Reverse adoption of information and communication technology among organisers of academic conferences.

This study examines the formats offered for academic conferences in the mature stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two out of three organisers discontinue their usage of online video tools and focus on in-person conferences. Only one out of five conferences offers hybrid solutions and even fewer a virtual alternative (13%). Data for the analysis originate from 547 calls for proposals announced in Spring 2022 for conferences to be held during the period August 2022 to July 2023. Estimates using a multinomial logit model show that the planning time is significantly related to the choice of format offered. The longer the lead time, the more likely it is to offer an in-person conference. International travel restrictions and bans on gatherings for the location of the venue at the time of planning are significantly related to the choice of virtual, but not hybrid formats. There are also large differences in the choice across disciplines, with conferences in arts and humanities as well as natural sciences showing the lowest preference for the virtual format.

INTOLERANCE OF UNCERTAINTY - RELATED ASPECTS OF PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE DURING THE PANDEMIC

Thesis. The ability to set long-term goals is associated with lower levels of Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU), but the pandemic has interrupted the established planning strategies. This study aims to clarify the differences in the planning horizons before and during the pandemic for people with different levels of IU. Methods. The study was conducted in March-April 2021. 120 respondents filled in Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, short form (IUS-12), Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZPTI) and answered two additional questions about the duration of the planning period. Then comparison and correlation analyses were conducted. Results. Respondents with different levels of IU also differ in terms of their Time Perspective (TP) profiles. During the pandemic, average planning horizons became shorter for all respondents. The subgroup with low IU showed that planning is associated with the present TP scales. There was a direct association between attitudes towards the Future and planning horizons in the subgroup with average IU level. Planning horizons associated with Past Negative and Present Fatalistic TP were present in the group with high IU level. Conclusion. During the pandemic, levels of IU and planning horizons have shown an inverse relationship. The pandemic and inability to plan in advance in a habitual way primarily affect people who tend to feel confused in conditions of uncertainty and insecurity, that is, people with high scores on the Inhibitory Anxiety scale in the IU questionnaire. Peculiarities of how the planning strategies change in subgroups with different levels of IU before and during the pandemic are discussed.