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This paper explores how analysts' forecasting behaviour is related to their centrality within a dynamic information network. In this network, analysts who issued coverage reports on the same listed firms in clusters are connected. The social learning hypothesis and social capital theory suggest that financial analysts could learn from other analyst forecasts and obtain information from analyst reports. Employing a dynamic complex network methodology, we focus on analysts' network centrality – degree, betweenness, and closeness – to represent their information access based on a sample of 819,539 analyst forecasts in the Chinese A-share market from 2018 to 2022. Our findings suggest that analysts with more central positions in the network produce more accurate earnings-per-share forecasts and have a longer persistent influence on other analysts. Our results support the perspective that the diffusion of information among analysts affects their forecasts and reporting behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the factors that influence senior high students' decisions to enroll in agriculture courses in college. Specifically, this sought answers to the socioeconomic profile of senior high school students and determined the environmental condition of the senior high school students in terms of external factors (family income and parents' educational attainment) and internal factors (type of school as public or private, and strand taken). A quantitative technique using descriptive causal research design was utilized to attain its objectives. 1645 Senior High School students from the 11 municipalities or cities in Davao del Norte were respondents to the study. Generally, a self-made survey questionnaire was used in gathering the data. The data were tallied and treated with appropriate statistical tools. It was found that the environmental conditions of SHS in terms of family income and parents' educational attainment as external factors were sometimes evident and in terms of the type of school and strand taken, these internal factors were sometimes evident. It was found out that in terms of social learning, this factor was sometimes evident, in terms of cognitive, this factor was oftentimes evident, in terms of affective, this factor was oftentimes evident, in terms of subjective norm, this factor was sometimes evident, and in terms of perceived behavioral control, this factor was oftentimes evident. It was found that there existed a positive significant influence of environmental, cognitive, and subjective norms factors towards SHS's decision to enroll in an agriculture course in college, however, no significant influence existed on social learning, affective and perceived behavioral control factors towards SHS choice to enroll on agriculture course in college. Finally, the researcher recommends that similar studies may be conducted using other theories and methods, to be conducted in different locales and considering the limitations of this study to further validate its results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shyness is typically associated with avoidant social behavior and restricted affect in new social situations. However, we know considerably less about how one child's shyness influences another child's behavior and affect in new social situations. Children's shyness was parent‐reported when children were age 3 (N = 105, 52 girls, Mage = 3.50 years), and children were tested approximately 1 year later (Mage = 4.76 years) in same‐gender dyads where they were asked to give an impromptu speech about their most recent birthday in front of an experimenter and the other member of the dyad. We examined whether children's shyness and speech order influenced their own and their social partner's observed behavior and affect during the speech. Regardless of speech order, children's own shyness was positively associated with their own avoidant social behavior and gaze aversion. Regardless of shyness, children who gave their speech second averted their gaze more than children who gave their speech first. We also found that children who gave their speech second displayed less positive affect if their social partner who they watched give the speech first was shyer. We speculate that some 4‐year‐old children may be sensitive to the avoidant behaviors of their shy peers and, in turn, respond with less animation when it is their turn to participate in the same activity. Research Highlights: We examined whether preschool children's shyness and speech order influenced their own and their social partner's observed behavior and affect during a dyadic speech taskChildren's own shyness was positively associated with their own avoidant social behavior and gaze aversionChildren who gave their speech second averted their gaze more than children who gave their speech first.Children who gave their speech second displayed less positive affect if their social partner who they watched give a speech first was shyerThese findings suggest that preschool‐aged children are sensitive to learning about their environment indirectly through social observation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does the representation of boy and girl exemplars in curricular materials affect students' learning? We tested two competing hypotheses about the impact of gender exemplar on learning: First, in line with Social Learning Theory, children might exhibit a same‐gender bias such that they prefer to learn from exemplars that match their gender (H1). Second, consistent with research on children's stereotypes about gender and math (e.g., associating boys with math competence), children might prefer to learn from exemplars who match their stereotypes about who is good at math (H2). We tested these hypotheses with children in middle school (N = 166), a time of development in which stereotypes are well‐engrained, but before gender differences in math achievement appear. Children viewed two distinct math strategies, each presented by a boy or girl exemplar. We then examined which strategy children employed on a subsequent math test as well as their perceived similarity to the exemplars and their awareness or endorsement of gender‐math stereotypes. Children did not preferentially learn from same‐gender exemplars. However, children with stereotypes associating boys with math were more likely to learn the more difficult strategy when it was presented by a boy exemplar than children who did not associate boys with math. The results of this study provide valuable insight into how children's stereotypes impact their real‐world learning. Research Highlights: How does the representation of boy and girl exemplars in children's curricular materials affect their learning?Past research demonstrates that children prefer to learn from same‐gender exemplars, but also hold a stereotype that boys are better at math.In the current study, we test whether children preferentially adopt a math strategy presented by a boy or girl exemplar.Children who held the belief that boys are better at math were more likely to learn a difficult strategy from boy exemplars than children who did not endorse this stereotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children develop their perceptions, expectations, and attitudes toward the occupational world much earlier than they enter it, also via television which serves as a central socialization agent in the preschool years. The current study thematically analyzes the values associated with the occupational world in children's series by integrating two theoretical perspectives: Schwartz's theory of values and Bandura's social cognitive theory. The study finds that children's series represent the occupational world extensively and uniformly as multicultural and community-oriented. Many aspects of the occupational world in these shows are portrayed inconsistently with the real-world workplace. All occupations are treated equally, and the workplace is portrayed positively, involving obedience and conformity and nearly no concern for personal professional advancement. Impact Summary: Prior state of knowledge: Most prior research on the representation of the occupational world has focused on adult-targeted programming and on gender representations. However, television is an important socialization agent about the occupational world and its associated values also for young children. Novel contributions: This content analysis applies two perspectives: social cognitive theory and Schwartz's theory of values. It finds that the occupational world on children's television is presented positively, with conformity and little concern for personal advancement, rather inconsistently with the real-life workforce. Practical implications: As children can learn about the occupational world from its televised representation in child-targeted shows, parents should be familiar with and mediate the content's meaning for their children and complement such portrayals with discussions and real-world encounters with the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a model of market entry under social learning through word of mouth (WOM). The success of an entrant depends on consumer awareness generated via WOM, modeled as a percolation process on a random graph. The likelihood of an entrant gaining significant awareness depends on network structure, characterized by the first three factorial moments of the degree distribution. We identify three pricing equilibria: blockaded, deterred, and accommodated entry. The model demonstrates that increased network density can shift equilibria from blockaded to deterred and eventually to accommodated entry. Numerical simulations suggest that consumer surplus may be nonmonotonic with respect to network density. Additionally, if incumbents can charge personalized prices based on consumers' connectivity, they may optimally set lower prices for highly connected consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational gender segregation can be traced back to gender‐typed occupational aspirations formed early in life. Analyzing nationally representative data from the 2010–2018 China Family Panel Studies (N = 2410 adolescents aged 10–19), we examine the relationships between parents' occupations, their gender‐(a)typical occupational expectations, and adolescents' gender‐(a)typical occupational aspirations. Our research makes three distinctive contributions. First, we clarify how gender‐role modeling works by distinguishing adolescents' direct imitation of parents' occupations from their indirect gender‐role learning based on the gender orientation of parents' occupations. Second, we propose and test a new theory of "gender boundary‐setting" to understand how the opposite‐sex parent's gender‐typed occupation can erect gender boundaries that reinforce their children's gender‐typed aspirations. Third, we examine the role of parents' gender‐(a)typical occupational expectations in shaping adolescents' gendered aspirations and how such expectations relate to adolescents' social learning based on parents' occupations. We find that girls' gendered occupational aspirations are shaped by direct occupational imitation, indirect gender‐role learning, gender boundary‐setting, and parents' gendered expectations, whereas boys' aspirations are only shaped by direct imitation. Parents' expectations and adolescents' social learning operate independently of each other. Our findings provide new insights into the supply‐side mechanisms underpinning the intergenerational reproduction of occupational gender segregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the first phase of a longitudinal project investigating the perceived purposes that different stakeholders have for primary physical education (PE). In the study, the views of 19 teacher educators from seven countries across Europe were sought. While teacher educators may have some influence across the layers of an education system, little is known about this stakeholder group and their views about primary PE. Analysis of focus group conversations depicts that, while the teacher educators come from a wide range of contexts, their views on the purposes of primary PE were more similar than different. With primary PE in danger of disconnecting into different schools of thought, this finding is important because it suggests that more coherent and connected approaches have the potential to be developed. In line with most government policies from the seven countries, similarities focused on both an educational and outward-looking view of primary PE. Significantly, while the teacher educators recognised the key role of physical learning in primary PE, they also highlighted how children's social, emotional, and cognitive learning form part of an integrated view of primary PE. Teacher educators recognised the importance of primary PE expanding beyond the hall/gymnasium and into classroom, school, and community settings. However, some concerns were voiced about the influence of outsourcing and sport agendas that currently dominate. The views of these teacher educators offer a useful starting point for further investigation, particularly as they present the purposes of primary PE from both an integrated and educational perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the necessity to enhance the effectiveness of online learning (OL) environments by examining the influence of social interactions on learner motivation, engagement, and success, specifically focusing on online computer science education (CSE). Acknowledging the limitations of peer-to-peer and learner-to-teacher interactions on online platforms, this paper delves into the potential of social learning (SL) organized through learner groups, communities, or networks to significantly enrich the learning experience. To test the hypothesis that SL positively impacts student outcomes, an experiment was conducted with 49 engineering students divided into two groups. The first group undertook an object-oriented programming course in C++ using the Moodle platform, while the second group, in addition to the online course, participated in asynchronous group activities through forums and synchronous interactions via chat. The results reveal a notable positive impact of SL on student outcomes, with participants in the second group reporting higher satisfaction levels and achieving superior results compared to those in the first group. The findings underscore the significance of integrating social interaction into OL environments, with potential implications for enhancing the overall quality of education and student performance in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population-based tree seed algorithm (TSA), a popular optimization algorithm, was used in this study. The purpose of this study is to develop a TSA via improving its exploitation and exploration capability which is the most important element of the algorithm. Accordingly, the study was aimed at increasing the convergence rate and performance level of the algorithm. The population diversity of the algorithm was studied, and the incremental social learning method in the literature was integrated into a TSA. The new algorithm obtained was called "Incremental tree seed algorithm" (ITSA). Four different ITSA methods were obtained by using four different methods. With the new methods obtained, the TSA method was applied to twelve low-dimensional benchmark functions. The success of the proposed methods on functions was extraordinary, and the results were shown in the tables. At the same time, Wilcoxon p-test analysis, sign test and ROC curve analysis of the obtained results were also performed. According to the results of p-test, sign test and ROC curve analysis, the proposed method was found to be successful. It can be concluded that the proposed method is more robust than its original version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While complex dog–human coexistence has been deeply investigated, there is a relative scarcity of similar knowledge regarding dog–dog interactions. Social learning, a fundamental synchronizing mechanism between dogs and humans, was recently found to be influenced by the functional breed selection of dogs: with the cooperative breeds being more effective learners from a human demonstrator than the independent working breeds were. Here, we investigated whether these differences would also be present when dogs had to learn from another dog and how to effectively perform a detour around a transparent V-shaped obstacle. We tested dogs from 28 independent and 19 cooperative breeds in three consecutive trials. In the control groups, all dogs had to detour on their own the obstacle. In the dog demonstration groups, in trial 1, the subjects had to detour on their own, but before the next two trials, a trained dog showed them the solution. Results: We found that the performance of the two breed groups was the same in the without demonstration groups. However, after observing the dog demonstrator, the independent dogs learned the task more successfully than the cooperative breeds did. In the case of the independent working breeds, detour latencies significantly dropped along the consecutive trials, and these dogs also showed higher rate of successful detours after observing the demonstrator dog's action than in the control group. Conclusions: This is the first study where the consequences of functional breed selection were confirmed in a scenario that involved conspecific social learning in dogs. The results fit well to the ecologically valid framework of the evolutionary past of dog breed formation, in which cooperative breeds were selected for their interactivity with humans, whereas independent breeds often had to work together with their conspecifics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning new information from others, called social learning, is one of the most fundamental types of learning from infancy. Developmental studies show that infants likely engage in social learning situations selectively and that social learning facilitates infant information processing. In this paper, we summarize how social learning functions support human learning from infancy focusing on two aspects of social learning; pedagogical learning and selective learning. We also provide an overview of the developmental process of social learning based on the findings of developmental research. This review suggests that the learning facilitation effects of pedagogical learning decrease with development, while the facilitation effects of selective learning are observed even in older ages. The differences in these learning facilitation effects are considered to be due to the differences in the utility of learning in uncertain environments. The findings of the studies imply the unique nature of human social learning and the critical role of social interactions in cognitive development. Understanding the development of social learning provides valuable insights into how infants learn and adapt in complex social environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of social networks fundamentally influences spreading dynamics. In general, the more contact between individuals, the more opportunity there is for the transmission of information or disease to take place. Yet, contact between individuals, and any resulting transmission events, are determined by a combination of spatial (where individuals choose to move) and social rules (who they choose to interact with or learn from). Here, we examine the effect of the social–spatial interface on spreading dynamics using a simulation model. We quantify the relative effects of different movement rules (localized, semi-localized, nomadic and resource-based movement) and social transmission rules (simple transmission, anti-conformity, proportional, conformity and threshold rules) to both the structure of social networks and spread of a novel behaviour. Localized movement created weakly connected sparse networks, nomadic movement created weakly connected dense networks, and resource-based movement generated strongly connected modular networks. The resulting rate of spreading varied with different combinations of movement and transmission rules, but—importantly—the relative rankings of transmission rules changed when running simulations on static versus dynamic representations of networks. Our results emphasize that individual-level social and spatial behaviours influence emergent network structure, and are of particular consequence for the spread of information under complex transmission rules. This article is part of the theme issue 'The spatial–social interface: a theoretical and empirical integration'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study is the first to assess whether infants' developing social brains may be susceptible to the vicarious social experience of interparental positivity. Specifically, we explored whether infants' exposure to interparental positivity may vicariously shape their neural substrates of social development. Methods: In a sample of 45 infants (MAgeMonths = 11.01; 48.9% girls), infant left-frontal resting alpha electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry was derived as a reliable indicator of neural substrates linked to adaptive social development. Moreover, positive characteristics of the mother-father couple relationship were assessed both by means of observation and self-report by mother and father. Importantly, various relevant covariates were considered, including interparental negativity (observed and self-reported), as well as infants' direct caregiving experiences and duration of infant exposure to mother-father relationship-dynamics (parent-report). Results: Results indicated that higher levels of observed interparental positivity were associated with greater infant left-frontal alpha EEG asymmetry, even after accounting for covariates (ß's > 0.422). Discussion: The current study's results are first to suggest that positive vicarious social experiences in infants' day-to-day lives play a significant role for early neural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean deoxygenation and standing levels of hypoxia are shrinking fundamental niches, particularly in coastal areas, yet documented repercussions on species development and behaviour are limited. Here, we tackled the impacts of deoxygenation (7 mg O2 l−1), mild hypoxia (nocturnal 5 mg O2 l−1) and severe hypoxia (nocturnal 2 mg O2 l−1) on cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) development (hatching success, development time, mantle length), cognition (ability to learn individually and socially) and behaviour (ability to camouflage and to explore its surroundings spatially). We found that hypoxia yielded lower survival rates, smaller body sizes and inhibited predatory (increased latency to attack the prey) and anti-predator (camouflage) behaviours. Acute and chronic exposure to low oxygen produced similar effects on cognition (inability to socially learn, increased open-field activity levels, no changes in thigmotaxis). It is thus expected that, although cuttlefish can withstand oxygen limitation to a certain degree, expanding hypoxic zones will diminish current habitat suitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some oscine passerines incorporate heterospecific sounds into their repertoires, including vocalizations of other bird species, sounds of other fauna, and even anthropogenic sounds, through vocal mimicry. However, few studies have investigated whether mimics learn heterospecific sounds from model species or from conspecific tutors. Here, we investigate mimicry acquisition using innovation in Cuculidae calls imitated by the Chinese blackbird (Turdus mandarinus). If the mimicry innovation arises and spreads among several neighbors and is not produced by model species, the mimicry must be acquired partially from conspecifics. We found that: (1) Cuculidae calls imitated by blackbirds were reasonably accurate, but with some differences between mimetic and real calls in acoustic structures. (2) We identified four unique mimetic units (mimicry innovation or copy errors), and these units only occurred at certain sites and were shared by several neighbors. In aggregate, frequency parameters (the first principal component) of unique mimetic units were higher than usual mimetic units (p < 0.001). Our findings provide further evidence that mimetic units can be partially learnt from conspecifics based on four cases of unique mimetic units. Our study and approach provide a reference and theoretical basis for the future understanding of social learning and development of vocal mimicry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning through cooperation with conspecifics—'cooperative learning'—is critical to cultural evolution and survival. Recent progress has established that interbrain synchronization (IBS) between individuals predicts success in cooperative learning. However, the likely sources of IBS during learning interactions remain poorly understood. To address this dearth of knowledge, we tested whether movement synchrony serves as an exogenous factor that drives IBS, taking an embodiment perspective. We formed dyads of individuals with varying levels of prior knowledge (high–high (HH), high–low (HL), low–low (LL) dyads) and instructed them to collaboratively analyse an ancient Chinese poem. During the task, we simultaneously recorded their brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and filmed the entire experiment to parse interpersonal movement synchrony using the computer-vision motion energy analysis. Interestingly, the homogeneous groups (HH and/or LL) exhibited stronger movement synchrony and IBS compared with the heterogeneous group. Importantly, mediation analysis revealed that spontaneous and synchronized body movements between individuals contribute to IBS, hence facilitating learning. This study therefore fills a critical gap in our understanding of how interpersonal transmission of information between individual brains, associated with behavioural entrainment, shapes social learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social learning is the main policy-design mechanism that involves interactions between agents. This study provides an overview of the research on policy design using social learning. Descriptive and co-citation analyses were used to identify emerging research lines and thematic similarities between scientific publications. The database used for the bibliometric analysis contained 271 articles published between 1979 and 2022 in 152 journals indexed by the SSCI. We propose a study based on the origins and the future research agenda of social learning for policy design. The results reveal that "environment", "governance", and "social" represent the knowledge base. These topics have evolved over time and have become established as a consolidated intellectual structure. In addition, a new topic called "media and news" has emerged, focusing on the challenges of spreading fake news and learning manipulation in a post-truth world. The cluster "Media and news" is gaining significance due to its impact on the dissemination of information and the shaping of opinions in contemporary society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pest management is pivotal for ensuring secure grain production and constitutes a fundamental strategy in combating pests that detrimentally affect grain supplies. Given the complexity and dynamic nature of pests, it is imperative that farmers implement coordinated prevention and control strategies. Such measures are essential to augment the efficacy of these efforts and to reduce the risks posed by pests to agricultural crops. This research involved a survey of 1205 agricultural households spanning three representative provinces in Northwestern China. By employing an endogenous switching Probit model and addressing sample selection bias, the study investigates the influence of social learning on the adoption of cooperative pest control strategies by farmers. The findings indicate that social learning significantly enhances farmers' adoption of cooperative pest control measures. In a counterfactual scenario, introducing social learning to farmers previously unexposed to it would result in a 10.3% increase in the likelihood of adopting these practices. Additionally, factors such as the health status of the household head, income level, and size of land under management are critical determinants of farmers' participation in social learning. The differential access to scientific, accurate, and systematic information, coupled with resource disparities among farmers, can partially account for the varying average treatment effects observed in different learning methods on the propensity to adopt cooperative pest control practices. Furthermore, social learning plays a crucial role in fostering such adoption by establishing trust among farmers, facilitating consensus in decision-making, and enhancing the dissemination of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Academic achievement is one of the most important variables in determining educational outcomes and success outside of school. This study is about the relationship between selfawareness as part of socio-emotional learning and its implications on students' academic achievement among O-level students in secondary schools in Kyabugimbi Sub County. Objectives: The study sought to examine the relationship between self-awareness and students' academic achievement among O-level students in secondary schools in Kyabugimbi Sub County. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design was used where data was collected at a single point in time. The study population comprised of 2,682 students in S1-S3 in six secondary schools in Kyabugimbi Sub County. The sample size comprised of 235 students. Data was collected using a self-administered close-ended questionnaire and analyzed by generating inferential statistics. Findings: The study findings show a strong positive significant relationship (r=0.681**; p<0.05) between self-awareness and students' academic achievement among O-level students in secondary schools. Conclusions and recommendations: The study concludes that selfawareness is one of the critical aspects for socio-emotional learning that play a significant role towards the students' academic achievement. The study recommends policymakers to prioritize selfawareness programs in schools, integrating self-awareness activities into the school curriculum, training teachers to help students develop self-awareness and educating parents on fostering the importance of self-awareness needs of their children at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of entrepreneurial role models on individuals could be regarded as a social learning process. However, we still lack an in-depth understanding of under what conditions the impacts of entrepreneurial role models are stronger or weaker. This paper draws on social learning theory and construal level theory to explore how entrepreneurial role models relate to individuals' entrepreneurial perceptions under different psychological distance dimensions. A representative sample of 322 final-year students from nine universities in China was analyzed. The results demonstrated that entrepreneurial role model was positively associated with feasibility and desirability perceptions. Further, we found that the spatial distance and social distance as boundary conditions, respectively, moderated the main effects. This study extends prior research on the functions of entrepreneurial role model by providing a psychological distance perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In support of safe sport (SS) in Canada, a community of practice (CoP) for high performance coaches and NSO personnel was created and facilitated by two mental performance consultants (MPCs) to ensure SS concepts are well understood and applied by coaches and NSO staff. Fifteen people joined this 4-month CoP. The value creation framework was used to shape and assess the changes/learning that occurred in the monthly, online meetings. The learning activities (presentations, discussions, individual and shared reflections) were driven by the participants' needs and resulted in shared and co-created practices. Three value creation stories about selection, second-guessing, and self-care illustrate participants' learning. Through this paper, a new role for MPCs is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The traditional target tracking algorithm can only utilize the information of a single sensor and cannot fully utilize the advantages of multiple sensors. To address this issue, this study designs a multi-sensor target tracking algorithm based on node capacity planning and distributed collaboration. First, aiming at the problem of distributed tracking application in multi-sensor networks, a wireless sensor target tracking algorithm based on node energy constraints is constructed. By constructing a node tracking model, the energy consumption is reduced according to the distributed connection network and node planning is introduced. Then, for sensor networks with limited energy, a node planning algorithm using convex relaxation method is developed to solve complex integer programming problems. Finally, in view of the various complex problems existing in the sensor network, a distributed social learning algorithm based on its own data and neighboring decision-making is established. This algorithm ultimately improves the performance of the multi-sensor target tracking algorithm by transmitting decisions about environmental states. The results demonstrated that in the convergence comparison between the TrackingNet dataset and the MOT 15 dataset, the convergence of research algorithm began to stabilize when the system was iterated 106 and 48 times, respectively. In addition, when the system iterated to 200 and 157 times, the error of the algorithm slowly began to level off and was at a smaller value. The above results show that the research algorithm has achieved better performance in multi-sensor target tracking tasks. It can better handle the relationship between targets and improve the effect of target tracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that close to 9% of the world's soils are affected by salinity. The purpose of this article is to discuss qualitative social science findings on alternative ways of conceptualizing salinization in Kazakhstan and how these findings could be leveraged for transformative knowledge towards sustainability. We highlight dimensions of land degradation that are doubly obscured: the under-represented issue of salinization, and vernacular knowledge on salinization. The article draws on qualitative data collection methods, including eighteen months of participant observation, workshop transcripts and archival records. Three research findings are presented. First, there is an analysis of the framing of environmental issues common among policymakers in the region. Second, these frameworks are contrasted with novel data on how local farming communities understand and deal with salinization. These two research results enable extrapolating a third finding: how such locally based knowledge could be harnessed towards solving salinization issues. Beyond the specific issue of salinization, the results of this research suggest potentially valuable design principles relating to specific ways that the environmental knowledge of expert farmers and scientific experts could be paired. In the case of Central Asia, models based on the local culture can be adapted, such as hosting and apprenticeship relationships. This example suggests transferable lessons on how to forge social learning towards sustainability that start from imperfect local tools (bottom-up) rather than from internationally promoted but socially distant blueprints (top-down). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neo‐Brandeisian legal scholars have recently revived the ideas of Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, who championed state regulation that preserved market competition and economic liberty in the face of concentrated private power. Yet ultimately and perhaps paradoxically, it has been Europe and not the United States that has proved more hospitable to accommodating key features of the Brandeisian approach. We explain this outcome by tracing the evolution of EU competition law to gain insight into the social learning processes through which such regimes change over time. We argue that the EU's administrative system, which provides the European Commission with significant bureaucratic discretion, has facilitated processes of ongoing deliberative adjustment to policy and practice, which over time has resulted in a system of "regulated competition" with striking similarities to the Brandeisian vision. The analysis highlights how administrative law institutions condition how regulatory regimes evolve in response to acquired experience and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive differences can catalyze social learning through the process of one-to-one social influence. Yet the learning benefits of exposure to the ideas of cognitively dissimilar others often fail to materialize. Why do cognitive differences produce learning from interpersonal influence in some contexts but not in others? To answer this question, we distinguish between cognition that is expressed—one's public stance on an issue and the way in which supporting arguments are framed—and cognition that is latent—the semantic associations that underpin these expressions. We theorize that, when latent cognition is obscured, one is more likely to be influenced to change one's mind on an issue when exposed to the opposing ideas of cognitively dissimilar, rather than similar, others. When latent cognition is instead observable, a subtle similarity-attraction response tends to counteract the potency of cognitive differences—even when social identity cues and other categorical distinctions are inaccessible. To evaluate these ideas, we introduce a novel experimental paradigm in which participants (a) respond to a polarizing scenario; (b) view an opposing argument by another whose latent cognition is either similar to or different from their own and is either observable or obscured; and (c) have an opportunity to respond again to the scenario. A preregistered study (n = 1,000) finds support for our theory. A supplemental study (n = 200) suggests that the social influence of latent cognitive differences operates through the mechanism of argument novelty. We discuss implications of these findings for research on social influence, collective intelligence, and cognitive diversity in groups. This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, organizations. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.00895. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trypophobia is the condition in which individuals report a range of negative emotions when viewing clusters of small holes. Since the phenomenon was first described in the peer-reviewed literature a decade ago, 49 papers have appeared together with hundreds of news articles. There has also been much discussion on various Internet forums, including medical and health-related websites. In the present article, we examine the degree to which the phenomenon is caused by a form of social learning, specifically, its ubiquitous social media presence. We also examined its prevalence among the broad population. In Experiment 1 (n = 2,558), we assessed whether younger people and females (i.e., greater social media users) are more sensitive to trypophobic stimuli, as predicted by the social media hypothesis. In Experiment 2 (n = 283), we examined whether sensitivity to trypophobic stimuli and rates of trypophobia is greater in people who are aware of the condition's existence, as opposed to those who have never heard of the phenomenon. In line with the social media theory, results showed that younger people and females are indeed more susceptible to trypophobia. However, 24% of trypophobic individuals have never heard of the condition. Overall, these data suggest that both social learning and non-social learning contribute to trypophobia. We also find that the prevalence of trypophobia is approximately 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social learning generates reframing when individual and collective values are reflected. This reframing enables community members to move from personal to collective views and actions, resulting in valuable outcomes that improve the community's functioning. This research aims to enhance the development of reframing with the help of role-playing games (RPG), given that digital games are considered particular communities. Method: A relationship model was constructed to identify which game features generate reframing and how much they promote reframing. The model's validity was tested using experts' feedback and a game experience test (GET). The factor analysis results interpret that the features tested impact reframing. Results: The study proposes that RPGs can promote reframing and identifies reframing associated with particular game features (such as game stories). Conclusion: Students, game designers, related teachers and researchers can benefit from using the model to encourage reflection using games or require a model to bridge game features with social learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical and empirical scholars of cultural evolution have traditionally studied social learning strategies, such as conformity, as adaptive strategies to obtain accurate information about the environment, whereas within social psychology there has been a greater focus upon the social consequences of such strategies. Although these two approaches are often used in concert when studying human social learning, we believe the potential social benefits of conformity, and of social learning more broadly, have been overlooked in studies of non‐humans. We review evidence from studies of homophily, imitation, and rapid facial mimicry that suggests that behaving like others affords social benefits to non‐human animals and that behaviour matching may be deployed strategically to increase affiliation. Furthermore, we review studies of conformity in dispersers, and suggest that forgoing personal information or preferences in favour of those of the new group during immigration may be a strategy to facilitate social integration. We therefore propose that the informational and social functions of conformity apply to humans and animals alike. We use this perspective to generate several interesting research questions to inspire work in this field. For example, under what conditions do animals use informational or social conformity and what role does uncertainty play in social learning in immigrant individuals? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Norms play a crucial role in governing human societies. From an early age, humans possess an innate understanding of norms, recognizing certain behaviours, contexts, and roles as being governed by them. The evolution of normativity has been linked to its contribution to the promotion of cooperation in large groups and is intertwined with the development of joint intentionality. However, there is no evolutionary consensus on what normatively differentiated our hominin ancestors from the phylogenetic lineage leading to chimpanzees and bonobos. Here we propose that the development of teaching through a process of evaluative feedback between parent and offspring functioned as a prerequisite for the later development of normativity. Parents approve or disapprove of offspring’s behaviours based on their own learned knowledge of what is appropriate or inappropriate. We argue our proposition using a simple model of cultural transmission, which shows the adaptive advantage offered by these elementary forms of teaching. We show that an important part of this adaptive advantage can arise from the benefits derived from guidance about which behaviours to adopt or reject. We propose that this type of guidance has fundamental elements that characterise the normative world. We complete our argument by reviewing several studies that examine the emergence of normativity in young children without prior exposure to a normative framework with respect to the behaviours under analysis. We suggest that this normativity is best interpreted as manifestations of teaching among young children rather than as norm recognition among early normative children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific region is experiencing accelerating global change with complex interactions amongst multiple drivers, yet the onus for urgent adaptation falls largely on communities. Proponents of adaptation must therefore ensure that communities are empowered and enabled to design and implement their own adaptation plans after project cycles have concluded, and that this capacity is scaled beyond the original focus. To address this challenge, we tested a new approach in the Solomon Islands for the iterative development, implementation and evaluation of community-led adaptation. Our theory of change was that by co-designing a decision-making process with a network of community facilitators, livelihood adaptation planning could be mainstreamed and scaled out across rural communities. We implemented a planning process based on systems thinking, social learning and co-production, which we assessed using a novel participatory monitoring, evaluation and learning framework. The process involved six steps: (1) identifying drivers of change; (2) developing shared visions for livelihoods; (3) scoping possible futures for livelihoods; (4) identifying existing community adaptive capacity; (5) determining priority 'no-regrets' strategies to achieve the community vision and (6) mapping adaptation pathways of implementation decisions. Community facilitators co-designed the process, and then ran it in their communities to develop place-based adaptation pathways suited to the local decision-making context, and scaling the process out to neighbouring villages through peer-to-peer learning. Results from a monitoring, evaluation and learning assessment showed the process had generated shifts in thinking among communities towards anticipatory adaptation and the development and implementation of livelihood adaptation pathways. The process had also empowered people to have ownership, responsibility and agency for their futures without major ongoing support from outside agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In social learning the way in which agents represent their beliefs motivates and constrains both how they learn individually from the environment and socially from one another. Assuming that agents can only hold beliefs drawn from a finite set of possible belief states, in this paper we investigate the effect that varying the number of those belief states has on the efficacy of social learning. To this end we propose an evidence tokens model for social learning, in which agents transfer tokens between competing hypotheses on the basis both of evidence that they receive directly and of information received from their peers. Using agent-based simulations and difference equations we show that this model is effective in social learning for boundedly rational agents and scales well to the case where there are multiple hypotheses under consideration. We show that varying the number of belief states (as determined by the number of evidence tokens available) has a clear effect both on accuracy and on the time taken for the agent population to reach agreement about which hypothesis is true, so that the optimal belief granularity in social learning is strongly influenced by macro properties of the whole population governing the way that agents interact with each other and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on deliberative democracy that contains a detailed discussion of its relationship to justice in Indigenous territory is limited. Through a case study of the controversy over a solar energy project on Kanaluvang tribal land in Taiwan, this article explores how issues of energy justice are constructed in multiple communication and deliberative sites of the governance system and the role of Indigenous activism and deliberation in addressing energy injustice. The research methods used are documentary analysis and in-depth interviews. The study presents a discursive narrative on the interconnected nature of the climate–energy–biodiversity nexus and how Indigenous activism creates deliberative spaces which reinforce Indigenous empowered space and oriented toward social learning and respect for tribal sovereignty. Indigenous activism and deliberation illuminate the emancipatory elements of Indigenous energy justice. It is crucial to connect multiple forms of tribal communication to the wider democratic system in the pursuit of energy justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel social cognitive learning-based metaheuristic called kids Learning Optimizer (KLO), inspired by the early social learning behavior of kids organized as families in societal setup. In a society, people are organized as family groups (parents and children) where they interact with each other within and outside their family. This interaction plays a vital role in early brain development, mannerisms, and behavioral learning. Early childhood learning is affected by various stimuli in their surroundings at different stages of life (newborn, infant, toddler, pre-school). This idea motivated us to map the decentralized learning concept of families and their interactions into a new algorithm where search agents (individuals) are arranged/organized in families, and they interact with each other at different stages of life to find the optimal solution. The algorithm is tested against 116 challenging benchmark functions including 31 unimodal, 63 multimodal, 14 CEC'2017 functions, and eight constrained functions. The algorithm is compared with 10 state-of-the-art algorithms. Friedman's Mean Rank (FMR) and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (WRS) are used to measure the performance of competing algorithms. In the first two experiments, unimodal and multimodal benchmark functions are used to measure the explorative and exploitative ability of the algorithm. FMR and WRS show KLO outperformed all other algorithms. In the third experiment, the proposed method is tested against 14 CEC'2017 functions and eight constrained functions along with three real life mechanical engineering optimization problems. KLO proved to be better or equivalent to other competing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social learning is common in nature, yet cumulative culture (where knowledge and technology increase in complexity and diversity over time) appears restricted to humans. To understand why, we organized a computer tournament in which programmed entries specified when to learn new knowledge and when to refine (i.e. improve) existing knowledge. The tournament revealed a 'refinement paradox': refined behavior afforded higher payoffs as individuals converged on a small number of successful behavioral variants, but refining did not generally pay. Paradoxically, entries that refined only in certain conditions did best during behavioral improvement, while simple copying entries thrived when refinement levels were high. Cumulative cultural evolution may be rare in part because sophisticated strategies for improving knowledge and technology are initially advantageous, yet complex culture, once achieved, favors conformity, blind imitation and hyper-credulity. Author summary: Although social learning, culture, and traditions are found in animals, why humans seem to be the only species that builds on knowledge and technology over generations is still not fully understood. Here we organized a computer tournament in which programmed entries specified when to learn new knowledge and when to refine (i.e. improve upon) existing knowledge. We found a 'refinement paradox': while using refined behavior was beneficial to individuals, it was not beneficial to be the one doing the refining. Entries that refined selectively, only under limited conditions, did well while refinement levels increased, but once refinement was high simple entries that did not refine thrived. This result might explain why cumulative culture is rare in nature: sophisticated strategies for improving knowledge are initially advantageous, but once complex culture is common it pays to conform to the behavior of others and copy blindly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been much progress in understanding human social learning, including recent studies integrating social information into the reinforcement learning framework. Yet previous studies often assume identical payoffs between observer and demonstrator, overlooking the diversity of social information in real-world interactions. We address this gap by introducing a socially correlated bandit task that accommodates payoff differences among participants, allowing for the study of social learning under more realistic conditions. Our Social Generalization (SG) model, tested through evolutionary simulations and two online experiments, outperforms existing models by incorporating social information into the generalization process, but treating it as noisier than individual observations. Our findings suggest that human social learning is more flexible than previously believed, with the SG model indicating a potential resourcerational trade-off where social learning partially replaces individual exploration. This research highlights the flexibility of humans' social learning, allowing us to integrate social information from others with different preferences, skills, or goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although social learning (SL) conceptualization and implementation are flourishing in sustainability sciences, and its non-rigid conceptual fluidity is regarded as an advantage, research must advance the understanding of SL phenomenon patterns based on empirical data, thus contributing to the identification of its forms and triggering mechanisms, particularly those that can address urgent Anthropocene socio-ecological problems. This study aims to discover fundamental patterns along which SL in natural resources management differs by identifying SL archetypes and establishing correlations between the SL process and overall geopolitical conditions. Using a systematic literature review comprising 137 case studies in the five continents, content analysis, and correlations were performed. Results show two main archetypes of social learning (endogenous and exogenous). Their occurrence was linked, to where social learning occurs and how venues/preconditions for social learning are placed. In the Global South, endogenous SL should be better potentialized as a catalyzer of deliberative processes for sustainable natural resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic dogs have been shown to copy their caregiver's actions, including ones which are causally-irrelevant to a physical goal—a behaviour called "overimitation". In a new overimitation task with a non-food reward, this study investigated "causal misunderstanding"—falsely assuming causally-irrelevant actions to have functional relevancy—as an explanation for dog overimitation (N = 81). By providing dogs with prior experience of the task to learn about the consequences of its irrelevant box-stepping and relevant bucket-opening action to obtain a toy-ball, we tested whether and when dogs would copy their caregiver's irrelevant-action demonstrations. Dogs with and without prior experience were compared to a third (control) group of dogs, who had neither prior experience nor caregiver demonstrations of the task. Results revealed that the timing of overimitation, rather than its frequency, was closely related to dogs' prior experience: dogs with prior experience attended to their reward first, then interacted with the irrelevant box later ("post-goal overimitation"), while dogs without prior experience first interacted with the irrelevant box ("pre-goal overimitation"). Our results suggest that, when action consequences are understood, dogs are overimitating for a secondary social goal that is clearly distinct from the task goal of obtaining a physical reward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scenario planning is a tool used to explore a set of plausible futures shaped by specific trajectories. When applied in participatory contexts, it is known as participatory scenario planning (PSP), which has grown in its usage for planning, policy, and decision-making within the context of climate change. There has been no high-level synthesis of systematic reviews covering the overall state and direction of PSP for climate adaptation and management. We draw from four systematic reviews on PSP published between 2015 and 2021 to substantiate the credibility of the process and identify a set of standard practices to make PSP a more accessible and usable tool for not only researchers, but policymakers, practitioners, and other end users who may benefit from PSP. We summarize and synthesize the range of PSP processes and characteristics, highlighting four common trends that provoke additional inquiry: PSP's contribution to social learning and bias, the varying use of quantitative information in scenario development, issues related to carrying out monitoring and evaluation, and the varying completion of practices recommended by established PSP literature. We propose four processes as integral to maximizing PSP's usability for end users and recommend these areas for further study: identifying social imbalances throughout the PSP process, recognizing bias as inherent to PSP, explicitly addressing, and incorporating uncertainty, and allocating resources for monitoring and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Limited research exists on medical students' coping and adjustment skills, especially in the South African context. Stakeholders planning medical curricula need to be aware of emotional and communication skills that allow students to cope and adjust to stress associated with transitioning to medical studies. Objective. To design a support framework to facilitate first-year undergraduate medical students' social learning and integration skills. Methods. This descriptive qualitative case study used multiple data collection methods, nominal group meetings and Delphi questionnaires to explore and understand undergraduate medical students' challenges with social learning and integration factors. These insights were then used to develop the support framework. Results. The support framework articulates levels of engagement and actions required to address social learning and integrated factors, namely underpreparedness, peer support, confidence, self-management, alienation and academic advice. Conclusion. Implementing the proposed support framework on social learning and integration could facilitate the successful transition of first-year undergraduate medical students from high school to university. This framework aids students in dealing with social learning and integrated factors, such as under-preparedness, peer support, confidence, self-management and alienation as well as academic advice using contextualised and appropriate skills and tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Social annotation plays a crucial role in nurturing and sustaining a collaborative reading community, offering the potential to enhance students' motivation and performance within socially supportive learning environments. Nonetheless, research on the dynamic changes in student engagement in social annotation remains limited. This study aims to unveil the temporal changes in students' behavioral, cognitive, affective, and social engagement within the context of social annotation. In addition, it examines the disparities in social annotation behaviors between students with different engagement profiles. Using a multivariate time series clustering approach to analyze a dataset comprising 91 undergraduate students interacting with 29 reading materials, this study identified two distinct engagement profiles. Both profiles revealed a decline in behavioral engagement as the number of reading activities increased. However, students' cognitive, affective, and social engagement levels in social annotation remained relatively stable across these activities. Subsequent analyses showed that students exhibiting a declining engagement profile displayed higher levels of aggregated behavioral, cognitive, and social engagement. Furthermore, they posted a significantly greater number of annotations and responses to peers' annotations compared to students characterized by a low engagement profile. Potential explanations and pedagogical implications of these findings were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research emphasizes how organizational culture can hinder organizational adaptation. In this study, we investigate how organizational culture can help promote organizational adaptation to environmental changes, using a formal model from cultural evolution theory. In the model, organizational members face a trade-off between innovating versus following tradition (because environmental changes are uncertain). Members can also decide to help others who are following the tradition, thereby improving its diffusion. Organizational leaders shape the culture of their organization, which influences members' decisions to choose innovation or tradition or to help others following tradition. Culture comprises two dimensions: beliefs and prosocial values. We find that increasing the accuracy of beliefs leads to improvements in both innovation and following tradition, thereby mitigating the trade-off between them and boosting adaptation and performance. On prosocial values, we find that increasing their intensity reduces the cost of following tradition but at the expense of reduced adaptation, resulting in an inverted-U relationship between intensity of prosocial values and performance. Overall, we show how leaders can fine-tune the dimensions of organizational culture to foster improvements in adaptation and performance. The formal model we introduce is novel to the literature and offers a way of studying adaptation to a changing environment and to incorporate social learning into models of adaptation under bounded rationality. Funding: J. Poblete was supported by Instituto Sistemas Complejos de Ingenieria [Grant ANID PIA/PUENTE AFB230002]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16791. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catch and release has become a very popular fish conservation strategy and fisheries management tool. The physiological and behavioral changes in individuals who experience catch and release may be adaptive. These individuals may exhibit more cautious bait use or hook avoidance behavior when faced with lures again. Here, our study was conducted on crucian carp (Carassius auratus) to compare energy metabolism and personality (e.g. activity) before and after angling for three bouts of repeated angling. Our study showed that the standard metabolic rate, maximum metabolic rate, aerobic scope and factorial aerobic scope were all lower after three bouts of repeated angling, and the metabolic rates were greater before angling than after angling in the first two bouts of angling. In addition, the total magnitude of excess postexercise oxygen consumption after repeated angling also showed a decreasing trend as the number of angled bouts increased. The percentage of time spent moving increased after three bouts of repeated angling, but there were no changes in either individual swimming speed or total distance traveled. Our results suggest that repeated angling causes a high death rate and decreases the aerobic/anaerobic metabolic capacity of crucian carp, which may reduce their metabolic potential for other physiological functions, such as locomotion, growth and digestion. Future studies should continue to focus on the effects of fishing on the physiology, behavior, and population dynamics of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries, including Germany have struggled to agree on ambitious climate action, in part because technocratic policy advice failed to adequately consider the social and political consequences. The combination of science and citizen deliberation could enable a new coalition to stimulate policy learning along different climate policy options. The Ariadne Project was a transdisciplinary research project about different policy options for the German Energy Transition. It facilitated an iterative social learning process between researchers and citizens during focus groups, citizen conferences and online deliberations. As such, this case sheds light on a new culture of science–society relations. To assess if and how learning occurred, we ask whether the involved citizens and researchers have changed their understanding of policy options and of each other. We found that citizens were very enthusiastic about the new learning opportunities, and their roles within them. While researchers appreciated the new experience, they also faced challenges. We argue that despite these challenges, there is inherent value in providing spaces for researchers and citizens to interact with and jointly inform policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arracacha, a root crop indigenous to the Andean region of South America, holds significant agronomic and socio-economic importance in Colombia. The study aims to evaluate the impacts of adopting the 'Agrosavia La 22' variety on agricultural sustainability and productivity, encompassing economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Additionally, it analyzes the preferences of farmers and other stakeholders regarding the sustainability of the introduced technological innovations. Conducted over three years (2021–2023), the study offers comprehensive insights into adoption trends and stakeholder perceptions. Utilizing the Ambitec-Agro methodology, the research assesses the environmental, social, and economic impacts of 'Agrosavia La 22'. Data collection involved field observations and interviews with farmers and key actors in the arracacha supply chain. Results indicate a substantial increase in the cultivated area from 1500 hectares in 2021 to 2650 hectares in 2023, with the proportion of total cultivated area rising from 47.6% to 84.1%. Economically, 'Agrosavia La 22' demonstrated significant input cost savings, reducing costs by USD 347 per hectare by 2023 and enhancing producer surplus from USD 30.95 to USD 651.16 per hectare. Yield comparisons show higher median yields for 'Agrosavia La 22' (20 t ha−1 in 2023) compared to traditional varieties (12.5 t ha−1). Socially, there was a marked improvement in farmers' income perceptions, and environmentally, there was a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (324.05 kg CO2-eq ha−1) due to optimized fertilizer and pesticide applications. Eco-efficiency (EE) analysis shows that 'Agrosavia La 22' consistently demonstrated positive EE values, indicating economic viability alongside lower GHG emissions. In 2021, its EE stood at 2.2 USD/kg CO2-eq, increasing to 27.75 USD/kg CO2-eq by 2023, reflecting substantial economic gains relative to environmental impact. Conversely, the traditional variety initially exhibited lower EE due to high GHG emissions. Challenges such as soil quality decline and market price volatility were noted. Overall, the findings underscore the economic, social, and environmental benefits of 'Agrosavia La 22'. Furthermore, the methodology used in this study can be applied to the evaluation of other varietal innovations in developing countries with limited resources for assessing agricultural technology impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social learning is the updating of beliefs based on observation of others. Such observation can lead to efficient aggregation of information, but also to inaccurate decisions, fragility of mass behaviors, and, in the case of information cascades, to complete blockage of learning. We review the theory of information cascades and social learning and discuss important themes, insights, and applications of this literature as it has developed over the last 30 years. We also highlight open questions and promising directions for further theoretical and empirical exploration. (JEL D71, D82, D83, D91, Z13) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study explores Degree Apprenticeship Identity (DAI) conceptualisation to enrich understanding to enhance work-integrated learning (WIL). Lived experiences of degree apprentices (DAs) are examined, and a model of DAI developed to support teaching and learning interventions on this relatively new and significant programme. Design/methodology/approach: It draws pragmatically upon qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship from diverse backgrounds in a higher education institutes (HEI). Data were explored abductively, using thematic analysis to investigate common patterns that influence identity; investigating personal experiences, socio-economic and cultural background, educational context and social interactions. Findings: Influential themes surfaced, including pride in work, supporting others, sharing experiences and belonging, facilitating DAI model formation. The model illustrates that DAI is composed of existing personal, necessary professional and power of learning transformation through social identity by interventions that encourage peer engagement, group reflection and group-actualisation. Research limitations/implications: As this is a small-scale exploratory study, it is not intended to be representative of wider populations, which results in generalisability of findings. Data were collected from a well-established closed cohort programme led by the researcher, previously programme director. Interviews generated a broad range of anecdotal evidence, surfacing valuable insights relating to DAI formation. Practical implications: To enhance WIL, tutors can foster social interventions that encourage peer dialogue, heighten DAs sense of self as capable learners and increase confidence growth. Originality/value: The research provides a DAI Model, a fresh approach to understanding ways to enhance WIL for DAs through a stronger focus on group identity through social interventions. This preliminary model presents an opportunity for further research; other apprenticeships, larger and/or open cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What can we learn about diplomacy by studying its practice through the body of an apprentice? Drawing on the works of Loïc Wacquant, this article argues that to understand the making of background dispositions, tacit rules, and situated know-how in international politics' diverse fields of practice, researchers ought to consider apprenticeship as a concept and a methodological device. This argument is based on ethnographic observations from the author's internship at the Delegation of Denmark to the OECD. As a concept, apprenticeship cultivates a sensitivity to the embodied dynamics at play in acquiring habitus. An apprenticeship is structured as a participatory and corporeal process of socialization through which an aspirant acquires or fails to acquire a prospective identity within a given field of practice. Methodologically, studying practices of initiation through the body of an apprentice enables scholars to access tacit knowledge transmissions while recognizing that such knowledge operates beneath discursive representation and logical reasoning. In advancing this argument, the article foregrounds the figure of the apprentice and the experience of apprenticeship as conduits for gaining insights into social learning in diplomacy, other fields of practice, and the broader domain of socialization in International Relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]