Weather, Values, Capacity and Concern: Toward a Social-Cognitive Model of Specialty Crop Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Risk

2021 ◽  
pp. 001391652110266
Author(s):  
Guang Han ◽  
Ethan D. Schoolman ◽  
J. Gordon Arbuckle ◽  
Lois Wright Morton

As specialty crop production has become increasingly important to U.S. agriculture, public and private stakeholders have called for research and outreach efforts centered on risks posed by climate change. Drawing on a survey of specialty crop farmers, this study explores farmers’ perceptions of climate change risks. Underlying cognitive, experiential, and socio-cultural factors hypothesized to influence farmers’ climate change risk perceptions are tested using structural equation modeling techniques. Results show that specialty crop farmers exhibit an overall moderate concern about climatic risks. The more capable and prepared farmers feel themselves to be, the less concerned they are about climate change. Farmers who have recently experienced more extreme weather events perceive climate change to present greater risks. In addition, farmers’ risk perceptions are also shaped by attitudes toward human exemptionalism and productivism values. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for outreach and future research.

Author(s):  
Maha A. Alrashed ◽  
Mutlaq B Alotaibi

This study proposes and empirically examines a revised and extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, while acknowledging the role of trust on government cloud (G-Cloud) acceptance. The study utilized a quantitative research approach to examine the research model with data collected from a survey administered to IT professionals at government agencies in Saudi Arabia. The model was tested using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that trust is a major predictor of behavioral intentions to use G-Cloud that reduces uncertainty associated with the cloud and mitigates risk perceptions on the one hand, and significantly increases the perceptions of usefulness on the other hand. Furthermore, results indicate that performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions are all significant determinants of G-Cloud acceptance. Based on the findings, the study highlights several implications for practice and suggests opportunities for future research in the field of government cloud.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2584
Author(s):  
Fe Yoo ◽  
Hye Jung Jung ◽  
Kyung Wha Oh

This study examines determinants of the consumption behavior of upcycled fashion products in China. Theoretical and empirical evidence from the upcycled fashion consumption and related literature are used to develop a model to explain consumers’ buying intention toward upcycled fashion products. Environmental consciousness, consumer knowledge of upcycled fashion fabrics, and perceived risks of upcycled fashion products are proposed as key factors (i.e., motivators and barriers) of behavioral intention toward the purchase upcycled fashion products. Hypothesized antecedents of buying intentions toward upcycled fashion are included in the theoretical model, which was tested using structural equation modeling analysis on data from a sample of 397 consumers in China. Environmental consciousness encompassed two factors and was therefore divided into environmental concerns and importance of environmentally conscious behavior. Perceived risks at the time of purchasing upcycled fashion products showed three factors: social, financial, and performance risk perceptions. After examining the impact of environmental consciousness and perceived risks on purchase intention toward upcycled fashion products, this study found that both factors had statistically significant effects on purchase intention. In addition, the study revealed that knowledge of upcycled fashion materials was mediated in the relationship to explain the impacts of Chinese consumers’ perceived importance of conscious behavior and perceived risks of upcycled fashion products on their intention to purchase upcycled fashion products. In other words, to increase the purchase intention toward upcycled fashion products, it is necessary to raise Chinese consumers’ environmental knowledge of upcycled fashion materials, while improving the importance of conscious behaviors and reducing the perceived risk. The implications of the findings for public policy and as guidelines for future research are outlined and discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Maha A. Alrashed ◽  
Mutlaq B Alotaibi

This study proposes and empirically examines a revised and extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, while acknowledging the role of trust on government cloud (G-Cloud) acceptance. The study utilized a quantitative research approach to examine the research model with data collected from a survey administered to IT professionals at government agencies in Saudi Arabia. The model was tested using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that trust is a major predictor of behavioral intentions to use G-Cloud that reduces uncertainty associated with the cloud and mitigates risk perceptions on the one hand, and significantly increases the perceptions of usefulness on the other hand. Furthermore, results indicate that performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions are all significant determinants of G-Cloud acceptance. Based on the findings, the study highlights several implications for practice and suggests opportunities for future research in the field of government cloud.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1323-1336
Author(s):  
Israt Zahan ◽  

Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. In particular, its riverine dwellers face continuous riverbank erosion, frequent flooding, and other adverse effects of climate change which makes the life of people more vulnerable. In order to assess adaptive capacity, understanding of how different households comprehend climate change is crucial. This paper aims to measure the determinants of adaptive capacityto understand the vulnerability risk among the riverbank erosion affected households. An integrated model was proposed with the constructs derived from Awareness-Ability-Action (AAA) and Socioeconomic-Sociopolitical and Institutional-Socioecological (SSS) model. A structured questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 300 participants who were affected by natural disaster specifically river erosion. The proposed research model was tested using the partial least-squares (PLS) method, a statistical analysis technique based upon structural equation modeling (SEM).The results show that the loss of farming land and all levels of riparian households impacted severely by riverbank erosion and forced into a low livelihood status, strong adaptive capacity would reduce vulnerability risk in the affected areas, community-level vulnerability measurement enhances communities understandings, build capacity, make aware, and allow them to identify appropriate locally adaptation strategies, and local level adaptation strategies may reduce the impact of such hazards on all sorts of vulnerability risk among rural households. The nature of this study may restrict its generalizability to other research settings. Future research may be necessary to validate the findings by applying this model in the vulnerability context in other developing countries. This research method and results would generate new insights with respect to planning the sustainable development goal and provide a reference for decision-making.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-185
Author(s):  
Daniela Moza ◽  
Laurențiu Maricuțoiu ◽  
Alin Gavreliuc

Abstract. Previous research established that an independent construal of the self is associated with higher self-esteem, which, in turn, is associated with increased happiness. Regarding the directionality of these relationships, theoretical arguments have suggested that self-construal precedes self-esteem and that self-esteem precedes happiness. However, most research in this area is cross-sectional, thus limiting any conclusions about directionality. The present study tested these relationships in 101 Romanian undergraduates using a 3-wave cross-lagged design with a 6-month time lag between every two waves. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that self-esteem is an antecedent of both happiness and dimensions of independent self-construal (i.e., consistency vs. variability and self-expression vs. harmony). In other words, one’s positive evaluation of self-worth precedes one’s self-perception as being a happy and independent person. The findings are discussed with respect to the theoretical and practical implications, along with limitations and suggestions for future research.


2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 334-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viren Swami ◽  
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic ◽  
Khairul Mastor ◽  
Fatin Hazwani Siran ◽  
Mohammad Mohsein Mohammad Said ◽  
...  

The present study examined conceptual issues surrounding celebrity worship in a Malay-speaking population. In total, 512 Malay and 269 Chinese participants from Malaysia indicated who their favorite celebrity was and completed the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS) as well as a range of demographic items. Results showed that the majority of Malay and Chinese participants selected pop stars and movie stars as their favourite celebrities, mirroring findings in Western settings. In addition, exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution of the CAS that was consistent with previous studies conducted in the West. Structural equation modeling further revealed that participant’s age was negatively associated with celebrity worship and that self-rated attractiveness was positively associated with celebrity worship. Overall, the present results suggest that celebrity worship in Malaysia may be driven by market and media forces, and future research may well be guided by use of the CAS.


Author(s):  
Surajit Bag

The application of multivariate techniques is mainly to expand the researchers explanatory ability and statistical efficiency. The first generation analytical techniques share a common limitation i.e. each technique can examine only a single relationship at a time. Structural Equation Modeling, an extension of several multivariate techniques is the technique popularly used today can examine a series of dependence relationships simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to provide a short review on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) being used in social sciences research. A comprehensive literature review of article appearing in top journals is conducted in order to identify how often SEM theory is used. Also the key SEM steps have been provided offering potential researchers with a theoretical supported systematic approach that simplify the multiple options with performing SEM.


Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (14) ◽  
pp. 1670
Author(s):  
Waheeb Abu-Ulbeh ◽  
Maryam Altalhi ◽  
Laith Abualigah ◽  
Abdulwahab Ali Almazroi ◽  
Putra Sumari ◽  
...  

Cyberstalking is a growing anti-social problem being transformed on a large scale and in various forms. Cyberstalking detection has become increasingly popular in recent years and has technically been investigated by many researchers. However, cyberstalking victimization, an essential part of cyberstalking, has empirically received less attention from the paper community. This paper attempts to address this gap and develop a model to understand and estimate the prevalence of cyberstalking victimization. The model of this paper is produced using routine activities and lifestyle exposure theories and includes eight hypotheses. The data of this paper is collected from the 757 respondents in Jordanian universities. This review paper utilizes a quantitative approach and uses structural equation modeling for data analysis. The results revealed a modest prevalence range is more dependent on the cyberstalking type. The results also indicated that proximity to motivated offenders, suitable targets, and digital guardians significantly influences cyberstalking victimization. The outcome from moderation hypothesis testing demonstrated that age and residence have a significant effect on cyberstalking victimization. The proposed model is an essential element for assessing cyberstalking victimization among societies, which provides a valuable understanding of the prevalence of cyberstalking victimization. This can assist the researchers and practitioners for future research in the context of cyberstalking victimization.


Assessment ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107319112199876
Author(s):  
Arpita Ghosh ◽  
Christopher R. Niileksela ◽  
Rebecca Janis

The purpose of this study was to examine the factorial invariance of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms–62 (CCAPS-62) across military background and gender identity. A sample of 2,208 military students and 2,208 nonmilitary students were chosen from a large database of university and college counseling centers. Using exploratory structural equation modeling, findings suggested the CCAPS-62 is mostly invariant across military background and gender identity. Only three item thresholds appeared to be noninvariant across groups. These results suggest comparisons of scores across military background and gender can be made. Latent mean differences across groups were also examined. After controlling for several background variables, there were some differences between males and females on subscales measuring depression, eating concerns, and generalized anxiety, but no differences between military and nonmilitary students. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 408-415
Author(s):  
Maria Rubio Juan ◽  
Melanie Revilla

The presence of satisficers among survey respondents threatens survey data quality. To identify such respondents, Oppenheimer et al. developed the Instructional Manipulation Check (IMC), which has been used as a tool to exclude observations from the analyses. However, this practice has raised concerns regarding its effects on the external validity and the substantive conclusions of studies excluding respondents who fail an IMC. Thus, more research on the differences between respondents who pass versus fail an IMC regarding sociodemographic and attitudinal variables is needed. This study compares respondents who passed versus failed an IMC both for descriptive and causal analyses based on structural equation modeling (SEM) using data from an online survey implemented in Spain in 2019. These data were analyzed by Rubio Juan and Revilla without taking into account the results of the IMC. We find that those who passed the IMC do differ significantly from those who failed for two sociodemographic and five attitudinal variables, out of 18 variables compared. Moreover, in terms of substantive conclusions, differences between those who passed and failed the IMC vary depending on the specific variables under study.


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