Environment and Social Psychology

Generative AI is transforming the educational landscape by offering new ways for students and educators to engage in personalized, adaptive learning. Unlike traditional tools, generative AI enables students to access a vast repository of information, interact with content in real-time, and generate responses, which collectively support individualized learning pathways. This study explored the role of generative AI, particularly ChatGPT, in students’ self-directed learning (SDL) process. College students (n=15) from science-oriented programs were purposively sampled to be interviewed. Findings revealed that students used AI to enhance efficiency in completing tasks, generate content, and engage in deeper learning experiences. Students reported that AI tools, such as ChatGPT, helped break down complex subjects, provided instant feedback, and allowed them to manage learning at their own pace. These features supported autonomy, motivation, and competence, core components of SDL, by enabling students to make independent learning choices and confidently tackle challenging content. Student narratives illustrated how generative AI aided in organizing study material, understanding science topics, and even learning to troubleshoot code, which supported mastery of complex science program skills. The findings also suggested that AI tools contributed to active learning, as students engaged more meaningfully with content, enhancing their analytical and problem-solving abilities. The integration of generative AI in education may shape future pedagogical approaches, enabling educators to promote personalized and adaptive learning environments that support students' intrinsic motivation, SDL, and critical thinking.

This research examined the factors that affect customer loyalty in mobile banking within the Hunan Province in China using quantitative research approaches. The TAM and UTAUT2 were used to test the hypotheses on the links between mobile app ambiance, perceived trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived satisfaction, and perceived loyalty. In this study, mobile app ambiance specifically refers to elements like visual design, user interface quality, and feature integration. A cross-sectional survey involved 484 ICBC mobile banking users who completed self-administered questionnaires, and 20 in-depth interviews were conducted to provide qualitative insights into customer perceptions of loyalty. The study affirmed that mobile app ambiance had a significant influence on perceived usefulness, perceived trust, and perceived satisfaction and, therefore, customer loyalty. The findings of the present study provided practical solutions for enhancing customer loyalty in mobile banking.

With the continuous development of artificial intelligence technology, this study aims to explore the application of artificial intelligence in human aesthetics. By processing the signal in sub frames and using short-time Fourier transform to analyze the position information of beat points, the start and key musical features of notes can be accurately detected. Based on the extracted music features, a Bi GRU network and self-attention mechanism automatic composition model are established to process important information between longer sequence predictions and prominent notes, and to evaluate the accuracy and vividness of AI composed music works. The results showed that the model achieved an accuracy of 94.28% in processing melody and rhythm data. Excellent performance in terms of music fluency and coordination, with high scores in human music aesthetics indicators, reaching a pitch score of 92, and classical style scores of 90 and 92 in melody and integrity. Artificial intelligence has to some extent influenced and shaped human music aesthetics, providing important evidence for understanding its impact on music creation.

Digital integration in higher education (HE) has made significant progress in the first quarter of the twenty-first century, paving the way for more significant strides in the future. The present study investigated the role of E-books and M-learning on the academic performance of university students in Pakistan. We selected 430 university students from 10 universities in Punjab province using multi-method and multi-stage sampling techniques. The study's research design was a descriptive survey with cross-sectional data collection using a self-developed questionnaire. For the data analysis, we used Jamovi software (Version 2.4.11). The results revealed that E-books (B = 1.635, SE = .10, t = 15.1, p <.001) significantly contribute to students M-learning behaviour, which (B = 1.149, SE = .092, t = -1.59, p <.001) significantly contribute to university students’ academic performance. It was also found that M-learning was a significant mediator for the relationship between E-books and academic performance at (B = .421, SE = .03, 95 % CI [.365, .502], Z = 12.6, p < .001), predicting 57.5 % of the total mediation. Based on the study’s results, we suggested that university students should effectively use E-books and M-learning to enhance their academic performance, leading to academic success.

This study investigates the influence of information cascades and reputational concerns on analysts' herding behavior in financial markets. Using a mixed-methods approach combining archival data analysis and surveys of 5,237 financial analysts covering S&P 500 companies from 2014 to 2023, we examine the interplay between these psychological factors. Our findings reveal that both information cascades and reputational concerns significantly impact herding behavior, with a notable synergistic effect when combined. Structural equation modeling demonstrates that information cascade strength positively correlates with herding behavior (β = 0.43, p < .001), partially mediated by perceived market consensus. Reputational concerns also show a strong positive association with herding (β = 0.51,
p < .001), moderated by career stage. Importantly, the interaction between information cascades and reputational concerns (β = 0.24, p < .001) suggests that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual impacts. This effect varies across analyst characteristics and market conditions, with stronger influences observed in small-cap stocks and high-volatility periods. Time-series analysis reveals dynamic fluctuations in these effects over time, responding to significant market events. These results contribute to the theoretical understanding of financial market behavior by integrating social influence and career concern perspectives, offering insights for both scholars and practitioners in an increasingly complex market landscape.

Ecological Discourse Analysis (EDA) examines the relationship between language and the environment, focusing on how discourse shapes and reflects ecological and social behaviors. By analyzing linguistic patterns, EDA seeks to uncover how language conveys ideologies, values, and attitudes towards ecological issues, such as sustainability, environmental justice, and human-nature relationships. This paper was positioned to analyze the appraisal characteristics of COVID-19 news reports in CNN and Rappler from January 2020 to November 2021. A total of 28 news articles, evenly sourced from the two outlets, were analyzed. AntConc 4.0.2 identified the use of appraisal resources, including attitude, engagement, and graduation. The findings revealed that CNN Philippines adopted a more balanced tone, characterized by 32.67 percent attitude, 38.07 percent engagement, and 29.26 percent graduation resources. In contrast, Rappler demonstrated a more critical stance, with 36.46 percent attitude, 36.94 percent engagement, and 26.6 percent graduation resources. The engagement system showed that both outlets favored heteroglossic expressions, incorporating multiple perspectives to enrich their reporting. The graduation system, focusing on force, highlighted how both news organizations used intensity in their language to emphasize the significance of COVID-19-related issues. These linguistic patterns reveal distinct ideological orientations and strategies for engaging audiences, highlighting the media’s role in shaping public understanding and response during a global health crisis. The study underscores the significant impact of linguistic choices in news reporting, offering insights into how media narratives influence public discourse in times of uncertainty.

This study addresses the challenge of balancing typicality and novelty in ceramic design to optimise consumer aesthetic preferences. The objective is to analyse how these two dimensions—typicality, which provides familiarity, and novelty, which introduces cognitive interest—influence aesthetic appeal using the Unified Model of Aesthetics (UMA) framework. Employing a sample of 120 Chinese participants, the methodology involved evaluating ten ceramic designs on a seven-point Likert scale. Data analysis was conducted using Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), partial correlation, and Generalized Estimation Equations (GEE) to assess the roles of typicality and novelty. Results reveal that while typicality strongly influences aesthetic preference, novelty provides moderate cognitive engagement, aligning with the MAYA (Most Advanced Yet Acceptable) principle. Age and gender showed minimal impact on preferences, suggesting design elements as primary determinants of aesthetic appeal. This study underscores the importance of balancing typicality and novelty in ceramic design, offering practical insights for designers to enhance consumer satisfaction through controlled innovative elements.

The aim of the study is to determine whether the biological, psychological, and social components contributing to psychotic illness and examine their effects on families across social, financial, emotional, and health dimensions. A Population Proportion Formula was used to determine the sample size, applying a theoretical approach to a sample of approximately 200 caregivers of psychotic patients in Kathmandu, Nepal. Quantitative data were gathered via questionnaires. Nonclinical data were used for analysis. Findings from the analysis of Objective 1 revealed that social determinants were most reported; however, biological and psychosocial factors were also prevalent. These determinants were both directly and indirectly linked to psychological or emotional factors, aligning with the biopsychosocial (BPS) model developed by George Libman Engel of the University of Rochester Medical Center, New York. The biopsychosocial (BPS) model was formulated in the mid-1970s, with significant discussion of the model occurring in a seminal article published in 1977 in the journal Science. For Objective 2, results showed that the emotional impact on families was the most prominent, followed by social, financial, and health impacts. The findings show that emotional effects have the greatest influence, followed by financial, social, and health effects. These results reinforce the need for further research into the factors associated with psychotic disorders and their effects on families.

As the digital economy progresses, community group buying has emerged as a novel social retail model, reshaping traditional business structures. Customers play an increasingly pivotal role in the process of value creation, with their perceived value dictating market orientation and serving as the focal point for corporate value creation. However, effectively fostering customer co-creation of value remains an unresolved critical issue in this field. Diverging from previous studies, this research adopts an individual perception-based approach, employing social cognitive theory to construct an integrated theoretical model that explores how perceived platform interactivity influences customer co-creation behaviors. Data were collected through surveys conducted in Nanchang and Changsha, yielding 557 valid responses. Structural equation modeling was used for empirical analysis. The results indicate that perceived platform interactivity significantly positively affects customer participation behavior (β=0.503, p<0.001) and customer citizenship behavior (β=0.457, p<0.001). Customer inspiration plays a partial mediating role between perceived platform interactivity and value co-creation behaviors. Moreover, moral perception positively moderates the impact of perceived platform interactivity on value co-creation. This study not only enriches the theoretical exploration of customer value co-creation in the platform economy but also confirms that customer inspiration can supplement social cognitive theory's motivational constructs, expanding the theory’s applicability in digital marketing. The findings offer practical guidance for optimizing interaction design on community group buying platforms and stimulating creative customer engagement.

This study used a questionnaire survey method to investigate the relationship between teacher’s professional identity and job satisfaction, the impact of teacher’s professional identity on job engagement, and the mediating role of job engagement between teacher’s professional identity and job satisfaction among 404 teachers from the three universities in Hainan Province. The research results showed that the professional identity of university teachers in Hainan Province significantly positive impacts job satisfaction. The work engagement of university teachers in Hainan Province, China, significantly positive impacts job satisfaction. The work engagement of university teachers in Hainan Province partially mediates the impact of teacher’s professional identity on job satisfaction.

Anxiety in higher education students is often exacerbated by unnoticed teaching methods in science and mathematics classes. This study seeks to identify specific teaching strategies that unintentionally heighten student anxiety and examines how these practices contribute to increased anxiety levels. Using semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 40 students currently enrolled in higher education institutions across the Biliran, Philippines. Thematic analysis was applied to systematically identify recurring themes and patterns in the students’ responses, offering insights into the factors that trigger anxiety in these subjects. The research highlighted that many instructors were unaware that their teaching methods could induce anxiety. The findings outlined the specific stages of teaching activities where anxiety intensified, helping educators understand how students experienced and internalized anxiety throughout the learning process. The results of this study had significant implications for enhancing instructional approaches in science and mathematics. By identifying anxiety-inducing teaching methods, the research offered practical recommendations to minimize anxiety in the classroom setting, contributing to improved student performance and overall well-being. This study also paved the way for future research into anxiety-inducing teaching methods across various academic disciplines, promoting a broader understanding of the impact of teaching practices on student mental health.

This study investigates the complex relationships between financial literacy, cognitive biases, and investment decisions among individual investors. Using a sample of 2,000 participants, we employed multiple regression analyses and mediation tests to examine these relationships. Our findings reveal that financial literacy has a significant positive direct effect on investment decision quality. However, this relationship is partially mediated by various cognitive biases. Higher financial literacy is associated with reduced susceptibility to availability bias and herding behavior, but shows a positive correlation with overconfidence bias. Interestingly, we observed a non-linear relationship between financial literacy and confirmation bias. The mediation analysis indicates that cognitive biases account for 40% of the total effect of financial literacy on investment decisions, with herding behavior and availability bias showing the strongest mediating effects. Our results suggest that while financial literacy is crucial for improving investment outcomes, its effectiveness is moderated by cognitive biases. These findings have important implications for financial education programs and policy initiatives, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive approach that addresses both financial knowledge and cognitive biases. This research contributes to the behavioral finance literature by providing empirical evidence of the intricate interplay between financial literacy, cognitive processes, and investment outcomes, and suggests directions for future research in developing more effective strategies to enhance individual investors' decision-making capabilities.

Job satisfaction in higher education is crucial as it directly influences both the effectiveness and the overall well-being of employees, which in turn affects the quality of education provided. Satisfied faculty and staff are more likely to exhibit higher levels of engagement, motivation, and commitment, which enhances their teaching performance, research productivity, and interactions with students. This paper identified variables that can predict the job satisfaction of state university employees in Eastern Visayas, Philippines using stepwise regression analysis. Stratified sampling selected participants from eight state universities in Eastern Visayas—four in Leyte, three in Samar, and one in Biliran. The study found that both communication and organizational climate significantly influenced job satisfaction among state university employees in Eastern Visayas, Philippines. Job satisfaction was positively associated with rank, indicating that employees in higher positions reported greater satisfaction, and it was also influenced by age, with younger employees tending to experience more stress and burnout. The universities exhibited a positive communication climate. This was characterized by effective communication practices and organizational integration, which enhanced job satisfaction, collaboration, and overall organizational participation. These findings suggest that having a supportive organizational environment, particularly through effective communication and inclusive practices, can enhance employee satisfaction.

This longitudinal study investigated the bidirectional relationship between physical exercise and mental health among college students, focusing on the mediating roles of emotional expression and self-efficacy. Using a cross-lagged panel design with three time points over an academic year, data were collected from 500 undergraduate students in China. Structural equation modeling revealed significant reciprocal effects between physical exercise and mental health outcomes. Mediation analysis demonstrated that emotional expression and self-efficacy collectively accounted for 38% of the total effect of physical exercise on mental health. Physical exercise at earlier time points positively predicted both emotional expression (β = 0.16, p < .01) and self-efficacy (β = 0.19, p < .001) at subsequent time points, which in turn predicted improved mental health outcomes. The study also found significant direct effects of physical exercise on mental health (β = -0.182, p < .001), indicating unique contributions beyond the examined mediators. These findings highlight the complex mechanisms through which physical exercise influences mental health and suggest that interventions integrating physical activity with strategies to enhance emotional regulation and self-efficacy may be particularly effective in promoting mental well-being among college students. The results underscore the importance of adopting a holistic approach to mental health promotion that considers both physical and psychological factors in young adult populations.

This study investigates the impact of computer technology on higher mathematics teaching and learning, focusing on student attitudes and academic performance. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research involved 210 high school students and 15 mathematics teachers. Data were collected through a combination of semi-structured questionnaires, student test scores, interviews, and classroom observations. The findings indicate that the integration of computer technology leads to significant improvements in students' academic performance and fosters positive attitudes towards mathematics. Students using technological tools showed greater engagement, better understanding of complex concepts, and increased confidence in problem-solving. No significant gender differences were observed in attitudes towards technology use. However, challenges such as resource accessibility and the need for teacher training were identified. The study concludes with recommendations for effectively incorporating computer technology into higher mathematics education to enhance learning outcomes and student engagement.

This study aimed to explore whether the Se-Re-Co psychosocial skills intervention will improve self-esteem, resilience, and coping skills for street children. Using pre- and post-experimental and control group design, 24 male and female street children were assigned to the experimental group and the control group to participate in this study. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire that measured three variables, self-esteem, resilience, and coping skills. This was done pre-testing and post-testing of both groups. The results revealed significant statistical differences between the experimental group and control group on self-esteem [F (1,21) = 25.16, p < .000], coping skills [F (1,21) = 33.71, p < .000] but no significant statistical difference in resilience [F (1,21) = 7.44, p < .079].  The results conclude that street children who participated in the Se-Re-Co psychosocial skills intervention reported improved self-esteem and coping skills.

This study examines the development of ethnic music education in Chinese higher education, focusing on its current status, challenges, and strategies for improvement. It underscores the importance of ethnic music education in preserving cultural heritage, enhancing musical literacy, and promoting multicultural understanding. Through an analysis of curricula, teaching methods, faculty development, technology integration, and campus cultural activities, the study suggests a comprehensive approach to strengthening ethnic music programs. Key findings include the need for curricula that balance theory and practice, innovative teaching methods (e.g., the master-apprentice model and immersive technologies), and a faculty skilled in both academia and traditional music. The study also highlights the role of modern technology in preserving and sharing ethnic music, as well as the value of diverse campus activities to boost student engagement and cultural awareness. Challenges include curriculum standardization, maintaining authenticity in modern education, and resource limitations. The study concludes that overcoming these challenges requires collaboration between educational institutions, policymakers, and cultural practitioners. Implementing the proposed strategies will help preserve and evolve China’s ethnic musical traditions while preparing students for a globalized cultural landscape.

The Philippine hotel industry has experienced steady growth, driven by increasing demand from both domestic and international travelers who visit the country for leisure, business, and events. The rise in demand for accommodations, along with the expansion of luxury and budget hotel chains, reflects the dynamic nature and its significant contribution to the Philippine economy. As tourism continues to flourish, the hotel industry is expected to develop an environment that encourages motivation and positive interaction within its organizations. This paper analyzed the psychological capital and service climate of a two-star hotel and how these factors relate to employee job performance. Stratified sampling (n=115) was carried out to sample the participants from different departments of the hotel. Descriptive analysis indicated that the employees were generally engaged at work, while being generally good in meeting the demands of their workplace. However, there was no significant relationship between psychological capital and job performance, as well as service climate and job performance of the employees. Further analysis is necessary to determine what other factors can be linked to the job performance of the hotel employees. Apparently, hotels can implement targeted strategies to strengthen the organizational culture and improve employee engagement, such as providing more autonomy, offering continuous skills development, and having open communication channels.

Portfolio-based assessment is increasingly recognized as a valuable approach in educational contexts due to its multifaceted benefits. This method shifts the focus from traditional, standardized assessments to a more holistic evaluation of student learning. Unlike conventional assessments that often measure rote memorization and short-term recall, portfolio-based assessment provides a comprehensive view of a student’s progress over time, capturing their evolving competencies, skills, and understandings. This paper explored the experiences of education students about portfolio-based assessment and how this developed their critical thinking and creativity. College students from Basilan, Philippines were purposively sampled through open-ended online survey. Narratives from one-on-one interview were the primary data of this study. The study revealed that the creation of portfolios had a profound impact on the critical thinking and creative development of education students. Participants noted that the process of constructing instructional materials and meeting academic requirements necessitated a thoughtful and analytical approach, requiring problem-solving and critical thinking skills. They emphasized the importance of observation and reflection, which allowed them to critically assess their teaching methods and make informed adjustments. The experience required creativity in structuring ideas, managing tasks, and developing innovative solutions, which not only enhanced their ability to teach effectively but also encourage thinking and a higher level of cognitive engagement. This process values portfolio creation as a tool for developing essential skills in education, particularly in enhancing both critical thinking and creativity among future educators.

Motivational speech has emerged as a significant trend in social media, driven by the increasing demand for personal development content and the accessibility of digital platforms. With the rise of platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, motivational speakers now can reach global audiences instantaneously. This shift has transformed motivational speaking from a niche practice into a widespread cultural phenomenon. Now, this paper was positioned to analyze the presence of discursive strategies—linguistic and rhetorical techniques to convey meanings—within motivational speech videos. Positive discourse analysis was carried out to analyze a viral motivational video from Jay Shetty identifying prevalent discursive strategies. Findings indicated that Jay Shetty perspectivation/framing/discourse representation (39.7%), argumentation (20.7%), referential/nomination (15.5%), predication (13.8%), and intensification/mitigation (10.3%) in his viral video. He used linguistic and rhetorical techniques, like metaphors and analogies, to craft his messages in a way that resonates deeply with his audience, making them relatable and impactful. Through selected words, persuasive structures, and storytelling, he engages listeners emotionally and intellectually, guiding them toward self-reflection and personal growth. His use of rhetorical questions encourages introspection, prompting viewers to think critically about their own lives and decisions. By framing his narratives in ways that connect personal challenges to universal experiences, Shetty had a sense of shared understanding, making his audience feel seen and motivated to take action. Consequently, motivational speech on social media has evolved into a powerful tool for shaping public discourse, promoting mental health, develop resilience, and inspiring positive life changes across societies and culture.

The study employed descriptive-exploratory research methods to examine the dependency ratio and economic welfare of geographically isolated and disadvantaged households in Samar Province, Philippines. It aimed to determine the demographic profiles of the respondents, including age, gender, civil status, highest educational attainment, occupation, family type, number of household members, and dwelling type. The study explored the dependency ratio, economic welfare status (in terms of consumption and expenditures), and the relationship between the dependency ratio and economic welfare. Households (n=88) were systematically sampled from 14 municipalities in Samar, Philippines. The findings revealed that these households had a high dependency ratio, and their economic welfare was below the country's poverty line. It was also found that the number of unproductive members did not significantly affect the households' economic welfare, while the productive population had a direct positive impact. Furthermore, as the household head aged, there was a direct negative effect on the household's economic welfare. Further, as the household head ages, there appears to be a negative impact on the economic welfare of the household. Interestingly, while the dependency ratio did not significantly influence economic welfare, it highlighted the increasing strain on the working population and the broader economy to support and provide necessary social services for the dependent population.

Despite the growing emphasis on sustainability in the hospitality industry, there is a notable gap in understanding how sustainable leadership influences employee work behavior, particularly through the lens of perceived environmental corporate social responsibility (PECSR), an area that has yet to be fully explored in the context of hotel businesses. Therefore, this study aims to examine the impact of sustainable leadership on sustainable work behavior among employees in hotel businesses with a particular focus on perceived environmental corporate social responsibility as a mediator. This study focuses on full-time employees working in five-star hotels in Egypt, with a total of 352 valid responses collected. The data were analyzed using WarpPLS software, a user-friendly tool for the PLS-SEM approach adopted. The findings indicate that sustainable leadership has a positive impact on employees' sustainable work behavior and their perceptions of environmental corporate social responsibility. Additionally, the study shows that PECSR not only positively influences employees' sustainable work behavior but also serves as a mediator in the relationship between sustainable leadership and sustainable work behavior. This study contributes to sustainability and leadership literature in the hospitality industry. It demonstrates that sustainable leadership’s impact on employee behavior is partially mediated by employees’ perceptions of their organization’s environmental responsibility, enriching leadership theories with insights from corporate social responsibility and organizational behavior. Practically, the research offers hotel managers actionable insights on integrating sustainability into leadership practices, emphasizing the importance of transparent communication about CSR initiatives, leadership training, and aligning sustainability with organizational strategies to enhance employee engagement and foster sustainable work behavior.

Migrant workers comprise half of the workforce in Macao, and stigmatization is a typical characteristic of the group. Previous studies have researched the impact of stigmatization on related behaviors such feeling shame to seek help and perceiving resistance and vulnerability as stigmatized identities, but few have focused on the workplace behavior of stigmatized employees. We surveyed 312 mainland migrant workers in Macao using self-administered questionnaires and used structural equation models and regression to analyze data. Findings illustrated that perceived stigma leads to job burnout (β₁=0.24, p<0.001) whereas role stress acts as a mediating variable (β₂=0.19, p<0.001) in the process. In addition, self-efficacy and organizational support buffer role stress mediating effect. The mediated moderator analysis found that when migrant workers are at a high-level self-efficacy or perceive high-level organization support, the mediation effect of role stress has been reduced to insignificant. In contrast, when migrant workers perceive middle or low-level self-efficacy and organization support perceptions, role stress has been in effect in transmitting stigmatization perception to job burnout. Results are aligned with the conservation of resources theory and job-demand theory. This study extends stigmatization study from sociology to the organization behavior studies. It is contended that Macao government, society, and employers need to offer sufficient support to migrant workers to buffer the effects of stigmatization, reduce their job burnout, and improve migrant workers’ health and well-being status.

This study projects the SOR theoretical model to a retail industry scenario where blockchain technology is applied, setting blockchain technology as the independent variable, perceived value as the mediator variable, and loyalty response as the dependent variable. The questionnaires and scales were designed by combining relevant information and experts' suggestions. The questionnaire is distributed to obtain the initial data of this study, and a statistical model is established to explore the role of blockchain technology in retail industry on consumers' perceived value and loyalty response under the SOR theory. The results of hypothesis testing point out that there is a significant correlation between decentralization, non-counterfeiting, traceability function, public transparency, perceived quality value, perceived economic value, perceived emotional value and loyalty response, and its corresponding regression equation is 0.136+0.611*Decentralization Q1+0.034*Non-counterfeiting Q2+0.141* Traceability Function Q3+0.139*Public Transparency Q4+ 0.016*Perceived quality value Q5+0.089*Perceived economic value + 0.047*Perceived emotional value. This study comprehensively reveals the relationship between blockchain technology, consumer perceived value, and loyalty response, which is of great practical significance to the development of retail industry.

The study focuses on the gendered nature and the influence of social positioning on of the attitudes towards the timing of motherhood and fatherhood among young adults in Bulgaria. The European Social Survey (ESS), conducted in 2018 with a sub-sample of respondents at age 15-45 years, was used in the analysis. We first studied the perceptions about the timing of motherhood and fatherhood in an international comparative perspective. Next, we ran multiple linear regression models on the ages, considered ideal, too young or old to become a mother/father. The international comparisons reveal the gendered nature of the attitudes of the timing of parenthood. The reproductive "youthfulness" of a woman is more strongly emphasised and shapes the attitudes towards the timing of motherhood in Eastern and Central European countries. The socioeconomic “maturity” of a man shapes the attitudes and the social expectations about the timing of fatherhood in Southern and Western European countries. The social positioning (social status) is associated with the differences in the attitudes towards the timing of motherhood and fatherhood. The attitudes supporting the model of “younger” parenthood prevail among the respondents with low education, living in small residential areas, and belonging to ethnic minorities. Highly educated respondents, the individuals, living in big cities and those from Bulgarian ethnicity have stronger preferences towards motherhood and fatherhood at later ages.

This study is a discussion about the role that social media plays in enhancing communication among individuals, highlighting its prospects and related challenges. This research examines the impact of social media on improving communication among individuals and its prospects and challenges. This study had taken an integrated approach of secondary data analysis methodology through an extensive systematic review of the existing literature, along with the Canadian Research Data Collection (CREDC) national web-survey, to collect the attitudinal and behavioral insight of social media users on different platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn considering theoretical frameworks like Social Presence Theory and Media Richness Theory. Further, this conceptual review used PRISMA guidelines to examine how social media improves communication. Eligibility and exclusion criteria ensured peer-reviewed article selection and credibility. Study reveals that social media platforms significantly enhance interpersonal communication by fostering increased interconnectedness, more accessible information, and community formation. Notably, while these digital environments have considerable benefits, such as the facilitation of learning and support networks, they are also fraught with challenges, including misinformation, privacy concerns, and potential adverse effects on mental health. These findings therefore have dual approaches to reaping the benefits of social media in communication: the promotion of user education to reduce misinformation and building up digital literacy, while there is also a need to consider regulations that will protect against violation of privacy and cyberbullying. It is at this point that stakeholders will, arguably, have fewer difficulties in making use of social media to continue developing active citizenship and rich interpersonal relationships. Future research is encouraged to further explore the implications of emerging technologies on social media communication practices.