scholarly journals Animal-Visitor Interactions and the Visitor Experience: Visitor Behaviors, Attitudes, Perceptions, and Learning in the Modern Zoo

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 632-649
Author(s):  
Mark James Learmonth ◽  
Samantha J. Chiew ◽  
Andrea Godinez ◽  
Eduardo J. Fernandez
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Visitor Experience ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Financial Investment ◽  
Indirect Measures ◽  
Zoo Animals ◽  
Knowledge Gains ◽  
Beliefs And Attitudes

Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVIs) have become commonplace in zoological institutions and facilities globally. However, most AVI research focuses on the effects of visitors on the welfare of animals, with considerably fewer studies examining the visitor experience itself. Furthermore, robust evaluations of the efficacy of zoo education programs and engagements for increasing visitor awareness of conservation issues, and for fostering long-term pro-conservation behavior changes in them, are under-researched. This paper reviews the current literature that pertains to the effects of zoo visitation and AVIs on visitor perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes. We briefly note some of the known effects that zoo visitors have on zoo animals, then explore the effects that factors such as enclosure design, animal visibility and behaviors, and AVIs can have on visitors’ overall experience whilst attending the zoo. We suggest that future research needs to more closely examine the relationships and interactions between zoo visitors and zoo animals; why some zoo visitors over others repeat visitation; what the differences in beliefs and attitudes may be between “zoo visitors” and “non-zoo visitors” (i.e., other general public); and to make a concerted effort to understand: (1) what visitors do after they leave the zoo, and (2) whether visitors adopt long-term pro-conservation behaviors into their daily lives. We further suggest that future research needs to start investigating indirect measures related to the visitor experience, such as: (a) individual conservation support outside of the zoo; (b) internet activity; (c) changes in sustainable purchasing practices related to knowledge gains; (d) financial investment in sustainable or ethical companies after knowledge gains; (e) and the longitudinal effects of zoo visits.

scholarly journals Potential Hazard of Lanthanides and Lanthanide-Based Nanoparticles to Aquatic Ecosystems: Data Gaps, Challenges and Future Research Needs Derived from Bibliometric Analysis

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina Blinova ◽  
Marge Muna ◽  
Margit Heinlaan ◽  
Aljona Lukjanova ◽  
Anne Kahru
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Contaminants ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Aquatic Biota ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Data Gaps

Lanthanides (Ln), applied mostly in the form of nanoparticles (NPs), are critical to emerging high-tech and green energy industries due to their distinct physicochemical properties. The resulting anthropogenic input of Ln and Ln-based NPs into aquatic environment might create a problem of emerging contaminants. Thus, information on the biological effects of Ln and Ln-based NPs is urgently needed for relevant environmental risk assessment. In this mini-review, we made a bibliometric survey on existing scientific literature with the main aim of identifying the most important data gaps on Ln and Ln-based nanoparticles’ toxicity to aquatic biota. We report that the most studied Ln for ecotoxicity are Ce and Ln, whereas practically no information was found for Nd, Tb, Tm, and Yb. We also discuss the challenges of the research on Ln ecotoxicity, such as relevance of nominal versus bioavailable concentrations of Ln, and point out future research needs (long-term toxicity to aquatic biota and toxic effects of Ln to bottom-dwelling species).

scholarly journals Effects of technology-based mindfulness training on wellbeing and stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatjana Schauer ◽  
Sarah Diefenbach
Keyword(s):  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive And Negative Affect ◽  
Smartphone Apps ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Indirect Measures ◽  
Design Factors ◽  
Interesting Alternative

More and more people practice mindfulness to reduce stress and improve their wellbeing. In this regards, technology-based interventions such as smartphone apps provide an interesting potential. Our study explores effects on users' perceived wellbeing and stress on the example of the mindfulness-based app My Blossom. Forty-four new users answered four online questionnaires in one-week intervals, containing established multi-item wellbeing and stress scales for as well as single-item direct explicit questions about perceived changes in wellbeing and stress. In combination, these two forms of assessment provided insights to what degree users are conscious of a possible change and whether these perceptions are in parallel to the more indirect measures. Paired t tests show significant improvements in positive and negative affect, mood and stress in both scales and overall ratings after three weeks of mindfulness-training with My Blossom compared to the pre-intervention baseline. These findings suggest mindfulness-training in form of an app as an interesting alternative to mindfulness-trainings under instructions of a physically present trainer and the power to increase wellbeing and decrease stress. Future research should concentrate on the specific mechanisms and possible design factors of app-based mindfulness-trainings (e.g., variety of training offers, degree of guidance, reminder functions) as well as long term effects.

Future Directions in Adult Bereavement Research

1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale A. Lund ◽  
Michael S. Caserta
Keyword(s):  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Multidimensional Process ◽  
Bereavement Research

The primary purpose of this article is to stimulate interest in conducting research related to adult bereavement and provide suggestions for improving the quality of these studies and the application of their findings. Future research needs to generate new knowledge about grief and bereavement but it also needs to examine issues and questions that will make us more confident about what we already believe. Three general suggestions deal with the importance of integrating both theory and practice into future studies, issues related to types and designs of studies, and measurement issues that should be considered. Bereavement is a long-term, multidimensional process of adjustment and future research needs to be consistent with these defining features.

User Experience in Social Human-Robot Interaction

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Alenljung ◽  
Jessica Lindblom ◽  
Rebecca Andreasson ◽  
Tom Ziemke
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Socially Interactive Robots

Socially interactive robots are expected to have an increasing importance in human society. For social robots to provide long-term added value to people's lives, it is of major importance to stress the need for positive user experience (UX) of such robots. The human-centered view emphasizes various aspects that emerge in the interaction between humans and robots. However, a positive UX does not appear by itself but has to be designed for and evaluated systematically. In this paper, the focus is on the role and relevance of UX in human-robot interaction (HRI) and four trends concerning the role and relevance of UX related to socially interactive robots are identified, and three challenges related to its evaluation are also presented. It is argued that current research efforts and directions are not sufficient in HRI research, and that future research needs to further address interdisciplinary research in order to achieve long-term success of socially interactive robots.

User Experience in Social Human-Robot Interaction

2019 ◽  
pp. 1468-1490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatrice Alenljung ◽  
Jessica Lindblom ◽  
Rebecca Andreasson ◽  
Tom Ziemke
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Socially Interactive Robots

Socially interactive robots are expected to have an increasing importance in human society. For social robots to provide long-term added value to people's lives, it is of major importance to stress the need for positive user experience (UX) of such robots. The human-centered view emphasizes various aspects that emerge in the interaction between humans and robots. However, a positive UX does not appear by itself but has to be designed for and evaluated systematically. In this paper, the focus is on the role and relevance of UX in human-robot interaction (HRI) and four trends concerning the role and relevance of UX related to socially interactive robots are identified, and three challenges related to its evaluation are also presented. It is argued that current research efforts and directions are not sufficient in HRI research, and that future research needs to further address interdisciplinary research in order to achieve long-term success of socially interactive robots.

Understanding Limited Use of Amplification in Infants and Children Who Are Hard of Hearing

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan W. McCreery ◽  
Elizabeth A. Walker ◽  
Meredith Spratford
Keyword(s):  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
In Infants And Children

The effectiveness of amplification for infants and children can be mediated by how much the child uses the device. Existing research suggests that establishing hearing aid use can be challenging. A wide range of factors can influence hearing aid use in children, including the child's age, degree of hearing loss, and socioeconomic status. Audiological interventions, including using validated prescriptive approaches and verification, performing on-going training and orientation, and communicating with caregivers about hearing aid use can also increase hearing aid use by infants and children. Case examples are used to highlight the factors that influence hearing aid use. Potential management strategies and future research needs are also discussed.

Physical and Psychological Benefits of Written Emotional Expression

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Kállay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Cost Effective Treatment ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract. The last several decades have witnessed a substantial increase in the number of individuals suffering from both diagnosable and subsyndromal mental health problems. Consequently, the development of cost-effective treatment methods, accessible to large populations suffering from different forms of mental health problems, became imperative. A very promising intervention is the method of expressive writing (EW), which may be used in both clinically diagnosable cases and subthreshold symptomatology. This method, in which people express their feelings and thoughts related to stressful situations in writing, has been found to improve participants’ long-term psychological, physiological, behavioral, and social functioning. Based on a thorough analysis and synthesis of the published literature (also including most recent meta-analyses), the present paper presents the expressive writing method, its short- and long-term, intra-and interpersonal effects, different situations and conditions in which it has been proven to be effective, the most important mechanisms implied in the process of recovery, advantages, disadvantages, and possible pitfalls of the method, as well as variants of the original technique and future research directions.

Locus of Control, Safety Attitudes and Involvement in Hazardous Events in Indian Army Aviators

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Joseph ◽  
Suhasini Reddy ◽  
Kanwal Kashore Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Human Errors ◽  
Safety Attitudes ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Self Confidence

Locus of control (LOC), safety attitudes, and involvement in hazardous events were studied in 205 Indian Army aviators using a questionnaire-based method. A positive correlation was found between external LOC and involvement in hazardous events. Higher impulsivity and anxiety, and decreased self-confidence, safety orientation, and denial were associated with a greater number of hazardous events. Higher external LOC was associated with higher impulsivity, anxiety, and weather anxiety and with lower self-confidence, safety orientation, and denial. Internal LOC was associated with increased self-confidence, safety orientation, and denial. Hazardous events and self-confidence were higher in those involved in accidents than those not involved in accidents. Future research needs to address whether training can effectively modify LOC and negative attitudes, and whether this would cause a reduction in, and better management of, human errors.

Using the Change4Life Disney Branded 10-minute Shake Ups During the COVID-19 ‘Lockdown’

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Budzynski-Seymour ◽  
James Steele ◽  
Michelle Jones
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
Affective Responses ◽  
Online Resources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Perceived Effort ◽  
Qualitative Feedback ◽  
Bidirectional Relationship ◽  
The Uk

Physical activity (PA) is considered essential to overall health yet it is consistently reported that children are failing to meet the recommended levels. Due to the bidirectional relationship between affective states and PA, affective responses are a potential predictor to long term engagement. Since late March 2020 the UK government enforced ‘lockdown’ measures to help control the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19); however, this has impacted children’s PA. Using online resources at home to support PA is now common. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the use of the Change4Life 10-minute Shake Ups to support PA by examining the effects of Disney branding upon children’s (n=32) post activity affective responses and perceived exertion. The secondary was to investigate the effect of the lockdown on PA habits. Children had similar positive affective responses and perceived effort to activities; however, branding was considered to be a key contributing factor based upon qualitative feedback from parents. Children’s PA levels dropped slightly since ‘lockdown’ was imposed; though online resources have been utilised to support PA. The use of immersive elements such as characters and narrative in PA sessions, as well as utilising online resources during ‘lockdown’ appear potentially promising for future research.

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