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Keeping one's job … but potentially losing job quality?:qualitative job insecurity as an explanatory mechanism between short-time work schemes and well-being
No full textIn Western countries, short-time work schemes (STW) are being increasingly used to protect employees from job loss during economic crises (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic). While well intended, these schemes could have a potential dark side: Based on insights from the transactional theory of stress and coping, we hypothesize (H1) that STW may contribute to perceptions of qualitative job insecurity, which in turn may relate to lower well-being (i.e. job satisfaction and psychological distress). A key strength of this study is its focus on work-related situational factors at both organization- and industry-levels (i.e., contract type, managerial position, sector of activity) that may influence employees' reactions. We hypothesize (H2) that STW may be particularly stressful for those who typically experience greater job security, as uncertainty may be more disruptive for them. These employees may feel more insecure following STW, which may later be associated with lower well-being. Structural equation modelling and bootstrapping analyses (H1), as well as multigroup analyses (H2) were conducted on data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic among Belgian employees (N = 1,840) at two points, two months apart. Results largely supported our hypotheses. This suggests that STW may have a potential dark side, particularly for individuals accustomed to greater job stability
Augustine's commentaries on the seven-day creation narrative
No full textSt. Augustine’s Confessions, the first autobiography in Western literature, is one of the most frequently studied works in the Christian tradition, but surprisingly its concluding three books, which contain Augustine’s interpretation of the seven-day creation narrative that begins the book of Genesis, are paid scant attention. The present study seeks to redress this neglect, studying the closing three books of the Confessions together with Augustine’s three other works of interpretation of the seven-day narrative (Gen 1: 1 – 2: 4a). Augustine’s preoccupation with the creation narrative derives from his experience, before his conversion to the Catholic Church, as a member of the Manichaean sect, who taught that the cosmos was the work of demonic forces. Augustine takes pains to contradict this doctrine that he had rejected when he left the sect. His first commentary on the seven-day narrative begins his treatise Two Books on Genesis against the Manichees. His definitive commentary on the Genesis passage, written after the Confessions, is The Literal Meaning of Genesis.Augustine follows the patristic fathers of the Church to interpret the literal meaning of the creation narrative as God’s creation of the cosmos from nothing, with time beginning at the creation. But he also uses an allegorical method of interpretation which derives originally from pagan interpretation of the epics of Homer and the work of the Jewish exegete Philo to interpret the creation narrative as standing for God’s founding of the Church in Christ and for Christ’s redemption and sanctification of human kind. In both his late commentaries Augustine interprets God’s rest (Gen 2: 2-3) as the blessed human’s rest in God at the end of time. Thus Augustine treats the seven-day narrative as encompassing not merely the creation of the universe, but the entire history of the cosmos, from creation through the salvation of human kind, to the eschaton. This study investigates how Augustine derives this global meaning from the Genesis text.___De Belijdenissen van Augustinus, de eerste autobiografie in de westerse literatuur, behoort tot de meest bestudeerde werken binnen de christelijke traditie. Toch krijgen de drie slotboeken, waarin Augustinus zijn uitleg geeft van het scheppingsverhaal uit Genesis, opvallend weinig aandacht. Dit onderzoek wil deze leemte vullen door deze drie laatste boeken te bestuderen in samenhang met Augustinus’ drie andere werken over het scheppingsverhaal in zeven dagen (Gen. 1:1 – 2:4a).Augustinus’ fascinatie voor dit scheppingsverhaal hangt samen met zijn verleden als lid van de manicheeërs, die er van uitgingen dat de kosmos het werk was van demonische machten. Na zijn bekering tot de katholieke kerk keerde Augustinus zich fel tegen deze leer. Zijn eerste commentaar op het scheppingsverhaal vinden we dan ook in De Genesi contra Manichaeos. Zijn definitieve uitleg schreef hij pas later, na de Confessiones, in De Genesi ad litteram.In zijn interpretatie sluit Augustinus aan bij de kerkvaders, die de schepping opvatten als Gods schepping van het heelal uit het niets, waarbij ook de tijd zelf met de schepping een aanvang neemt. Daarnaast hanteert hij een allegorische lezing, ontleend aan zowel de heidense uitleg van Homerus’ werk als aan de Joodse exegeet Philo. Volgens die lijn staat het scheppingsverhaal ook voor Gods vestiging van de Kerk in Christus en voor Christus’ verlossing en heiliging van de mensheid. In zijn latere commentaren legt Augustinus bovendien Gods rust (Gen. 2:2–3) uit als het eeuwige rusten van de mens in God aan het einde der tijden.Zo beschouwt Augustinus het scheppingsverhaal niet enkel als de oorsprong van het universum, maar als een samenvatting van de hele geschiedenis van de kosmos: van schepping, via de verlossing van de mens, tot aan de voleinding. Dit onderzoek gaat na hoe Augustinus deze allesomvattende betekenis van schepping, geschiedenis en de uiteindelijke bestemming van de mens uit de tekst van Genesis afleidt.<br/
Changes in psychological well-being across the transition to motherhood:Combining longitudinal and experience sampling methods
No full textBecoming a parent is a major life event associated with changes in psychological well-being. Existing research has often focused on the long-term development of trait well-being, leaving several gaps unaddressed. The current preregistered study employed three waves of intensive longitudinal data, including 7-day experience sampling data per wave, to investigate psychological well-being trajectories across the transition to motherhood. This approach provides novel, detailed insights into the timing of well-being changes (beyond traditional annual assessments), explores developments in different change indicators (mean-level, intraindividual variability, and individual differences), and various well-being components (affective, cognitive, and meaning in life) during this critical life transition. Following 161 first-time Dutch mothers from 20 weeks of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum, we observed increases in positive affect and meaning in life, along with decreases in life and relationship satisfaction that occurred between pregnancy and 2-3 months postpartum, with no significant changes afterward. In contrast, no significant changes in intraindividual variability in well-being (i.e., well-being fluctuations from moment to moment and day to day) were observed throughout the transition. There were both similarities and differences between the trajectories of trait and mean-state measures of different well-being outcomes, and additional exploratory analyses highlighted how various daily predictors (e.g., sleep quality, infant crying) became more (or less) important for mothers' well-being as they moved across the transition. The present study contributed to a better understanding of how the changes in a broad range of well-being components and other parameters unfold across the transition to motherhood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).</p
An adaptive network model of the interplay of synchrony and adaptation for reliving memory and religious experience through multimodal interaction
No full textDuring a group worship session, through intersensory facilitation participents can experience interpersonal synchrony. In addition it may occur that seemingly forgotten memories are suddenly relived and religious experiences come up. This paper addresses the question whether a higher-order adaptive network model can enhance our understanding of such an interplay of interpersonal synchrony and the mentioned phenomena. In the developed adaptive dynamical system model, feeling of togetherness and oneness was modelled making use of synchrony detection states. The felt presence of God was modelled through a mental God-model. The improvements in cognition perceived were modelled by introducing adaptivity of certain connections between cognitive states. The subsequent simulation provided a closer look into the inner workings of the interplay of the mechanisms involved. It was found that synchronization suddenly intensifies after some time of mutual adaptation resulting in improvements in cognition of the cognitive impaired participant
Exploring the role of time in service: a mapping review based on temporal orientations and their cognitive actions
No full textPurposeThis study enhances the clarity on the current state of empirical service research on subjective time by distinguishing between intrasubjective and intersubjective time orientations and three related cognitive actions: time travel, time perception, and time interpretation. This highlights how subjective time influences key service phenomena, including customer experience, engagement, value co-creation, and well-being.Design/methodology/approachA mapping review of 10 major service research journals was conducted to assess how temporal orientations and their cognitive actions were represented in empirical service research.FindingsThis review contributes to an in-depth understanding of how time-in-service research is evolving from a purely objective orientation to recognizing the complexity of subjective time in its intrasubjective and intersubjective orientations. It identifies a significant focus on intrasubjective time, particularly in relation to customer experience. However, the potential for intersubjective time in service interactions has been overlooked, opening new research and managerial opportunities. This study also reveals the fragmented terminology in time-related research, which hinders theoretical development and cross-study comparisons.Practical implicationsService practitioners and managers should be aware that actors such as customers and service providers not only perceive but also interpret time differently based on their past, present, and projected future experiences. Service designs should prioritize adaptability, enabling adjustments that align with customers’ evolving temporal needs and expectations.Originality/valueThis is the first comprehensive synthesis and research agenda on the role of subjective time and its implications for service research
An evaluation of environmental tax in China
No full textChina has implemented a series of environmental tax measures that can be utilized to achieve its dual carbon goals of reaching peak carbon emissions by2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. These include environmental taxes on pollution and resources as well as tax incentives to encourage environmentally friendly activities. While they have shown positive effects in reducing pollution and encouraging technological innovation, they also present significant limitations including regional disparities, high compliance burdens, and insufficient ex-ante and ex-post evaluation mechanisms. This article provides a comprehensive qualitative legal analysis of China’s existing environmental tax measures. It evaluates both positive impacts and limitations of key instruments including the environmental protection tax (EPT), the resource tax, and various environmental tax incentives. The analysis highlights that, while these tax measures contribute to environmental sustainability, the system remains fragmented and under developed in several aspects. This article concludes with policy recommendations focused on establishing a comprehensive legal framework, improving tax administration, and strengthening legal evaluation mechanisms to ensure that China’s environmental tax system effectively supports its long-term ecological and economic objectives
Comparing the utility of a clinical staging approach and the DSM-5 in diagnosing personality disorders among older adults
No full textClinical staging may provide a valuable alternative to the limitations of categorical diagnostic models like the DSM-5 for mental disorders. However, research on the clinical utility of staging models on mental disorders is limited, particularly in comparison to the DSM-5, which hinders the implementation of staging models in clinical practice. The limitations of categorical models are even more pronounced in older adults, as personality disorders (PDs) may manifest differently later in life, potentially leading to over- or underdiagnosis when relying on the DSM-5.Aim: This study compared the clinical utility of a clinical staging model (CSM) with the DSM-5 for diagnosing PDs in older adults from the perspective of clinicians.Method: Thirty-four Dutch participants, including psychiatrists, geriatricians, psychologists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners (PNP), completed an online questionnaire featuring an introduction to the CSM and the assessment of 2 fictional vignettes. Each vignette represented different stages of PDs and was evaluated using both the CSM and the DSM-5. Participants rated their experiences across 6 domains for both models.Results: The clinicians rated the clinical utility of the CSM significantly higher than that of the DSM-5 across all domains, with 55.9% preferring the CSM, 32.8% opting for both models, and 11.8% preferring the DSM-5 in clinical practice.Conclusions: These findings suggest that the CSM may be a valuable addition to the diagnosis of PDs in older adults. This highlights the need for further research into its clinical application and the general utility of staging models
