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With almost one-quarter of the 21st century behind us, it's a good opportunity to assess how far we personally, the financial industry, and professionals have progressed in coping with and responding to the present, and planning for the future. So far, it certainly has been both a joyride and a roller-coaster ride for most of us. A century ago, our forebears were dealing with world conflict, economic gyrations, cultural upheaval, lifestyle evolution, and technological disruption. Sound familiar? But they also looked forward to the opportunities that a new century offered along with all the challenges noted. Renowned gerontologist Matilda White Riley was uniquely qualified in 1990 to take on the challenge of assessing where the preceding century had been in regard to aging and where the approaching century not only might be but could be if it reached for its full potential if we focus on optimism, opportunities, and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research examining loyalty point redemption has focused almost exclusively on fixed exchange rates between points and money (e.g., 100 points = $1), variable exchange rates are observed frequently in practice (e.g., 100 points might equate to more or less than $1, depending on the monetary price and the required points for a flight redemption within the continental United States). Such variable rates are particularly common in loyalty programs in the hospitality industry. In this research, the authors show that the stability of the exchange rate—whether the exchange rate is fixed or variable across offers—systematically influences point redemption. Consumers are less likely to redeem loyalty points and instead spend money when they observe a variable exchange rate between money and points than when they observe a fixed exchange rate, even when the average value of points is the same. This effect is demonstrated in a series of studies across contexts, including an incentive-compatible retail loyalty program and a hotel loyalty program. The findings show that a variable point exchange rate induces more optimism than a fixed exchange rate, reducing point redemption. This effect is moderated by individual differences in optimism and by point expiration date. The authors conclude by discussing the implications for managers of loyalty programs and for consumers. Note : This manuscript was submitted to JMR before Rebecca Hamilton's appointment as Editor in Chief. The editor team that began the review process, Sachin Gupta and Vikas Mittal, finished the review process and final acceptance, per the AMA policy on submissions by journal editors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I show that an alignment in partisan affiliation, between a firm's management and the president, is associated with higher levels of investment. Using insider trading data, I find that managers become more optimistic about their companies' prospects when their preferred party is in power. This optimism-driven increase in investment is amplified by herding and associated with both lower profitability and stock returns. Overall, managers' political beliefs produce heterogeneous expectations about future cash flows and distort investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measures of life outlook in older adults have been investigated in connection to pain, as both pain management and outlook are important factors of successful aging. We hypothesized that higher pain is associated with lower optimism among community-dwelling older adults. We utilized data from the UC San Diego Successful Aging Evaluation (SAGE), a prospective longitudinal cohort study initiated in 2010, to evaluate the relationship between pain and optimism in 378 community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years. We used the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) to measure optimism and three pain subscales-PROMIS Pain Interference, PROMIS Pain Intensity, and MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36)-as pain measures. Regression analyses reveal negative relationships between pain and optimism for all three pain scales, with regression coefficients of -0.277 (p

INTRODUCTION: Most research on suicide attempts among U.S. service members has been focused on risk factors that occur during service. There is an important gap in our understanding of premilitary factors, such as personality characteristics, that may be associated with future suicide attempt risk during service. Of particular importance is identifying risk factors for the 1/3 of suicide attempters who never receive a mental health diagnosis (MH-Dx)-and therefore are not identified as having a mental health problem in the military healthcare system-prior to their suicide attempt. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using two components of the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers, we examined the association of personality facets from the Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System, a computerized instrument administered prior to entering service, with medically documented suicide attempts during service. A 2010-2016 sample of historical administrative records from U.S. Regular Army enlisted soldiers with complete data on 11 commonly administered Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System facets was examined using a series of logistic regression analyses to identify the facets associated with future suicide attempt. Significant facets were then applied to data from a longitudinal cohort study of 11,288 soldiers surveyed upon entering basic combat training and followed via administrative records for their first 48 months of service. This research was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at the collaborating institutions. RESULTS: Analysis of the historical administrative data (87.0% male, 61.6% White non-Hispanic), found that low Optimism (odds ratio (OR) = 1.2 [95% CI = 1.0-1.4]) and high/low (vs. moderate) Sociability (OR = 1.3 [95%CI = 1.1-1.6]) were associated with suicide attempt after adjusting for other univariable-significant facets and socio-demographic and service-related variables. When examined in the longitudinal survey cohort, low Optimism (OR = 1.7 [95% CI = 1.1-2.4]) and high/low (vs. moderate) Sociability (OR = 1.7 [95% CI = 1.1-2.5]) were still associated with increased odds of documented suicide attempt during service, even after adjusting for each other, socio-demographic and service-related variables, and medically documented MH-Dx. Mental health diagnosis had a significant two-way interaction with Optimism (F = 5.27, p = 0.0236) but not Sociability. Stratified analyses indicated that low Optimism was associated with suicide attempt among soldiers without, but not among those with, a MH-Dx. Interactions of Optimism and Sociability with gender were nonsignificant. In the full model, population attributable risk proportions for Optimism and Sociability were 15.0% and 18.9%, respectively. Optimism and Sociability were differentially associated with suicide attempt risk across time in service. CONCLUSIONS: Optimism and Sociability, assessed prior to entering U.S. Army service, are consistently associated with future suicide attempt during service, even after adjusting for other important risk factors. While Sociability is equally associated with suicide attempt among those with and without a MH-Dx, Optimism is specifically associated with suicide attempt among soldiers not identified in the mental healthcare system. Risk differences across time in service suggest that Optimism and Sociability interact with stressors and contextual factors in particular developmental and Army career phases.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have examined the associations of psychosocial factors with cognitive change in Hispanics/Latinos. METHODS: Data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (HCHS/SOL INCA) and Sociocultural studies were used (n = 2,155; ages ≥45 years). Psychosocial exposures included intrapersonal (ethnic identity, optimism, purpose in life), interpersonal (family cohesion, familism, social networks, social support), and social factors (ethnic discrimination, loneliness, subjective social status). Survey-linear regression models examined associations between psychosocial exposures and 7-year cognitive change (global cognition [GC], verbal learning, memory, word fluency [WF], and digit symbol substitution [DSS]). RESULTS: Familism predicted decline in GC, verbal learning, and memory; family cohesion predicted DSS decline; and loneliness predicted memory decline. Ethnic identity was protective against decline in GC and memory, optimism and social support were protective against decline in memory, and purpose in life was protective against WF decline. DISCUSSION: Psychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes. Culturally relevant factors should be explored in Hispanic/Latino cognitive aging research. HIGHLIGHTS: Psychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes in Latinos. Role of culturally relevant factors on cognition should be further explored. Familism predicted decline in global cognition, verbal learning, and memory. Ethnic identity predicted increase in global cognition and memory.

Summary: This paper addresses the guaranteed performance control problem for a class of singular switched positive systems, where the switching signal is subject to a state‐dependent process. Firstly, the causality, regularity, positivity, and asymptotical stability of the considered systems are discussed. In order to prevent the occurrence of data collisions and reduce the consumption of communication resources, the event‐triggered (E‐T) mechanism is applied. This is one of the initial attempts to introduce the E‐T scheme for such special systems. Besides, an asynchronous nonfragile controller under the E‐T scheduling scheme is designed to make certain that the resulting closed‐loop systems are causal, regular, positive, asymptotically stable, and have a guaranteed performance value J∗$$ {J}^{\ast } $$. Through the application of the co‐positive Lyapunov function method and the min‐projection strategy, the corresponding sufficient conditions are given in the form of linear programming (LP). Finally, the effectiveness of the controller proposed in this paper is verified via two simulation examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exam anxiety is beginning to affect an increasing number of students.Aim: We sought to examine whether there is an association between exam anxiety and life orientation in secondary school learners.Methods: We used the Suinn’s Test Anxiety Behavior Scale questionnaire to assess exam anxiety and the Life Orientation Test—Revised questionnaire to determine students’ life orientation.Findings: Results revealed that the participants experienced a level of exam stress that could motivate them and prepare them for the evaluation situation. Female and secondary grammar school students had more exam anxiety than males and business school students. There was a moderate relationship between exam anxiety and life orientation, which was slightly pessimistic.Conclusion: A pessimistic or optimistic life orientation is one of the factors that may influence exam anxiety levels of secondary school learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand the lived experiences of seasoned language instructors in online teaching. The study employed a qualitative research design using a phenomenological approach with 10 participants selected through purposive sampling from higher educational institutions in General Santos City. Results revealed that seasoned language instructors had negative and positive views on challenges in online teaching. They view the challenges as technological hurdles, situations that evoke uncertainty, limit students' participation, and prevalence of dishonesty. Additionally, language education becomes complex. On a positive note, these challenges promote innovative learning and serve as motivating factors that ignite passion for teaching. Coping mechanisms employed by seasoned language instructors encompass seeking help and collaboration, maintaining open-mindedness and introspection, participating in seminar workshops, sustaining a work-life balance, keeping a positive outlook, and seeking divine providence. Furthermore, their insights on improving online teaching accentuate the importance of learning by doing, upgrading technological skills, and pedagogical creativity, seeking peer support, and emphasizing the need for school administrators to be responsive to the evolving demands of online education. Thus, adjusting to online teaching requires passion and commitment to overcome the hurdles. It requires educators to be lifelong learners to be effective in practicing the teaching profession in virtual platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Determine how a) masculinity, b) optimism bias, and c) perceived pressure from stakeholders predict concussion reporting intentions and behavior. Participants: Collegiate student-athletes (n = 369). Methods: Student-athletes completed surveys of Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46 (nine sections), optimism bias (optimist, neutral, pessimist), perceived pressure from stakeholders (six stakeholder sections), reporting intentions (symptom and concussion), and behavior (symptom and concussion). Four separate stepwise multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Results: A one-point increase in playboy, heterosexual self-preservation, being neutral or optimist compared to a pessimist symptom reporting intention decreased. A one-point increase in sport primacy, perceived pressure from athletic administration, being neutral or optimist compared to pessimist concussion reporting intentions increased 0.05, and decreased 0.23, 0.35, and 0.32, respectively. A one-point increase in violence and playboy increased the odds of being a "non-reporter" by 30% and 40%. Conclusions: Pessimistic views regarding concussion risks may result in greater concussion reporting intentions, however these findings did not influence behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of mobile gaming among teenagers has raised concerns about privacy breaches. By integrating social cognitive theory and protection motivation theory, this study is the first to investigate how parental mediation, platform functions, and self-learning affect teen players' risk perception and prevention in the gaming environment. We surveyed 561 high school students who play mobile games regularly aged between 15 and 19 in China. This study found that parental mediation increases teen players' privacy risk perception and self-efficacy, while the ease of privacy functions provided by gaming platforms enhances young players' self-efficacy and protective behaviours in gaming interactions. Teen players' risky encounters in games were found to increase their privacy concerns. Additionally, our research indicated that optimistic bias negatively moderates the effect of privacy concerns on protective behaviours. The current study extended the social cognitive theory by assessing multiple roles in teen gamers' social learning of privacy risks, including the platform, parental guidance, personal observation and revealed that both objective risk perceptions and biased optimistic perceptions could impact behavioural outcomes. Our findings offer practical implications for designing more user-friendly privacy features and enhancing parental mediation to promote responsible gaming among teenagers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affect and ideology are concepts easily associated but rarely thought through in their interrelation. Likewise, confidence and conservatism may have an intuitive connection but lack theorisation. Drawing on the works of Brian Massumi, Lauren Berlant and Louis Althusser, this article seeks to conceptually and politically rearticulate affect, ideology, confidence and conservatism, reflecting particularly upon USA presidential politics from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump, as well as the cultural and historical circumstances of these administrations. Beginning from the QAnon conspiracy theory, and then Norman Vincent Peale's 1952 book The Power of Positive Thinking, the article subsequently examines Reagan's politics of confidence, as interpreted by Massumi. Berlant's provocation that 'affect theory is another phase in the history of ideology theory' is then considered, particularly via Althusser's formal-structural theory of ideology, before examining the recent conservative moral panic concerning Critical Race Theory. On this basis, the affective constitution of conservatism is argued to depend upon the interplay of confidence and anxiety. Meanwhile, affect and ideology, taken politically, are considered distinct but inextricable, constituting the dispositional and propositional sides of the same problem: that of the hierarchical structure of collective identification, which, for conservatives, is a relation of obedience to be reinforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article from New Formations explores the relationship between affect and ideology in the context of the current impasse marked by economic crises, environmental collapse, and political shifts. The authors refrain from providing fixed definitions of affect and ideology, allowing them to surface contextually in the collected articles. The papers in the special issue delve into various aspects of affect and ideology, examining topics such as futility in environmentalism, the concept of "net zero" in settler futurity, and the interplay between confidence and conservatism. The authors aim to map the affective present and explore the potential for new understandings of cultural theory by engaging with affect and ideology in a nuanced and dynamic manner. [Extracted from the article]

Adaptation refers to the decreased neural response that occurs after repeated exposure to a stimulus. While many electroencephalogram (EEG) studies have investigated adaptation by using either single or multiple repetitions, the adaptation patterns under controlled expectations manifested in the two main auditory components, N1 and P2, are still largely unknown. Additionally, although multiple repetitions are commonly used in mismatch negativity (MMN) experiments, it is unclear how adaptation at different time windows contributes to this phenomenon. In this study, we conducted an EEG experiment with 37 healthy adults using a random stimulus arrangement and extended tone sequences to control expectations. We tracked the amplitudes of the N1 and P2 components across the first 10 tones to examine adaptation patterns. Our findings revealed an L‐shaped adaptation pattern characterised by a significant decrease in N1 amplitude after the first repetition (N1 initial adaptation), followed by a continuous, linear increase in P2 amplitude after the first repetition (P2 subsequent adaptation), possibly indicating model adjustment. Regression analysis demonstrated that the peak amplitudes of both the N1 initial adaptation and the P2 subsequent adaptation significantly accounted for variance in MMN amplitude. These results suggest distinct adaptation patterns for multiple repetitions across different components and indicate that the MMN reflects a combination of two processes: the initial adaptation in the N1 and a continuous model adjustment effect in the P2. Understanding these processes separately could have implications for models of cognitive processing and clinical disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We employ general parabolic recursion methods to demonstrate the recently devised hypercube formula for Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials of S n , and establish its generalization to the full setting of a finite Coxeter system through algebraic proof. We introduce procedures for positive decompositions of q-derived Kazhdan–Lusztig polynomials within this setting, that utilize classical Hecke algebra positivity phenomena of Dyer-Lehrer and Grojnowski–Haiman. This leads to a distinct algorithmic approach to the subject, based on induction from a parabolic subgroup. We propose suitable weak variants of the combinatorial invariance conjecture and verify their validity for permutation groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) have to cope with a multitude of treatment-related adverse effects that impact their quality of life (QoL) post-treatment completion. The presence of family resilience could potentially foster individual resilience and might contribute to patients' QoL. However, this interconnection has not been confirmed. Objective: To explore the relationships between family resilience, individual resilience, and QoL in patients with HNC and to determine whether individual resilience in HNC patients functions as a mediator between family resilience and QoL. Methods: From September 2022 to June 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 185 patients with HNC recruited through convenience sampling from a tertiary care hospital in Jiangsu Province, China. Self-report measures of family resilience, individual resilience, and QoL were assessed. Relationships were examined by Pearson's correlations. Structural equation models were used to assess whether individual resilience played a mediating role between family resilience and QoL. Results: There were significant positive correlations between QoL and both family resilience (r = 0.43, P <.01) and individual resilience (r = 0.59, P <.01). Moreover, family resilience had an indirect influence on QoL through its effect on individual resilience (β = 0.319, 95% CI: 0.336-0.815). Conclusion: Family resilience emerges as a significant positive factor capable of enhancing QoL for patients with HNC by bolstering their resilience. To mitigate the detrimental effects of inadequate individual resilience on QoL of patients with HNC, it is advised to implement interventions focused on enhancing family resilience. China Clinical Trials Registry number: ChiCTR2300067612 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a question of Bourin on noncommutative $ L^p $ L p spaces. Some inequalities due to Hayajneh et al. [Norm inequalities for positive semidefinite matrices and a question of Bourin II. Int J Math. 2021;32:2150043] and Hayajneh et al. [Norm inequalities for positive semidefinite matrices and a question of Bourin III. Positivity. 2022;26:23] are extended to the case of operators in noncommutative $ L^p $ L p spaces associated with a semifinite von Neumann algebra. We give a partial answer to a question of Bourin on noncommutative $ L^p $ L p spaces. Some related submajorization inequalities are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, exploiting the structure of tensors, the so called refined Geršhgorin disks for H-eigenvalues of tensors are introduced, which are always tighter than the classical Geršhgorin-type theorem for H-eigenvalues of tensors introduced by Qi (J Symb Comput 40:1302–1324, 2005). A sufficient condition for the positivity of even-order tensors is also given. We introduce the definition of G H -tensors, which can be viewed as a generalization of H -tensors. Moreover, an algorithm for identifying G H -tensors is also obtained. We prove that the tensor equation A x m - 1 = b has a unique positive solution if A is a strong G H + -tensor and b ∈ R n is a positive vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sobriety approach is gaining traction in the market, with many brands seeking to address new environmental challenges by adopting zero-waste manufacturing processes and promoting moderate product usage. This positioning raises major questions for brands related to the coherence of this strategy with their initial brand image and consumer reactions to this strategy. Through an experiment conducted with 241 participants in Canada, this study examines the coherence effect (strong vs. weak) and its interaction with the communications tone (optimistic vs. pessimistic) on consumers perceptions and responses to brand sobriety. The results show that strong coherence reduces perceptions of brand hypocrisy and increases perceptions of brand relevance, as well as emotional attachment and purchase intention. The study also shows that reactions are reinforced or diminished based on the communicational tone chosen; only the optimistic tone enhances consumers perceptions and responses when the coherence is weak. The theoretical and managerial implications of this study will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to stop unwanted memories from coming to mind is theorised to be essential for maintaining good mental health. People can employ intentional strategies to prevent conscious intrusions of negative memories, and repeated attempts to stop retrieval both reduces the frequency of intrusions and improves subsequent emotions elicited by those memories. However, it is still unknown whether memory control can improve negative emotions immediately, at the time control is attempted. It is also not clear which strategy is most beneficial for emotion regulation; clearing the mind of any thoughts of negative memories via direct suppression, or substituting memory recall with alternative thoughts. Here, we provide novel evidence that memory control immediately regulates negative emotions associated with autobiographical memories of morally wrong actions. Repeated control significantly improved negative emotions over time, regardless of the strategy used to implement control. Thought substitution involving either positive diversionary thinking or counterfactual thinking both induced positive feelings, whereas direct suppression neutralised emotions, regardless of whether memories were positive or negative. These empirical findings have implications for clinical practice as they indicate that memory control strategies could be effective emotion regulation methods for real-world intrusive memories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have highlighted that temporal source memory can be influenced by factors such as the individual's age and the emotional valence of the event to be remembered. In this study, we investigated how the different points of view (POVs) from which an event is presented could interact with the relationship between age-related differences and emotional valence on temporal source memory. One hundred and forty-one younger adults (aged 18–30) and 90 older adults (aged 65–74) were presented with a series of emotional videos shot from different POVs (first vs. third-person) in three sessions. In the fourth session, participants were asked to indicate in which session (1, 2, or 3) they viewed each video. The results indicated that the first-person POV amplified the effects of the emotional valence on temporal source memory. Only in this experimental condition, older adults "pushed away" negative stimuli by perceiving them as more distant in time, and "kept closer" positive stimuli by perceiving them as more recent. In comparison, younger adults "kept closer" positive stimuli. These findings add to the existing literature on the positivity effect on temporal source memory and highlighted the importance of considering the POV in relation to the emotional valence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selectively integrating new information contributes to belief polarization and compromises public discourse. To better understand factors that underlie biased belief updating, I conducted three pre-registered studies covering different controversial political issues. The main hypothesis was that cognitively devaluing new information hinders belief updating. Support for this hypothesis was found in only one of the three issues. The only factor that consistently influenced belief updating across issues was the discrepancy between prior beliefs and new information. These results suggest that usually people do use evidence to correct their beliefs, but may refuse to do so if doubts about its generalizability arise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effectiveness of the 'Feel Good – Think Positive', a school-based, multi-component, positive psychology intervention (PPI) for elementary school children, designed to enhance optimism and hope. Participants were 361 elementary school children (8–12 years old, M = 9.91, SD = 1.26, 158 boys and 203 girls), assigned to an intervention group (n = 229) or to a control group (n = 132), who completed several measures at baseline and after the intervention's completion. Children in the intervention group exhibited increased optimism, hope, diverse coping strategies, social skills, and self-esteem, and decreased pessimism and anxiety, compared to children in the control group who only showed a significant decrease in anxiety. Mediator analyses revealed that gender had a significant effect on anxiety, age on pessimism, emotion-focused coping, seeking social support, and likeability, and parental educational level had no effect. Results are discussed in relevance to positive psychology literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendous impact on public mental health and on psychological resources such as optimism. In this context, positive psychological interventions like the best possible self (BPS) intervention may be useful tools for resource activation. Therefore, a randomized controlled trial, conducted between January and December 2021, compared BPS (n = 87), C-BPS (n = 85), and daily activity writing groups (DA; n = 82) on psychological outcomes. Each group completed a writing task over four consecutive weeks. Data were analysed using repeated measures ANCOVA, controlling for age, gender, educational attainment, relationship status, current work status, dyslexia (perceived or diagnosed), and perceived social support. The BPS led to short-term increases in positive affect and mood, and decreases in negative affect. However, this effect was limited to the first week, but the trajectories suggest temporal trends that warrant further investigation. In addition, the approach holds promise for specific groups (e.g. people with depression). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The best-possible-self (BPS) intervention has been shown to promote well-being, optimism, and positive affect. However, most research was conducted in Western countries, and its effectiveness in people from Eastern countries has been questioned. In this study, we examined the effect of BPS on young adults from mainland China. We also investigated the moderating effect of cultural orientation, self-efficacy, and trait optimism and the mediating effect of state optimism and goal-related cognitions. Seventy participants were randomly assigned to the BPS or the control condition. In contrast to previous studies, the BPS did not lead to higher positive affect or well-being in Chinese, but rather to decreased negative affect and negative future expectations. No significant moderating or mediating effect was found. This study indicated that the effects of BPS might differ across cultures. Future studies may consider a longer session and qualitative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a generalized diffusion–advection–reaction equation (GDARE) is considered and by using the solitary wave solution two new class of exact finite difference (EFD) schemes are proposed under certain functional relationship between the temporal and space step sizes. Suitable denominator functions are identified from these EFD schemes and a new non-standard finite difference (NSFD) scheme is developed. This NSFD scheme preserves positivity and boundedness properties of the solution of GDARE. The $ L_2 $ L 2 , $ L_\infty $ L ∞ errors and CPU times are obtained for the proposed NSFD and EFD schemes to show the proficiency and accuracy of the schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endogenous shifts of spatial attention toward an upcoming stimulus are associated with improvements in behavioral responses to the stimulus, preparatory retinotopic shifts in alpha power, and changes in ERPs. Although attentional modulation of several early sensory ERPs is well established, there is still debate about under what circumstances attention affects the earliest cortical visual evoked response—the C1 ERP component—which is putatively generated from afferent input into primary visual cortex. Moreover, the effects of spatial attention on the recently discovered ERP signature of evidence accumulation—the central parietal positivity (CPP)—have not been fully characterized. The present study assessed the effect of spatial attention on the C1 and CPP components through a spatially cued contrast discrimination task using stimuli that were specifically designed to produce large-amplitude C1 responses and that varied in sensory evidence strength to characterize the CPP. Participants responded according to which of two checkerboard stimuli had greater contrast following an 80% valid cue toward the upper or lower visual field. Prestimulus alpha power changed topographically based on the cue, suggesting participants shifted attention to prepare for the upcoming stimuli. Despite these attentional shifts in alpha power and the fact that the stimuli reliably elicited C1 responses several times greater than many prior studies, there was no evidence of an attention effect on the C1. The CPP, however, showed a clear increase in build-up rate on valid trials. Our findings suggest that endogenous attention may not affect the early C1 ERP component but may improve behavior at a decision stage, as reflected in brain signals related to evidence accumulation (the CPP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the revised job demands–resources model, this study aimed to analyze the direct relationship of teacher self‐efficacy with burnout and its indirect relationship through perceived social support as well as the moderating roles of teacher optimism in these relationships. The study used a Bayesian estimator with structural equation modeling to examine the structural relationships among self‐efficacy, optimism, perceived social support, and burnout, using data collected from a sample of 288 teachers in Elâzığ, a city in the eastern region of Turkey. The results demonstrated the negative relationships between teacher self‐efficacy and optimism with burnout, and the indirect negative relationship between teacher self‐efficacy and burnout through perceived social support. In addition, the present study revealed that the direct relationship between teacher self‐efficacy and perceived social support and the indirect relationship between teacher self‐efficacy and burnout through perceived social support can be strengthened depending on the level of optimism. Recommendations for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers are presented. Practitioner Points: Teacher self‐efficacy is negatively related to burnout and positively related to perceived social support.Perceived social support partially mediates the relationship between teacher self‐efficacy and burnout.Teacher optimism moderates the relationship between teacher self‐efficacy and perceived social support, as well as the relationship between teacher self‐efficacy and burnout through perceived social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's world, terrorist attacks pose a constant threat, whether through bombings like those in Sarafovo 2012, Ankara 2015, Madrid 2005, mass shootings as seen in Moscow 2024 and the USA, or vehiclerelated incidents like Barcelona and Cambrils 2016. Terrorists aim to inflict maximum harm, making prompt and effective response from medical teams crucial in stabilizing and reducing disability among casualties. Beyond medical expertise, strong organization and cohesion among emergency teams are imperative to prevent chaos when handling multiple casualties. This article delves into the preparedness and awareness of medical professionals in the Burgas region for managing mass disasters, accidents, and terrorist acts. A survey of 157 doctors and nurses across three medical institutions revealed that 70.70% work in surgical departments and 29.29% in therapeutic departments. Alarmingly, 66.24% of respondents lacked awareness of specific action plans for their professional duties and their roles in a mass casualty situation, leading to potential organizational crises and delays in life-saving interventions. However, there's a positive outlook as 78.98% of medics expressed willingness to take initiative and 85.98% were ready to provide medical care regardless of their working hours. Analysis of these findings underscores the need for comprehensive action plans at all administrative levels, including ward managers, head nurses, doctors, nurses, and orderlies. Additional training and documentation of duties and competencies will ensure efficient organization during emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the parallels between politicians and performers, focusing on their shared experiences of the limelight and performance anxiety. Topics include the relationship between physical stress responses and decision-making under pressure, how voice teachers can help students manage performance anxiety, and the role of stress conditioning in preparing for high-pressure situations.

The phenomenon of delta inflation, in which design treatment effects tend to exceed observed treatment effects, has been documented in several therapeutic areas. Delta inflation has often been attributed to investigators' optimism bias, or an unwarranted belief in the efficacy of new treatments. In contrast, we argue that delta inflation may be a natural consequence of clinical equipoise, that is, genuine uncertainty about the relative benefits of treatments before a trial is initiated. We review alternative methodologies that can offer more direct evidence about investigators' beliefs, including Bayesian priors and forecasting analysis. The available evidence for optimism bias appears to be mixed, and can be assessed only where uncertainty is expressed explicitly at the trial design stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching entrepreneurship students about failure can help them better cope with business failure and learn from it. This is important given evidence that experienced entrepreneurs are more successful. Entrepreneurship educators raise the concern that teaching students about failure may make them apprehensive about pursuing entrepreneurship. We examine the impact of optimism training on individuals who are learning about business failure (distinguishing between large and small failure) to study the impact of failure on career choice. Using a randomized experiment, we study the underlying mechanism – the feeling of hope – in how failure magnitude impacts an individual's subsequent career choice between wage employment and entrepreneurship. Our findings show that failure magnitude negatively impacts subsequent entrepreneurship career choice by reducing hope. We also find that having an optimistic mind-set moderates this relationship. The negative effect of failure on hope, and subsequent entrepreneurship career choice, is minimized for individuals with an optimistic mind-set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way in which students can identify, regulate and manage their emotions can impact not only on their present positive attitude and increased self-esteem, but also on their subsequent professional performance. In this study, 798 pre-service teachers participated, with a mean age of 24.52 years (±5.48). The instruments used were: Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS-S), Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The aim was to determine the potential value of optimism and pessimism among the emotional intelligence and self-esteem of pre-service teachers. The results showed that emotional intelligence is related to optimism (R2 =.352) and moderately to pessimism (R2 =.148) and self-esteem (R2 =.135), with a root mean square error of.067. The practical consequences showed that emotional intelligence has a strong impact on socioemotional competencies, with optimism versus pessimism acting as mediating variables, which in turn contributes to the self-esteem of future teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To end the HIV epidemic, there is need for targeted strategies to reduce HIV incidence for those most vulnerable, including an HIV vaccine. This study seeks to understand the perceptions that non-PrEP using gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) have about a potential HIV vaccine, while contextualizing their perspectives within the context of heightened vaccine hesitancy that has emerged since the COVID-19 pandemic. Between March and May of 2022, GBMSM (N = 20) participated in in-depth interviews, which assessed their perceptions about an HIV vaccine. Interviews were analysed using a codebook approach to thematic analysis. We oversampled for those unvaccinated against COVID-19 as a proxy for vaccine hesitation. Participants expressed a range of enthusiastic support, cautious optimism and skepticism when presented with the possibility of an HIV vaccine. Factors that drove willingness to receive an HIV vaccine included community-oriented altruism, individualized risk-benefit assessment, and/or the perception that a vaccine could provide a beneficial shift in sexual experiences. Participants also expressed hesitations about receiving an HIV vaccine, including concerns about potential side-effects and efficacy, as well as mistrust in the vaccine development process. Notably, participants often evaluated the vaccine in comparison to PrEP and condoms. Participants offered specific insights into information they would like to receive about an HIV and where/how they would like to receive it. Our findings can help inform future HIV vaccine implementation efforts by offering insights into the factors that motivate and deter GBMSM to receive an HIV vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores reskilling, appearing both as a practice and a signifier in social media. By investigating reskilling narratives, this paper describes origins, actors and relation to skill. It contributes by first suggesting that reskilling is a process rather than a specific training form or about specific skill content. Second, individuals and organisations are simultaneously and paradoxically sold reskilling, but their interests do not always align. On social media, reskilling stands as a corporate (and societal) signifier of action as well as an opportunity for advertising employer brands. Third, through a technology‐deterministic frame, reskilling can be understood as a signifier of optimism, that is, turning pessimism in the shape of possible displacement into optimism where society, organisations and people may 'keep up' with technological change. Thus, reskilling can be understood to materialise optimism, and that optimism is an attempt at the restoration of human agency on an inevitabilist path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have examined the psychological factors that shape real estate developers' overbuilding behaviors in China. Through a behavioral lens, this study explores the effect of developers' excessive optimism on the formation of overbuilding in Ordos City, China. It finds that excessive optimism, manifested by the firm yet unjustified belief in a long-lasting real estate boom, was prevalent among developers who built vacant and unfinished new residential projects in the Dongsheng District, Ordos. It also discovers the crucial roles of the pro-growth local governments and the booming real estate market—including the easy availability of credit, especially the pervasive informal finance—in reinforcing developers' excessive optimism in Dongsheng. This study confirms the positive effect of market booms on investors' excessive optimism. Moreover, it sheds light on the role of the state in shaping excessive optimism and reveals that the state's proactive participation and investment in market transactions can reinforce developers' over-optimism. This article suggests that studies on excessive optimism should adequately consider its socioeconomic and politico-institutional settings. This study verifies the validity and necessity of adopting a behavioral perspective to interpret China's overbuilding and calls for further inquiry into the underexplored scholarship at the intersection of behavioral science and real estate development in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the subjective experiences of participants in a 5-day Open Dialogue (OD) workshop and a 1-year pilot practice, conducted as part of the WHO QualityRights Project in South Korea. Twenty-four participants, selected through purposive sampling, completed surveys immediately after the workshop and 1 year later. Data were analyzed through both statistical and thematic approaches. A statistically significant decrease in the availability of “Flexibility and Mobility” was observed across all participants (p = 0.044) and a significant reduction in the availability of “Tolerance of Uncertainty” (p = 0.04) was noted among participants who engaged in network meetings over the course of 1 year. Qualitative analysis revealed that participants initially felt ambivalent toward OD due to systemic, cultural, and professional challenges. However, through experiential learning, their ambivalence shifted to hope, fostering solidarity and a more positive outlook for future OD practice. Participants recognized that implementing OD supported human rights, while addressing personal, organizational, and policy challenges. The findings provide important insights for developing OD training and implementation guidelines in South Korea. Recommendations include focusing on experiential learning and selecting mixed-group trainees from catchment area institutions, emphasizing the support of client rights, and considering individual, organizational, and systemic levels for successful implementation. This study represents a new case of OD dissemination through a top-down national research and development project and its integration into the WHO QualityRights service package, suggesting complementary potential between OD and global human rights-based mental health initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe post-pandemic economic uncertainty has profoundly affected the hotel sector, which was among the earliest casualties and continues to grapple with protracted recovery hurdles. This turmoil has taken a toll on the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of both current and former hotel workers, exacerbating employability issues in the broader tourism industry. This study, involving 36 participants (20 former hotel employees who left during the pandemic and 16 who remained employed), utilized interviews and thematic analysis to explore the role of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) components in the lives of these workers. The findings highlight the significance of enhancing employees’ PsyCap to bolster their mental well-being, enabling them to navigate adversities, particularly in the post-pandemic era. Moreover, the study emphasizes the role of Social Capital in reinforcing and sustaining employees’ PsyCap during crises, ultimately fostering organizational commitment. These results carry important implications for hotel organizations. To address pandemic-induced challenges, these entities should prioritize creating a supportive work environment that encourages employee retention during and beyond the pandemic. These measures can enhance organizational resilience and provide a competitive edge in addressing post-pandemic workforce challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how factors of perceived authenticity (including continuity, integrity, and credibility) and sponsorship congruence impact attitudes toward sponsors and subsequent sports betting intentions and behaviors. We consider the moderating effect of sponsorship type (conventional versus commercial gambling providers) to identify differences among sponsors. We also employed latent segmentation analysis (a posteriori) to identify latent segments. The results indicate that segment differences are primarily related to the perceived similarity between sponsors and sports events. Fans of age exhibit less brand self-congruence, which negatively affects perceptions of authenticity and attitude toward the sponsor. Conversely, older fans perceive greater authenticity and positivity toward sponsors when there is congruence between the sponsor, the event, and fans' identity. The sponsor type (conventional or gambling provider) did not differ significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of love of life, which refers to a positive attitude towards one's own life, care for it and attachment to it, has recently captured the attention of researchers in the field of positive psychology. Despite its growing importance, there is a lack of research investigating the underlying mechanisms through which love of life impacts the flourishing and well-being of individuals. For the first time, the present study examined the mediating roles of optimism and hope in the association between love of life and flourishing in Turkish youth. The study comprised 374 young adults, aged between 18 and 24 years (55.3% female; Mean age = 20.94; SD = 1.78 years), who participated in an online survey assessing their levels of love of life, optimism, hope, and flourishing. Results from the mediation analysis revealed that love of life significantly predicted optimism, hope, and flourishing. Furthermore, optimism and hope had significant predictive effects on flourishing. Importantly, optimism and hope played a partial mediating role in explaining the positive influence of the love of life on individuals' flourishing. The findings suggest a positive association between love of life and heightened levels of optimism and hope. These psychological attributes, in turn, emerge as crucial factors contributing to increased flourishing. These results hold significant implications for the development of interventions focused on understanding how to foster the love of life and flourish through the cultivation of psychological strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2020 and 2022, lockdown and restraining measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in daily routines and also in language usage. At certain points during the pandemic, populations in some countries were unwilling or unlikely to respond to government messages, either because of the tone and analytic discourse used by leaders, or because they did not understand the messages. Linguistic markers and meanings were therefore linked to low levels of engagement, negative emotions and high levels of analytical thinking, especially in relation to the discourses of influential international leaders. We subjected sixteen speeches by eight country leaders to topic modelling and sentiment analysis in order to understand how the psychological functions of language were affected during two different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this topic analysis we organize 39,073 words collected from sixteen authentic speeches delivered in two different periods of the acute phase of the pandemic. These were encoded in the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count program (LIWC), with the main aim being to identify differences between the periods. We examined the following aspects: (1) the emotional tone, analytical thinking and clout (empathy dimension); (2) the changes in these three dimensions or factors between periods 1 and 2 (February and May 2020). We observed a negative relationship between emotional tone and analytical thinking and a positive relationship between clout and emotional tone. When we considered the changes in pandemic circumstances, the psycholinguistic profiles of eight country leaders demonstrated fluctuations in language and emotions. Further reviews and research should focus on the current language and deficit wording of this population (leaders). We also note that psychologists and schoolteachers can play an important role in supporting language programmes with positive wording and by emphasising the collateral effects of face-to-face classes when teaching children to read and write. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2017, language learning in post-primary schools in Ireland has been supported by the government strategy, Languages Connect (LC). In conjunction with key stakeholders, the strategy aims, among other things, to raise awareness of the importance of language learning, to diversify the languages on offer and to make connections between language learning and the world of work. Six years into the strategy, it is opportune to assess the views of students in relation to their opinions of their learning experiences framed against the goals of the strategy. After launching a creative language competition during the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers sought to capture the perceptions, challenges and desires of participants in Transition Year, focusing on the languages that they would like to learn, their experience as language learners and the role of languages in their future careers. This article presents an analysis of this data in the context of LC with the aim of providing a snapshot of evidence-based data on the process that is being undertaken nationally in this arena. The article begins by discussing the challenges and opportunities in the language learning space in the Republic of Ireland. The analysis and discussion of the data follow a description of the methodology employed and the article concludes with a positive outlook on language learning from the student perspective; however, the data reveal that areas that are not necessarily part of the LC strategy need to be addressed. It is hoped that these conclusions will be useful for researchers, practitioners, state agencies and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT There are limited options to estimate the treatment effects of variables which are continuous and measured at multiple time points, particularly if the true dose–response curve should be estimated as closely as possible. However, these situations may be of relevance: in pharmacology, one may be interested in how outcomes of people living with—and treated for—HIV, such as viral failure, would vary for time‐varying interventions such as different drug concentration trajectories. A challenge for doing causal inference with continuous interventions is that the positivity assumption is typically violated. To address positivity violations, we develop projection functions, which reweigh and redefine the estimand of interest based on functions of the conditional support for the respective interventions. With these functions, we obtain the desired dose–response curve in areas of enough support, and otherwise a meaningful estimand that does not require the positivity assumption. We develop g$$ g $$‐computation type plug‐in estimators for this case. Those are contrasted with g‐computation estimators which are applied to continuous interventions without specifically addressing positivity violations, which we propose to be presented with diagnostics. The ideas are illustrated with longitudinal data from HIV positive children treated with an efavirenz‐based regimen as part of the CHAPAS‐3 trial, which enrolled children <13$$ <13 $$ years in Zambia/Uganda. Simulations show in which situations a standard g‐computation approach is appropriate, and in which it leads to bias and how the proposed weighted estimation approach then recovers the alternative estimand of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new framework for the reflection positivity, based on order-preserving operator inequalities, is proposed. This framework is utilized to investigate one-dimensional fermion–phonon systems, with a particular focus on the detailed examination of ground state properties. Our analysis reveals that the reflection positivity provides a consistent description of the charge-density-wave (CDW) order in such systems. Additionally, we establish the existence of CDW long-range order in the ground state when the Coulomb interaction is long range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigrant optimism has been identified as a cultural protective factor that could be targeted in prevention efforts that support immigrant well‐being. However, to date, immigrant optimism has not been consistently operationalized. We report on an iterative and collaborative approach to develop and validate a measure of immigrant optimism. Methods: Content validity was established using feedback from immigrant‐origin young adults and from experts in the field. Then, using survey data from 241 immigrant‐origin young adults, we examined reliability, validity, and invariance of our measure among first‐ and second‐generation immigrants. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a single immigrant optimism factor explains significant variation in each of our indicators. Our measure was further invariant across first‐ and second‐generation immigrant youth and demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusions: Findings support the use of our measure with immigrant‐origin young adults. We offer considerations for future research and highlight implications for prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Resilience is associated with mental and somatic health benefits. Given the social, physical, and mental health toll of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we examined whether the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with population-level changes in resilience among pregnant people. Study Design Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of nulliparous pregnant people <20 weeks' gestation from a single hospital. Participants completed baseline assessments of resilience characteristics, including dispositional optimism (DO), mindfulness, and proactive coping. For this analysis, participants recruited before the COVID-19 pandemic were compared with those recruited during the pandemic. The primary outcome was DO, assessed as a continuous score on the validated Revised Life Orientation Test. Secondary outcomes included continuous scores on mindfulness and proactive coping assessments. Bivariable analyses were completed using chi-squared and Mann–Whitney U tests. Multivariable linear regression compared resilience scores by recruitment time frame, controlling for confounders selected a priori: maternal age, education, and marital status. Results Of the 300 participants, 152 (50.7%) were recruited prior to the pandemic. Demographic and pregnancy characteristics differed between groups: the during-pandemic group was older, had higher levels of education, and were more likely to be married/partnered. There were no significant differences in any of the resilience characteristics before versus during the pandemic in bivariable or multivariable analyses. Conclusion In this cohort, there were no differences in early pregnancy resilience characteristics before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic. This affirms that on a population level, resilience is a stable metric, even in the setting of a global pandemic. Key Points Resilience is associated with mental and somatic health benefits. No difference in early-pregnancy resilience in those recruited before versus during the pandemic. Consistent with conceptualization of resilience as an innate characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]