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This study aimed to examine dimensionality in language learners' epistemic beliefs. To achieve this, a survey was conducted using a newly-developed research instrument-"Language Learners' Epistemic Beliefs" (LLEB) questionnaire. Based on a review of literature, it was proposed that language learners' epistemic beliefs would cluster in three dimensions: (1) the nature of knowledge, (2) the authority to knowledge, and (3) the process of gaining linguistic knowledge. The data for this study were collected from 23 students majoring in languages and linguistics in a large Malaysian public university. Exploratory factor analysis of the data uncovered five latent dimensions in the students' personal epistemologies. They were named "Authority to knowledge", "Nature of knowledge", "Concentration", "Hard work", and "Effort". These findings did not refute the proposed conceptualization of language learners' personal epistemologies as measured by the LLEB questionnaire. However, they revealed that discipline-specific epistemologies may have more complex structures. For example, an important finding was that the beliefs pertaining to the process of learning, which are considered as "peripheral" to the function of personal epistemologies by some researchers, occupied a distinct and prominent position in the language learners' personal epistemologies.

This paper examines the impact of psychological factors on consumer purchase intention for electric vehicles (EVs) through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). By integrating the three dimensions of autonomy, relatedness, and competence, this study addresses a research gap in consumer innovative consumption, offering a deeper understanding of green transportation. The research reveals that psychological factors significantly influence innovative consumption and the purchase intention of EVs, aligning with the existing literature. In sustainable transportation, psychological factors such as motivation, attitude, and inner activities increasingly drive purchase decisions. This study examines the direct and indirect effects of psychological factors on purchase intention by employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). It also considers the moderating role of driving experience in the relationship between psychological factors and innovative consumption. This combined data analysis approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms influencing purchase intention, highlighting the intricate interplay between psychological determinants and consumer behavior in the adoption of electric vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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People who learn a foreign language hold various mental images about the target language country, its culture and society. These images are recognised as a valuable source of information for developing the cultural component of a foreign language programme. However, explorations of mental images of Korea held by students enrolled in Korean language programmes are scarce. The current study addresses this gap. It explores images of Korea held by students learning Korean in a major public university in Malaysia. The country images that the students have were then assessed for prominence and favourability. It was found that the images of Korea were overwhelmingly positive and the most prominent of them pertained to Korea's popular culture and cultural products. At the same time the findings revealed the need for a deeper knowledge of the target culture. Pedagogical implications concerning the development of the cultural component of the Korean language programme are discussed.

This study aims to expand the current understanding of the antecedents and consequences of green purchase intention within the context of perceived green value (PGV). This study uniquely combines PLS-SEM and NCA to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing green purchase intention, offering a novel methodological contribution to the field. By examining the roles of influence and interaction as key precursors to perceived responsibility and self-efficacy, the research adds new dimensions to understanding how these factors shape green purchase intentions. Additionally, we explore how PER and PSE impact green purchase intention (GPI), primarily through their mediating effects. The survey data collected from consumers reveal that PGV positively influences GPI. Furthermore, both PER and PSE exhibit significant chain mediation effects, with the mediation effect of perceived environmental responsibility being particularly strong. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers and electric vehicle manufacturers, emphasizing the importance of green education, certification systems, and the promotion of environmental and economic attributes to foster green purchasing behavior. The findings suggest that government efforts should focus on intensifying green education and promoting the establishment of certification and evaluation systems for electric vehicle products. Meanwhile, electric vehicle manufacturers should highlight the environmental and economic benefits of their products to stimulate green purchasing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines metaphors about language teachers created by a group of 23 Malaysian university students. The aims of the study are (1) to determine whether metaphors produced by language learners in the Asian educational context can fit into the four philosophical perspectives on education outlined by Oxford et al. (1998), and (2) to explore whether students' gender influences their metaphor production. This study employs both qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. The results of the content analysis of 27 metaphors produced by the participants show that Oxford et al.'s (1998) typology of metaphors is applicable in the Malaysian educational context. In addition, the qualitative analysis reveals that the imagery used in the metaphors is, to some extent, gender-related. However, the results of statistical analysis indicate that there are no statistically significant differences in the perceptions of the teacher's role between the students of different genders. Pedagogical implications of the research findings are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)

This paper suggests a new testing procedure to systematically examine the middle-income trap (MIT). To empirically demonstrate this procedure, one high income and 14 middle-income countries are examined using newly developed unit root tests — Fourier ADF with structural break (FADF-SB) and Seemingly Unrelated Regressions Fourier ADF (SUR-FADF). The FADF-SB test incorporates unknown nonlinearity and smooth break in the time-series, while the SUR-FADF test accounts for cross-sectional dependency. The empirical findings produced mixed results: 10 countries have a relatively high possibility of facing the MIT problem, while only one country has a relatively low possibility of facing the problem. For the remaining three countries, it is uncertain whether they will face the problem of MIT. These empirical findings have significant policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flattening of the Phillips curve in recent decades has attracted a considerable interest of researchers and central bankers. As trade openness might be among the main causes of this phenomenon, this study puts forward a testable 'openness–Phillips curve' hypothesis. Two methods — a static and a dynamic approaches — were employed to test the hypothesis by estimating slope coefficients of the new Keynesian Phillips curve (NKPC) and hybrid NKPC in ten ASEAN countries. A notable empirical finding is that in the periods of a higher trade openness, the Phillips curve tended to be flatter in the close economies and steeper in the open economies. These findings have some economic and political implications. The main one is that central banks in the ASEAN countries where the flattening of the Phillips curve takes place would not be able to employ the Phillips curve as an effective policy tool. Besides, countries with high inflation and unemployment rates could face some political uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]