THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAFFIC SIGN COMPREHENSION AND RISKY TRAFFIC BEHAVIORS

The current study investigates the relationship between risky traffic behaviors and traffic sign comprehension (TSC). It is hypothesized that, as traffic sign comprehension increases, unsafe traffic behaviors decrease. The data were collected online through Qualtrics from 275 participants, 177 of whom were drivers. The questionnaire package included 25 open-ended traffic sign questions, Pedestrian Behavior Scale, Mini-Driver Behavior Questionnaire with 3 additional aggressive violation items, and a demographic information form. The results indicated that TSC was significantly related to reported driver errors and lapses after controlling for age and gender. In addition, pedestrian-related TSC was significantly related to reported pedestrian transgressions, lapses, aggressive behaviors, and positive behaviors after controlling for age, gender, driver's license, and driving experience. Generally, the results were consistent with the expectations: the better that road users (drivers and pedestrians) understand traffic signs, the fewer drivers and pedestrians reported unsafe behaviors (errors and lapses for drivers; transgressions, aggressive behaviors, and lapses for pedestrians), and the more pedestrians reported positive behaviors. This finding can be explained by the fact that as the need of people to understand traffic signs increases, they avoid behaviors that will lead to accidents in traffic. For this reason, it can be predicted that comprehensively introducing children to traffic signs from an early age will contribute positively to road safety.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Positive Psychology & VR in Special Education

In the era of rapid change, special education is in the quest to ‘drive up standards’ with alternative intervention strategies ensuring optimal outcomes for parents, teachers and learners. Automatic thoughts, negative beliefs and implicit bias demotivate, disrupt students’ behavior, and lower the quality of learning outcomes. Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a psychological approach that employs appropriate techniques to help individuals deal with their dysfunctional schemas. The present paper aims at reviewing the research studies regarding the effectiveness of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) in challenging situations as those that people with disabilities face. In addition, we will co-examine the possible applications of NLP on virtual reality (VR) environments. The findings of this review support the idea that neuro-linguistic programming provides influencing strategies for students with special educational needs to be rapidly engaged in those states of mind that eliminate implicit bias and promote positive behaviors and academic achievement. It was found that VR is in line with NLP methodology contributing to unintended bias reduction, cultivating users’ ability to change perspective with flexibility, expecting a positive future and perceiving themselves more realistically with less symptoms of depression. This study takes the view of a new pedagogy in Special Education that integrates the overlapping areas of neurolinguistic programming, positive and social psychology and recognizes their role in developing brain rewiring and sub-conscious training techniques -even in virtual environments-.

Child-Invested Contingent Self-Esteem and Parenting: Exploring Differentiations by Child Successes or Failures and Ethnicity/Race

Child-invested contingent self-esteem (CSE), or the extent to which parents derive their self-esteem from their children’s accomplishments, has wide implications for parents and the parenting context. This study investigates links between CSE and parenting behaviors and beliefs and differentiates between CSE based on children’s success versus failure. It also examines whether associations vary across ethnicity/race. Recruited through Qualtrics, participants were 1077 parents (50% fathers; 65% White, 16% Latinx, 13% Black; 6% Asian American) of children (55% boys) in 6th–12th grade. Structural Equation Modeling shows that parents who based their self-esteem on their children’s failures tended to also practice negative parenting behaviors and hold negative parental beliefs. However, parents who based their self-esteem on children’s successes reported positive behaviors and beliefs. Interactions suggest that CSE-success counteracts negative associations between CSE-failure and parenting, at least for White and Black parents. Additional differences across ethnicity/race and related implications are discussed.

The Role of Abusive Supervision in Reducing the Employee Green Behavior: A Survey of the Opinions of Sample of Affiliates in the Technical Institute of AL-Diwaniyah

Purpose: The present research aims to test the relationship and influence of poor supervision and green employee behavior in its dimensions (Working Sustainably, Conserving Resources, Influencing Others, Taking Initiative and Avoiding Harm) at the Technical Institute / Diwaniyah. Design / Methodology: based on the research sample, (274) questionnaire forms were distributed to the employees of the Technical Institute / Diwaniya (teachers and technicians), and after examining the retrieved forms, (26) forms were excluded because they were not valid and did not fulfill the conditions required So the forms suitable for analysis are (248) questionnaires, with a return rate of (94.8%). Findings: The search results show that arbitrary supervision affects the attitudes and performance of workers, as workers who see that they are being subjected to abuse are more likely to leave their jobs, have a decrease in their positive behaviors, and they have a decrease in job and life satisfaction, as well as Job commitment, family / work conflict, and high psychological pressure. Research recommendations: One of the most important recommendations reached by the research is preparing a code of conduct and professional conduct standards to guide the behavior and behavior of employees and supervisors, and intensifying awareness and education programs.

Factors influencing household-level positive and negative solid waste management practices in rapidly urbanizing cities: insights from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Household solid waste management (HSWM) practices are a critical aspect of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems. Despite efforts to implement source separation and recycling at the household level in developing countries, negative practices such as illegal dumping and backyard burning remain ubiquitous, particularly in rapidly urbanizing cities. Source separation and recycling behaviors have been rarely studied in such cities. Moreover, studies on illegal dumping and backyard burning using robust tools and frameworks are practically non-existent. This study aims to (a) estimate the prevalence of “negative” and “positive” behaviors for different HSWM practices, and (b) identify their observable and non-observable influencing factors. The focus is Santa Cruz, a rapidly urbanizing city of Bolivia. Household surveys (n=305) are used to establish the connections between latent constructs (e.g. awareness, satisfaction), and observable variables (e.g. location, socio-demographic characteristics) with each behavior. This is achieved through the combination of exploratory factor analysis to validate the constructs to be included in the analysis, and structural equation modeling to identify the most influential factors. Two causal models are developed, one for the positive behaviors (i.e. source separation, recyclables donation, recyclables selling, and use of drop-off facilities), and the other for the negative behaviors (i.e. illegal dumping and backyard burning). Results indicate that, satisfaction with the MSWM service has a negative and significant influence on the prevalence of illegal dumping and backyard burning behaviors, while the remoteness of the household (i.e. distance to the city center) has a positive significant effect on the prevalence of these behaviors. Source separation and recyclable donation are influenced positively by latent constructs such as attitudes, knowledge, and awareness. For recyclables selling and use of drop-off stations, income and location are the most relevant factors, although with smaller effects.

The Dickman Impulsivity Inventory: Validation and measurement invariance among Portuguese young adults

The Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (DII) measures impulsive personality related to both negative and positive behaviors and characteristics. The main aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the DII among a Southern-European sample of Portuguese young adults. Our convenience sample (N = 429, M = 22.11 years, SD = 3.35, range = 18–42), composed of women (n = 237, M = 22.08 years, SD = 3.35, age range = 18–42) and men (n = 192, M = 22.14 years, SD = 3.34, range = 18–35), was collected from a university context. The two-factor latent structure of the DII composed of functional and dysfunctional impulsivity was supported, although three items had to be removed due to low standardized loadings, and strong cross-gender measurement invariance was established. Our analyses of the DII also provided evidence of criterion-related validity, known-groups validity, and internal consistency/reliability. Our findings support the use of the DII among Portuguese young adults.

Tax compliance and non-deterrence approach: a systematic review

PurposeThis research systematically reviewed studies on tax compliance based on five determinants consisting of tax services, trust in government, personal norm, social norm and religiosity.Design/methodology/approachThe research used a vote-counting method to synthesize 279 studies consisting of 160 empirical studies and 119 non-empirical studies conducted from 1946 until 2017.FindingsThe research has made a relatively robust conclusion related to the impacts of determinant factors on tax compliance. Tax service and trust in government are the most critical factors to increase tax compliance. Personal norm, social norm and religiosity encourage tax compliance, yet the influence is not as strong as expected.Practical implicationsThis research suggests that improving tax service and government trust are more effective and relatively easier to implement than developing the taxpayers' positive behaviors.Originality/valueSeveral studies conducted to synthesize the impacts of determinant factors on tax compliance were only limited to the empirical research which provided sufficient statistical data. On the other hand, there were many substantial research types discussing tax compliance without involving statistical numbers. The facts have distorted the complete picture of tax compliance. Recently, no synthesis studies have comprehensively combined and compared the empirical with non-empirical research based on the related theories. Thus, the synthesis studies that discuss tax compliance based on non-deterrence approach are still limited.

Impact of the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Order on Diet and Health in Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Obesity

Profound restrictions were placed on previously free-living older adults due to mandatory stay-at-home orders for Covid-19. Recognizing the potential for worsening health and heightened risk of Covid-19 complications with older age and obesity, we conducted a survey to assess the impact of stay-at-home requirements on diet, health/social behaviors, and food security in 58 older adults (age=70.8±6.2, 55% Black, 93% female) who had participated in past obesity-reduction trials. A 71-item questionnaire was administered by phone and included demographics, health, lifestyle and dietary habits, food attitudes, and food security questions. Results showed indicators of heightened health risk, including health care appointments either delayed/cancelled (69%) and self-reported weight gain (62%). Of those with weight gain, 22% reported a gain of >10 pounds (33% gained 5-10 pounds and 7% < 5 pounds). Increased food intake was reported by 67% and 45% felt their eating patterns were less healthy due to increased snacking (71%) and consumption of sweets (41%). Food access and isolation were also an issue, as 51% were concerned about leaving the house for food and 81% reported eating alone. While some positive behaviors were reported (new ways to access food and health information, more reported cooking at home), the majority of findings indicated increased risk of obesity and its complications. The findings emphasize the need for effective lifestyle interventions that can be delivered remotely to high-risk older adults; this would benefit those presently self-restricted for Covid-19 concerns as well as other isolated older adults who need better access to individualized interventions.

Feeling the Absence of Touch: Distancing, Distress, Regulation, and Relationships in the Context of COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing guidelines were implemented to reduce viral spread, altering typical social interactions and reducing the amount of physical contact and affectionate touch many individuals experienced. The pandemic also caused psychological distress, perhaps in part related to reductions in affectionate touch with close others. We theorized that this would be particularly problematic for individuals reliant on affectionate touch to help regulate their emotions. Using online survey data collected nationwide from married or romantically partnered adults ( N = 585), we examined how physical distancing (moderated by cohabiting with spouse/partner) and affectionate touch with close others (moderated by individual differences in typical use and efficacy of touch for affect regulation [TAR]) related to individual psychological distress and romantic relationship quality. As hypothesized, more physical distancing was associated with less affectionate touch among non-cohabiters, but surprisingly with more touch among cohabiters. Also as hypothesized, participants higher in TAR and experiencing less affectionate touch reported more psychological distress than those similarly high in TAR and experiencing more affectionate touch, or than those lower in TAR. Unexpectedly, more physical distancing was associated directly with lower psychological distress and better relationship quality. Better relationship quality was linked directly to more affectionate touch and greater endorsement of TAR. Thus, for those cohabiting in satisfying romantic relationships, physical distancing may facilitate relationship-positive behaviors. Further, individual differences in TAR may influence the potency of touch effects on mood and stress.