Destination Familiarity and Perceived Attractiveness of Four Polish Tourism Cities

Destination familiarity has been analyzed for many years as an important factor influencing the perceived attractiveness of a destination and its image. However, previous research has concentrated on this relation considering familiarity with a destination as a whole, while the issue of familiarity with particular elements of a destination has not been explored. The current research aimed to detect if and how familiarity with three selected elements of a destination, namely, tangible tourism attractions, events, and traditional cuisine and dishes, impacts the perceived attractiveness of a city destination. The research was conducted using the following four Polish cities as examples: Gdańsk, Katowice, Łódź, and Wrocław. The research questionnaire was distributed among the citizens of another Polish city—Krakow. Over 200 responses were received. The results show that familiarity with tangible attraction was correlated with high perceived attractiveness of a destination, while the other two factors did not impact the level of perceived attractiveness. The results were achieved on the basis of the indication of several scientific and practical conclusions.

Girişimcilik eğiliminin girişimsel hazır bulunuşluk üzerindeki etkisinde girişimcilik eğitiminin düzenleyici rolü

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between entrepreneurial inclination (tendency) and entrepreneurial readiness (ER), and the moderating role of the entrepreneurship education in this relationship. As a result of the literature review examined in this context, research hypotheses were developed and a theoretical model was put forward. The research was conducted on 365 students who received entrepreneurship education at Aksaray and Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University. The data of the research were gathered with convenience sampling method by using online and face-to-face survey technique. The data collected were tested by regression analysis using appropriate statistical package programs. According to the results of the research, it was found that the entrepreneurial inclinations of the participants had a significant effect on their entrepreneurial readiness and that entrepreneurship education played a moderator role in this effect. In the study, it is found that the entrepreneurial inclination did not affect the learning orientation of the dimensions of the ER; it is concluded that the entrepreneurial inclination negatively affects the perceived attractiveness and work passion dimensions of the dimensions of ER. In addition, it is determined that entrepreneurship education did not have the moderating role in the effect of entrepreneurial inclination on learning orientation dimension, but entrepreneurship education has a moderator role in the effect of perceived attractiveness and work passion.

Attribute specification effect on hedonic and utilitarian options

Integrating ideas and theories from the numerosity effect and utilitarian/hedonic consumption, this research explores how hedonic and utilitarian attributes specified with contracted and expanded specifications affect consumer preferences. Results from two experiments indicate an expanded utilitarian attribute enhances consumer preference for choosing the utilitarian option. However, an expanded hedonic attribute does not influence preference for choosing the hedonic option. The relative perceived guilt of the hedonic option and the perceived attractiveness of the utilitarian option mediate the effect. Acquisition format (purchase vs windfall) moderates this effect by influencing consumers’ perceived guilt from choosing the hedonic option. JEL Classification: C91, D12, M31

Effects of Celebrity Characteristics, Perceived Homophily, and Reverence on Consumer-Celebrity Para-Social Interaction and Brand Attitude

This research explored how perceived homophily and reverence of consumers bridge the gap between endorser characteristics and consumer-celebrity para-social interaction (PSI). Online surveys were utilized to collect data from consumers. The results based on structural equation modeling showed that the perceived attractiveness and expertise of a celebrity were separately antecedent to the perceived homophily and reverence of consumers for the celebrity. This in turn allowed consumers to build PSI with the celebrity and led to a positive attitude toward the celebrity-endorsed brand. No differences were found between non-fans and fans of the selected celebrity regarding the confirmed path from celebrity characteristics to consumer brand attitude via PSI and its influencing factors. This work highlighted the significance of consumer-celebrity relations for endorsement effectiveness through proving consumer-celebrity PSI and its drivers as indispensable steps in the endorsement process.

Effects of Face Masks on Person Perception

As face masks have become more commonplace in many regions due to COVID-19, concerns have been raised about their effects on the perception of mask wearers and social cohesion more broadly, including racial profiling. In two studies we examined the effects of masks on social judgments of mask wearers, and whether masks have different effects on judgments of Black and White faces. Participants rated 20 Black and 20 White faces with and without masks on trustworthiness/approachability (Studies 1 and 2) and on dominance/competence and attractiveness (Study 2). In both studies masks increased perceived trustworthiness and reduced the effect of face race on judgments. Masks also increased perceived attractiveness, but had no effect on the perception of dominance/competence. Overall, this study found no negative effects of face masks on judgments of mask wearers, though further research is needed.

Self-Perceived Facial Attractiveness, Fluctuating Asymmetry, and Minor Ailments Predict Mental Health Outcomes

Objective Phenotypic markers associated with developmental stability such as fluctuating asymmetry, facial attractiveness, and reports of minor ailments can also act as indicators of overall physical health. However, few studies have assessed whether these markers might also be cues of mental health. We tested whether self- and other-perceived facial attractiveness, fluctuating asymmetry, and minor ailments are associated with psychopathological symptoms in a mixed sample of 358 college students, controlling for the effects of body mass index, age, and sex. Methods We applied the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire to assess psychopathological symptoms, a battery of questionnaires about self-perceptions of facial attractiveness, and gathered information about the number of previous minor ailments as well as demographic data. Other-perceived attractiveness was assessed by an independent mixed sample of 109 subjects. Subjects’ facial fluctuating asymmetry was determined by geometric morphometrics. Results The results revealed that in both men and women, higher self-perceived attractiveness and fewer minor ailments predicted lower scores of Somatization, Obsessive–Compulsive, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Phobic Anxiety, Paranoid Ideation, Psychoticism, and a General Psychopathology Index. Higher facial fluctuating asymmetry was associated with higher Interpersonal Sensitivity, but did not contribute to its prediction when controlling for the other studied variables. Conclusions The observed strong associations between self-perceived attractiveness, minor ailments, and psychopathology indicate common developmental pathways between physiological and psychological symptomatology which may reflect broader life history (co)variation between genetics, developmental environment, and psychophysiological functioning.