The public widely uses social media platforms to access science-related information, yet their design encourages rapid scrolling and often conceals sender details. Building on social categorization theory, we hypothesize that limited sender profile information impairs users’ ability to distinguish between scientists and laypeople in science communication. In two preregistered online experiments (total N = 599), we used the Who said what? paradigm to investigate whether users can accurately categorize a sender’s role or whether role confusion occurs. Results indicate that participants were prone to confuse sender roles, particularly when sender information was not immediately visible. Role confusion decreased, and correct role categorization increased when individuals were exposed to sender information and when they actively accessed this information via clicking.

This study examined the association between cyberbullying attitude and depressive symptoms among cyberbullies with guilt and fear as mediators. Two studies (college students and working professionals) were conducted through three-wave data collection. The correlation and hierarchical regression suggest that cyberbullying attitude can be associated with the development of depressive symptoms in cyberbullies, irrespective of their age and gender. The mediation analysis using PROCESS confirmed that fear and guilt can be used as links between the said association. It is the first of its kind of study that suggests that having cyberbullying attitude can be associated with the develop depressive symptoms. Secondly, it is a pioneer study that suggests guilt and fear can help link the association between cyberbullying attitude and depressive symptoms in cyberbullies, especially in the Indian context.

Adolescent media use is a growing concern in developmental and educational research. Using data from the nationally representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, 10,728 adolescents were followed across 4 waves. Latent growth curve modeling revealed a curvilinear trajectory of media engagement, with early increases followed by plateau or decline. Externalizing problems consistently predicted higher media use, while lower academic performance also emerged as a risk factor for media use. Internalizing problems showed weaker, time-specific associations, influencing media use only at certain points. These results highlighted the need to address both psychological vulnerabilities and educational contexts when examining adolescents’ media behavior, offering insights for interventions that balance technology use with mental health and academic support.

Patients often feel intense embarrassment over exams with their doctors and increasingly evidence shows that embarrassment interferes with medical care in a variety of ways. Three studies examined whether previous experience with a physician vs. seeing the physician for the first time affects embarrassment in two types of situations. Participants imagined themselves in six medical embarrassment scenarios in the context of consulting a doctor of their own gender (Studies 1 & 2) or opposite gender (Study 3). Three scenarios related to bodily embarrassment and three related to judgment-concern embarrassment (Consedine, Krivoshekova, & Harris. 2007). Greater familiarity with the doctor induced more judgment-concern embarrassment but less bodily embarrassment. This interaction was evident in both a collegiate sample (n = 384), a US national representative sample (n = 501) with same gender doctor, and a US national representative sample (n = 474) with the opposite gender doctor. Practical suggestions for reducing embarrassment are discussed.

Background Studies confirm a negative relationship between compulsive Internet use and perceived social support, but the direction remains unclear. Objective This study explored the reciprocal relationship between the two among Chinese undergraduates. Method Over 10 days, 167 participants (Mage = 19.75, 32.3% male) provided data on compulsive Internet use and perceived social support. On the first day, participants completed a baseline questionnaire, followed by nine consecutive days of daily diary surveys. A multilevel model estimated their relationship. Result The results of the cross-lagged analysis showed that perceived social support negatively predicted the onset of compulsive Internet use. When compulsive Internet use occurred, it further reduced perceived social support, showing a vicious circle. Conclusion This study deepens the understanding of the reciprocal relationship and informs intervention strategies.

This study investigates the effects of Tai Chi combined with Music-assisted Intervention (TCM) on reducing depression and anxiety in college students. A total of 180 participants were randomly allocated to three groups: Tai Chi combined with music (TCM), Tai Chi alone (OT), and a control group (CG). SDS/SAS scores were assessed before and after the 12-week intervention. TCM showed the largest reductions (Cohen’s d > 0.8, very large effect), followed by OT (0.3 < Cohen’s d < 0.6). Effect size analyses showed very large differences between TCM and CG (Cliff’s delta: −1.07, very large effect) and OT/CG (−0.41 to −0.48). Observed effect sizes (Cohen’s d > 0.8) suggest integrative interventions may reduce symptoms.

Drawing on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, the present research aims to examine the influence of the lookism climate in organizations on employee creativity. Further, this study examines the mediating role of social sexual behavior and the moderating role of employees’ enjoyment of sexualization. Data were collected from employees working in China’s multinational enterprises (MNEs) (i.e., IT and manufacturing). Study 1 demonstrates that a positive lookism climate in organizations is associated with increased employee creativity, mediated by social sexual behavior. Study 2 confirms Study 1 findings and shows that employees’ enjoyment of sexualization strengthens the mediated relationship between the lookism climate in organizations and employee creativity via social sexual behavior.

Today’s political climate is turbulent and polarized. It appears that liberals and conservatives and their respective parties are continuing to grow further apart ideologically, making it increasingly difficult to work together for the good of our country. Marketing researchers use segmentation and positioning analysis to gain a better understanding of consumers’ perceptions to increase their success in the marketplace. In this paper, we demonstrate that these same multivariate methods can be used to investigate the current political climate. Across three samples, we find support for political polarization based on voters’ views of important political issues. We also find that although the political parties align well with their ideologically typical issues, the presidential candidates (Trump and Biden) do not align well with the issues or their parties. This leads to the conclusion that they may not the best candidates for their parties or the voters. Consumer centric marketers want to help consumers make better decisions so that they are more satisfied with their consumption choices. Ideally, politicians should also want to help voters make better decisions so that voters are more satisfied with their choices of who is best suited to lead our country. The primary contribution of this paper is to demonstrate the application and benefits of using two common marketing analytics methodologies in the investigation of important political issues and voter perceptions. Additionally, this paper also provides practical implications that are applicable to political scientists, political practitioners, and voters.

Sexual crimes committed by minors occupy an important position in overall juvenile crimes, yet their severity has not been adequately emphasized. This study investigated the views of juvenile sex offenders in China on sexual consent and their judgments on victims expressing consent. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 minor sex offenders independently. Thematic analysis revealed shifts in notions about the necessity of consent based on various external conditions, with nonresistance often interpreted as consent. Furthermore, the study found a lack of self-attribution of impulsive control issues in criminal behavior, instead highlighting the risks posed by inadequate understanding of sexual consent. These insights provide important implications for prevention measures and intervention strategies to address juvenile sex crimes in China.

Five experiments were conducted to evaluate whether violent video game play as a deviant character produces higher aggression than does violent video game play as a heroic character. In all experiments, participants read a brief description of their character as either deviant or heroic before playing the same game. Participants were more aggressive if they played alone as the deviant character than the heroic character (Experiments 1–5). The role effect appeared limited to single player conditions (Experiment 1) and was minimized when provocation by an opponent was manipulated to be either unambiguously high or low (Experiments 2–3). The role effect was also smaller among participants induced to choose their character (Experiments 4–5). Theoretical and practical implications for the findings are discussed.