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OBJECTIVE: Research documents effects of skin features on assessments of age, health and attractiveness of female faces. Ethnic variation also has been reported for the impact of age-related changes in skin features on face assessments. Here, we investigate women's self-ratings across age cohorts and ethnic groups and discrepancies with (non-expert) assessor ratings of facial appearance together with age-dependent changes in skin features. METHODS: Faces of women 20-65 years from five ethnic groups (each n = 36) were imaged. Participants provided self-ratings of age, health and attractiveness, and were judged on these attributes by members of the same ethnic group (each n = 120). Digital image analysis was used to quantify skin gloss, tone evenness, wrinkling and sagging. Age-dependent changes in ratings and skin features within and between ethnic groups were assessed by comparing information from 10-year cohorts. We also tested whether menopausal status could be predicted by self-ratings, assessor ratings and image-based skin features. RESULTS: Women of all ethnic groups judged themselves younger and higher in attractiveness and health compared to third-party assessors, with the largest discrepancies for age in French women and for attractiveness and health in South African women. In Indian and South African women, specular gloss and skin tone evenness were lower compared to other participants, and sagging was higher in Indian, Japanese and South African women compared to Chinese and French women. Women's menopausal status could be predicted from assessor ratings and image-based skin features but not from self-ratings. CONCLUSION: There are differences between women's self-ratings and assessor ratings of facial appearance. These discrepancies vary with female age and ethnicity. Age and ethnicity effects also are evident in age-dependent changes in skin features within and across ethnic groups, which together with assessor (but not self-) ratings of facial appearance predict menopausal status.
OBJECTIF: l'étude documente les effets des caractéristiques de la peau sur les évaluations de l'âge, de la santé et de l'attractivité des visages féminins. Des variations ethniques ont également été rapportées en ce qui concerne l'impact des changements liés à l'âge dans les caractéristiques de la peau sur les évaluations du visage. Ici, nous étudions les autoévaluations des femmes à travers les cohortes d'âge et les groupes ethniques et les divergences avec les évaluations (non expertes) de l'apparence du visage ainsi que les changements des caractéristiques de la peau dépendant de l'âge. MÉTHODES: les visages des femmes âgées de 20 à 65 ans issues de cinq groupes ethniques (chacun n = 36) ont été examinés par imagerie. Les participantes ont fourni des autoévaluations de leur âge, de leur santé et de leur attractivité, et ont été jugées sur ces attributs par les membres du même groupe ethnique (chacun n = 120). L'analyse d'images numériques a été utilisée pour quantifier la luminosité de la peau, l'uniformité du teint, les rides et le relâchement cutané. Les changements dépendants de l'âge dans les évaluations et les caractéristiques de la peau au sein et entre les groupes ethniques ont été évalués en comparant les informations provenant de cohortes sur 10 ans. Nous avons également évalué si le statut ménopausique pouvait être prédit par les autoévaluations, les évaluations de l'évaluateur et les caractéristiques de la peau basées sur l'imagerie. RÉSULTATS: les femmes de tous les groupes ethniques se sont jugées plus jeunes et plus performantes en termes d'attractivité et de santé par rapport aux évaluateurs tiers, les plus grandes discordances concernant l'âge chez les femmes françaises et l'attractivité et la santé chez les femmes sudafricaines. Chez les femmes indiennes et sudafricaines, la luminosité spéculaire et l'uniformité du teint de la peau étaient inférieures à celles des autres participantes, et le relâchement cutané était plus élevé chez les femmes indiennes, japonaises et sudafricaines que chez les femmes chinoises et françaises. Le statut ménopausique des femmes pouvait être prédit à partir des évaluations de l'évaluateur et des caractéristiques cutanées basées sur l'imagerie, mais pas à partir des autoévaluations. CONCLUSION: il existe des différences entre les autoévaluations des femmes et les évaluations de l'apparence faciale par l'évaluateur. Ces divergences varient en fonction de l'âge et de l'origine ethnique des femmes. Les effets sur l'âge et l'origine ethnique sont également évidents dans les changements dépendants de l'âge des caractéristiques de la peau au sein et entre les groupes ethniques, qui, avec les évaluations de l'évaluateur (mais pas de l'autoévaluation) de l'apparence du visage, prédisent le statut ménopausique.
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BACKGROUND: Digit ratio (2D:4D) - the relative lengths of the index and ring finger - is sexually dimorphic (male < female), possibly because of the sex-differentiated impact of prenatal androgenization on fetal development in the 1st trimester. The sex difference remains stable with age and has been reported in children, adolescents, and adults from industrialized and non-industrialized societies. Handgrip strength (HGS) also is sexually dimorphic (males > females) and correlates negatively with 2D:4D. AIMS: To examine in a sample of young adult Tuvans from Siberia (Russian Federation): i) the association between 2D:4D measured directly from the palms with 2D:4D measured from radiographic images of the same individuals and ii) the associations between 2D:4D and HGS in Tuvan men and women. STUDY DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: The study was cross-sectional. Participants were Tuvans (n = 185; 80 men; mean age = 21.02 years). 2D:4D was measured with a caliper from the ventral surface of the palm (both hands) and from radiographic images (left hand). HGS of both hands was measured with a digital hand dynamometer. Body height and weight were measured with an anthropometer and a body composition scale. RESULTS: 2D:4D ratios and anthropometric measures (including HGS) were sexually dimorphic. Men had lower 2D:4D and higher HGS than women. Direct measures of 2D:4D correlated positively with 2D:4D measured from radiographs. Body mass index (BMI) was a significant predictor of HGS for both sexes. Male right 2D:4D and female right and left 2D:4D correlated negatively with HGS after controlling for the influence of BMI. There were no associations with radiographic measurements of 2D:4D. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide evidence of sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D among young adult Tuvans. Together with previous research on Tuvan children and adolescents, these findings provide clear evidence of 2D:4D sexual dimorphism in pre- and postpubertal Tuvans. The small negative association between 2D:4D and HGS corresponds to similar reports across populations, suggesting that 2D:4D is a weak correlate of muscular fitness.
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Dedos , Força da Mão , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Força da Mão/fisiologia , Dedos/anatomia & histologia , Dedos/diagnóstico por imagem , Adulto , Adulto Jovem , Caracteres Sexuais , Adolescente , Estudos Transversais , RadiografiaRESUMO
Many people live with disabilities and many countries worldwide are acting to provide people with disabilities opportunities to find and sustain gainful employment. Notwithstanding, people with disabilities still do not have the same access to employment as their counterparts without disabilities. Although some research has investigated these issues in Western countries, very little research has investigated these issues in the Middle East, in general, and in Saudi Arabia, in particular. The aim of the present study is to gain an initial understanding of the employment experiences of people with disabilities and prospective employers of people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia. We identify several potential obstacles preventing people with disabilities from securing and maintaining gainful employment in Saudi Arabia. We secured qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with five prospective employers and five individuals with disabilities in Saudi Arabia. We focused on identifying barriers to employment. The impact of demographic factors such as age, gender, and education on employment opportunities was also examined. The results suggest several practical conclusions and recommendations relating to improving and enhancing opportunities for employment for people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.
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Bullying among primary school students is a serious problem that often has multiple negative effects including poor academic performance and mental health problems. The current study used qualitative methodology to determine the role of communication in creating awareness and preventing bullying in a school setting through stakeholder intervention and bullying-prevention programs. If teachers are aware of bullying, then they are likely to take adequate measures to reduce or prevent future bullying. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 teachers working in public primary schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The results provide an initial step in the Saudi Arabian context toward identifying the forms and types of school bullying, helping administrators, teachers, parents, and students reduce bullying and develop long-term plans for addressing bullying. Consideration of teachers' perceptions may enable the development and implementation of new programs for addressing bullying in primary school students. The discussion highlights future research directions and the limitations of the current research.
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Humanity is now facing what may be the biggest challenge to its existence: irreversible climate change brought about by human activity. Our planet is in a state of emergency, and we only have a short window of time (7-8 years) to enact meaningful change. The goal of this systematic literature review is to summarize the peer-reviewed literature on proposed solutions to climate change in the last 20 years (2002-2022), and to propose a framework for a unified approach to solving this climate change crisis. Solutions reviewed include a transition toward use of renewable energy resources, reduced energy consumption, rethinking the global transport sector, and nature-based solutions. This review highlights one of the most important but overlooked pieces in the puzzle of solving the climate change problem - the gradual shift to a plant-based diet and global phaseout of factory (industrialized animal) farming, the most damaging and prolific form of animal agriculture. The gradual global phaseout of industrialized animal farming can be achieved by increasingly replacing animal meat and other animal products with plant-based products, ending government subsidies for animal-based meat, dairy, and eggs, and initiating taxes on such products. Failure to act will ultimately result in a scenario of irreversible climate change with widespread famine and disease, global devastation, climate refugees, and warfare. We therefore suggest an "All Life" approach, invoking the interconnectedness of all life forms on our planet. The logistics for achieving this include a global standardization of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) or similar measures and the introduction of a regulatory body for verification of such measures. These approaches will help deliver environmental and sustainability benefits for our planet far beyond an immediate reduction in global warming.
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Erectile dysfunction (ED) can have negative consequences for men and their intimate partners. The purpose of the present research was to replicate and extend the results of previous studies concerning the connections that ED has with partner-directed behaviors using a sample of heterosexual romantic couples. Specifically, we used an actor-partner interdependence mediation model to examine whether the associations that ED had with men's mate retention behaviors, partner-directed insults, partner-directed violence, and partner-inflicted injuries were mediated by suspicious jealousy, but not reactive jealousy. These associations were examined in 113 romantic couples, using men's self-reports, and partner-reports provided by their female partners. Results indicated that suspicious jealousy (but not reactive jealousy) mediated the associations that ED had with men's use of partner-directed behaviors, such that higher levels of ED were associated with men experiencing more suspicious jealousy, which, in turn, was associated with more cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors, benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors, partner-directed insults, partner-directed violence, and partner-inflicted injury. However, there were some discrepancies between the reports provided by men and women such that these associations emerged more consistently in the partner-reports provided by women than in the self-reports provided by men. Discussion addresses evolutionary implications of these findings, as well as limitations of this research and directions for research concerning ED.
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Disfunção Erétil , Heterossexualidade , Masculino , Humanos , Feminino , Ciúme , Comportamento Sexual , Parceiros SexuaisRESUMO
BACKGROUND: In Mongolian-origin ethnic groups digit ratio (2D:4D; a proxy for prenatal sex-steroids) is sexually dimorphic (males < females), as reported for other ethnicities. Most studies measured 2D:4D from soft tissue (directly from the digits, or indirectly from hand scans), or from radiographs. Evidence on the correspondence of 2D:4D measurements from soft tissue with measurements from radiographic images is scarce and has not been reported for a Mongolian-origin sample. In addition, previous research has not considered relationships between 2D:4D and measures of skeletal maturity. AIM: To examine (i) associations between 2D:4D measured directly from the palms with those obtained from radiographic images of the same individuals in a sample of children and adolescents from the Tuvan population in Siberia (Russian Federation), and ii) associations between 2D:4D measurements with chronological and skeletal age. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Participants were Tuvan boys and girls aged 7 to 18 years. 2D:4D of the right and left hand was measured from soft tissue (directly from the palm) and compared with radiographic images (left hand only). In addition to finger length 2D:4D, we examined 2D:4D of the phalanges from measurements of radiographs. Skeletal age was assessed using the Tanner-Whitehouse method. RESULTS: Sex differences (boys < girls) in measurements of 2D:4D from soft tissue and radiographs were found for total finger length and phalanges. In addition, 2D:4D measurements from radiographs correlated positively and significantly with those obtained from soft tissue. Sex predicted 2D:4D measurements from soft tissue and radiographs, but no effects of chronological/skeletal age and body height were detected. In girls (but not in boys), earlier skeletal maturity (relative to chronological age) was associated with higher 2D:4D in soft tissue measurements of both hands, radiographic 2D:4D, and 2D:4D of the proximal phalanges. CONCLUSION: Consistent with reports from other ethnic groups, 2D:4D in young Tuvans was sexually dimorphic, with boys having lower 2D:4D than girls. For girls, higher 2D:4D was found for participants whose skeletal age was more advanced than chronological age. This finding was obtained from direct soft tissue and indirect radiographic measurements. Age and body height were not associated with 2D:4D, which suggests differences in hormone developmental trajectories for 2D:4D and height.
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Razão Digital , Caracteres Sexuais , Gravidez , Humanos , Masculino , Criança , Feminino , Adolescente , Sibéria , Dedos/diagnóstico por imagem , Dedos/anatomia & histologia , Hormônios Esteroides GonadaisRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Research indicates the impact of skin colour, tone evenness and surface topography on ratings of age, health and attractiveness in women. In addition to subjective assessments, these effects have been quantified with objective measures derived from skin image analysis. Signs of skin ageing may manifest differently across ethnic groups. However, comparisons have been limited to research with two ethnic groups, preventing conclusions about an ethnicity-specific ranking of skin ageing signs. METHODS: We report results from a multi-ethnic and multi-centre study in which faces of women (n = 180; aged 20-69 years) from five ethnic groups were imaged. Facial images were rated for age, health and attractiveness by members of the same ethnic group (each n = 120). Digital image analysis was used to quantify skin colour, gloss, tone evenness and wrinkling/sagging. We assessed associations between face ratings and skin image measurements in the total sample (i.e. all ethnic groups) and separately by ethnicity. RESULTS: Skin image analysis revealed differences between ethnic groups, including skin colour, gloss, tone evenness, wrinkling and sagging. Differences in the relative predictive utility of individual skin features in accounting for ratings of age, health and attractiveness also were observed between ethnic groups. Facial wrinkling and sagging were the best predictors of face ratings in each ethnic group, with some differences in the type (or predictive magnitude) of skin features. CONCLUSION: The current findings corroborate previous reports of differences between ethnic groups in female facial skin and indicate differential effects of skin features on ratings of age, health and attractiveness, within and between ethnic groups. Facial wrinkling and sagging were the best predictors of age and attractiveness ratings, and skin tone evenness and gloss had an additional role in ratings of health.
OBJECTIF: La présente étude montre l'impact de la couleur de la peau, de l'uniformité du teint, et de la texture cutanée sur l'évaluation de l'âge, de la santé et de l'attractivité chez les femmes. En plus d'évaluations subjectives, ces aspects ont été quantifiés à l'aide de mesures objectives provenant d'analyse d'image de la peau. Les signes de vieillissement de la peau peuvent se manifester différemment selon les groupes ethniques. Cependant, les précédentes recherches se limitent à des comparaisons entre deux groupes ethniques, empêchant ainsi de conclure sur un classement des signes de vieillissement cutané par ethnie. MÉTHODE: Nous présentons les résultats d'une étude multiethnique et multicentrique dans laquelle des visages de femmes (n = 180 ; âgées de 20 à 69 ans) de cinq groupes ethniques ont été imagés. Les images des visages ont été évaluées en termes d'âge, de santé et d'attractivité par des membres du même groupe ethnique (n = 120 par groupe). Des algorithmes d'analyse d'image ont été utilisés pour quantifier la couleur de la peau, la brillance, l'uniformité du teint et les rides/affaissement de la peau. Nous avons analysé les corrélations entre l'évaluation des visages et les mesures quantitatives issues de l'analyse d'image sur la totalité de l'échantillon (c'est-à-dire tous les groupes ethniques) et séparément par ethnie. RÉSULTATS: L'analyse d'image a révélé des différences entre les groupes ethniques, notamment en ce qui concerne la couleur de la peau, la brillance, l'uniformité du teint, les rides et le relâchement cutané. Des différences dans la valeur prédictive relative des différentes caractéristiques cutanées dans l'évaluation de l'âge, de la santé et de l'attractivité ont également été observées entre les groupes ethniques. Les rides et l'affaissement du visage ressortent comme les meilleurs prédicteurs de l'évaluation pour tous les groupes ethniques, avec quelques différences dans le type (ou l'ampleur de la prédiction) des différentes caractéristiques cutanées. CONCLUSION: Les résultats actuels corroborent les rapports précédents sur les différences entre les groupes ethniques concernant la peau du visage des femmes. Ils montrent également des effets différentiels des caractéristiques cutanées sur l'évaluation de l'âge, de la santé et de l'attractivité, au sein des groupes ethniques et entre eux. Les rides et l'affaissement du visage ressortent comme les meilleurs prédicteurs de l'âge et de l'attractivité, tandis que l'uniformité et la brillance du teint jouent un rôle supplémentaire dans l'évaluation de la santé.
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Etnicidade , Envelhecimento da Pele , Humanos , Feminino , Pele , Face , Niacinamida , Percepção , BelezaRESUMO
Parenting communication and parenting style, including expressions of fear, worry, and threat, may contribute to children's anxiety and apprehension. This study examined the degree to which perceptions of parental communication (both verbal and nonverbal) and parenting style are linked with childhood anxiety. This is among the first studies to investigate these relationships in a Saudi Arabian context. We employed a sample of 121 Saudi adults who completed questionnaires measuring perceptions of 2 parenting styles (authoritative and authoritarian), parental anxiety, and childhood anxiety. Parental communication elements such as shouting, criticism, facial expression, and body expressions were included among assessments of perceived parental anxiety, authoritative style, and authoritarian style. The results indicated that perceptions of childhood anxiety were positively associated with parental anxiety but not consistently associated with other assessed variables. This research addressed perceptions of parental communication and parenting style in the development of childhood anxiety, extending upon previous research on Western samples to a Middle Eastern sample residing in Saudi Arabia.
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The present studies investigated the relationships between men's perceived risk of experiencing sperm competition (i.e., when the ejaculates of two or more men simultaneously occupy the reproductive tract of a single woman), and their use of strategies to detect, prevent, and correct their partner's sexual infidelity. We investigated these associations using self-reports provided by men (Study 1, n = 113), partner-reports provided by women (Study 2, n = 136), and dyadic reports (Study 3, n = 103 couples). The results of these studies indicated that the attractiveness of women was consistently associated with men's use of benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors (e.g., buying expensive gifts for one's partner, showing signs of physical affection) and semen-displacing behaviors (e.g., deeper copulatory thrusting, more thrusts during copulation), whereas the infidelity risk of women was often associated with men's use of cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors (e.g., threatening to end the relationship, monopolization of partner's free time). Discussion addresses the evolutionary implications of these results, including the possibility that men use both benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors and semen-displacing behaviors when they perceive their partner to be more attractive, ostensibly as a way to mitigate their risk of sperm competition. Discussion also explores the extent to which these results extend those of previous studies concerning sperm competition risk.
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Sêmen , Parceiros Sexuais , Animais , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Parceiros Sexuais/psicologia , Comportamento Sexual/psicologia , Homens , EspermatozoidesRESUMO
Psychopathic men sometimes direct sexual aggression toward prospective female partners (e.g., using sexually aggressive behavior on a first date) and such behavior may be indicative of a high mating effort strategy. Less research has investigated the role of psychopathy in men's use of sexually coercive behaviors in their intimate relationships (e.g., sexual aggression directed toward one's long-term romantic partner) or the relationship processes that might facilitate such behavior. The present study surveyed 143 heterosexual dyads to assess men's psychopathic traits and their relation to self-reports and partner-reports of men's jealousy and partner sexual coercion. Results across informant models showed that men's psychopathy was associated with higher suspicious jealousy and partner sexual coercion. Suspicious jealousy also indirectly linked men's psychopathic traits with engaging in partner sexual coercion. The findings provide novel insights using dyadic data and suggest that both psychopathy and jealousy are important for men's engagement in partner sexual coercion.
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Coerção , Ciúme , Masculino , Humanos , Feminino , Estudos Prospectivos , Comportamento Sexual , Homens , Parceiros SexuaisRESUMO
This exploratory study investigated whether factors such as gender, age, level of education, monthly income, and the number of family members are associated with verbal and non-verbal communication in Saudi Arabian families. A convenience sampling procedure was used to recruit 182 Saudi Arabian adults who responded to a self-report survey. Verbal and non-verbal communication was categorized into positive and negative communication. Descriptive and ordinal regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationships of familial variables with communication. Female gender status had a small negative association with positive communication, whereas the number of family members, level of education, monthly income, and age did not correlate with positive communication or negative communication. The Discussion section addresses the limitations of the current study and identifies several directions for future research, with special attention to the Saudi Arabian family context.
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This study explored the association of interpersonal communication style (ICS) with personal and professional growth among Saudi Arabians in the context of the work environment. It was hypothesized that different ICSs are differently associated with personal and professional growth. The participants were 143 Saudi Arabian adults, including members of both genders, who were employed, with varying incomes, and who had different education levels. The participants completed a self-report survey, assessing their ICS and their personal and professional growth in an employment context. Consistent with the hypothesis, the results indicated that different ICSs are differently associated with personal and professional growth. The controlling ICS had the strongest relationship to professional and personal growth, whereas the dynamic ICS had the weakest relationship to professional and personal growth. In the Discussion, we address the limitations of the study and identify several directions for future research, with specific reference to the Saudi Arabian cultural context.
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Comunicação , Adulto , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Arábia Saudita , Inquéritos e Questionários , Autorrelato , EscolaridadeRESUMO
Mate poaching is "behavior intended to attract someone who is already in a romantic relationship." We investigated actor and partner effects of the five-factor personality traits and the dark triad traits on several mate poaching experiences. We used actor-partner interdependence modeling with data secured from both members of 187 heterosexual married, cohabiting and dating couples from Croatia. In a round-robin design, each participant rated their own and their partner's personality traits, and their own poaching experiences. The results showed that men's lower agreeableness had the most consistent relationship with poaching experiences in both men (actor effects) and women (partner effects). The role of other personality traits from the five-factor model was limited to specific aspects of poaching. Regarding the dark triad traits, men's psychopathy and Machiavellianism were the most consistently related to poaching experiences in both men and women, whereas narcissism did not demonstrate a consistent actor or partner effect on poaching. The results showed that men's poaching is associated with their own personality traits, whereas women's poaching with their own and their partner's personality traits. We interpret the results in the context of life history theory and mate switching hypothesis.
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Maquiavelismo , Homens , Masculino , Humanos , Feminino , Heterossexualidade , Narcisismo , Casamento , PersonalidadeRESUMO
Mate retention behaviors are associated with several aspects of romantic relationships, but different categories of mate retention behaviors have divergent associations with relationship satisfaction. The present studies examined whether sexual communal strength - which refers to the motivation to meet the sexual needs of one's partner - mediated the associations that benefit-provisioning and cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors had with relationship satisfaction. We investigated the associations that mate retention behaviors had with relationship satisfaction through sexual communal strength using men's self-reports (Study 1) and women's partner-reports (Study 2). We found that sexual communal strength partially mediated the associations that mate retention behaviors had with relationship satisfaction in both studies. Benefit-provisioning mate retention behaviors had a positive indirect association with relationship satisfaction through sexual communal strength in both studies, whereas cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors had a negative indirect association with relationship satisfaction through sexual communal strength in Study 1 but not in Study 2. We explore the reasons why sexual communal strength may play an important role in the connections that mate retention behaviors have with relationship satisfaction.
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Comportamento Sexual , Parceiros Sexuais , Masculino , Humanos , Feminino , Motivação , Satisfação Pessoal , Relações InterpessoaisRESUMO
A global initiative has emerged in recent years to highlight early childhood education and care as a foundation for later learning and development. The goal of this study was to investigate the choices that Saudi Arabian parents made for their children's preschool education. In a qualitative, exploratory study, we investigated parental selection of preschool programming in Saudi Arabia. Guided by a phenomenological approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 Saudi Arabian women that had preschool-aged children. Although some research has examined the constraints and factors affecting parental selection of preschool programming, it remains unclear when these constraints and factors are considered by parents during the decision-making process, and how the decisions are made. The interviews revealed that parents consider not only educational reputation in the selection of preschool programming, but also instructional use of Arabic and English, religious foundation, teaching quality, classroom preparation, program scheduling, tuition costs, and physical security of the preschool environment. The results suggest that improving information collection is essential for empowering parents to make wise decisions, with the child's happiness and academic growth having a significant impact on those decisions. The discussion addresses the importance of identifying the factors that affect parental selection of preschool programming, so that educational professionals may better meet the needs and expectations of parents in Saudi Arabia.
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At a time when pandemics such as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spread rapidly, the deployment of online education is essential. However, to successfully leverage online education in such times, it is important to investigate learners' motivations and beliefs about online education and associated barriers as well as the role of religious and social values. To investigate these motivations and beliefs, this study included semi-structured interviews with 10 female undergraduate students. These interviews explored the perceptions of students with regard to their engagement with online learning and assessment amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia's higher education system. The findings indicate that the challenges linked to the sudden shift in learning mode and changes in assessment techniques impacted students' engagement with learning and assessment. The findings also indicate that personal challenges decreased the willingness of students to learn online, but that their beliefs about learning online were improved by the quality of online learning. The study identified that one of the most important elements of improving beliefs about online learning is open communication between students and instructors, as this contributes to shared understanding and acceptance. The results are presented and discussed in connection with current literature, research implications, and future directions.
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Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been shown to be associated with several negative aspects of intimate relationships. Our goal for the present research was to examine whether ED was associated with men's use of sexual coercion in their intimate relationships (which may include the use of physical coercion, psychological manipulation, or emotional manipulation to gain sexual access) and if perceived sperm competition risk (i.e., perceived risk of partner infidelity, which may place a man's sperm into competition with sperm from another man) played a role in this association. These associations were examined in Study 1 using self-reports provided by men (N = 202) who had a mean age of 30.48 years (SD = 5.03) and were recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). ED was found to have a large positive association with sexual coercion. However, men's self-reports did not provide support for sperm competition risk moderating the association between ED and sexual coercion, but an exploratory analysis revealed that sperm competition risk mediated this association. We attempted to replicate and extend these results in Study 2 by using partner-reports provided by women (N = 151) who had a mean age of 30.41 years (SD = 4.77) and were recruited through MTurk. Women's partner-reports provided support for sperm competition risk moderating the association between ED and sexual coercion. In addition, an exploratory analysis found that sperm competition risk also mediated the association between ED and sexual coercion, similar to Study 1. Discussion explores the implications of these results for understanding the role that sperm competition risk may play in the connection between ED and sexual coercion.
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Coerção , Disfunção Erétil , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Sêmen , Comportamento Sexual/psicologia , Parceiros Sexuais/psicologia , EspermatozoidesRESUMO
The purposes of this exploratory, qualitative research are to (a) examine the parental role in providing materials to facilitate learning and play for children with physical disabilities, and (b) identify the difficulties expressed by parents that affect the support provided to their children with physical disabilities. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 Saudi Arabian parents of children with physical disabilities to identify the parental role in providing play and learning materials as well as the challenges identified by parents in providing this support. Parents recommended that they initiate and maintain contact with other parents of children with physical disabilities and with associated organisations. Parents also recommended that teachers welcome parents to be involved in support of their children with physical disabilities, especially in the provision of play and learning materials. The authors conclude that disability awareness programs for peers and staff members may improve physical and psychological health for children with physical disabilities.
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Aprendizagem , Grupo Associado , Criança , Humanos , Saúde Mental , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Arábia SauditaRESUMO
This exploratory research investigates knowledge and beliefs about developmental dyslexia (DD) among public primary school teachers in Saudi Arabia. We explored links between several teacher-related socio-demographic variables (e.g., gender, teaching experience, self-evaluation of teaching children with DD) and knowledge and beliefs about DD. Saudi public primary school teachers (n = 136) completed an online survey that included the knowledge and beliefs about developmental dyslexia scale (KBDDS). The results indicated that KBDDS scores were significantly associated with teaching experience, DD training, and self-evaluation of teaching children with DD. We address limitations of the current research, note directions for future research, and discuss implications of these results for teacher training and professional development, with special attention to Saudi public primary education.