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Conspiracy theories introduce a democratic paradox, as belief in conspiracy theories predicts support for both democratic and non‐democratic political systems. In this article, we explore whether democratic and anti‐democratic attitudes, resulting from conspiracy beliefs, can be mutually exclusive. In Study 1 (United Kingdom, N = 293), we show that belief in conspiracy theories is associated with decreased support for representative democracy, and increased support for direct democracy, anarchism, and autocracy within the same individuals. In Study 2 (United States, N = 302, pre‐registered), we experimentally show that the perceived presence of conspiracies is linked to an increased preference for direct democracy, anarchism, and autocracy and decreased support for representative democracy. Mediational analyses suggest that widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo and, less consistently, feelings of political cynicism mediate the relationships between conspiracy beliefs and (anti‐)democratic attitudes. In Study 3 (United States, N = 400, pre‐registered), we experimentally manipulate (dis)satisfaction with the status quo. Results indicate that rejecting the status quo increases support for direct democracy, anarchism, and autocracy and decreases support for representative democracy. Overall, our findings suggest that people who believe in conspiracy theories tend to favour both democratic and anti‐democratic political alternatives, largely attributed to citizens' desire to change the status quo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to raise awareness about foreign disinformation might accidentally increase distrust towards legitimate media. We argue that state discourse on disinformation is comparable to strategic framing in journalists' coverage of political events, and that it might imbue audiences with cynicism. Furthermore, in contrast to an experimental paradigm that depicts disinformation audiences as passive, we suggest that news consumers actively appropriate and produce content themselves. Conceptualising media content as 'strategic' rather than sincere might influence audiences to share and produce media content strategically. This Machiavellian tendency leads to similar effects on bias as motivated reasoning. Most accounts of motivated reasoning assume that limits of psychological processing are the reasons for biased judgements of what is true and fake, however, we argue that biases can also be due to culturally acquired second-order beliefs about knowledge. To explain this, we build on ideas about 'folk epistemology' and propose the term 'strategic epistemology towards media'. Resistance-building efforts against disinformation risk promoting such a strategic epistemology towards media and this can have harmful effects on democratic dialogue. To avoid this, educational interventions should be premised on social epistemology rather than experimental psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most debated and researched aspects of environmental sustainability concerns the issue of climate change. This paper will review the literature on the individual difference correlates of climate change beliefs (CC), seen as a central aspect of environmental sustainability. It will look at how attitudes and beliefs are measured; the demographic, ideological, and personality correlates of these beliefs; and the research on how they can be changed. This is a rapidly developing area of applied research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study examines how intergroup dynamics shape political cynicism among Belgians of Turkish and Moroccan descent. Concretely, we examine whether perceptions of discrimination, feelings of ethnic outsiderness and social capital (in terms of associational membership) can explain minorities’ belief that political elites are selfish, incompetent, and immoral. Methods: We analyse data from the Belgian Ethnic Minorities Election Study 2014. Results: Arguing that political cynicism includes blame attribution towards the political establishment, we distinguish between perceived group discrimination by the government, on the labor market, and in everyday life. As expected, political cynicism is closely related to perceptions of government discrimination, with no observed correlation with discrimination in the other domains. Next, we show that perceived ethnic outsiderness is also strongly related to increased feelings of political cynicism, further reinforcing the argument that cynics are concerned with their ethnic group’s excluded status and position in society. Finally, associational membership is only related to lower political cynicism when it is generated exclusively within ethnic boundaries; there was no relationship with cross-ethnic social capital. Discussion: Our findings show that intergroup indicators are highly relevant for understanding minorities’ political cynicism, but that the intergroup dynamics operate in complex and nuanced ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines Foucault's legacy in terms of its contribution to the field of somaesthetics. It demonstrates how Foucault's work on embodiment, care of the self, pleasure, sexuality, and aesthetics of existence were inspirational to the founding of somaesthetics and can serve as exemplars of somaesthetic philosophy. However, the essay also explores the ways that current somaesthetic research departs from Foucault's theories by critiquing their limitations with respect to several important issues. These issues include the varieties of pleasure, the multicultural scope and diversity of ars erotica, the range of aesthetics and art, and the demand for truth and heroism in the art of living a beautiful life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nietzsche (1844–1900) struggles with complexity and many-sidedness throughout his life. He is a nuanced thinker who offers fragments instead of a rigid philosophical system, yet he admires the 'virtuous energy' with which systematic thinkers, especially the pre-Socratic philosophers, express themselves. His ability to write with comparable energy is hindered by university philosophy, which privileges restraint and consistency. Therefore, he adopts a practice of spontaneous life writing in order to become simple and honest in thought and life. Inspired by figures such as Emerson, Diogenes, and Sterne, he grasps the 'nearest shoddy words' and continually produces new insights in disjointed monologues and aphorisms. Nietzsche's vague metaphors, loose language, inconsistency, and hyperbole stem from this practice, and his autobiography, Ecce Homo (1888), is the closest that he ever comes to rekindling the energy of the pre-Socratics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of work engagement in the effect of healthcare workers' perceptions of organizational trust and organizational support on organizational cynicism. A total of 306 healthcare workers participated in the research. Data was collected using scales for organizational trust, organizational support, organizational cynicism, and work engagement. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the structure of the scales. The study employed PATH analysis to determine the mediating role of work engagement. The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. The findings established a negative relationship between perceptions of organizational trust and organizational support with organizational cynicism, which is partially mediated by the level of work engagement. Additionally, the study identified a negative relationship between the level of work engagement and organizational cynicism. Conversely, the study concluded that perceptions of organizational trust and support have a positive impact on work engagement levels. This research makes a significant contribution to understanding the effects of healthcare workers' perceptions of organizational trust and support on organizational cynicism and work engagement. Furthermore, these results could provide a valuable foundation for developing effective strategies in the management and practice of health organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing students' approaches to learning (SAL) is crucial for evaluating their critical thinking abilities and subject domain comprehension. A deep approach and organised studying have been linked to lower study-related burnout, while an unreflective approach is associated with elevated levels of burnout. Despite evidence of the SAL–burnout connection, limited research exists on the bidirectional relationship between the two constructs. This study aims to fill this research gap by analysing changes in SAL and burnout during the freshmen year and determining whether there exists a reciprocal relationship between these constructs. Freshmen data was collected from two cohorts (Cohort 1, n = 261; Cohort 2, n = 216) at the beginning and end of their first year. Findings revealed increased overall burnout, exhaustion, cynicism, and inadequacy from T1 to T2 in both cohorts. Deep approach decreased across T1 and T2 in both cohorts, while organised studying decreased in Cohort 1 but remained unchanged in Cohort 2. Conversely, unreflective approach decreased in Cohort 1 but increased in Cohort 2. Bidirectionality between SAL and burnout was observed in both cohorts, indicating that higher unreflective approach could lead to increased cynicism, and vice-versa. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing the interplay between unreflective approach and cynicism for interventions targeting reduction in unreflective approaches and emphasizes the need to consider the potential unintended consequences of heightening freshmen's cynical attitudes towards studying when attempting to reduce unreflective approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2020-23 wave of protests in Thailand forever changed the country's political landscape. While stemming from and inspired by the 2011 protests, its ability to undermine the hegemony of form and the eternal state of Thailand remains unmatched. People no longer act as if everything is normal but have started to acknowledge the underlying problems. Through parodies and cynicism, they expose the fragility of the eternal state. The Internet has made it easier for subversive acts to spread. To evade censorship, subversive acts use metaphorical and paradoxical parody as a tool to disguise messages as innocuous. Thailand has experienced turbulence in the past decades with the interregnum crisis. People who believed in the regime have become ta sawang (disillusioned)--but with the draconian lèsemajesté law, they have no way to voice their dissent except through cynicism and parody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work on deterrence demonstrates that high perceptions of formal sanctions (e.g., arrest) and informal sanctions (e.g., negative reactions from others) both relate to decreased offending behaviors. However, there are numerous contextual factors that influence the strength of formal and informal sanctions on crime. The current study uses the Pathways to Desistance data to explore how formal and informal sanctions relate to offending, and how legal cynicism moderates this process. Findings from a series of longitudinal models show that higher perceptions of both formal and informal sanctions are related to decreased offending, while higher legal cynicism is linked to increased offending. Legal cynicism moderates the relationship between formal—but not informal—sanctions and offending. Policy implications are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regardless of its utility as a measure of actual corruption, perceived corruption is related to many political attitudes and other variables which makes it an important phenomenon to understand. This paper explores demographic variables, ideological orientations, socioeconomic status, interpersonal trust, political attitudes and feelings of resentment as explanations for corruption perception with response styles controlled within a structural equation modelling framework using survey data collected in Guyana where corruption is salient and thought to be pervasive. It finds that the categories of variables jointly explain 31.5% of the variance in corruption perception and that there is explanatory utility for each category of variables evaluated except socioeconomic status with demographics and ideological orientations accounting for the largest changes in explained variance. It also finds that political cynicism attenuates an initial effect of interpersonal trust and concludes that ethnicity appears to function as partisan orientation in its relationship with corruption perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the civic role of libraries in the United States and how they can empower citizens and bring communities together. It highlights the importance of libraries in renewing civic life, building collective knowledge, fostering understanding and empathy, and nurturing partnerships. The article also explores how libraries have redefined their missions and extended their reach into the realm of civic life. It includes case studies and theoretical considerations to inspire readers to imagine new possibilities for libraries to strengthen the civic health and culture of their communities. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Background Mindfulness-based interventions have been tested to be the effective approach for preventing/reducing burnout in medical students. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the scientific evidence and quantify the pooled effect of MBIs on the burnout syndrome in medical students. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the databases, including PubMed, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), China National knowledge Information Database (CNKI) and WanFang Database from database inception to February 2023 using the terms of “mindfulness”, “burnout” and “medical students”. Two reviewers independently reviewed the studies, and extracted the data of the eligible studies, as well as assessed the risk of bias. A random-effects model was employed to calculate the standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of overall burnout and its sub-domains of burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy). Results Of 316 records in total, nine studies (with 810 medical students) were ultimately included. The four RCT studies demonstrated an overall judgment of some concerns risk of bias, and the overall risk of biases of the five qRCT studies were judged as serious. In term of the SORT, the RCT and qRCT studies were evaluated as level 2 evidence, and the overall strength of recommendation was classified as B (limited-quality patient-oriented evidence). The pooled analysis showed that MBIs were associated with significant small to moderate improvements for medical students’ overall burnout (SMD=-0.64; 95% CI [-1.12, -0.16]; P = 0.009) in the included four RCTs, emotional exhaustion (SMD=-0.27; 95% CI [-0.50, -0.03]; P = 0.03) and academic efficacy (SMD = 0.43; 95% CI [0.20, 0.66]; P

School burnout, defined as prolonged feelings of exhaustion, cynical attitude and inadequacy feelings towards schoolwork, can lead to mental problems during adolescence. To find effective ways to prevent burnout, this study examined the synergistic role of two positive personal resources, a stress-is-enhancing mindset and academic buoyancy in relation to school burnout dimensions. The participants were 932 Finnish middle-school 9th-grade (age = 14–15) students. The results of SEM revealed that academic buoyancy and stress-is-enhancing mindset were jointly negatively related to one dimension of school burnout, cynicism. However, the stress-is-enhancing mindset had an indirect effect on all dimensions (exhaustion, inadequacy and cynicism) via academic buoyancy. The findings highlight their joint effect and especially the role of academic buoyancy in relation to school burnout. The implications of the results to burnout prevention and stress theories are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to understand what innovation is, which is a very important concept in terms of enabling organizations to maintain their competitive advantage in a rapidly developing environment, and to investigate their reflection on the organization's culture. At the same time, another aim is to examine the organizational effects of cynicism perception, which is a personality trait that reflects negative perceptions of all things encountered in social life, which can also be called an epidemic disease that affects behavior and behavior within the organization. In this context, Van Y.Y.U. The cynicism levels on administrative staff and the knitting effects of these subjects have been examined. In the preparation of the theoretical part of this work, books, theses, internet resources, articles, etc. resources. In the application part, a questionnaire study was conducted and the results were analyzed using SPSS statistical program. Van Y.Y.U participated in the research. In the Administrative Staff participants, relations related to cynicism perception were determined. The data obtained shows that the participant has exhibited cognitive behaviors that could cause serious harm to the top management, working order and the work they are working in, especially in the intensive life of the globalizing world. sincerity, justice, truthfulness, organizational commitment, internal communication, organizational self-esteem should be developed by avoiding the perception of cynicism, such as dissatisfaction, negativity, frustration, doubt, insecurity and complaint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to examine the relationship between the ethical leadership perception, organizational cynicism, ethical climate perception, and job satisfaction levels of youth and sports services department employees. In the research where the relational screening model, one of the quantitative research methods, was used, the study group consists of the personnel working in the Youth and Sports Services Department of Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality. In determining the data of the employees, the Ethical Leadership Scale consisting of a single dimension and 10 items validated into Turkish by Tuna et al. (2012), the Organizational Ethical Climate Scale consisting of two dimensions and 9 items adapted to Turkish by Çalışkan (2022), the Organizational Cynicism Scale consisting of three dimensions and 14 items adapted to Turkish by Kalağan (2009), and the Job Satisfaction Scale consisting of a single dimension and 5 items adapted to Turkish by Başol and Çömlekçi (2020) were used. The data analysis was carried out in the "Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0" program. When the research results were examined in terms of demographic variables, it was determined that there was no significant relationship between gender and organizational cynicism, ethical leadership and job satisfaction. On the other hand, a significant relationship was determined between professional seniority and the affective and behavioral sub-dimensions of organizational cynicism. A positive relationship was found between ethical leadership and organizational ethical climate and job satisfaction, while a negative relationship was found between organizational cynicism. These results emphasize the importance of ethical leadership in local governments and show the benefits of implementing a service-oriented approach on employees. It is recommended that qualitative research be conducted with more contrast samples and different industries in future studies. For future studies, it is anticipated that comparative studies with larger samples and different sectors, and also that ethical leadership training be provided among youth and sports department heads will be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between generalized (trust in the political system) and individualized (trust in a specific political actor) political trust in two surveys with representative samples from Latvia (total N = 2,001). The results of a regularized partial correlation network analysis of the data from both surveys revealed that variables associated with each level of trust formed separate clusters, which were virtually unrelated in Study 1, and moderately related in Study 2. Across both datasets, political cynicism was the only variable robustly (negatively) related to both levels of trust. External political efficacy was strongly related to generalized political trust, whereas internal political efficacy was unrelated to either level of political trust. Generalized interpersonal trust was only weakly related to generalized political trust and was unrelated to individualized political trust. The findings show that trust in the political system and trust in specific political actors form separate, although related, network structures and are likely determined by a different set of variables, representing different kinds of psychological reasoning. Generalized political trust can be seen as part of a general attitude towards one's country, whereas individualized trust is based on more situational factors and shaped through the mechanisms of person perception and group perception. Plain language summary: The purpose of this study was to examine how people form their judgments of trust (or distrust) in politicians, political parties, and in political system as a whole, and how trust in politicians and parties (or individualized political trust) is different from the overall trust in the system (generalized political trust). The data for this study were collected in two surveys from representative population samples from Latvia, a country characterized by low levels of political trust. The survey participants answered several evaluative questions about trusted and distrusted politicians and parties, and about the political system of Latvia. Network analysis, a method allowing to visualize the relationships among the participants' responses, was used in the data analysis. The results showed that trust in the political system and trust in specific political actors should be considered as separate, although related, psychological concepts, and are likely determined by a different, although overlapping, set of factors representing different kinds of psychological reasoning. Generalized political trust can be seen as part of a general attitude towards one's country, whereas individualized trust is based on more on situational factors and shaped through the mechanisms of person perception and group perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1983, two philosophers, Michel Foucault and Peter Sloterdijk, engaged with ancient Cynicism and the outspokenness and laughter of Diogenes as a critical practice. Foucault and Sloterdijk did so to position themselves 'after' critique: 'after' a period of and 'beyond' a certain style of dogmatism and theoretical deadlocks that troubled left thinking in the early 1980s (and continue to do so today). I show how Foucault and Sloterdijk, while differing in their critical politics, both read Diogenes' politics of truth as radical subversive otherness. While Diogenes performed this antagonizing critique from a subaltern position, his politics nevertheless risked ending up in a self-righteous intransigence to know the truth. As an alternative, I turn to another politics of laughter in Hellenistic philosophy, that of the Thracian Maid, and its sceptical impulse that is situated 'before', 'beyond' and 'after' critique in the space of what Hans Blumenberg calls Nachdenklichkeit (pensiveness). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this research is to examine the relationship between perceived organizational support and organizational cynicism within the organization, aiming to understand the mediating role of perceived organizational justice in this relationship. The study is based on data obtained through surveys involving 415 employees in a public institution. The acquired data underwent a comprehensive analysis using the SPSS and AMOS programs. The findings reveal a negative relationship between perceived organizational support and organizational cynicism, while a positive relationship is identified between perceived organizational support and perceived organizational justice. Furthermore, a negative relationship is observed between perceived organizational justice and organizational cynicism. Specifically, it is concluded that the perceived organizational justice play a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived organizational support and organizational cynicism. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed, and recommendations for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on misinformation has not provided sufficient empirical evidence concerning its political consequences. To amend this trend, this study examines how widespread misinformation on social media elevates political cynicism, which has peaked over the past decade in the United States. Using two-wave survey data collected both before and after the 2020 US presidential election, we present evidence that social media use triggers political cynicism, which is mediated through exposure to misinformation. In addition, the results reveal that the mediating relationship only holds among nonpartisans. Implications for democracy are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study is to examine the role of workplace incivility in the relationship between cognitive cynicism and job alienation. Teachers working in Erzurum province in the 2022-2023 academic year constitute the population of this study. Among this population, 390 individuals selected with a simple random sampling model constitute the sample of the study. In order to collect data from the sample group, data were collected with the questionnaire method, which is one of the most widely used quantitative research techniques in the literature. The questionnaire forms were prepared online and delivered to the sample group by the researchers. Reliability analyses, explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses and correlation analyses were applied to the obtained research data with the help of SSPS and AMOS programs, and the structural model of the research was tested, direct and indirect relationships between the variables of the model were determined, and the validity of indirect relationships was examined with bootstrap analysis. As a result of this study, it was revealed that workplace incivility had a significant role in the relationship between cognitive cynicism and work alienation among teachers. At the same time, as a result of the study, some suggestions for administrators and teachers were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic burnout is one of the biggest issues of the modern period. Academic burnout is depicted by a prolonged lack of interest in the student's studies and a loss in output. This study set out to measure the degree of academic burnout experienced by university students, examine differences in their academic burnout levels, and ascertain whether academic burnout and CER Strategies are related. This survey study included a quantitative analysis of the three campuses of the University of Education Lahore. A correlation design was used. The target population consisted of both male and female students enrolled in the three campuses of university. The multistage sampling was used to collect sample of 300 students, with an equal representation of 150 males and 150 females. Two scales were included in a closed-ended questionnaire of survey. The study's findings indicate that academic stress leads to academic burnout among university students. The study also found that students in the Science and Education divisions report the same level of cynicism, but students in the Arts and Social Sciences division differ significantly. Adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies had a significant negative correlation, in contrast to the high positive association observed with maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Future teacher educators and policy maker can adopt such strategies to reduced academic burns out in higher educational institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores how Nathaniel Hawthorne's narrator in The Scarlet Letter uses a lack of authoritative judgment to counter cynicism and maintain candor. It also discusses Cicero's concept of ideal oratory, the significance of rhythmic eloquence in persuasive speech, and the connection between natural rhythms and effective communication.

Drawing upon the conservation of resources theory, we investigate the serial mediation relationship between co‐worker incivility, work engagement, turnover intentions and knowledge hiding. We also examine the moderating effects of employee cynicism in the incivility–knowledge–hiding relationship through work engagement. We found that the negative relationship between co‐worker incivility and knowledge hiding is complex and mediated by work engagement and turnover intentions. Incivility, as a negative workplace stressor, triggers a negative work‐related state of mind (work engagement) and withdrawal cognition (turnover intentions), which in turn lead to knowledge hiding (behaviour). Finally, the mediated relationship between incivility and knowledge hiding through work engagement was moderated by cynicism, such that the association is more robust when cynicism is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Education Faculty is the property of Mehmet Akif Ersoy Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Late modern existence is built around ambivalences: subjects experience the structural paradoxes of global capitalism or information society as social suffering; yet they follow behaviour patterns reinforcing the unsustainable trajectories. The article explores the discourses justifying such structural paradoxes, while normalizing the related suffering. First, the pragmatic theory of justification (Boltanski, Thévenot) is reinterpreted from a modernization theoretical perspective: a distinction is drawn between traditional, classic and late modern 'tests', 'critique' and 'cités'. In the second and third sections, the gradual emptying of critique is analysed: as disillusionment reaches the sphere of subjective experiences, not even personal suffering can ground critique any more (Berlant), thus the impossibility of critique is demonstrated in a cynical manner (Sloterdijk). In the fourth section, the various cynical modalities of justification fitting the ambivalent contemporary existence are overviewed. Finally, a way out from the naturalized, quotidian cynicism is sketched: by turning cynicism's logic against itself, the dialectics of justification can move forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The very existence of truth, let alone its worth, is currently under attack from many quarters. In the wider culture, disinformation and other forms of misrepresenting the truth spread far and wide, as information conduits proliferate. This paper suggests some reasons for the "anti-truth" trend. Mainstream media have played a role, as have theoreticians from fields as diverse as philosophy, psychoanalysis, science, and literary criticism. "Anti-truth" trends are having a serious impact on psychological treatment, affecting its content and the conception of its goals. This paper suggests some problematic outcomes of this phenomenon for practitioners and patients in various forms of psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many existing studies and researches have shown the link between vaccine hesitancy and rurality. To test the validity of this assertion, this paper uses COVID-19 vaccine as a reference case and tries to understand vaccine hesitancy in urban communities through the conceptual lens of post-truth. The argument enunciated in the paper is based on data gathered through an online survey, conducted from May to October 2021. Thematically, this paper identified two themes: 'mistrust' and 'misinformation', revealing the coupling effect of the themes and the intersection of vaccine hesitancy and post-truth in two urban (Islamabad and Rawalpindi) communities of Pakistan. While the discussions were contextual, this paper epistemically shows that the reality of COVID-19 was blurred by misinformation which translated into cynicism, mistrust and hesitancy for COVID-19 vaccine and the outcome proved why health security must be taken seriously, especially in the post-truth era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal distrust is conceptualised as an expectation of harm or negative outcomes from another person's conduct including words, decisions, and behaviours. Although distrust tends to be perceived with negative connotations, previous literature suggests that it could be productive or healthy when it serves as protection from harmful situations. To further understand how distrust functions, this study aimed to distinguish two dimensions of distrust—functional and dysfunctional—that are deployed in interpersonal contexts. Functional distrust serves to reduce realistic vulnerability to harm and is flexible, while dysfunctional distrust similarly serves to reduce vulnerability to harm but is more extreme, rigid, and can prevent reasonable risk-taking that could lead to positive outcomes. A sample of undergraduate students (n = 309) completed an online survey on attributes and behaviours associated with the propensity to distrust. A series of correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between the distrust dimensions and the attitudinal and behavioural constructs included in the proposed nomological net, and t-test analyses were conducted to assess gender differences among these relationships. While the two dimensions of distrust are related, they differ in their strength of association with some variables (mistrust, social cynicism, neuroticism, and risk-taking) and differ in kind with others (gullibility and irrational beliefs). These preliminary findings can stimulate research regarding the impact of functional and dysfunctional distrust in interpersonal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many warnings about growing political cynicism in the news and political science literature. While some people may be truly cynical about politics, for others cynical responses to politics may be a form of impression management—the practice of presenting oneself to others in the way one wishes to be perceived. In three studies, I demonstrate that people report they are cynical in order to avoid giving the impression they do not know much about politics. Political cynicism is not a "socially desirable" characteristic—people do not believe cynicism is normatively good. At the same time, many see value to cynicism in politics, a finding which carries broad implications for the relationship between cynicism and perceived knowledge in political discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how employee cynicism, characterized by negativity, skepticism, and distrust, can hinder productivity and organizational success. To understand this phenomenon in public organizations, we surveyed 163 public servants in East Java, Indonesia. We analyzed the data across different organizational sizes, performance levels, and strategic goals using an exploratory-based structural-equation model. Our findings reveal three key points. First, employees experience less cynicism when they perceive fairness, equality, and transparency in the workplace, highlighting the importance of organizational Justice. Second, employee trust acts as a protective factor, further reducing cynicism. Finally, employee trust mediates the relationship between organizational Justice and cynicism, suggesting that fostering Trust strengthens the link between fair treatment and positive employee attitudes. These results emphasize the importance of staff departments and leadership promoting both organizational fairness and Trust to create a healthier and more productive work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The police require legitimacy in order to function. It is argued that this legitimacy can be attained through procedural justice; that is, fairness. An ethnographic study of street-level policing was undertaken to explore this idea. From this study issues embedded in policing emerged (discretion, threat, and cynicism). Broader issues also emerged. For example, officers function as street-level bureaucrats. However, officers suffer from extreme stress and suicide. Also, officers feel they handle society's "dirty work." In employing procedural justice, officers do not usually impose their will on citizens. Rather, they negotiate an acceptable outcome in most situations. However, outside influences impinge on the police. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Adab Al-Kufa is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Transition in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since 1989 has received much attention from various academic disciplines. However, the relationship between trust and corruption in the CEE context remains largely unaddressed. Therefore, we explore trust and corruption in the context of the Czech Republic via interviews with a group of new generation managers, who gained their business experience after the 1989 Velvet Revolution. We inquire about the nature of trust and corruption, and their relationship, in contemporary Czech society and business. The analysis highlights that the previously theorised dynamics between trust and corruption, often attributed to the low levels of social capital, may in fact be symptomatic of deeper issues. We find suspicion, pessimism, cynicism, and apathy, stemming from the country's history, as the cause. However, hope is provided by the prospect of generational change and exposure to more transparent agents and environments in both societal and business terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mindfulness-based interventions have been tested to be the effective approach for preventing/reducing burnout in medical students. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the scientific evidence and quantify the pooled effect of MBIs on the burnout syndrome in medical students. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the databases, including PubMed, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), China National knowledge Information Database (CNKI) and WanFang Database from database inception to February 2023 using the terms of "mindfulness", "burnout" and "medical students". Two reviewers independently reviewed the studies, and extracted the data of the eligible studies, as well as assessed the risk of bias. A random-effects model was employed to calculate the standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of overall burnout and its sub-domains of burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy). Results: Of 316 records in total, nine studies (with 810 medical students) were ultimately included. The four RCT studies demonstrated an overall judgment of some concerns risk of bias, and the overall risk of biases of the five qRCT studies were judged as serious. In term of the SORT, the RCT and qRCT studies were evaluated as level 2 evidence, and the overall strength of recommendation was classified as B (limited-quality patient-oriented evidence). The pooled analysis showed that MBIs were associated with significant small to moderate improvements for medical students' overall burnout (SMD=-0.64; 95% CI [-1.12, -0.16]; P = 0.009) in the included four RCTs, emotional exhaustion (SMD=-0.27; 95% CI [-0.50, -0.03]; P = 0.03) and academic efficacy (SMD = 0.43; 95% CI [0.20, 0.66]; P<0.001) in the four qRCTs. Conclusions: MBIs can serve as an effective approach for reducing burnout symptoms in medical students. Future high-quality studies with a larger sample size and robust randomized controlled trial methodologies should be obtained to reinforce the effectiveness of MBIs for reducing academic burnout in medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we analyze the stoic parrhesia under the Foucaultian gaze. Our analysis is primarily focused on the works of the last Foucault, produced in the last five years of his life, between 1980 and 1984, to which we bring the contribution of excerpts from the works of the Stoic philosophers Epictetus and Seneca. Preliminarily, we start from the concept of parrhesia left by Foucault, which, in addition to being the speech of truth with specific requirements, it is always focused by him as an instrument of care for oneself and others, and from it we extract the three types of parrhesia analyzed by Foucault, the political parrhesia, the philosophical parrhesia and the political-philosophical parrhesia, although we disagree with the existence of a purely philosophical parrhesia, since it has always been linked to politics, therefore, it is, in fact, political-philosophical parrhesia. Within the political-philosophical parrhesia, that practiced by the cynic-stoics stands out, a category exemplified by Foucault in the life of the philosopher Demetrius and explained by his analysis of the praise of cynicism made by Epictetus of Hierapolis in his Discourse 3.22, which was, in short, a life mission given by the Divinity which, for both the Cynics and the Stoics, was Nature itself or the Cosmos as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study seeks to conceptualise foreign language learning burnout and provide its corresponding measurement. The 15-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) was rephrased to fit an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) learning context. The modified MBI-SS was then assessed among 1718 Chinese secondary EFL students. A final 10-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-EFL Student Survey was obtained based on a series of reliability (e.g. item analysis, internal consistency) and validity (construct validity, convergent validity, and criterion validity) test results. According to the confirmatory factor analysis results, foreign language learning burnout is a three-dimensional construct encompassing Exhaustion, Cynicism, and Reduced Efficacy, confirming the invariance of the original tri-factorial structure of the MBI-SS. In addition, participants reported low levels of foreign language learning burnout, Exhaustion, Cynicism, and Reduced Efficacy. Possible reasons for foreign language learning burnout were discussed with reference to the FL educational context in China. We also proposed directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Diogenes Laertius, Hipparchia of Maroneia decided to use for her education the time she was going to waste on the loom (VI98=SSR V I 1). The aim of this paper is to analyze the reason and implications of this decision. I will point out that it is based on the gender equality thesis supported by the Cynics, and I will try to show that it has at least two implications: not only the defense of a certain kind of education, but also of parrhesia, i.e. the practice of free, frank, and open discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do cynical individuals have a stronger desire for power and are they more likely to acquire power at work? The negative consequences of cynicism—for cynics themselves and the people around them—render the examination of these questions particularly important. We first examined the role of cynicism in power motives. Results showed that more cynical individuals have a greater desire for power to avoid exploitation by others (and less so to exploit others; Study 1) and score higher on dominance (but not prestige or leadership) motives (Study 2). The subsequent two studies examined the role of cynicism in power attainment at work. A study of virtual teams (Study 3) showed that more cynical individuals were less likely to emerge as group leaders, and a prospective study of ~9000 employees followed for up to 10 years (Study 4) showed that cynicism predicted a lower likelihood of attaining a leadership position in organizations. Taken together, more (vs. less) cynical individuals have a stronger power—in particular, dominance—motive but they are not more successful at power acquisition. These findings inform the literature on cynicism and power and highlight the importance of cynical worldviews for leadership attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary criticism of the book "Temporada de huracanes" explores its depiction of societal repression and gendered violence in contemporary Mexico, analyzing themes of truth-telling, Cynicism, and the impact of the repressive hypothesis. Topics discussed include the characters' struggles with sexual repression, the role of myth-making in perpetuating societal norms, and the potential for radical social change through acts of parrhēsía and increased visibility.

Purpose: Based on the cognition–affect–conation pattern, this study explores the factors that affect the intention to use facial recognition services (FRS). The study adopts the driving factor perspective to examine how network externalities influence FRS use intention through the mediating role of satisfaction and the barrier factor perspective to analyze how perceived privacy risk affects FRS use intention through the mediating role of privacy cynicism. Design/methodology/approach: The data collected from 478 Chinese FRS users are analyzed via partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The study produces the following results. (1) FRS use intention is motivated directly by the positive affective factor of satisfaction and the negative affective factor of privacy cynicism. (2) Satisfaction is affected by cognitive factors related to network externalities. Perceived complementarity and perceived compatibility, two indirect network externalities, positively affect satisfaction, whereas perceived critical mass, a direct network externality, does not significantly affect satisfaction. In addition, perceived privacy risk generates privacy cynicism. (3) Resistance to change positively moderates the relationship between privacy cynicism and intention to use FRS. Originality/value: This study extends knowledge on people's use of FRS by exploring affect- and cognitive-based factors and finding that the affect-based factors (satisfaction and privacy cynicism) play fully mediating roles in the relationship between the cognitive-based factors and use intention. This study also expands the cognitive boundaries of FRS use by exploring the functional condition between affect-based factors and use intention, that is, the moderating role of resistance to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]