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Which factors in China? A pre-registered report
No full textWe evaluate the ability of the asset pricing models of Liu, Stambaugh and Yuan (2019) and Fama and French (2018) to price Chinese stocks. Our model comparisons are conducted using spanning tests following Barillas and Shanken (2017) and maximum squared Sharpe ratios following Barillas, Kan, Robotti and Shanken (2020). We will first examine the models of Liu et al. (2019) and Fama and French (2018) in isolation. Next, we will conduct horse race tests between the models. The superior model will be determined based on spanning regressions and a comparison of the maximum squared Sharpe ratios derived from the model's factors.</p
TeachVR:An Immersive Virtual Reality Framework for Computational Thinking Based on Student Preferences
No full textThis study presents the development of a student-centric framework for utilizing virtual reality (VR) technologies in education, specifically focusing on enhancing computational thinking skills. While numerous frameworks exist in this domain, they often lack consideration of student preferences, which are integral for fostering learner autonomy. Our proposed framework, with components developed from the constructivist learning theory, emphasises creating knowledge through interaction with the environment, focusing on autonomy, mastery and purpose as drivers of intrinsic outcomes. Through a survey administered to hundred and fifty-seven participants, we sought to identify student-preferred strategies for learning computational thinking skills via VR interventions. Results highlighted key challenges students face when working on computational tasks are related to algorithmic and abstraction thinking. To ease the aforementioned challenges, our findings suggest a preference among students for situated-based learning approaches within VR environments. Additionally, participants recognized the importance of motivational outcomes in improving autonomy and mastery within VR-based learning tasks. Students also preferred tasks that enhanced self-efficacy, contributing to a greater sense of purpose in their learning endeavours. Overall, this investigation sets a foundation for more student-centric, constructivist and intrinsically-based VR frameworks in education.</p
The relationship between parental bicycle helmet use and that of their children
No full textUnderstanding the factors influencing children's safety practices, such as helmet use, is essential for developing effective interventions. This study investigates the relationship between parental bicycle helmet use and their children, focusing on parental attitudes and behaviours. The study was conducted in Sør-Trøndelag, Norway, with 103 parent–child dyads (children aged 10–16) using convenience sampling and a cross-sectional survey. The primary aim was to assess whether parental attitudes or behaviours more strongly predict children's helmet use and examine if child age and sex moderate these relationships. The survey evaluated cycling frequency, helmet use, perceived social norms and the costs and benefits of helmet use. Although nearly all children owned helmets, they wore them less frequently than their parents. A positive correlation was observed between parent and child helmet-wearing and cycling, indicating parental behaviour's significant role in shaping children's safety practices. An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model was used to understand the attitudes and behaviour of children in relation to helmet wearing, while accounting for the influence of the parent attitudes and behaviour. When this dyadic relationship was considered, the impact of parental attitudes on children's helmet use was indirect, mediated through children's own attitudes, and younger children mimicked parental behaviour more than older children. These findings highlight the importance of parental modelling in encouraging helmet use. Interventions should focus on enhancing parental engagement and addressing children's perceived barriers. By elucidating the dynamics of parental influence, this research aids in developing effective safety campaigns to promote helmet use and cycling safety for young cyclists.</p
Basic psychological needs and achievement emotions:the role of control and value appraisals in higher education
No full textObjective: To investigate how satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) influences achievement emotions through control and value appraisals among university students in Australia. Method: The study employed an online survey completed by 420 university students. Measurements included scales for psychological needs satisfaction, control and value appraisals, and achievement emotions. Structural equation modelling analysed the relationships between these variables. Results: Analysis revealed that autonomy satisfaction positively correlated with perceived value, while competence and relatedness satisfaction showed no significant associations. The three basic psychological needs demonstrated no significant relationship with perceived control. Perceived value positively associated with both positive and negative activating emotions. Perceived control showed no significant links to achievement emotions. The hypothesised indirect effect of autonomy satisfaction on achievement emotions through value appraisals was not supported, and the overall model demonstrated inadequate fit. Conclusions: The findings highlight autonomy satisfaction’s unique role in shaping students’ value appraisals and achievement emotions. Educational practitioners should consider incorporating strategies that support students’ basic psychological needs, particularly autonomy, when designing curriculum and learning environments. Future research should explore alternative pathways between psychological needs satisfaction and achievement emotions to better understand these relationships.</p
Understanding and integrating the needs and preferences of people living with dementia in the inpatient setting:a qualitative study
No full textBackground: People living with dementia (PLWD) have poorer outcomes than cognitively normal people when admitted to hospital. One reason for this difference is related to the challenges in learning and integrating the needs and preferences of PLWD into clinical care. We aimed to obtain a range of perspectives on the challenges in supporting PLWD in hospital and explore opportunities for improvement. Methods: Using an exploratory qualitative study design, we conducted interviews with nine people supporting PLWD (current / ex-spouses or children of PLWD) and 11 nursing, medical and allied health staff members at a single Australian hospital. Data were thematically analysed using a framework approach. Results: Participants described how best practice in supporting PLWD included understanding and integrating patient needs and highlighted the importance of family and the multidisciplinary team working in partnership. A number of factors inhibiting quality care provision were described, including uncertainty around responsibility for communicating with families to understand needs of PLWD; unsuitable tools; lack of opportunities for families to communicate with staff; and, resource and environmental constraints. Participants discussed potential for improvement, emphasising the need for a pre-emptive, rather than reactive solution. They expressed support for the idea of a ‘hospital admission kit’, containing both information about PLWD and their familiar items. Implementation considerations were also noted, with various perspectives on the timing of initiation, updating, responsible person(s), format, content and how it should be incorporated into clinical workflows. Conclusions: We found that hospital staff and those supporting PLWD felt that integrating the needs and preferences of PLWD into hospital care was important. The concept of a pre-prepared ‘toolkit’ that was ready in the case of a need to attend hospital was felt to be valid and potentially helpful. More work is required to design aspects such as format, content and the workflows needed to generate accountability and reliability in creating, updating and incorporating it into hospital care. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.</p
My place is at risk:spatial assessment of climate risk perceptions along the East Coast of Tasmania and related landscape value associations
No full textMapping landscape values alongside climate risk perceptions can show how collective values of the local community and their relationship to the landscape interacts spatially with their risk perception. Such geospatial social data could provide critical insight into local socioecological processes and inform successful place-based climate adaptation planning and risk management outcomes. This study builds on existing landscape value and climate risk participatory mapping methods to identify specific landscape value and risk perception associations. By doing so, prioritisation and targeting of management actions could be informed based on the type of landscape values assigned to a given location, and the perceived vulnerabilities of that place. Our approach combined participatory mapping of landscape values and ‘places at risk’ and follow-up interviews with local community members living along a highly climate vulnerable, coastal region in Tasmania, Australia. Results demonstrated that people’s perceptions of risk were strongly associated with their landscape values. Individuals were more likely to perceive risks and respond to risks that they have experience with (e.g. bushfire); and those that they have directly observed as threats to the landscape values that define their relationship with that place. Thus, risks that are unfamiliar (e.g. flooding and storm surge) were less perceived, and related actions were disregarded. Priority management zones were identified based on the spatial co-occurrence or ‘bundling’ of mapped risks and values. This can inform targeted management strategies in the region based on local context and can also indicate the type of actions needed.</p
Weather effects on academic performance:an analysis using administrative data
No full textThis paper contributes to the growing body of research examining the impact of temperature on educational outcomes. Utilising national-level administrative data on nearly one million Australian students, it investigates whether temperature fluctuations, and prolonged heatwaves influence test performance. The analysis reveals that both heat and cold affect student test scores, with some evidence of the effects intensifying during heatwaves. Australia’s vast geographical diversity and climate variability provide a unique opportunity to explore spatial heterogeneity in these effects. Findings suggest that in regions with hot weather conditions, the most thermally comfortable temperature is likely to be higher, whereas students in the coldest parts of the country appear to be less sensitive to cold weather conditions, consistent with the adaptation hypothesis. In contrast, in regions with moderate and temperate weather conditions, student scores are affected by both hot and cold weather.</p
Environmental framing and left-wing political orientation promote sustainability in a US-based common-pool resource dilemma
No full textLittle research has explored whether framing effects differ based on political orientation in a Common-Pool Resource (CPR) dilemma. In this research, American Democrats and Republicans (N = 266 individuals recruited via Prolific Academic) played an online CPR game, FISH, framed either as an Environment Game (environment framing) or a Fishing Game (neutral framing). In groups of four, participants harvested fish from a shared ocean over eight seasons earning $.10 per fish caught. Unbeknownst to the participants, their three groupmates were in fact computerised players (bots). The interaction between political orientation as a dichotomous model (Democrat versus Republican) and framing condition was not significant. However, those playing the Environment Game were significantly more cooperative in the first season of play and across all seasons played than those playing the Fishing Game. Additionally, Democrats cooperated significantly more than Republicans in the first season, but not across all seasons played. Exploratory analyses show that the strength of a participant's political orientation affected cooperation to some degree, with strong Democrats playing the Environment Game cooperating at significantly higher rates than both strong Democrats playing the Fishing Game and strong Republicans in both framing conditions. Moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans cooperated comparably across all framing conditions.</p
It's all connected:collectivism, climate change, and COVID-19
No full textSocietal challenges like climate change and COVID-19 can be interrelated. The present research examines collectivism as a cultural value that is associated with the tendency to perceive such important interconnectedness. We further examine whether collectivism predicts perceiving interconnectedness specifically for scientifically valid relationships, or generally, regardless of their validity. Using an international sample (Study 1; N = 12,955) and another large U.S. sample (Study 2; N = 1006), we found that more collectivistic individuals perceive stronger interconnectedness between climate change and pandemics. However, collectivistic individuals also perceived stronger interconnectedness even for scientifically invalid ones, such as between the discovery of new constellations among stars and the emergence of new viruses. Exploratory analyses examined political orientation as a potential moderator, but the results were inconsistent, highlighting the need for more systematic future research. Together, these findings suggest that collectivistic individuals do not selectively perceive valid interconnectedness, but they tend to perceive stronger interrelations among phenomena in general, whether true or not, which presents both opportunities and challenges for addressing environmental and other social issues confronting humans today.</p
