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Health Impact Assessment in Spatial Planning: a theory-building process evaluation of established practice in Wakefield District and Borough of Doncaster
No full textHealth Impact Assessment in Spatial Planning (HIASP) refers to the systematic consideration of the health and wellbeing impacts of development proposals within the planning process. In Wakefield and Doncaster councils, HIASP is operationalised through local planning policies and bespoke Health Impact Assessment (HIA) tools that guide applicants to identify, assess and mitigate health impacts, with public health teams reviewing HIAs and providing recommendations that inform planning decisions.
This research project responds to a gap in research understanding regarding how HIAs work in spatial planning in the UK. It will conduct detailed qualitative research - involving focus groups and interview - with diverse HIA stakeholders, alongside document analysis of HIAs and planning documentation, to build a picture of the process and early-stage impact of HIAs
Examining the interplay between cognitive and emotional processes in depression: a prospective study
No full textDepression is a highly prevalent mental disorder, and although cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) remains the treatment with the strongest empirical support, many patients do not achieve full remission and remain at risk of relapse (Cuijpers et al., 2018). Recent theoretical developments have expanded Beck’s classical cognitive model of depression (Beck, 1967) by integrating findings on cognitive control deficits, attention and interpretation biases, and emotion regulation difficulties such as rumination (Villalobos et al., 2021). These mechanisms are thought to interact, leading to sustained negative affect and depressive symptoms. However, studies have mostly examined these factors in isolation, leaving their interrelations within an integrated cognitive model largely untested (Koster et al., 2017).
This prospective study aims to address this gap by examining the interplay between key mechanisms proposed in an integrative cognitive model of depression (Hoorelbeke et al., 2026) using online self-report questionnaires and cognitive tasks. Participants will first complete an extensive baseline phase, containing measures of emotion regulation, depressive symptoms, cognitive distortions, early adverse events, automatic thoughts, dysfunctional attitudes, and subjective cognitive control, alongside tasks assessing cognitive control, attention, interpretation, and memory bias. One month later, depressive symptoms will be re-assessed.
This aims of this project include: (1) mapping unique associations and potential pathways between the constructs of interest; (2) examining how baseline cognitive-affective features relate to follow-up depressive symptoms; and (3) to validate brief versions of questionnaires to be used in future studies for daily assessments
VR Job Talks - Affective–Cognitive Responses to Smartphone Use and Attributional Processes
No full textSmartphone use in the presence of others has become an increasingly common phenomenon (Frackowiak et al., 2024; Garrido et al., 2021), which has various names and conceptualizations in scientific research (e.g., co-present mobile phone use, technoference, phubbing; Aagaard, 2025; Frackowiak et al., 2024). However, most studies in this field focus on the concept of phubbing, defined as temporarily disregarding a conversation partner in favor of one’s smartphone (Chotpitayasunondh & Douglas, 2018; Karadağ et al., 2015; Roberts & David, 2016). Experiencing such behavior has been linked to negative individual consequences, including increased stress (Bitar et al., 2022), reduced self-esteem (Chmielik & Błachnio, 2022; Xie & Xie, 2020), and negative affect (Krasnova et al., 2016; Thomas et al., 2022). In addition, research indicates adverse effects on interpersonal relationships and negative social evaluations of the smartphone-using interlocutor (Chotpitayasunondh & Douglas, 2018; Hales et al., 2018; Nuñez & Radtke, 2023; Vanden Abeele et al., 2016; Vanden Abeele et al., 2024).
Most prior studies conceptualize phubbing and related constructs as a form of social exclusion (Al‐Saggaf & O’Donnell, 2019; Chotpitayasunondh & Douglas, 2018; Nuñez et al., 2020) and explain the proposed negative consequences of such behavior using the Temporal Need-Threat Model of Ostracism (Williams, 2007, 2009). According to this model, ostracism initially elicits negative affective responses and threatens the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (i.e., belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence; reflexive stage). Subsequently, individuals engage in reflective processes and coping strategies that depend on the specific psychological needs that are violated, such as prosocial behavior to restore inclusion or antisocial behavior to restore control (reflective stage). Over time, prolonged ostracism can result in adverse health outcomes, including depression and loneliness (resignation stage; Nuñez & Radtke, 2023; Nuñez et al., 2020; Williams, 2007, 2009).
Nevertheless, it is not yet well understood under which conditions smartphone use during social interactions actually leads to negative consequences (Aagaard, 2025; Frackowiak et al., 2024). Existing research has focused on a limited set of basic moderating factors, including gender, age, and certain personality traits, while neglecting other potentially relevant variables. Moreover, the construct of phubbing, on which most existing studies are based, has been increasingly criticized for its lack of neutrality, raising concerns about the interpretability of findings that rely on this concept (Aagaard, 2025; Frackowiak et al., 2024).
A potentially important yet understudied factor concerns how smartphone use in social interactions is attributed (Allred et al., 2024; Liu et al., 2021). According to attribution theory (Heider, 1958; Kelley, 1973; Weiner, 1985, 2014), individuals differ in how they interpret events and assign causal explanations, attributing events either more internally (e.g., to one's own personal characteristics or behavior) or more externally (e.g., to situational factors or the behavior of others). As a consequence, such attributions shape emotional responses to such events, self-evaluations, and subsequent behavior (Neumann, 2000; Schmitt, 2015; Weiner, 2014). Applied to smartphone use in social interactions, the Attention–Arousal–Attribution Framework (Vanden Abeele, 2020) posits that an interlocutor’s smartphone use is perceived as an ambiguous social situation, which induces arousal that is subsequently interpreted through causal attributions, thereby shaping emotional and evaluative responses to such behavior. Although theoretical and initial empirical work suggest that attribution processes may play an important role, this aspect has received limited empirical attention so far (e.g., Allred et al., 2024; Liu et al., 2021).
In addition, the temporal dynamics of affective responses to such behavior remain poorly understood. While recent findings suggest that negative mood responses may occur immediately after exposure to the behavior, these effects may dissipate relatively quickly (Hales et al., 2024). Beyond this initial evidence, to our knowledge, no other study has examined how these affective reactions develop over time. Moreover, the temporal dynamics may also vary as a function of individual differences, such as rejection sensitivity, which is associated with heightened reactivity to perceived social disengagement and difficulties in affective recovery following rejection-related cues (Downey & Feldman, 1996). However, to date, no studies have examined these aspects in more detail.
Furthermore, mediating processes proposed by the Temporal Need-Threat Model of Ostracism (Williams, 2007, 2009), with a particular focus on need dissatisfaction and subsequent pro- and antisocial coping strategies, have received little empirical attention to date. Consequently, there is a lack of (experimental) research examining whether these proposed mechanisms can be empirically demonstrated and whether they operate in the context of smartphone use during social interactions.
Taken together, these limitations underscore the need to identify more contextual and individual factors that determine when and for whom smartphone use in social interactions becomes harmful or not, as well as to examine the underlying psychological mechanisms. To address these research gaps outlined above, the present research project pursues four primary aims: (1) to investigate reflexive and reflective responses to experiencing smartphone use during social interactions; (2) to examine the moderating role of trait attribution style, as well as the effects of situational attributions of smartphone use, on reflexive and reflective outcomes; (3) to test whether frustration of fundamental psychological needs mediates the relationship between smartphone use and subsequent coping behavior (i.e., prosocial and antisocial behavior); and (4) to analyze mood dynamics following exposure to an interlocutor’s smartphone use, including rejection sensitivity as a trait variable.
To reach these aims, the project employs a virtual reality (VR)–based human–agent interaction paradigm in which participants wear VR headsets and converse with a virtual interlocutor in a virtual café. In the experimental condition, the virtual interlocutor uses a smartphone during the conversation, whereas no smartphone use occurs in the control condition. The interaction is guided by an experimenter who selects context-appropriate, predefined responses for the virtual interlocutor to ensure a naturalistic conversation (Wizard-of-Oz design). This approach allows for high experimental control while preserving an immersive and socially realistic interaction context. To our knowledge, this project is among the first to use an immersive and interactive VR-based approach to examine the consequences of smartphone use in social interactions.
Given the complexity of the research project and its different thematic foci, the research questions and hypotheses are distributed across multiple registrations within this OSF project and will be reported in separate publications
Understanding anatomical variation in the autonomic nerve supply to the pelvic organs: a scoping review
No full textPelvic autonomic innervation classically originates from thoracolumbar spinal cord segments, forming splanchnic nerves that contribute to hypogastric plexuses and supply pelvic viscera. Existing anatomical descriptions emphasise macroscopic features of plexuses and nerves, yet detailed variation in autonomic pathways remains undescribed and unsynthesised. This scoping review aims to identify, collate, and categorise reported variations in the autonomic supply to pelvic organs (prevalence, patterns, measurements), clarifying the extent of anatomical variability currently available in the literature
Understanding personal, social network, and neighborhood environmental contributors to firearm access and violence among young adults experiencing homelessness
No full textThis project focuses on understanding firearm risks among young adults experiencing homelessness in St. Louis, MO and Los Angeles CA
CARBONICA: A Multi-Parameter Earth System Science Framework for Real-Time Quantification of Global Carbon Cycle Dynamics, Sink Saturation, and Planetary Self-Regulation Thresholds
No full textCARBONICA (Carbon Accounting and Regulatory Budget Observatory for Networked Integrated Carbon Assessment) is a physically rigorous eight-parameter framework for real-time quantification of global carbon cycle dynamics, natural sink capacity, and the critical threshold at which Earth's self-regulating biogeochemical systems approach saturation.
The framework integrates eight governing parameters into the Planetary Carbon Saturation Index (PCSI): (1) Net Primary Productivity (NPP), (2) Oceanic Carbon Sink Strength (S_ocean), (3) Atmospheric CO₂ Growth Rate (G_atm), (4) Permafrost Thaw Flux (F_perma), (5) Carbon Buffer Capacity / Revelle Factor (β), (6) Soil Carbon Residence Time (τ_soil), (7) Anthropogenic Emission Factor (E_anth), and (8) Photosynthetic Quantum Yield (Φ_q).
CARBONICA was validated against a 65-year observational baseline (1960–2025) spanning the Keeling Curve, GLODAP ocean carbon database, MODIS NPP satellite time series, GTN-P permafrost monitoring network, and the Global Carbon Project annual budget. The PCSI has risen from 0.31 (1960) to 0.78 (2025), with the rate of increase accelerating from 0.004/year (1960–1990) to 0.012/year (2010–2025). Under SSP3-7.0, the PCSI is projected to reach the critical 0.90 threshold between 2047 and 2053.
Submitted to Nature Climate Change, March 2026. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1899544
Adoption of Online Peer to Peer Lending as an Investment Option: A DTPB Approach
No full textThe conceptual model for the study has been developed by integrating the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) with Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) Theory (Rogers, 2003) and extending the model with constructs and demographic factors relevant in the context of online P2P lending.
The constructs from TPB have been decomposed by using the antecedent construct from DOI theory (Tan & Teo, 2000) and adding contextual constructs.
Relative Advantage, Complexity, Compatibility, Perceived Risk, Trust, and Information Quality determine the Attitude of investors towards online P2P lending (Alalwan et al., 2017; Hasan et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2020; Tan & Teo, 2000; C. Wang et al., 2019). Subjective Norms capturing the social factors (Ajzen, 2020; Rhodes & Courneya, 2003) are also determinant of P2P lending intentions. Perceived Behavioural control is determined through Facilitating Conditions (Dwivedi & Mir, 2024; Tan & Teo, 2000) and Self-Efficacy (Ajzen, 2002; Bandura, 1997; Manstead & Van Eekelen, 1998), Digital Literacy (Chang & Kuo, 2025; Reddy et al., 2023) and Financial Literacy (Ingale & Paluri, 2022; Kramer, 2016; Shih & Ke, 2014; Sivaramakrishnan et al., 2017) as antecedents to Perceived Behaviour Control (PBC). The Attitude, Subjective norms, and Perceived Behaviour Control of investors determine their intention towards online P2P lending.
Ethics committee approval has been obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC), University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India, for data collection. The approval number is UH/IEC/2025/521 dated 03-11-2025. Informed consent will be provided to the respondents about use of their responses for academic purposes only
01_protocol
No full textSystematic review protocol for the study of combined exposure to microplastics and pesticides with endocrine-disrupting potential and their association with reproductive biomarkers and tissue bioaccumulation