1,721,033 research outputs found
The Diorama project: development of a tangible medium to foster STEAM education using storytelling and electronics
No full textTechnological affordances of video streaming platforms : why people prefer video streaming platforms over television
Full text linkThis article investigates to what extent technological affordances are associated with people's preference for video streaming platforms over traditional television services. Such affordances refer to properties of these platforms (including personalized recommendations and easy-to-navigate interfaces) that provoke certain uses of the technology and satisfy social and psychological needs. Based on a quantitative study of 25–50-year-olds in Belgium ( N = 596) and a hierarchical regression analysis, the study builds further on the conceptualization of technological affordances as presented in the MAIN model, which suggests that four affordances (Modality, Agency, Interactivity and Navigability) are central to digital media technology. As such, the study presents an affordance-based measure of video streaming platforms, and helps to understand how video streaming technology shapes new patterns of audiovisual consumption and enhances the viewing experience beyond that of traditional television. Whereas most research attention has focused on user-oriented gratifications of video streaming platforms, this study addresses a gap in the literature by dealing with platform-oriented gratifications of video streaming platforms
User consultation during the fuzzy front end: evaluating student’s design outcomes
No full textIn this paper we evaluate the involvement of a partially blind user as lead user in the early stages of a product redesign during an undergraduate product design-engineering course. Throughout the early stages of product design, or fuzzy front end, there is a high level of uncertainty. End users, with their increased contextual knowledge can play an important role in this process, improving decision-making. Yet limited research has thus far been done on user types for involvement and concept generation efficiency. To study whether end user involvement will impact results, a group of students were given consults from a partially blind end user. Using a panel of four judges, we evaluate the results. We find no significant differences in the feasibility, user value or originality of the concepts created by students who received a user consult. We discuss these findings within the context of user involvement in design engineering education
Self-consumption rises due to energy crises? An evaluation of prosumers' consumption behavior in 2022
No full textThis work was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program project NUDGE under grant agreement no. 927012. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Werner Neumeier and Dorina Rauth from the energy solution supplier beegy and Johanna Isenhuth from the utility MVV Energie AG for carrying out the field experiment, as well as the anonymous participants
Why do people turn down the heat? Applying behavioural theories to assess reductions in space heating and energy consumption in Europe
No full textReducing heating-related energy consumption is vital in Europe, where it accounts for a significant portion of domestic energy usage. We studied the factors that influence reduced heating-related consumption by using three theoretical frameworks: the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Value Belief Norm theory, and the Prototype Willingness Model. Our sample consisted of 3098 people from 29 European countries. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to verify whether our observed variables measure our latent factors, followed by a structural equation model that incorporated these three behavioural models. We find that perceived behavioural control, subjective norms and attitudes (as part of the Theory of Planned Behaviour) are significant predictors of intent to reduce consumption. However, perceived behavioural control was not statistically significantly associated with behaviour. Environmental concern had a more significant influence on attitudes towards energy reduction than bill consciousness. Attitude was additionally significantly associated with fear of losing comfort and energy knowledge. Moreover, personal moral norms (as part of Value Belief Norm Theory) and willingness (as part of the Prototype Willingness Model) contributed to explaining the intent to reduce consumption, while willingness was also associated with behaviour
Employee acceptability of wearable mental workload monitoring in industry 4.0 : a pilot study on motivational and contextual framing
No full textWho wants to join a renewable energy community in Flanders? Applying an extended model of Theory of Planned Behaviour to understand intent to participate
No full textRenewable energy communities (RECs) are citizens, SMEs or local governments who collectively invest, produce and use local renewable energy, with private citizens controlling a majority stake. As part of efforts to increase the share of sustainable energy production, RECs could play an important role. However, barriers to participation remain. Given their importance within RECs, it is of interest to understand what determines citizen’s intent to participate in a REC. Using an extended model of Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, we examined the impact of attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control on people’s intent to participate in a REC in Flanders, Belgium. We include several antecedents of both perceived behavioural control, attitude and intent, including economic, social, behavioural and attitudinal variables. Using structural equation modelling, data of 727 participants are analysed. Our results indicate that attitude and subjective norms are both strong predictors of intent, while perceived behaviour has a significant, but modest impact. We additionally find significant relationships between attitudes towards renewable energy, environmental concern, financial gain and willingness to change behaviour and attitude towards renewable energy communities. We discuss our results in light of previous work in this domain and formulate recommendations for increasing REC participation
Employee acceptability of wearable mental workload monitoring : exploring effects of framing the goal and context in corporate communication
No full textDevelopment of wearable mental workload (MWL) measures thrives, especially as leveraged by Industry 4.0. When employees object to wearing such gauges; however, research efforts might end up redundant. Based on self-determination and communication theories, this study assumed that employees’ acceptability of wearable MWL-monitoring is shaped by
framing characteristics in corporate communication. Specifically, we hypothesized that acceptability depends on how (1)
the technology’s goals and (2) context of implementation is framed. A pilot study (N = 150) revealed that framing wearable
MWL-monitoring in terms of serving intrinsic goals (e.g., improving health) in an autonomy-supportive context (e.g.,
allowing discussion) induced a higher employee acceptability, compared to framing the technology in terms of serving
extrinsic goals (e.g., increasing productivity) in a controlling context (e.g., mandating use). A subsequent pre-registered
study (N = 350) could, however, not replicate this result. Instead, higher acceptability was associated with higher technology readiness, lower education levels, and being a woman (for the trust component of acceptability). Independent of conditions, mean acceptability, interestingly, panned out neutral. The current work is thereby the first exploring the complexities of employee acceptability of wearable MWL-monitoring and, based on open-ended questions, finally suggests that privacy management might be the most pivotal explanatory variable
Exploring the decision-making process behind illicit drug use at music festivals
No full textBackground: Illicit substance use is common at music festivals. One could question whether festival attendees deliberately plan to take drugs at such events or whether their illicit (poly)drug use is provoked by specific circumstances, such as the presence of peers or a general belief that others are using drugs at the festival. Objectives: The present study implemented the prototype willingness model, which is a model that assesses whether illicit drug use at music festivals is rather a rational or a more spontaneous decision-making process. Results: A three-wave panel survey was conducted, questioning festival attendees before (n = 304, 60.86% males), during, and after music festival visits. In total, 186 people (59.68% males) between 18 and 55 years (M = 27.80 years; SD = 8.19) completed all three surveys, of which 62.9% had taken one or more different illicit substances at the festival. Positive attitudes toward illicit drug consumption were most firmly related to attendees' intentions to take drugs at festivals. Additionally, the more festival visitors identified themselves with the prototype of an attendee using drugs, the more likely they were to be willing to use them. The perceived presence of illicit substances at such events was also strongly related to the actual behavior. Conclusion: The findings suggest that illicit drug use at music festivals relates to both a rational choice and an unplanned one
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