Plastic consumption and the subsequently produced plastic waste is a global threat to humanity. People’s voluntary motivation to reduce their plastic consumption is one key factor to reduce the overall level of plastic waste. The paper at hand analyses the predictive power of the goal-striving reasons framework for subjective (self-reported) and objective (actual) plastic consumption of UK households. Employing the goal-striving reasons framework provides a conceptually new way of looking into people’s voluntary motivation for reducing plastic waste based on people’s most important, idiosyncratic actions they engage in to reduce plastic waste. Based on N = 237 participants (main shopper of the household) the study found, using multiple regression analyses, that positive consequences, as well as the interaction of positive consequences with pleasure, predict people’s subjective plastic waste consumption. Moreover, people’s self-reported subjective plastic waste significantly relates to objective plastic waste…
In today's digital landscape, fake news undermines academic integrity and critical thinking skills in higher education. Our research project uses Large Language Model (LLM) technology to develop ChatGPT for detecting fake news, aiming to mitigate misinformation's spread in academic and societal contexts. Our LLM-based model effectively detects misinformation across languages and scenarios. While results are promising, there's room to expand dataset diversity and refine complex pattern detection. This work highlights AI's role in enhancing information literacy and preserving academic integrity.
An interview with Janine Bradbury about her ignitionpress pamphlet Sometimes Real Love Comes Quick & Easy.
An interview with Eric Yip about his ignitionpress pamphlet Exposure.
Self-concordance theory and the goal-striving reasons framework both measure the quality of people’s reasons for their goal pursuits. Both have provided substantial evidence for their predictive power for people’s well-being. However, it remains unclear which of the two goal-reason models is the better predictor for different forms of well-being. The paper analyses the distinct relationships of the two models in relation to hedonic well-being (Subjective Well-Being, Life Satisfaction, Affect Balance) and indicators of eudaimonic well-being (Basic Need Satisfaction, Purpose and Self-Acceptance). The findings are based on a cross-sectional, correlative research design based (N = 124). Using multiple regression analyses the results show that the goal-striving reasons framework is overall more strongly associated with hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. However, the differences for hedonic well-being as well as for self-acceptance and purpose are much larger than they are for the three basic needs of autonomy, com…
This is a report of the evaluation of the post-implementation phase of the Thames Valley Hospital Navigator Scheme. the report illustrates how the Navigator model provides a valuable early intervention pathway for young people presenting in the ED with a range of challenging issues. There are four aspects to the evaluation: a document review, a scheme-wide audit, a case description review, and interviews with stakeholders across the scheme: commissioners, hospital managers, ED staff, VCSO managers, Navigator Co-ordinators, Navigator Volunteers, young people, and parents. This report provides brief summaries of the key findings from the evaluation datasets. There are 8 sections in the report: Section 1 sets the scene for the scheme. Section 2 presents the quantitative findings from an audit across the 5 sites. Section 3 foregrounds accounts from young people who have benefitted from the scheme. Section 4 presents an integrated delivery model that can inform the implementation of similar schemes. S…
An interview with Eira Murphy about her ignitionpress pamphlet Whetstone.
'while gazing at a smack of moon jellies at the Monterey Bay Aquarium': a reading of a poem by Janine Bradbury from her ignitionpress pamphlet Sometimes Real Love Comes Quick & Easy.
Effective public space design hinges on robust interactions between its form (shape, size, access) and the dynamics of public life. Yet, designing spaces conducive to public life is complex, influenced by evolving factors such as culture, age, gender, sociology, and psychology. Subsequently, public spaces can often be removed from public life, contributing to declining civic engagement and the emergence of an increasingly individualised society (Gehl and Svarre, 2013). Additionally, competing demands for mobility and transit further diminish the sociability of public spaces, fostering a trend where social interactions increasingly occur in privatised spaces (Gehl, 2010). Oxford City Centre faces a culmination of these challenges, identified with a deficit of well-designed public spaces serving as a locus for public life (Oxford City Council, 2022), lacking bespoke design solutions. This research applies the 'third place' theory (Oldenburg, 1989) to encapsulate public life and its relationships with spaces th…
It is forecast that by 2050, 153.8 million people will be living with dementia worldwide. Understanding effective interventions is key to building, delivery and maintaining sustainable excellence in dementia care. First conceptualised in 2003, Namaste Care is a multimodal intervention that focuses on sensory stimulation to improve quality of life. The core principles of Namaste Care are creating a calm environment, providing loving touch and engaging the senses. This literature review was conducted to consolidate evidence for the benefits of implementing Namaste Care. Four themes were identified; behavioural benefits, improved quality of life, physical benefits and institutional benefits. This review concluded that Namaste Care can reduce agitation, increase communication, strengthen relationships, improve wellbeing, provide health benefits, influence care culture, enable respite and support organisational improvements.