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Understanding Dependency in the Work of Eva Feder Kittay and Alasdair MacIntyre
No full textThis thesis offers a systematic exploration of Eva Feder Kittay’s and Alasdair MacIntyre’s perspectives on dependency, primarily through a comparison of their work in Love’s Labor and Dependent Rational Animals respectively. While Kittay and MacIntyre share what I call a “care concern” (namely, an understanding of the importance of the reality of dependency in human lives), their differing ethical frameworks of a care-ethics-informed liberalism and Aristotelian-Thomistic virtue ethics lead to different conceptions of dependency and different recommendations for responding to that reality.
In Ch. 1, I compare Kittay’s and MacIntyre’s accounts of dependency from within their ethical frameworks and argue that their attempts to integrate care concerns into ethical frameworks which do not usually contain them leads to parallel sources of potential self-contradiction. In Ch. 2, I compare the two theorists’ large-scale recommendations for responding to dependency, highlighting the ways that their central disagreement about the merits of liberalism and liberal government paves the way for their differing recommendations, specifically Kittay’s focus on governmental monetary support for dependency workers and MacIntyre’s focus on mid-sized communities. In Ch. 3, I build a conceptual framework to highlight three shared concepts in Kittay’s and MacIntyre’s interpersonal ethics: 1) uncalculating care, 2) expanded (or community-based) reciprocity, and 3) the role of the emotions and desires in moral action. I argue that these similarities provide both Kittay and MacIntyre with robust interpersonal frameworks which are responsive to our moral intuitions about care relationships and so avoid some of the pitfalls of other ethical frameworks. In Ch. 4, I ask broader questions about collaborations between ethical frameworks, using my work in this thesis as a backdrop. I put forth and illustrate three models of collaboration: 1) the critique model, 2) the learning model, and 3) the hybrid model. Finally, I use the work of this thesis to enter into conversations about the relationship between care ethics and virtue ethics. I argue specifically that care ethics cannot be subsumed under virtue ethics without losing some of its central and unique features (namely, its focus on care as the central ethical concept and its relational ontology) and that we can turn to MacIntyre’s work on traditions to investigate the relationship between an ethic which has care concerns and a care ethic
A data-centric view of LQR algorithms in continuous time
No full textMany control theorists are interested in how measurements of input and state trajectories can determine the properties of a control system, in lieu of the differential or difference equation models that usually play this role. In situations of practical interest, such models may be wholly or partially unknown, while input and state data are readily available. In the discrete- and continuous-time linear quadratic regulator (LQR) settings, this area of research has produced a proliferation of algorithms that use input and state data to solve the LQR problem, the system identification problem, or both. In different algorithms, these data and the requirements imposed on them take different forms that are not directly comparable, making it difficult to assess the relative efficiencies with which different algorithms makes use of data.
In [30], the authors show that the LQR and system identification problems are essentially equivalent in the discrete-time setting. In this thesis, we extend this result to the continuous-time setting, showing that, assuming input and state data are collected on intervals, every algorithm that solves the LQR problem requires at least as much data as system identification. From this, we show that the map from the data to the optimal gain defined by these algorithms is continuous, establishing a connection between interval data and sampled data algorithms. The possibility of using sampled data in place of interval data leads to a weaker convergence criterion on sampled data approximations, and a natural connection with numerical integration. We do some numerical experiments that show the critical importance of choosing when to make input and state measurements, and emphasize the possibility of doing so without knowledge of the system or its optimal gain
Maasai Women in Architecture: Navigating the Journey from Thorny Branches to Resilient Roots.
No full text"Maasai Architecture: Navigating the Journey from Thorny Branches to Resilient Roots" investigates the relationship between cultural preservation and the empowerment of Maasai women through architectural design. Traditional Maasai architecture, shaped by nomadic practices, communal living, and natural, local materials, is increasingly threatened by pressures from tourism, colonization, and shifting land ownership. These forces have transformed the Maasai culture and spaces surrounding them, unfortunately leaving the Maasai women with limited opportunities and spaces for growth. Historically, Maasai women have been the primary builders of their homes, with their intimate knowledge of the land and construction practices crucial for sustaining their community. However, as cultural change accelerates, this role is gradually being erased. Women’s activities are gradually being restricted to a private service, while men’s are being directed toward the wider public community. To address this, the research aims to design a space that honors Maasai heritage while creating new opportunities for women to thrive.
The project envisions a women's empowerment center that integrates Maasai culture and traditional construction techniques with modern architectural innovations to address present-day challenges and meet the holistic needs of Maasai women. By incorporating locally sourced materials and culturally significant forms, alongside modern features, the design aims to be both symbolic and functional - a space of resilience but also one that fosters empowerment. The proposed center will offer spaces for education, economic opportunities, healthcare, and community support, empowering Maasai women to adapt and succeed.
These multifunctional spaces will help the Maasai women with economical, intellectual, and emotional support. Additionally, the center will serve as a hub for cultural preservation, celebrating and passing on the wisdom and practices of Maasai women. In African culture, women’s agency and leadership is essential to passing on cultural heritage from one generation to the next. Through their creativity, knowledge, and key role in social practices and cultural expression, women are fundamental to maintaining traditions and cultural identity across the African continent.
This journey "from thorny branches to resilient roots" represents the transformation of Maasai culture and spaces—evolving to provide strength, security, and opportunity, while still remaining rooted in important cultural values. As external pressures on Maasai communities increase, this architectural project aims to preserve both the vernacular physical structures, forms and building techniques as well as the socio-cultural fabric that defines the women's identity. This vision sees Maasai women not just as passive recipients of change but as active participants in shaping their future. By embracing their cultural roots, they become the protectors of their traditions while also leading their community towards growth and innovation
Création d’une communauté de gestion des données de recherche interfonctionnelle et interinstitutionnelle : de la stratégie à la mise en oeuvre
No full textEn mars 2021, la publication de la Politique des trois organismes sur la gestion des données de recherche (gouvernement du Canada, 2021) obligeait tous les établissements postsecondaires et les hôpitaux de recherche canadiens qui administrent des subventions des trois organismes à produire et à publier leur stratégie de gestion des données de recherche (GDR) au plus tard le 1er mars 2023. Tandis qu’ils s’exécutaient et que les premières exigences relatives aux stratégies. Les établissements visés ont commencé à réfléchir à l’application de ces stratégies. Pour alimenter les conversations interinstitutionnelles et interfonctionnelles à ce sujet, un atelier de deux jours s’est tenu à l’Université de Waterloo en septembre 2023, avec le soutien du Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (CRSH). Une trentaine d’établissements de toutes tailles et d’intensités de recherche variables ont délégué trois de leurs membres représentant les bibliothèques, les technologies de l’information et les bureaux de la recherche pour prendre part à cinq conversations avec des chercheuses et chercheurs et des partenaires clés au sujet des défis et des possibles collaborations pour la mise en oeuvre des stratégies de GDR.
L’atelier a débouché sur plusieurs recommandations :
1. Communiquer clairement les attentes concernant la conformité, les exigences et la prestation des services
2. Obtenir l’adhésion de la direction de l’établissement
3. Trouver des fonds pour la GDR à l’interne
4. Accroître les effectifs et le perfectionnement à l’interne et à l’échelle nationale
5. Établir durablement une coordination, une collaboration et une intégration des services en matière de GDR à l’interne
6. Explorer les possibilités de coordination et de collaboration interinstitutionnelles, notamment en ce qui concerne le soutien aux petits établissements pour les aider à répondre aux besoins et aux exigences
7. Établir des politiques et des lignes directrices encadrant la souveraineté des données autochtones
8. Accroître la formation, le soutien et la sensibilisation en matière de GDR au sein de la communauté de recherche
9. Établir des structures nationales de soutien à la GDR pour favoriser la collaboration stratégique, ainsi qu’une définition et un vocabulaire communs
Ces recommandations s’appliquent à un large public comprenant les bailleurs de fonds, les organismes gouvernementaux en lien avec la GDR, les organismes professionnels, les consortiums universitaires, les administrations d’établissements et les communautés de recherche et de pratique.
L’atelier n’a pas apporté de réponses définitives quant à la manière dont ces recommandations devraient être mises en oeuvre; il se voulait plutôt une occasion de tisser une communauté professionnelle regroupant toutes les unités qui contribuent à la GDR afin de faciliter la mise en oeuvre de la stratégie dans leurs établissements. Toutefois, une communauté ne suffit pas. Les établissements, les organismes subventionnaires et les fournisseurs d’infrastructures doivent tous s’engager à soutenir la GDR, que ce soit par des orientations claires et opportunes, la fourniture de ressources durables, l’embauche et le développement de personnel, ou des offres de formation régulières et solides. Un financement stable (tant au niveau national qu’au niveau d’établissement) sera également nécessaire pour garantir que le soutien et les services puissent être maintenus à long terme. Le GDR est - et a toujours été – une responsabilité partagée, et toutes les parties mentionnées ci-dessus doivent s’impliquer pour que sa mise en oeuvre soit un succès au Canada.Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (611-2022-3006) || Université de Waterloo || Université de Calgary || Université d’Ottawa || Association des bibliothèques de recherche du Canada || OCLC || Compute Ontario || Alliance de recherche numérique du Canad
GYNOCENTRIC SPACE: Matrifocal Architecture in Neolithic Europe and Anatolia
No full textThis thesis explores how gynocentric values shaped architecture from the Neolithic era, focusing on four regions across Europe and Anatolia: southern Türkiye, Malta, the British Isles, and the island of Crete. These cultures shared similarities in their religious beliefs, art, and architecture, and were connected through a shared history of migration. Each culture was characterized by matrifocal social structures: societies in which women held central and respected roles within both familial and social hierarchies, often emphasizing egalitarianism. Additionally, their spiritual practices revolved around the worship of a female divinity, akin to Mother Earth. Both of these attributes deeply influenced their architectural designs, resulting in the creation of gynocentric spaces.
This thesis analyzes the architectural features of the four selected regions to uncover the defining characteristics of matrifocal architecture. In the analysis, four recurring themes have been identified, which served as the framework of this thesis. Firstly, many buildings resemble the form of the female body. These sites spatially resemble a womb, with an emphasis placed on interior spaces and voids. Several sites also mimic the rounded shapes of the belly, spine and full female body, often appearing curvilinear in shape. Secondly, Neolithic sites have an intimate relationship with the surrounding landscape. Buildings were built upon sites deemed sacred, or were oriented towards important landscape features, such as mountains, rivers, cliffs and valleys. Thirdly, Neolithic architecture reflected their cyclical view of time. Many sites align to key astronomical events, embedding solar, lunar, and stellar rhythms into the built environment. Lastly, Neolithic sites were designed to support embodied rituals. Their architectural forms reflect spiritual practices involving processions, movement, dance, and sound; experiences which fully engage the human body.
This thesis proposes alternative approaches to architectural design by highlighting the interconnection between gender, nature, spirituality, and built form. By reconsidering the ways in which architecture once carried deep symbolic and societal significance, this thesis invites a dialogue on the role of meaning in design today
Cultural Influences on Human-Robot Interaction: Effects of Robot Appearance and Control Modes
No full textThis thesis investigates how cultural differences affect human-robot interaction (HRI), with a focus on physical HRI (pHRI) in collaborative tasks. It presents two empirical studies exploring the influence of cultural background on user perceptions, comfort, and acceptance when interacting with robots. Specifically, three cultural groups were considered: Western, Middle Eastern, and Chinese.
The first study examines how the robot’s physical form—humanoid (TALOS) versus non-humanoid (MOVO)—shapes user experiences among participants from the three cultural backgrounds. Results indicate that the TALOS robot tended to be perceived as more comfortable and approachable, especially during independent tasks, possibly due to its human-like features and movements. However, cultural background played a significant role in moderating these perceptions: Western and Chinese participants responded more positively to TALOS, while Middle Eastern participants showed more caution and discomfort. Physiological data, including heart rate and galvanic skin response, indicated higher stress levels during collaborative tasks across all groups, with lower stress levels typically observed when interacting with TALOS.
The second study explores how cultural background affects user preferences for robot control modes—autonomous versus human-controlled—and their responses to robot errors. Using the Sawyer collaborative robotic arm, participants performed tasks in both modes (users were deceived in believing the modes were different, while in reality, they were the same), with an intentional error introduced during one of the interactions. Most participants preferred the autonomous mode and reported higher comfort when the robot operated independently. However, Western and Chinese participants generally demonstrated higher trust in autonomous systems, whereas Middle Eastern participants tended to exhibit greater caution, particularly following errors in the human-controlled condition. Interestingly, users were generally more forgiving of mistakes in the human-controlled condition, often attributing errors to the human operator. Physiological responses supported these observations, showing increased stress during error conditions, with Western and Chinese participants recovering more quickly than Middle Eastern participants.
Together, these studies highlight the importance of considering cultural background in the design and deployment of robots in several applications, like healthcare, rehabilitation, and industrial automation. This work aims to support incorporating cultural awareness into robotic systems, leading to the future development of more inclusive, trustworthy, and user-friendly technologies
Efficacy of a new nanoemulsion artificial tear in dry eye disease management: Study protocol for a prospective cohort study
No full text© 2025 Liao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Background
Dry eye disease (DED) is a complex ocular disorder with a significant prevalence worldwide, especially in the Asian population. This study aimed to investigate changes in dry eye symptoms and signs following regular use of a new nanoemulsion eye drop, Systane COMPLETE Multi-Dose Preservative-Free (MDPF), in patients with mild to moderate DED in the Asian population.
Methods and design
This is a prospective cohort study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06188260) that aims to recruit approximately 40 patients from the Asian population suffering from mild to moderate DED. Mild to moderate DED is defined according to the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS) II diagnostic criteria, including an Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score between 13-32, and with at least one of the following positive signs: corneal staining, Non-Invasive Tear Breakup Time (NITBUT), or osmolarity. The proposed follow-up period is 3 months. Patients undergo three assessments: baseline before using the eye drops, and follow-up visits after 2 weeks and 3 months regular use of the eye drops (four times daily). The primary outcome is the change in the OSDI score at 2 weeks.
Discussion
The results examine the dry eye symptoms before and after using the new nanoemulsion eye drop, Systane COMPLETE MDPF, in a cohort of mild to moderate DED sufferers. The findings may provide new treatment options for dry eye sufferers with significant clinical implications.InnoHK and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Alcon Research Investigator Initiated Trial grant, IIT #78522193
A User-Centered Design Approach to an Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Electronic Medical Record Encounter in Canadian Primary Care
No full textIntroduction
The Canadian primary care system serves as the first point of contact for patients entering the healthcare system and plays a crucial role in ensuring continuity of care. Primary care clinicians provide a broad range of services, including disease prevention, health promotion, diagnosis, treatment, and coordination of referrals to specialized care.
Despite the widespread adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) in primary care, their development has historically lagged in addressing the specific needs of primary care providers. For example, chronic disease management (CDM) is a core responsibility in primary care. Yet, EMRs have not evolved to incorporate native, CDM-focused tools that align with the complex, long-term nature of managing chronic conditions. With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), there is growing recognition of its potential to enhance clinical decision-making, optimize workflows, and improve patient outcomes. Despite these promising advancements, clinicians remain hesitant to adopt AI due to concerns surrounding trust, usability, and seamless integration into existing workflows.
Primary care is a complex and dynamic environment where clinicians must balance efficiency with patient-centered care, making it critical for AI systems to align with their needs rather than introduce additional cognitive or administrative burdens. Trust in AI is not inherent; rather, it is a critical factor influencing clinicians' willingness to incorporate AI-driven tools into their practice. Without trust, even the most advanced AI systems risk a lack of adoption, as clinicians must have confidence that these technologies will enhance, rather than hinder, patient care. Concerns around reliability, accuracy, and the ability to align with clinical workflows contribute to skepticism, making AI adoption a complex challenge. Clinicians also worry about unintended consequences for both patient outcomes and professional responsibility, fearing that AI-generated recommendations could lead to issues, including diagnostic errors, inappropriate treatments, or a diminished sense of clinical accountability. Additionally, broader ethical and legal uncertainties further complicate integration, as unresolved questions regarding liability, accountability, and regulatory oversight leave clinicians uncertain about the implications of relying on AI-enabled tools embedded in their EMRs. Without clear governance structures and well-defined safeguards, hesitation around AI use in healthcare will persist, underscoring the need for thoughtful design and policy development. This study investigates how a user-centered design approach can address these challenges, ensuring that AI-enabled EMR encounters enhance, rather than disrupt, the clinician’s role in primary care. Through qualitative engagement with practicing primary care clinicians in Ontario, this research explores the design considerations necessary to address the various concerns that may hinder the adoption of AI-enabled tools in primary care clinical interactions.
Methods
This research employed a user-centered design approach, incorporating a two-phase semi-structured qualitative interview process with 14 primary care clinicians practicing in Ontario. In the first phase, scenario-based interviews were conducted in which clinicians interacted with a standard EMR encounter module, allowing for the development of an initial sequence model that mapped out the typical workflow clinicians follow during patient encounters.
In the second phase, clinicians engaged with AI-enabled mock-ups with the same scenarios as the first. This mock-up included an AI-generated summary encompassing a numeric confidence score, the concept of approve/edit/decline buttons, and underlined actionable steps like selecting medications. Clinicians provided feedback on the AI-enabled EMR encounter mock-ups, highlighting aspects they liked, elements they found distracting, areas where they had reservations about AI inclusion, and other general sentiments. A thematic analysis was conducted from the qualitative interview transcripts, which informed iterative redesigns of the AI-enabled interface.
These themes were further explored with the concepts of ease of use and usefulness through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), using these concepts to structure design requirements for revised mock-ups. A second round of semi-structured validation interviews was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the redesigned AI-enabled EMR encounter, with results tabulated to capture clinician feedback. Additionally, a System Usability Scale (SUS) was administered to quantify clinicians' perceptions of the redesigned interface, providing a standardized measure of its usability and potential for adoption in primary care settings.
Results
The initial sequence model was developed to map out a clinician's typical workflow during a clinical encounter, providing a structured understanding of key interactions from patient intake and history-taking to diagnosis, treatment planning, and documentation. This model highlighted key areas in the workflow where AI could support, rather than disrupt, established workflows by aligning with real-world clinician behavior. It also helped identify inefficiencies and moments where AI could provide meaningful assistance without diminishing clinician autonomy.
Through thematic analysis, six key themes were identified, contributing to a greater understanding of how AI-enabled EMR encounters can be designed for adoption, including trust and transparency, clinician authority, workflow efficiency, complexity sensitivity, legal and ethical concerns, and human-centered design.
Clinicians approach AI with skepticism, expecting trust to be earned through high performance and transparency. They prefer AI that reinforces their authority by providing relevant, non-intrusive support rather than acting autonomously. Trust is further influenced by clarity in AI-generated confidence scores and the ability to audit recommendations. Maintaining clinician decision-making authority is essential.
AI is viewed as most beneficial when offering supportive suggestions, such as reminders or preventative care guidelines, while avoiding directive or overly prescriptive actions.
AI adoption also depends on complexity sensitivity, where clinicians favor AI-assisted recommendations in straightforward cases like uncomplicated urinary tract infections but remain cautious in complex, nuanced scenarios such as mental health visits, uncovering a potential pathway for further exploration.
Workflow efficiency and seamless integration into clinical practice are critical, with clinicians expressing their desire for AI-generated summaries that are concise, patient-centered, and structured to minimize cognitive burden. Implementing unnecessary steps or disrupting existing workflows is seen as a barrier to adoption, as clinicians emphasize their time constraints and high-volume workload, requiring minimal disruption and patient care maintaining priority.
Legal and ethical concerns also play a significant role, with clinicians expecting clarity. Clinicians express delineation between AI-generated and clinician-modified content and well-defined policies on liability auditability.
Finally, human-centered design remains paramount, with clinicians emphasizing that AI should enhance rather than replace the clinician-patient relationship. AI should be positioned to operate unobtrusively in the background, ensuring efficiency without diminishing clinical judgment or disrupting the clinician and patient interaction during a visit.
These findings directly informed the redesigned screens, with ease of use and usefulness from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) serving as guides for the redesign requirements. An "AI Assist" button was introduced, allowing clinicians to engage AI support at their discretion rather than imposing AI-driven suggestions on their workflow. This reinforced clinician autonomy and minimized cognitive burden. Additionally, color-coded delineations were implemented to clearly distinguish AI-generated content from clinician-entered data, ensuring transparency while maintaining workflow efficiency. An optional descriptive confidence score feature was incorporated, addressing varying clinician preferences by allowing them to toggle the feature on or off as needed. The language in the AI-generated summary was also adjusted to align with a more supportive narrative in contrast to an overly prescriptive tone.
These insights and the thematic analysis results guided the development of redesigned screens, positioning AI to better align with clinicians’ preferences and expectations. The redesigned screens were completed in a way that attempted to reinforce trust, reduce friction between clinicians and AI, maintain flexibility, and reinforce a clinician’s role as the decision-maker.
Validation interviews indicated that these design modifications potentially improved usability by positioning AI in the EMR encounter to better align with clinicians’ preferences and expectations, as informed by the thematic analysis, ultimately increasing the likelihood of adoption.
Conclusions
AI adoption in primary care depends on thoughtful design prioritizing reinforced clinician autonomy, high performance, and seamless workflow integration. While clinicians recognize AI's potential benefits, they remain cautious about unintended consequences. Designing AI as a supportive, rather than directive, tool is key to fostering trust and improving adoption. Future research should focus on real-world implementation, longitudinal studies on AI adoption, and regulatory frameworks that address liability and ethical considerations.
Contributions
This study contributes to the academic and practical understanding of integrating AI-enabled clinical tools in Canadian primary care EMRs. From a scientific perspective, it advances knowledge on the barriers and facilitators of AI adoption in EMRs, identifying key design principles that can encourage adoption.
From a practical standpoint, this study provides concrete design recommendations that can inform AI developers, EMR vendors, and healthcare policymakers. Additionally, this study contributes to the legal and ethical discourse surrounding AI in healthcare by highlighting unresolved questions regarding liability, data privacy, and patient consent. The findings call for regulatory frameworks that protect clinicians from undue legal risks while ensuring that AI systems are accountable, interpretable, and aligned with best medical practices.
Finally, this research offers a framework for future AI integration, emphasizing the need for context-sensitive AI models that adapt to case complexity. Through these contributions, this research informs the potential for responsible design and deployment of AI in primary care, ensuring that technology is a sustainable partner in healthcare delivery
Contextual and Individual Factors Associated with the Interpretation and Usage of Prosocial Lies
No full textLying is a complex and multifaceted aspect of human communication, often viewed as a moral or social transgression. Growing up, children are instilled with the message that it is important to be honest. However, not all lies are told for malicious purposes, and there are situations where telling a lie may be socially appropriate and provide beneficial for the recipient. Prosocial lying is defined as a type of lie that is socially beneficial and enhances the quality of social interactions by minimizing harm to others. Within everyday exchanges both children and adults use prosocial lies on a frequent basis. While there may be social benefits to using prosocial lies, overuse or inappropriate use has negative outcomes. Thus, it is important for children to know how and when prosocial lying is more/less appropriate. My doctoral dissertation examines how contextual and individual factors relate to children’s reasoning about prosocial lies. I examined this for both children’s perceptions of lies, namely, how children felt the emotions of both the lie-teller and the lie-listener may be affected by the lie, as well as children’s endorsement of lies (versus truth), that is, how likely they themselves would be to use lies in varying contexts. There were two contextual factors manipulated with my work. First, I examined the listener’s knowledge of the situation, thereby allowing my work to build upon the rich body of work that has examined children’s sensitivity to and use of others’ knowledge to guide their communication. Second, I explored the role of statement content (i.e., whether there was a reference to an opinion or to reality), building on past work that has shown children’s sensitivity to the moral weight of lies based on content. With respect to individual differences, I focused on the role of empathy in relation to perceptions/endorsement of prosocial lies, exploring whether increased sensitivity to others’ emotional states (i.e., empathy) was associated with children’s perception/endorsement of prosocial lying within certain contexts. My central focus was on the performance of school-aged children, a developmental stage chosen as children in this age range would both understand the function of prosocial lies generally and show sensitivity to the content of lies. However, to assist with understanding developmental shifts in performance, I also assessed how adults would respond on similar tasks.
Two studies were conducted with different groups of children and adults. Study 1 focused on children’s (8–11 years, N=80) and adults’ (N=192) perceptions of the emotional impact of prosocial lies (and truths) for both lie-tellers (i.e. speakers) and listeners. Participants read/heard a series of eight vignettes describing a negative event wherein a speaker says either a truth/lie (referring to their opinion or reality) to a listener who was/was not aware of the negative event. Before and after the statement was uttered, participants rated the emotions of both characters. Results demonstrated that the statement content did not affect children’s or adults’ perceptions of listener/speaker emotions. Both children and adults perceived that listeners would feel better after hearing a prosocial lie regardless of their knowledge state, suggesting that there may be a social benefit even when a prosocial lie is unlikely to deceive. However, following a lie, when listeners were unaware of the negative event (versus aware), their emotions were rated as more positive, suggesting that participants were tracking the listener’s knowledge state and using this to gauge emotional outcomes. Children with higher empathy showed better accuracy in detecting lies (when told to ignorant listeners) and adults with better empathy perceived knowledgeable listeners as feeling worse following a prosocial lie. Study 2 focused on children’s (8–11 years, N=81) and adults’ (N=218 endorsement of prosocial lies. Participants were asked to imagine themselves in scenarios involving a negative event that another person either knew or did not know about. They then rated how likely they would be to use the truth/lie statements which varied in content (referring to opinion or reality). Results demonstrated that while children endorsed statements similarly for ignorant/knowledgeable listeners, adults endorsed a greater likelihood of using a prosocial lie when the listener was ignorant of the negative event. Both age-groups indicated higher likelihood of telling a prosocial lie about an opinion versus reality. Empathy was not associated with children’s responses but was associated with adults’ communicative choices.
Across the two studies, findings provide insight into how children (and adults) incorporate information about listener knowledge and statement content into their appreciation of prosocial lies. Findings also highlight the differing role of empathy throughout development within the context of these studies. My results have theoretical implications for children’s communicative development and practical considerations for prosocial lying in general
Systematic Review on Information Systems and Their Applicability in Transitioning Small-Scale Fisheries from Vulnerability to Viability.
No full textThis study explores the application of information systems in transitioning small-scale fisheries (SSF) from their current state of vulnerability to socio-economic viability. The research employs a systematic review approach, guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, to synthesize existing literature on the topic. The theoretical foundation is built on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory, which provide insights into the adoption and diffusion of information systems within SSF. The study reviews key concepts, including SSF, vulnerability, and viability, to establish a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by fishing communities. Empirical studies are analyzed to highlight the benefits of various information systems, such as management information systems, decision support systems, data warehouses, and transaction processing systems. These systems play a crucial role in enhancing data-driven decision-making, technological adoption, and community involvement, ultimately contributing to the sustainability and resilience of SSF. Despite the reliance on secondary data, the study emphasizes the importance of integrating advanced information systems to mitigate vulnerabilities and achieve operational viability. The findings underscore the need for targeted policies, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building initiatives to support the effective implementation of information systems in SSF. This research contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable fisheries management and offers actionable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers