Applying the SOR framework to mitigate single-use plastic tableware consumption and why does it work? Solving the dissonance with an extended SOR framework.

Although plastic pollution is a critical environmental issue worldwide and household consumption of single-use plastic tableware (SUPT) is a growing concern, research on the determinants of SUPT use is deficient. In light of the prevalent and frequent use of SUPT, the far-reaching nature of its consumption, and its distinctive health concerns, compounded by the lack of dedicated regulations, this article sheds light on the SUPT problem and strives to minimize SUPT consumption. The Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework has been extensively applied in various contexts but not yet in the context of household SUPT consumption. In this study, we aim to fill the lacuna by examining the motives behind SUPT consumption using two online questionnaires in two Western countries that are known for relatively high domestic SUPT consumption: Israel (Study 1, n = 408) and the USA (Study 2, n = 295). Our findings indicate that personal attitudes toward the plastic problem ("organism" in the SOR taxonomy) mediate the relation between plastic health problem awareness ("stimulus") and SUPT consumption ("response"). Moreover, we identified perceived behavioral control (PBC) as a significant predictor of behavior when behavior is not under volitional control (i.e., an action against the individual's self-interest), as in the SUPT context. Therefore, we propose expanding the SOR framework with the organism comprising attitude and PBC, thus supporting the dissonance theory (double mediation). We suggest that modifying personal attitudes toward the plastic problem by enhancing plastic health problem awareness may strengthen PBC and reduce SUPT consumption. Overall, this study deepens our understanding of SUPT consumption by highlighting the importance of attitude and PBC as mechanisms that link awareness to sustainable behavior.

Job satisfaction and well-being among college-educated Bedouin Arab and ultra-Orthodox women in the Israeli workforce: the roles of individual, familial, communal, and organizational resources.

Over the past two decades, increasing numbers of Bedouin Arab and ultra-Orthodox women have been integrated into the Israeli labor market. The integration of these women from traditional and minority communities into the general workforce involves significant coping on the practical, social, and emotional levels. This study examined factors that may facilitate the integration of college-educated Bedouin Arab and ultra-Orthodox women in the Israeli labor market. The sample included 304 ultra-Orthodox women and 105 Bedouin Arab women, who were employed in a variety of fields. Participants completed questionnaires designed to collect data on demographics, sense of personal coherence (SOC), family quality of life, sense of community coherence (SOCC), diversity climate, inclusive management, job satisfaction, and well-being. The ultra-Orthodox women reported higher levels of most of the resources; whereas the Bedouin Arab women reported higher levels only of inclusive management. Hierarchical regressions showed that income, SOC, and inclusive management each contributed significantly to job satisfaction. Levels of well-being were explained by SOC, family quality of life, and inclusive management. This study highlights the importance of individual, familial, and organizational resources for the integration into the workforce of female members of minority groups.

Ultra-Orthodox Women in the Job Market: What Helps Them to Become Healthy and Satisfied?

This study explored the mental health and job satisfaction of Ultra-Orthodox women who work in different cultural environments. Data were gathered from 304 Ultra-Orthodox women who belong to various streams in this society and who were recruited by the Midgam research panel. The participants filled out self-reported questionnaires that assessed their family quality of life, community sense of coherence, diversity climate, inclusive leadership, job satisfaction, and mental health. The participants ranged in age between 19 and 64 years (M = 30.86, SD = 8.71); 43.1% worked within the Ultra-Orthodox enclave, while 22.4% worked with both Ultra-Orthodox and secular individuals and 34.5% worked in mainly secular environments. We observed differences and similarities among the three groups of women. Community sense of coherence was weakest among those who worked outside the enclave, while diversity perception and inclusive leadership were highest among that group. In all three groups, family and community were the most important resources for mental health. Both traditional resources (i.e., family and community) and other resources (i.e., perception of diversity climate and inclusive leadership) were important for job satisfaction.

Diversity Climate, Salutogenic Theory, and the Occupational Health of College-Educated Women from Conservative Communities.

Over the past four decades, there have been significant changes in workplaces around the world, including a workforce that has become more diverse as the relative proportion of women in the workforce has increased. This trend has included the increased workforce participation of women from conservative minority groups. This article discusses the significance of the integration of college-educated women from conservative minority groups into the workforce in terms of their own personal health and well-being. This work focuses on two groups of college-educated women from conservative minority groups that have joined the Israeli workforce: Ultra-Orthodox women and Bedouin Arab women. This qualitative study was based on five focus groups, which included 16 women from the two examined groups. The main themes raised in those focus groups were categorized and analyzed. The data analysis was guided by the diversity-climate approach and salutogenic theory. The research findings indicate that a diversity climate that included most of the different aspects of this approach was present in the participants' statements regarding their workplaces. In practice, diversity climate supported sense of coherence, such that both diversity climate and a sense of coherence led directly to the occupational health of these college-educated, minority women.

What factors explain anger and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic? The case of Israeli society.

BACKGROUND: What factors affected the levels of anger and emotional distress experienced during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic? We hypothesized that (1) sociodemographic factors and resiliency factors would partially explain psychological distress and anger, with stronger resiliency associated with lower levels of distress and anger; (2) women would report more trust in national leadership, as well as more psychological problems; (3) individuals of low socioeconomic status would report less resiliency, less trust in national leadership, and greater distress than individuals of higher socioeconomic status; and (4) hope would mediate the relationships between the other resiliency factors and both anger and distress. AIM: To explore whether community resilience, hope, and trust in leaders were associated with lower levels of anger and emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: For this observational study, data were gathered in Israel during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, just before the Jewish New Year (mid-September 2020), as a second lockdown was announced. Data were gathered from 636 Israeli adults, who were recruited by the Midgam research panel. The participants filled out self-reported questionnaires including one on state anger, the Brief Symptom Inventory as a measure of mental-health problems (i.e., somatization, depression, and anxiety), and questionnaires about trust in the state's leaders, community resilience (CCRAM), and hope as measures of coping resources and resiliency. t-tests were used to explore differences between men and women and between those of lower and higher socioeconomic status. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was then used to examine whether and how the sociodemographic and resiliency variables explained state anger and psychological distress. A Sobel test was used to evaluate the possible effects of hope on community resilience and trust in leadership in the context of both distress and anger. RESULTS: Our results revealed differences between women and men in terms of anger and mental-health problems, but not in terms of coping resources. Women reported higher levels of both anger and mental-health problems. Participants of lower socioeconomic status reported more mental-health problems, more anger, and greater trust in the state's leaders; whereas those of higher socioeconomic status reported greater hope. Furthermore, hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the sociodemographic factors of gender, age, and socioeconomic status, as well as community resilience, trust in the state's leaders, and hope explained mental health with a total of 19% of the variance and anger with a total of 33% of the variance. The Sobel tests showed that hope mediated the relationships between community resilience and mental health (z = 3.46, P < 0.001), community resilience and anger (z = 2.90, P < 0.01), and trust in leaders and anger (z = 3.26, P < 0.01), but did not affect the relationship between trust in leaders and mental health (z = 1.53, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Personal and communal factors affect psychological distress. Personal resilience is an important factor that should be strengthened throughout life. Trust in leadership is important for citizens' mental health.

Effective Ways to Encourage Health-Care Practices among Cultural Minorities in Israel during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Following the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, policymakers have been occupied with the questions of whether and how to specially address unique cultural groups coping with the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the potential for a culturally tailored approach to the transmission of health messages in a time of crisis among two minority populations within Israeli society: the Ultra-Orthodox population and the Arab population. To that end, 380 individuals from Israeli Ultra-Orthodox society and 360 individuals from Israeli Arab society completed a self-reported questionnaire in early April 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study reveal differences between these groups in terms of the effectiveness of different channels for conveying messages and the channels that were preferred, as well as significant relationships between community sense of coherence and the study variables. We found that advocacy and motivation based on values, on the one hand, and recognition of the effectiveness of a culturally tailored approach, on the other, may be the best approach for persuading members of minority populations, who belong to collectivist societies, to comply with epidemic-control instructions.

Hope and Resilience During a Pandemic Among Three Cultural Groups in Israel: The Second Wave of Covid-19.

The aim of this study was to explore the coping resources of hope and sense of coherence, which are rooted in positive-psychology theory, as potential resilience factors that might reduce the emotional distress experienced by adults from three cultural groups in Israel during the chronic-stress situation of a pandemic. The three cultural groups examined were secular Jews, Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and Arabs. We compared these cultural groups during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, just before the Jewish New Year (mid-September 2020) as a second lockdown was announced. Data were gathered from 248 secular Jews, 243 Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and 203 Arabs, who were 18-70 years old (M = 37.14, SD = 12.62). The participants filled out self-reported questionnaires including the Brief Symptom Inventory as a measure of emotional/psychological distress (i.e., somatization, depression, and anxiety) and questionnaires about sense of coherence and different types of hope (i.e., intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal) as measures of coping resources and resiliency. Differences were found between the three groups in terms of several variables. The Arab participants reported the highest levels of emotional distress and the lowest levels of interpersonal and transpersonal hope; whereas the Ultra-Orthodox participants revealed the highest levels of sense of coherence and other resilience factors. A structural equation model revealed that, in addition to the sociodemographic factors, only sense of coherence and intrapersonal hope played significant roles in explaining emotional distress, explaining 60% of the reported distress among secular Jews, 41% among Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and 48% among Arabs. We discuss our findings in light of the salutogenic and hope theories. We will also discuss their relevancy to meaning-seeking and self-transcendence theory in the three cultural groups.

Do professional communities enhance the personal and professional well-being of minority women? The case of Ultra-Orthodox women in Israel.

The labour market in industrialised countries around the world today faces various challenges associated with the 4th Industrial Revolution, specifically three major developments: innovations in technology and science, demographic changes, and social change. Policymakers and employers are required to examine the economy in light of these changes, which are expected to affect the labour market and the level of employment. In this study, we chose to focus on one of the most prominent areas leading to change in the employment market: the social changes and the adoption of new social platform in the employment market. Israeli society is undergoing a significant change with the increasing entrance of members of Ultra-Orthodox society, specifically Ultra-Orthodox women, into the advanced employment market. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine whether and how state-funded professional communities help Ultra-Orthodox women to progress at work and enhance their personal and social well-being. The main themes are based on content analysis of two focus groups that included members of a variety of professional communities, content analysis of correspondence on social networks, and five in-depth interviews with the managers of these groups. The findings are analysed through the lens of positive psychology theory and show that professional communities contribute significantly to five personality strengths of the employed women: positivity, engagement and connectedness, positive relationships, meaning, and success. Additionally, these communities help to cultivate the women's professional talents, contribute to strengthening the relationship between general Israeli society and the Ultra-Orthodox community, and, ultimately, all of these help produce satisfaction at work.

"Enclave in Transition": Ways of Coping of Academics from Ultra-Orthodox (Haredim) Minority Group with Challenges of Integration into the Workforce.

Traditional societies around the world face various challenges with the introduction of "modern" values as a result of various globalization processes occurring worldwide. In the research literature, these groups are generally referred to as a "transitional societies." The focus of the research discourse on "a society in transition" is the social change derived from the undermining of that traditional society and the weakening of its constituent values with the acquisition of higher education and modification of traditional division of roles in the family. In the last two decades, the ultra-Orthodox society in Israel has undergone far-reaching changes that are reflected in the acquisition of higher education and the accelerated entry into the employment market. In light of these changes, this study seeks to examine how the academic ultra-Orthodox deal with this integration into a work place outside the "enclave." Methodologically, the study is based on qualitative content analysis of four focus groups, two for men and two for women, as is customary in ultra-Orthodox society. During the group discussion, participants were asked to describe how they cope with conflicts and their general professional challenges in the workplace. The findings of the study show that both the men and the women, described themselves as adaptable and coped well, despite the social difficulties facing their community and professional challenges in the employment space. The analysis of the major themes relies on the Stress and Coping theories.

Between the Inside and the Outside World: Coping of Ultra-Orthodox Individuals with Their Work Environment After Academic Studies.

This study has explored how ultra-Orthodox individuals cope when facing secular norms and values in their work environment. The study was conducted in Israel, where 614 ultra-Orthodox adults answered questions regarding demographic characteristics, identities, openness to the workplace, social environment, Brief Cope, community sense of coherence (CSOC) and Employee Satisfaction Inventory. Individuals in the main sectors of the ultra-Orthodox society reported higher CSOC and stronger religiosity while individuals from the minor sectors reported greater openness to the job's social environment. Demographics, coping strategies and CSOC were significant in explaining job satisfaction. The results will be discussed based on stress and coping theories and on the salutogenic theory.

Are "Sense of Coherence" and "Hope" Related Constructs? Examining These Concepts in Three Cultural Groups in Israel.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between two coping factors which facilitate adoptive adjustment when facing stressful situations. We have examined links between sense of coherence (SOC) and the concept of hope as well as its wish and expectation components and its collective and individual dimensions. We have studied three cultural groups in Israel: secular Jews, religious Jews and Bedouin Arabs. METHOD: Data were collected during two military operations (Pillar of Clouds and Protective Edge) from 385 adolescents aged 12-18; 76 secular Jews, 110 religious Jews and 199 Bedouin Arabs. Adolescents filled out selfreported questionnaires which were comprised of items determining demographics, sense of coherence and hope. RESULTS: Results show that while religious Jews reported the strongest SOC, Bedouin Arabs reported the strongest hope. As for the links, major differences were revealed between the Jewish groups and the Bedouin Arab group. In both Jewish groups significant correlations were found between the expectation component and/or the global hope and SOC; however, no links were found between the global hope or its components or dimensions and SOC among the Bedouin Arab group. CONCLUSION: Overall, in spite of some overlap between these concepts in the Jewish groups it seems that SOC and hope have their own unique characteristics and, thus, stand as separate resources when facing stress situation. The discussion highlights cultural differences and similarities among these groups with regard to the main concepts of this article. Finally, some psychoeducational suggestions are offered, focusing on cultural sensitivity.

Youth in the midst of escalated political violence: sense of coherence and hope among Jewish and Bedouin Arab adolescents.

BACKGROUND: During stressful events, individuals (particularly adolescents) from minority groups are often more vulnerable to distress. This claim will be examined in terms of coping resources and stress reactions to escalated political violence. This study aimed to compare coping resources and stress reactions among adolescents from two ethnic groups in southern Israel-Jews and Bedouin Arabs-during a period of escalated political violence (November 2012). The Bedouin Arab group is the ethnic minority of the sample and thus may be more at risk compared to the Jewish group. METHODS: Data were gathered from 78 Jews and 91 Bedouin Arabs (14-18 years old) by using convenience sampling method. Adolescents were contacted via the Internet or in person by the research team and they completed self-report questionnaires including the Sense Of Coherence Scale (SOC), Hope Index, State Anxiety Inventory, and State Anger Inventory. After a preliminary χ2 analysis of the sample characteristics, three main sets of analyses were conducted including a two-way MANOVA, zero-order correlations between study variables, and hierarchical multiple regressions. RESULTS: Bedouin Arab adolescents reported lower levels of SOC (F(1, 158) = 3.88, p = 0.04) and higher levels of individual and collective hope (F(1, 158) = 3.94, p = 0.03; F(1, 158) = 17.41, p = 0.001, respectively), as compared to Jewish adolescents. The Bedouin adolescents also reported higher levels of state anger (F(1, 158) = 5.58, p = 0.02). We identified cultural similarities related to the predictive power of coping resources (SOC and individual hope) in explaining state anger (ß = -0.29, p = 0.001; ß = -0.18, p = 0.045, respectively). However, cultural differences were found to affect the ability of SOC to predict state anxiety; SOC contributed significantly to state anxiety only among the Jewish adolescents (ß = -0.45, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the significance of addressing cultural/ethnic factors in attempts to understand mental-health issues among youth during periods of escalated political violence.

Youth from Fundamentalist Societies: What are Their Attitudes Toward War and Peace and Their Relations with Anxiety Reactions?

The present study was conducted during "Protective Edge," a long-lasting military operation between the State of Israel and Hamas in Gaza, during which hundreds of rockets were fired from Gaza into various regions across the country. At the same time, Israeli forces bombed Gaza and sent in ground forces. The military operation ended after 50 days of fighting, with a cease-fire between the warring sides. The aim of this study was to compare attitudes and perceptions of youth from different religious fundamentalist societies, toward the war and their readiness for peace during this specific violent struggle, and attitudes toward the Israeli-Palestinian (I-P) conflict in general. Furthermore, we wanted to examine the links between these attitudes, personal sense of coherence and state anxiety. We compared two groups of adolescents who belong to religious minorities in Israel: ultra-Orthodox and national religious. The sample included a total of 107 subjects from both groups. The young people responded to a questionnaire, distributed during the military operation, while they were still under rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. The questionnaire included: socio-demographic characteristics; attitudes toward the military operation; ways to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; sense of coherence and state anxiety. Results indicate that both groups thought that the I-P conflict would not be resolved peacefully and that there were more wars to come. Furthermore, both national religious and ultra-Orthodox adolescents thought that this operation would have limited success for only a limited time. Regarding the differences between the groups, sense of coherence was higher among the ultra-Orthodox and this group also believed more than their counterparts that everything was in God's hands. Interesting results emerged with peaceful resolution being linked to more anxiety among the national religious group, while among the ultra-Orthodox group no relationships were indicated on these two variables. The results of the study underscore the implications of ongoing political conflicts, alongside the growing global power of religion, which minimizes opportunities for world peace.