This study investigates the Proteus effect from the first-person perspective and during avatar embodiment in actual exercise. In addition to the immediate measurements of the Proteus effect, prolonged effects such as next-day perception and exercise-related outcomes are also explored. We theorized the Proteus effect as altered perceived self-concept and explored the association between virtual reality avatar manipulation and self-concept in the exercise context. While existing studies have mainly investigated the Proteus effect in a non-VR environment or after VR embodiment, we (...) aim to contribute to the literature by addressing this concern to explore how the Proteus effect works in actual VR exercise. Through a 2 × 2 between-subject experiment, the results partially support the Proteus effect. Regarding actual physical activity, embodying an avatar with a six pack during exercise creates fewer body movements. No significant effect was found for perceived exertion. We also explored the role of sex as a potential moderator in the association of the Proteus effect on exercise outcomes. The Proteus effect was supported by immediate and next-day self-efficacy for core-muscle exercise only among female participants. The between-subject design allowed us to probe how avatar manipulation of muscular body shape with a six pack as opposed to normal body shape influences participants’ self-concept and exercise outcomes, as limited VR studies have employed within-subject comparisons. This also contributes to the literature by providing an upward comparison as opposed to the previous downward comparison regarding body fitness. The overall results supported the Proteus effect in the context of core-muscle exercise when comparing normal and ideal body shape avatars. However, the Proteus effect as an altered self-concept and its effects on self-efficacy for exercise were supported among females but not males. Whereas the female participants who embodied avatars with a six pack associated themselves more with the muscular concept than other people, the male participants who embodied avatars with a six pack perceived themselves as more normal than others. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. (shrink)

In order to investigate the competitive psychology of college students in the current context of fierce social competition, this study compiled a competition psychology scale for college students [i.e., the Competition Psychology Scale for College Students ]. The scale was administered online to 628 university students in different regions of China. After item analysis, reliability analysis, and validity analysis, a 6-item scale was finally formed. CPS-CS contains four dimensions: hypercompetitive attitude, competitive motivation, personal development, competitive attitude, and competitive interpersonal relationships. (...) The reliability and validity of the CPS-CS developed in this research meet the requirements of psychometrics. (shrink)

The present study is a cross-sectional survey that investigates ethical practices among Chinese psychotherapists from the perspective of a large representative sample of Chinese clients (N?=?1,100). In reports from clients, we found that psychotherapists did poorly in providing informed consent and had other ethical difficulties in the therapeutic setting and with dual relationships. We conclude that Chinese culture, especially Confucianism, had significant impact on the attitudes toward the psychotherapists' ethical practices, which complicated ethical dilemmas. It is important for cross-cultural psychotherapists (...) to become sensitive to the influences of traditional Chinese culture when counseling Chinese clients. (shrink)

This paper introduces the Generalized Argumentation Theory which takes argumentation as a locally rational socio-cultural interaction governed by social norms and carried out through discourse between the members of a socio-cultural community in order to reason things out. Then we bring in the basic structure of generalized argumentation and the localized procedure of Generalized Argumentation Theory for studying the argumentative rules. On the basis of above introduction, we use the localized procedure to analyze a case of political argumentation by reciting (...) poems in ancient China. By doing so, it’s indicated that political argumentation by reciting poems, in essence, takes cultural principle of Li of the Spring and Autumn Period as argumentative rules and uses poems to express ideas, in virtue of which arguments are accepted as locally rational by the politicians at that time. At last, the Little Red Book quotation fight, a similar political activity, is discussed briefly to show the significance that ancient Chinese political argumentation has on contemporary argumentation. (shrink)

As the most frequently used tool for measuring empathy, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) is often scored by researchers arbitrarily and casually. Many commonly used IRI scoring approaches and their corresponding measurement models are unverified, which may make the conclusions of subsequent variable relation studies controversial and even misleading. We make the first effort to summarize these measurement models and to evaluate rationality of the common scoring methods of the IRI by confirmatory factor analysis, focusing on model fitting, factor loading, (...) and model-based reliability simultaneously. The results show that most of these models do not fit well, indicating that the scoring approaches of the IRI corresponding to these models may be problematic. Relatively speaking, better scoring approaches of the IRI include summing empathic concern and perspective taking as the total score of the IRI and reporting the score of perspective taking as cognitive empathy. (shrink)

Lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) is a common male sexual dysfunction. Lack of active control for rapid ejaculation brought great distress to sexual harmony, and even fertility. Previous neurophysiology studies revealed an ejaculation-related control mechanism in the brain. However, it remains unclear whether this inhibitory network is altered in LPE patients. The present study investigated the central inhibitory network function of LPE patients by using stop signal task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging and resting-state functional connectivity analysis. The results showed no difference (...) in task-related behavioral performance or neural activation during response inhibition between LPE patients and controls. However, LPE patients showed a significantly different correlation pattern between the stop signal reaction time (SSRT) and left inferior frontal gyrus activation during successful inhibition, in which a typical negative correlation between SSRT and the activation was completely disappeared in patients. In addition, using the left inferior frontal gyrus as a seed, patients showed weaker functional connectivity between the seed and two areas (left dental nucleus and right frontal pole) compared with controls. These data suggest that LPE patients have an abnormal brain control network, which may contribute to the reduced central control of rapid ejaculation. This study provides new insights into the neural mechanism of LPE involving the central inhibitory network, which may offer an underlying intervention target for future treatment. (shrink)

With the development of positive psychology, work engagement has received widespread attention from researchers in the fields of positive organizational behavior and occupational health. Some studies have shown that work-family conflict has an important influence on individual behaviors and attitudes, but little research has studied the influence of work-family conflict on work engagement. The present study examined whether the relationship between work-family conflict and work engagement was mediated by job satisfaction, and whether the mediating role was moderated by affective commitment. (...) We surveyed 358 Chinese primary and secondary school principals using the Work-Family Conflict Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Affective Commitment Scale, and Work Engagement Scale. The results revealed that there is a significant negative correlation between work-family conflict and primary and secondary school principals’ work engagement, and this relationship was partially mediated by job satisfaction. Moreover, affective commitment played a moderating role in the relationship between job satisfaction and work engagement. Specifically, the relationship between job satisfaction and work engagement was significant for primary and secondary school principals with high and low affective commitment. The current study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between work-family conflict and work engagement. (shrink)

PurposeDrawing upon the stimulus-organism-response model, this paper aims to investigate the effects of stores’ environmental components on Chinese consumers’ emotions and intentions to purchase luxury brands.Design/Methodology/ApproachData were collected from Chinese consumers who have purchased luxury brands from retail stores. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis were employed for data analysis.FindingsThe results of PLS-SEM indicated that three dimensions of the store environment directly and significantly influenced Chinese consumers’ emotions. However, fsQCA revealed greater heterogeneity among respondents by highlighting (...) stores’ environmental components and Chinese consumers’ emotions.Originality/ValueThis study makes significant contributions to the marketing literature by examining the S-O-R model alongside fsQCA approach to conditionally predict outcomes in a luxury brand context. The present study may be one of the first to examine the effects of stores’ environmental components on Chinese consumers’ emotions and purchase intentions, applying both symmetrical test and asymmetrical test approaches to determine significant components of the store environment as well as component combinations that predict Chinese consumers’ emotions and purchase intentions. (shrink)

We recruited 1,631 middle and high school students to explore the relationship between personality traits and school bullying, and the moderated and mediating roles of self-concept and loneliness on this relationship. Results showed that neuroticism had a significant positive predictive effect on being bullied, extroversion had a significant negative predictive effect on being bullied, and agreeableness had a significant negative predictive effect on bullying/being bullied; loneliness played a mediating role between neuroticism and bullied behaviors, extroversion and bullying behaviors, and agreeableness (...) and bullying/bullied behaviors; self-concept played a moderating role on the mediation pathway of loneliness on neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness and bullying behaviors. Therefore, to reduce the frequency of school bullying among adolescents, we should not only reduce their levels of loneliness but also improve their levels of self-concept. (shrink)

According to upper echelon theory, this research seeks to explore how environmental leadership (EL) influences environmental performance through green intellectual capital (GIC), while also considering environmental climate as a moderator. We analyze the data from 317 Chinese manufacturing companies in two waves to test these hypotheses. The findings suggest that EL positively affects environmental performance via green structural capital and green relational capital (GRC). Moreover, environmental climate strengthens the impacts of EL on green human capital and GRC. This research enriches (...) the existing literature on EL and GIC by revealing the vital roles of EL in promoting environmental performance and GIC, as well as explaining the mechanism between these relationships. (shrink)

The nature of creative thinking is complex and multifaceted, often involving cognitive processes and dispositions modulated by implicit cultural belief systems and ways of thinking. In this article, we build on existing research on the relations of creative thinking and culture, and explore how specific cultural resources can be harnessed to foster creative problem-solving in education. We first review the recent changes in our understanding of creative thinking, from an exclusive focus on cognitive processes to a more inclusive view of (...) creative problem-solving as socially negotiated and culturally modulated, carrying important cultural functions. We then introduce a pedagogical model, QEOSA, to illustrate how cultural resources, particularly culture-specific ways of thinking about the world, can be harnessed to foster creative thinking in education, and what developmental and pedagogical considerations are involved to make it effective. We finally conclude this article by indicating the value of this line of work that integrates psychological, cultural, developmental, and educational principles in fostering the development of a creative mind-set with relevant knowledge, skills, dispositions, and values. (shrink)

The reach-avoid game theory is an ideal tool to handle the conflicts among intelligent agents and has been previously studied assuming full state information and no time limits on the players in the past decades. In this article, we extend the problem by requiring the defender to detect the attacker and adding maximum operation time constraints to the attacker. The attacker aims to reach the target region without being captured or reaching its time limit. The defender can employ strategies to (...) intercept the attacker only when the attacker is detected. A geometric method is proposed to solve this game qualitatively. By analyzing the geometric property of the Apollonian circle and the detection range, we give the barrier under the condition that the attacker is initially detected and the attacker’s shortest route which guarantees its arrival at the target region when it is initially outside the detection range. Then, a barrier that separates the game space into two respective winning regions of the players is constructed based on the shortest route and the time limit of the attacker. The main contributions of this work are that this paper provides the first attempt to introduce the abovementioned two concepts simultaneously, which makes the game more practical, and we provide the complete solution of the game in all possible situations. (shrink)

Prior studies focused on consumer satisfaction and loyalty have brought undeniable benefits to luxury brand marketing but are not sufficient to ensure a long-lasting and profitable customer-brand relationship in the new setting. Brand identity provides a valuable exploration of this issue. However, the current measurement of brand identity is relatively simple, and there is no clear answer to what factors encourage brand identity development. This study attempts to address this gap by dividing the brand identity structure from a multi-dimensional perspective, (...) considering the role of luxury consumer perceived value and brand information quality in shaping the brand identity. Data was gathered by an online questionnaire survey from Chinese consumers who had purchased luxury jewelry, employing regression methods for analysis. The results show that four predictors representing luxury consumer perceived value all have a significant impact on the brand’s social identity and personal identity. In addition, brand information quality also positively moderates the relationship between the luxury consumer perceived value and the brand’s social identity. This study opens new horizons for considering dimensions other than the satisfaction or intention to use, expanding the applications of brand identity in a new context. The results contribute to increasing the awareness level of brand identity for luxury brand practitioners and offering them a new method of market strategy. (shrink)

Background Nurses frequently experience ethical issues in their area of practice. In the challenging reality of today’s healthcare environment, nursing students need to be prepared to deal with ethical issues in their future roles. Nevertheless, Chinese nursing students’ ethical sensitivity status and the factors influencing it have not been described. Objective This study aims to explore the level of ethical sensitivity and its influencing factors among Chinese nursing students. Research design This was a cross-sectional study. We firstly cross-culturally adapted the (...) Japanese version of the Ethical Sensitivity Questionnaire for Nursing Students (ESQ-NS) into a Chinese version. Then, we administered the Chinese version of ESQ-NS, the Caring Ability Inventory (CAI), and general information questionnaire to nursing undergraduates. Participants and research context The invitations were sent to 600 nursing undergraduates from four universities in Hunan, China. Ethical considerations The study was supported by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the lead university. The Approval No. was E202092. Results A total of 489 undergraduate nursing students participated in the study. The mean score for ethical sensitivity of the samples was 36.34 ± 4.90, and 187.99 ± 22.64 for their humanistic care ability. Pearson’s correlation coefficient test indicated a meaningful and positive relationship between the ethical sensitivity and humanistic care ability (r = 0.576 and p <.01). And regression analysis showed that age, school year, experience in studying nursing ethics, how much you like nursing major, and humanistic care ability were of relevance to nursing students' ethical sensitivity. Discussion Our findings suggest that the mean ethical sensitivity score of Chinese nursing students is 36.34 (13–52). The humanistic caring ability of Chinese nursing students is still at a low level. Conclusion Future interventions for improving the ethical sensitivity of the nursing students should consider general information of participants and their humanistic care ability. (shrink)

Bacteria have a significant impact on human production and life, endangering human life and health, so rapid detection of infectious agents is essential to improve human health. Aptamers, which are pieces of oligonucleotides (DNA or RNA) have been applied to biosensors for bacteria detection due to their high affinity, selectivity, robust chemical stability, and their compatibility with various signal amplification and signal transduction mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the different bacterial aptamers selected in recent years using SELEX technology and (...) discuss the differences in optical and electrochemical bacterial aptamer sensors. In addition the technological developments and innovations in bacterial aptamer sensor technology are introduced. Combining new materials and methods, the efficiency and stability of the sensors have also been improved. This review summarizes the progress of current bacterial aptamer sensors based on their practical application status and provides an outlook on their future development. (shrink)

Resilience has become a topic of renewed interest due to the frequent difficulties encountered by organisations and individuals in the present turbulent world. It is widely recognised that HRM practices play a crucial role in stimulating employee resilience. However, only few studies have explored the role of socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) in enhancing employee resilience. Accordingly, our study aims to address this research gap by utilising self-determination theory to develop a theoretical model clarifying the effect of SRHRM on (...) employee resilience, focusing on the mediating role of basic psychological needs. Furthermore, we identify collectivism as a critical moderating factor in the relation between SRHRM and employee resilience. For this purpose, data were collected from 355 employees in central China in three waves. Results revealed that SRHRM can enhance employee resilience by fulfilling basic psychological needs. Moreover, the results indicated that collectivism strengthens the indirect relation between SRHRM and employee resilience through the fulfilment of basic psychological needs. (shrink)

The development of artificial intelligence technology has brought changes to various industries. Under the concept of green sustainable development, how to use the progress of science and technology to implement low-carbon strategies is a problem that every enterprise should consider. Aiming at the problem of picking up goods in logistics industry, this paper proposed a secondary task assignment theory for multiple unmanned aerial vehicle based on green scheduling. The theory greatly improves the utilization rate of unmanned aerial vehicle and reduces (...) the energy consumption. We analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of local optimal algorithm and global optimal algorithm in time and energy consumption. Through repeated experiments in different ranges, we have well verified the high efficiency and general applicability of this theory, which can provide theoretical and practical implications for logistics enterprises using UAV to achieve low-carbon sustainable development in the future. (shrink)

A terahertz frequency-modulated continuous wave imaging radar system is developed for high-resolution 3D imaging recently. Aiming at the problems of long data acquisition periods and large sample sizes for the developed imaging system, an algorithm based on compressed sensing is proposed for THz FMCW radar 3D imaging in this paper. Firstly, the FMCW radar signal model is built, and the conventional range migration algorithm is introduced for THz FMCW radar imaging. Then, compressed sensing is extended for THz FMCW radar 3D (...) imaging, and the Newton smooth L0-norm algorithm is presented for sparse measurement data reconstruction. Both simulation and measurement experiments demonstrate the feasibility of reconstructing THz images from measurements even at the sparsity rate of 20%. (shrink)

Friendship establishment was analyzed using constructs from social cognitive theory and social network theory. In further studies, we investigated the effect of personality traits, interpersonal self-efficacy, and network structure on the establishment of friendships. In this study, we used social network analysis method and exponential random graph model. The following findings are reported. First, the friendship network of college students had small group characteristics, and the formation of this small group was more based on personality complementarity than similarity. The homogeneity (...) hypothesis of personality was not tenable. Secondly, individuals with dominance or influence personality traits and high interpersonal self-efficacy were more likely to be in the center of the friendship network. Furthermore, personality traits and interpersonal self-efficacy may have interactive effects on the formation of friendship networks. Popularity and activity effects existed in friendship networks, but the reciprocal relationship based on personality traits was not verified. The balance structure can easily explain the agglomeration of friendships in a small range, indicating that small groups of friendships prefer a two-way circular close relationship. Finally, the formation of a friendship network includes the comprehensive process of individual characteristics and endogenous tie formation, which helps us to understand the social population structure and its process over a wider range. (shrink)

"Yang Xiong is the most useless of all. He was truly a rotten Confucian."Zhu Xi (11301200 A.D.)With this comment from Song Dynasty Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi, the work of Han Dynasty philosopher Yang Xiong (53 B.C.18 A.D.) was effectively relegated to the dustbin of Chinese intellectual history. While influential in the Later Han as the clearest expression of the Old Text Confucian school, Yang's Fa yan has received little attention from Western scholars and appears here in a rare (...) annotated English translation.Written during the transition between the Former and Later Han Dynasties, the Fa yan is a notoriously elusive text that was stylistically modeled on the Analects of Confucius. Denigrated by later Neo-Confucians for his association with Han usurper Wang Mang, Yang Xiong served both the Former Han and Xin imperial courts as a court poet and scholar, and was well known for being a reclusive personality, earning him a reputation as a "hermit at court." Most famous for his position that human nature is a mixture of good and evil, Yang Xiong's philosophy stands in clear contrast to the syncretic Confucianism of his day as a reformer's vision of proper self-cultivation and statecraft.This volume presents an annotated translation of the entire text, focusing on the passages that elucidate Yang's discussion of the core concepts of the Confucian school. The translator's commentary traces the text's major philosophical concepts to their roots in Warring States era philosophy, noting stylistic and conceptual allusions to the Analects and Mencius, among other texts. Also included are a discussion of Yang's biography and the influence of the eremitic ideal on his life and thought. (shrink)

Online data collection methods are expanding the ease and access of developmental research for researchers and participants alike. While its popularity among developmental scientists has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, its potential goes beyond just a means for safe, socially distanced data collection. In particular, advances in video conferencing software has enabled researchers to engage in face-to-face interactions with participants from nearly any location at any time. Due to the novelty of these methods, however, many researchers still remain uncertain about (...) the differences in available approaches as well as the validity of online methods more broadly. In this article, we aim to address both issues with a focus on moderated data collected using video-conferencing software. First, we review existing approaches for designing and executing moderated online studies with young children. We also present concrete examples of studies that implemented choice and verbal measures and looking time across both in-person and online moderated data collection methods. Direct comparison of the two methods within each study as well as a meta-analysis of all studies suggest that the results from the two methods are comparable, providing empirical support for the validity of moderated online data collection. Finally, we discuss current limitations of online data collection and possible solutions, as well as its potential to increase the accessibility, diversity, and replicability of developmental science. (shrink)