Linguistic framing effects in business and refugee aid contexts: A replication and extension of Cooley et al. (2017).

Cooley et al. (2017) found that subtle shifts in linguistic framing can enhance the amount of "mind" perceived in a target, and in turn increase feelings of sympathy toward that target. The four studies reported here evaluated whether these findings generalize to different populations and contexts. The first two studies served as conceptual replications in a different participant population (university students, instead of mTurk workers), and found results largely consistent with Cooley et al.'s (2017): the group composition frame ("15 individuals who work for a small accounting company") evoked greater perceptions of experience and agency, and more sympathy for the target, than the group frame ("a small accounting company comprising 15 people"). Studies 3 and 4 tested whether the group composition technique would lead to similar persuasive outcomes (increased mind perception, helping, and donations) in a refugee aid context and found only limited evidence that it might. These inconclusive findings were likely complicated by both the liberal skew of the sample and the strong impact of political identity on responses to the politically charged topic of refugees. For the purposes of practical application, an expanded understanding of boundary effects can help provide a better sense of when, why, and on whom the use of adjusted linguistic frames is most likely to be effective. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Victim Number Effects in Charitable Giving: Joint Evaluations Promote Egalitarian Decisions.

Studies of victim number effects in charitable giving consistently find that people care more and help more when presented with an appeal to help an individual compared with an appeal to help multiple people in need. Across three online experiments (N = 1,348), Bayesian estimation revealed the opposite pattern when people responded to multiple appeals to help targets of different sizes (1, 2, 5, 7, and 12). In this joint evaluation context, participants donated more to larger groups, when appeals were presented in both ascending order (Study 1) and random order (Study 2). The pattern held whether or not participants saw an overview of all appeals at the start of the study and when a single individual was added to the array (Study 3). These results clarify how compassion fade findings typical of separate evaluations may not generalize to contexts in which people encounter multiple appeals within a short temporal window.

Behavioral Indicators of Drug Carrying in Open Spaces.

This article identifies and describes a set of behavioral indicators associated with illegal drug carrying in public spaces. Through the use of focus group data, our research documents and translates the visual search techniques that veteran law enforcement and drugs experts report using in their work. Here, we catalogue these findings into 10 overarching categories, and discuss how each indicator may be incorporated into an officer's visual search. Knowledge of these indicators, when combined with proper training and an understanding of a public space, can help law enforcement identify persons who may be carrying drugs. The ability to identify drug-carrying individuals facilitates the interdiction and apprehension of offenders, and also protects the civil rights and liberties of the law-abiding public.

Clergy Views on a Good Versus a Poor Death: Ministry to the Terminally Ill.

BACKGROUND: Clergy are often important sources of guidance for patients and family members making medical decisions at the end-of-life (EOL). Previous research revealed spiritual support by religious communities led to more aggressive care at the EOL, particularly among minority patients. Understanding this phenomenon is important to help address disparities in EOL care. OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to explore and describe clergy perspectives regarding "good" versus "poor" death within the participant's spiritual tradition. METHODS: This was a qualitative, descriptive study. Community clergy from various spiritual backgrounds, geographical locations within the United States, and races/ethnicities were recruited. Participants included 35 clergy who participated in one-on-one interviews (N = 14) and two focus groups (N = 21). Semistructured interviews explored clergy viewpoints on factors related to a "good death." Principles of grounded theory were used to identify a final set of themes and subthemes. RESULTS: A good death was characterized by wholeness and certainty and emphasized being in relationship with God. Conversely, a "poor death" was characterized by separation, doubt, and isolation. Clergy identified four primary determinants of good versus poor death: dignity, preparedness, physical suffering, and community. Participants expressed appreciation for contextual factors that affect the death experience; some described a "middle death," or one that integrates both positive and negative elements. Location of death was not viewed as a significant contributing factor. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding clergy perspectives regarding quality of death can provide important insights to help improve EOL care, particularly for patients highly engaged with faith communities. These findings can inform initiatives to foster productive relationships between clergy, clinicians, and congregants and reduce health disparities.