conformity assessment of MDs during PMS relying on traceability of medical device measurements can contribute to higher reliability of MD performance and consequently to higher reliability of diagnosis and treatments. OBJECTIVE: This paper discusses issues within MD post-market surveillance (PMS) mechanisms in order to set a path to harmonization of MD PMS. METHODS: Medline (1980-2021), EBSCO (1991-2021), and PubMed (1980-2021) as well as national and international legislation and standard databases along with reference lists of eligible articles and guidelines of relevant regulatory authorities such as the European Commission and the Food and Drug Administration were searched for relevant information. Journal articles that contain information regarding PMS methodologies concerning stand-alone medical devices and relevant national and international legislation, standards and guidelines concerning the topic were included in the review. RESULTS: The search strategy resulted in 2282 papers. Out of those only 24 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria and were finally included in the review. Papers were grouped per categories: medical device registry, medical device adverse event reporting, and medical device performance evaluation. In addition to journal articles, national and international legislation, standards, and guidelines were reviewed to assess the state of PMS in different regions of the world. CONCLUSION: Although the regulatory framework prescribes PMS of medical devices, the process itself is not harmonized with international standards. Particularly, conformity assessment of MDs, as an important part of PMS, is not measured and managed in a traceable, evidence-based manner. The lack of harmonization within PMS results in an environment of increased adverse events involving MDs and overall mistrust in medical device diagnosis and treatment results.
Subject(s)
Commerce , Humans , Reproducibility of Results , Reference StandardsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to analyze the long terms trends in public attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic and compliance with self-quarantine regulations. METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional studies looking into data collected from nationally representative samples (N = 2568) of the adult population in Israel at five points in time representing the five morbidity waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined public trust in Israeli health regulations, levels of public panic, feelings of personal worry, and compliance with health regulations, specifically self-quarantine. RESULTS: Public trust in health regulations in January 2022 is at an all-time low (25%) compared to the maximum value of nearly 75% measured in March 2020. While reported worry is steadily reducing, the perception of public panic is increasing. In earlier rounds, public compliance with self-quarantine was reported close to 100%; however, it has dropped to 38% by January 2022 when compensation is not assumed. Regression analysis suggests that trust is a major predictor of compliance with health regulations. CONCLUSIONS: The "fifth wave" of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about an all-time low in public trust in health regulations. The Israeli public, normally a highly compliant one, is showing signs of crumbling conformity.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Adult , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pandemics , Israel/epidemiology , Public OpinionABSTRACT
The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) exhibited waves of infection in 2020 and 2021 in Japan. The number of infected had multiple distinct peaks at intervals of several months. One possible process causing these waves of infection is people switching their activities in response to the prevalence of infection. In this paper, we present a simple model for the coupling of social and epidemiological dynamics. The assumptions are as follows. Each person switches between active and restrained states. Active people move more often to crowded areas, interact with each other, and suffer a higher rate of infection than people in the restrained state. The rate of transition from restrained to active states is enhanced by the fraction of currently active people (conformity), whereas the rate of backward transition is enhanced by the abundance of infected people (risk avoidance). The model may show transient or sustained oscillations, initial-condition dependence, and various bifurcations. The infection is maintained at a low level if the recovery rate is between the maximum and minimum levels of the force of infection. In addition, waves of infection may emerge instead of converging to the stationary abundance of infected people if both conformity and risk avoidance of people are strong.
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[...]in order to reduce the spread of the disease, family clustering should be determined and quarantine measures should be taken. The predominance of with many children traditional lifestyle may cause increased domestic clustering. [...]during this period, various control measures were taken for children, with some restrictions, and travel bans were imposed except when necessary (9). Contact screening and isolation of children is important in epidemic control, due to the detection of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive children and increasing rate of domestic positivity. According to this guideline, in the presence of epidemiological and clinical findings, SARS-CoV-2 RNA RT-PCR positive cases were accepted as confirmed cases, and SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR negative cases were accepted probable cases (10).
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As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in social cohesion was observed during the first wave and its aftermath. A closer look reveals heterogeneous responses regarding aspects of cohesion-such as trust in others and compliance with containment measures-that differ by individual socioeconomic and cultural characteristics. How these characteristics affect social cohesion in combination is rarely investigated. Therefore, we introduce the concept of social milieus, which addresses the interrelation of socioeconomic and cultural characteristics on the level of social groups, into the international debate. While previous studies have applied this concept to the analysis of social cohesion during the pandemic, they exhibit theoretical and empirical shortcomings. Hence, we develop a new theoretical model of social milieus and an empirical typology using the German sample of the European Social Survey. This typology is matched with data from the Research Institute Social Cohesion (RISC) for a milieu-specific analysis of social cohesion. Results show considerable heterogeneity in social cohesion during the first wave of the pandemic in Germany. Three social milieus with potentially conflicting modes of social cohesion regarding trust and compliance stand out while other milieus are less diverging as presumed in the literature. These modes can be interpreted as emerging from a combination of the milieus' socioeconomic position and basic human values. Thus, the new theoretical model and empirical typology of social milieus contribute to the understanding of how social cohesion has been contested between social milieus early in the pandemic.
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In this chapter, we turn our gaze to campus reopening plans and COVID mitigation strategies enacted by colleges and universities in the early months of the pandemic. We found that higher education administrators’ pandemic responses were consistent with concerns for institutions’ bottom line, expressed largely in fears of losing enrollment, rather than the concern for the well-being of their students, their employees, and the community at large. We examine the dual response of colleges and universities ready to embrace public health solutions on the one hand, and stubborn refusals to heed science in favor of political conformity on the other, even when that repudiation is at odds with the best science, with the will of the faculty, and at the urging of student leaders. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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The Covid-19 pandemic entered Indonesia in early 2020 and has affected all aspects of human life especially consumption patterns. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, consumers and businesses have switched their transaction patterns from offline to online. Apart from that, this study will also discuss health consciousness because people also know the health effects of consuming too much or too often instant noodles. [...]with the many health issues arising from excessive consumption of instant noodles, this research will become more interesting when analyzed regarding the effect of health awareness on brand loyalty to instant noodles through consumer satisfaction. 2.LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESES 2.1 Customer Brand Loyalty Brand loyalty measures how strongly consumers are "bound" to a particular brand (Tjiptnono, 2011: 110). According to So et al. (in Rahmawati and Sanaji, 2015: 252), brand loyalty is formed because of the main role of consumer experience when consuming services from the company. 2.2 Customer Satisfaction According to Zeithaml, Bitner, and Dwayne (2009, p.104), consumer satisfaction is a consumer's assessment of a product or service in terms of assessing whether the product or service has met the needs and expectations of consumers. Consumers tend to interpret prices through subjective perceptions and transfer them as "expensive" or "cheap" concepts in their memory.
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Online technologies provide a myriad of new teaching and learning methods, and while those new technologies have a lot of advantages, the rapid change from face-to-face to online teaching and distance learning during the COVID19 pandemic has made certain disadvantages visible, too. This paper focuses on the psychological impact of online learning on students, specifically in connection with the move from a well-known place, the university campus, to an unknown space, the online classroom. It explores why uncertainty and anxiety can result in reluctance to engage, a process that is caused by a lack of social information, low peer bonding possibilities and obstacles to create a sense of belonging. The findings are based on a general, theoretical understanding of psychological aspects that impact the virtual classroom, as well as on observations made during the lockdown period and its subsequent months of online teaching, drawing on concepts from social psychology, i.e. social cognition, social perception and conformity. What has become undoubtedly evident is that while the new technologies create new and creative spaces for teaching and learning, they are by no means free of stress and anxiety.