Esther Marin-Alvarez, Sonia Carcelen-Garcia, María Galmes-Cerezo
The web was conceived in 1997 with the goal of universal accessibility. However, it still presents obstacles for users with diverse abilities. Although interactions in digital environments have improved the quality of life for many people, they remain a source of limitations and frustrations, up to twice as much for users with total visual impairment, which is commonly known as blindness. This article emphasizes the need to provide designers and developers with methodologies and tools that consider users with different abilities in all stages and from the beginning of the design, redesign, and development of digital products and services on the web, collecting their needs and goals and delving into their reactions and emotions. While an approach based on persona archetypes can optimally represent each group of users with disabilities throughout website design processes, serving as a communication and empathy tool for development teams and stakeholders, it is essential that this tool considers all dimensions involved in the experiences of people with disabilities. This conceptual paper develops a methodology that provides designers with a persona tool that effectively captures the goals and emotions of these users in their interaction with the web. This methodology proposal is multidimensional and holistic. It addresses conscious and subconscious dimensions, combines traditional user experience and neuroscientific techniques, focuses on total visual impairment, the most challenging in digital environments, and makes it adaptable to other disabilities.
{"title":"A Holistic and Multidimensional Methodology Proposal for a Persona with Total Visual Impairment Archetype on the Web","authors":"Esther Marin-Alvarez, Sonia Carcelen-Garcia, María Galmes-Cerezo","doi":"10.3390/soc14070102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070102","url":null,"abstract":"The web was conceived in 1997 with the goal of universal accessibility. However, it still presents obstacles for users with diverse abilities. Although interactions in digital environments have improved the quality of life for many people, they remain a source of limitations and frustrations, up to twice as much for users with total visual impairment, which is commonly known as blindness. This article emphasizes the need to provide designers and developers with methodologies and tools that consider users with different abilities in all stages and from the beginning of the design, redesign, and development of digital products and services on the web, collecting their needs and goals and delving into their reactions and emotions. While an approach based on persona archetypes can optimally represent each group of users with disabilities throughout website design processes, serving as a communication and empathy tool for development teams and stakeholders, it is essential that this tool considers all dimensions involved in the experiences of people with disabilities. This conceptual paper develops a methodology that provides designers with a persona tool that effectively captures the goals and emotions of these users in their interaction with the web. This methodology proposal is multidimensional and holistic. It addresses conscious and subconscious dimensions, combines traditional user experience and neuroscientific techniques, focuses on total visual impairment, the most challenging in digital environments, and makes it adaptable to other disabilities.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"354 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141519189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
WASTA, a word widely used in Arab society, implies using people’s connections to generate mutual advantages. WASTA is rooted deeply in the culture of Arab societies and has a double effect that stimulates a continuous argument. On one hand, WASTA is considered a valuable social practice that optimizes social bonds and dual support to improve the overall quality of life (QoL) for all parties. In contrast, WASTA is regularly criticized for extending inequality and corruption in the community, which might worsen QoL, taking into consideration the mediating impacts of religiosity. This paper investigated the dual effects of WASTA on QoL and the mediating role of religiosity in Arab societies. Three hundred and ninety small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) owners in Saudi Arabia participated in a self-structured questionnaire that was analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results showed that the appearance of some dimensions of WASTA in Arab societies can optimize QoL. At the same time, other elements can worsen the QoL of the participating parties, but the adverse effect can be mitigated when religiosity is a mediator. These results suggest that WASTA can act as a positive connection method in Arab societies when accompanied by religiosity but can accelerate corruption in its absence; several practical and theoretical implications were discussed and elaborated.
{"title":"WASTA in Arab Societies: Optimizing or Worsening Quality of Life? The Role of Religiosity","authors":"Ibrahim A. Elsaher","doi":"10.3390/soc14070101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070101","url":null,"abstract":"WASTA, a word widely used in Arab society, implies using people’s connections to generate mutual advantages. WASTA is rooted deeply in the culture of Arab societies and has a double effect that stimulates a continuous argument. On one hand, WASTA is considered a valuable social practice that optimizes social bonds and dual support to improve the overall quality of life (QoL) for all parties. In contrast, WASTA is regularly criticized for extending inequality and corruption in the community, which might worsen QoL, taking into consideration the mediating impacts of religiosity. This paper investigated the dual effects of WASTA on QoL and the mediating role of religiosity in Arab societies. Three hundred and ninety small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) owners in Saudi Arabia participated in a self-structured questionnaire that was analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results showed that the appearance of some dimensions of WASTA in Arab societies can optimize QoL. At the same time, other elements can worsen the QoL of the participating parties, but the adverse effect can be mitigated when religiosity is a mediator. These results suggest that WASTA can act as a positive connection method in Arab societies when accompanied by religiosity but can accelerate corruption in its absence; several practical and theoretical implications were discussed and elaborated.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141519264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This research is concerned with individuals’ symbolic interactions with the Charging Bull statue. We chose this statue because it is an extremely popular tourist attraction and the most visited nonhuman statue in New York City. However, there is no research devoted to understanding how visitors interact with the statue. To fill this gap in the literature, we examine people’s interactions as a unique way of communicating with the Charging Bull statue in New York City through a photo analysis approach. Using the general framework of symbolic interactionism, the paper investigates poses, gestures, and more generally interactions of individuals near or with the statue to gain insights into the impact of the Charging Bull beyond a mere visual representation. The findings reveal various forms of interaction, including souvenir photography, active participation, unexpected interactions, and public-made symbolism. This study of these interactions contributes to the literature on collective memory and the study of statues. Additionally, this research highlights the inventiveness of the dynamic relationship between individuals and statues as symbols in the urban environment.
{"title":"Collective Memory, Visual Communication, and Symbolic Interactions with Statues: The Case of the Charging Bull of Wall Street","authors":"Annosha Mubasher, Tim F. Liao","doi":"10.3390/soc14070097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070097","url":null,"abstract":"This research is concerned with individuals’ symbolic interactions with the Charging Bull statue. We chose this statue because it is an extremely popular tourist attraction and the most visited nonhuman statue in New York City. However, there is no research devoted to understanding how visitors interact with the statue. To fill this gap in the literature, we examine people’s interactions as a unique way of communicating with the Charging Bull statue in New York City through a photo analysis approach. Using the general framework of symbolic interactionism, the paper investigates poses, gestures, and more generally interactions of individuals near or with the statue to gain insights into the impact of the Charging Bull beyond a mere visual representation. The findings reveal various forms of interaction, including souvenir photography, active participation, unexpected interactions, and public-made symbolism. This study of these interactions contributes to the literature on collective memory and the study of statues. Additionally, this research highlights the inventiveness of the dynamic relationship between individuals and statues as symbols in the urban environment.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"68 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141504997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Inmaculada Rodríguez-Cunill, Juan José Domínguez-López, Sonia Carlos-García
The perception of the concept of Eros has evolved through shared cinematic experiences, to the point of shaping collective imagery in Cadiz, Spain. This city is known for its creativity and an extraordinary amount of performances during the period of carnival, and is represented annually by anonymous citizens. The research method employed consisted of an exhaustive analysis of bibliographic, press, and archival references on audience behavior from the introduction of the cinematograph to the present day. The authors have designed a table that organizes the emergence of movie theaters in the city and completed the background information, delving into the historical, geographical, and idiosyncratic factors that have contributed to collective creativity in the city. From there, we analyzed the evolution of the concept of Eros through the perspectives of Byung Chul Han and Georges Bataille. As a result, we recovered the value of projection interruptions in the analog environment as an opportunity for collective interaction, confronting them with the demands of technological perfection. We demonstrated the resilience of the analog through new experiences that show the evolution of the need for collective contact. Future studies will focus on other contexts, such as supermarkets and terraces, to contribute to a broader understanding of urban spaces, social cohesion, and perceptions of Eros.
对 "爱神 "这一概念的认识是在共同的电影经历中逐渐形成的，并在西班牙加的斯形成了集体意象。这座城市以其创造力和狂欢节期间的非凡表演而闻名，每年都有匿名市民参加。所采用的研究方法包括详尽分析从电影胶片问世至今有关观众行为的书目、新闻和档案资料。作者设计了一个表格，对城市中电影院的出现进行了整理，并完成了背景资料的撰写，深入探讨了促进城市集体创作的历史、地理和特殊因素。在此基础上，我们从 Byung Chul Han 和 Georges Bataille 的视角分析了 "爱神 "概念的演变。因此，我们发现了模拟环境中的投影中断作为集体互动机会的价值，并将其与完美技术的要求对立起来。我们通过新的体验展示了模拟技术的复原力，显示了集体接触需求的演变。未来的研究将侧重于其他环境，如超市和露台，以促进对城市空间、社会凝聚力和爱神观念的更广泛理解。
{"title":"The Perception of Eros and the Cinema Audience Experience in Cádiz (Spain)","authors":"Inmaculada Rodríguez-Cunill, Juan José Domínguez-López, Sonia Carlos-García","doi":"10.3390/soc14070096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070096","url":null,"abstract":"The perception of the concept of Eros has evolved through shared cinematic experiences, to the point of shaping collective imagery in Cadiz, Spain. This city is known for its creativity and an extraordinary amount of performances during the period of carnival, and is represented annually by anonymous citizens. The research method employed consisted of an exhaustive analysis of bibliographic, press, and archival references on audience behavior from the introduction of the cinematograph to the present day. The authors have designed a table that organizes the emergence of movie theaters in the city and completed the background information, delving into the historical, geographical, and idiosyncratic factors that have contributed to collective creativity in the city. From there, we analyzed the evolution of the concept of Eros through the perspectives of Byung Chul Han and Georges Bataille. As a result, we recovered the value of projection interruptions in the analog environment as an opportunity for collective interaction, confronting them with the demands of technological perfection. We demonstrated the resilience of the analog through new experiences that show the evolution of the need for collective contact. Future studies will focus on other contexts, such as supermarkets and terraces, to contribute to a broader understanding of urban spaces, social cohesion, and perceptions of Eros.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141504998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriel Gomes Moreira, Robério José Rogério dos Santos, Victor Diogho Heuer de Carvalho, Francisco José Peixoto Rosário, Agnaldo José dos Santos
Regional innovation systems (RISs) can stimulate knowledge sharing and collaboration, attracting investments and promoting economic and social progress. This is often linked to what is known as frugal innovation, involving small businesses developing and selling sustainable, low-cost products that meet local needs. This study aims to present and apply a model to measure regional innovation potential, using a multicriteria approach based on the principles of frugal innovation (FI). The analytical hierarchical process (AHP) was used to generate factor weights, enabling score calculation to provide insights into FI potential on a literature-based five-point scale. Data were collected in two stages: (i) from twelve main participants—working in a rural RIS—who responded to a questionnaire, and (ii) from cities through official government channels to collect information about their innovation development initiatives. The results reveal that the RIS analyzed still lacks assistance in the development of public policies to support the development of an innovative culture, indicating the need for appropriate mechanisms to boost innovation actions. The outputs of this study can help cities and regions to analyze their innovation potential, assist public managers in decision-making, support the creation of innovation-stimulating mechanisms, help RISs to address deficiencies, and promote local development.
{"title":"Potential for Frugal Innovation in a Brazilian Regional System: A Study Based on a Multicriteria Approach","authors":"Gabriel Gomes Moreira, Robério José Rogério dos Santos, Victor Diogho Heuer de Carvalho, Francisco José Peixoto Rosário, Agnaldo José dos Santos","doi":"10.3390/soc14060095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14060095","url":null,"abstract":"Regional innovation systems (RISs) can stimulate knowledge sharing and collaboration, attracting investments and promoting economic and social progress. This is often linked to what is known as frugal innovation, involving small businesses developing and selling sustainable, low-cost products that meet local needs. This study aims to present and apply a model to measure regional innovation potential, using a multicriteria approach based on the principles of frugal innovation (FI). The analytical hierarchical process (AHP) was used to generate factor weights, enabling score calculation to provide insights into FI potential on a literature-based five-point scale. Data were collected in two stages: (i) from twelve main participants—working in a rural RIS—who responded to a questionnaire, and (ii) from cities through official government channels to collect information about their innovation development initiatives. The results reveal that the RIS analyzed still lacks assistance in the development of public policies to support the development of an innovative culture, indicating the need for appropriate mechanisms to boost innovation actions. The outputs of this study can help cities and regions to analyze their innovation potential, assist public managers in decision-making, support the creation of innovation-stimulating mechanisms, help RISs to address deficiencies, and promote local development.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141519191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article analyses the ongoing processes in the organisational field of Italian schools in light of the innovations induced by digital education policies. Specifically, it focuses on the relationship between actors and digital policies concerning the experience of distance learning (DL) that characterised the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper reflects on DL outcomes regarding the three expectations that have often characterised the rhetoric associated with the promotion of digital educational policies, namely: the raising of learning levels, the development of digital competences and the increase in school inclusion. Through an analysis of a series of empirical studies exploring the point of view of the paper, this paper highlights what progress has been made in the digital schooling in Italy and what are still its main limitations. The results of the study show both the limits of the effectiveness of educational policies constructed with a top-down approach and highlight the potential for policy recalibration offered by a reorganisation of the decision-making process through the active involvement of all the actors in the educational system.
{"title":"The Digitisation of Italian Schools and the Pandemic Trigger: Actors and Policies in an Evolving Organisational Field","authors":"Domenico Carbone, Cristina Calvi","doi":"10.3390/soc14060094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14060094","url":null,"abstract":"This article analyses the ongoing processes in the organisational field of Italian schools in light of the innovations induced by digital education policies. Specifically, it focuses on the relationship between actors and digital policies concerning the experience of distance learning (DL) that characterised the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper reflects on DL outcomes regarding the three expectations that have often characterised the rhetoric associated with the promotion of digital educational policies, namely: the raising of learning levels, the development of digital competences and the increase in school inclusion. Through an analysis of a series of empirical studies exploring the point of view of the paper, this paper highlights what progress has been made in the digital schooling in Italy and what are still its main limitations. The results of the study show both the limits of the effectiveness of educational policies constructed with a top-down approach and highlight the potential for policy recalibration offered by a reorganisation of the decision-making process through the active involvement of all the actors in the educational system.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"150 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141504999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Louis Moustakas, Marieke Breed, Nynke Burgers, Sarah Carney, Ties Greven, Patricia Grove, Lisa Kalina, Perry Ogden, Karen Petry, Simona Šafaříková, Ben Sanders, Arnost Svoboda, Julie Wittmannová, Pim van Limbeek, Fenna van Marle
Sport for development (SFD) initiatives have faced numerous criticisms around the focus on individual-level (micro) outcomes and lack of integration at the community (meso) and structural (macro) levels. As a result, there is growing recognition that programmes need to find ways to work with and engage a wide range of community members and stakeholders through more inclusive, participatory approaches. One such approach is known as Living Labs. In the following conceptual article, we present the Sport and Social Cohesion Lab (SSCL) project, which implemented a Living Lab approach in various sport-based programmes from four different European countries. The main components of the Living Lab framework are presented, and practical insights are derived from the project. In addition, the unique and sometimes critical role of sport is reflected upon in relation to the Living Lab context. Through this, this article provides practitioners and academics with potential building blocks to implement Living Labs and/or embed participatory approaches in sport and physical activity contexts and social settings more generally.
{"title":"Keeping It Real: Insights from a Sport-Based Living Lab","authors":"Louis Moustakas, Marieke Breed, Nynke Burgers, Sarah Carney, Ties Greven, Patricia Grove, Lisa Kalina, Perry Ogden, Karen Petry, Simona Šafaříková, Ben Sanders, Arnost Svoboda, Julie Wittmannová, Pim van Limbeek, Fenna van Marle","doi":"10.3390/soc14060093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14060093","url":null,"abstract":"Sport for development (SFD) initiatives have faced numerous criticisms around the focus on individual-level (micro) outcomes and lack of integration at the community (meso) and structural (macro) levels. As a result, there is growing recognition that programmes need to find ways to work with and engage a wide range of community members and stakeholders through more inclusive, participatory approaches. One such approach is known as Living Labs. In the following conceptual article, we present the Sport and Social Cohesion Lab (SSCL) project, which implemented a Living Lab approach in various sport-based programmes from four different European countries. The main components of the Living Lab framework are presented, and practical insights are derived from the project. In addition, the unique and sometimes critical role of sport is reflected upon in relation to the Living Lab context. Through this, this article provides practitioners and academics with potential building blocks to implement Living Labs and/or embed participatory approaches in sport and physical activity contexts and social settings more generally.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141519265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper focuses on campaigns against the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). These campaigns not only obstructed ratification processes in a number of countries, but also that the openly hostile and highly gendered attacks had a direct impact on women’s rights activists and their work, seriously hindering their work, but also affecting their well-being and safety. In this paper we explore the violent implications of the campaigns against the Istanbul Convention which are part of wider anti-gender campaigns. We argue that the violence of the campaigns and the violent implications should be considered gendered political violence, which effectively marginalizes women and other targeted groups and obstructs their participation in society and politics and as such is central to current autocratization tendencies and undermining of democracy.
{"title":"The Violent Implications of Opposition to the Istanbul Convention","authors":"Conny Roggeband, Andrea Krizsán","doi":"10.3390/soc14060092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14060092","url":null,"abstract":"This paper focuses on campaigns against the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). These campaigns not only obstructed ratification processes in a number of countries, but also that the openly hostile and highly gendered attacks had a direct impact on women’s rights activists and their work, seriously hindering their work, but also affecting their well-being and safety. In this paper we explore the violent implications of the campaigns against the Istanbul Convention which are part of wider anti-gender campaigns. We argue that the violence of the campaigns and the violent implications should be considered gendered political violence, which effectively marginalizes women and other targeted groups and obstructs their participation in society and politics and as such is central to current autocratization tendencies and undermining of democracy.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141505000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Claudiu Coman, Carmen Bărbat, Cosmin Goian, Maria Cristina Bularca, Felicia Andrioni, Lavinia Popp, Adrian Netedu, Mihai Burlacu, Dănuț Bălăuță, Nicolae Talpă, Bogdan Popa
Our study aimed to examine how care centers for older persons acted and adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic period by considering the opinions of the beneficiaries, employees, and managers of such centers. The research was conducted between February and June 2022, and we used a mixed-methods approach. For the quantitative research, we applied a questionnaire to 430 institutionalized older persons from Timis County, Romania. For the qualitative analysis, we conducted interviews with 31 institutionalized older persons, 7 employees, and 4 managers. Most institutionalized older persons were mainly satisfied with their lives in the care centers. The main difficulties they faced were the impossibility of being close to loved ones and the difficulty of adapting to the living conditions within the center. Additionally, the older persons were satisfied with their interactions with the staff of the care centers. The conducted research provides a view of the lifestyle of older persons in care centers during the pandemic. It highlights their struggles and can be used as a reference point for further improvement of the lifestyle of older persons within care centers.
{"title":"The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Immobilized Lifestyle of Institutionalized Older Persons: An Empirical Study","authors":"Claudiu Coman, Carmen Bărbat, Cosmin Goian, Maria Cristina Bularca, Felicia Andrioni, Lavinia Popp, Adrian Netedu, Mihai Burlacu, Dănuț Bălăuță, Nicolae Talpă, Bogdan Popa","doi":"10.3390/soc14060091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14060091","url":null,"abstract":"Our study aimed to examine how care centers for older persons acted and adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic period by considering the opinions of the beneficiaries, employees, and managers of such centers. The research was conducted between February and June 2022, and we used a mixed-methods approach. For the quantitative research, we applied a questionnaire to 430 institutionalized older persons from Timis County, Romania. For the qualitative analysis, we conducted interviews with 31 institutionalized older persons, 7 employees, and 4 managers. Most institutionalized older persons were mainly satisfied with their lives in the care centers. The main difficulties they faced were the impossibility of being close to loved ones and the difficulty of adapting to the living conditions within the center. Additionally, the older persons were satisfied with their interactions with the staff of the care centers. The conducted research provides a view of the lifestyle of older persons in care centers during the pandemic. It highlights their struggles and can be used as a reference point for further improvement of the lifestyle of older persons within care centers.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141519266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ángel Rodríguez-Pallas, Myriam Yolanda Sarabia-Molina, María Dolores Sánchez-Fernández, José Ramón-Cardona
The tourist intermediary industry has faced multiple challenges to adapt their offers to the heterogeneity of tourists, and understanding consumer interests from a gender and age perspective is considered crucial in the design and marketing of tourist products. The aim of this article is to examine the differences generated by the gender and age variables of consumers of Spanish travel agencies when choosing travel and tourist destinations, focusing on different types of travel, the choice between national and international destinations, and specific destination types. An explanatory quantitative methodology was employed with a hypothetical-deductive approach. A questionnaire was administered to individuals who booked through Spanish travel agencies and a sample of 879 was obtained. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26 software and the main statistical tool was the Pearson Chi-Square (χ2) test. The findings show that gender implies significant differences in travel preferences, with women favoring the exploration of new destinations and men preferring relaxation travel. Age groups impact the choice between national and international travel, but have a lesser effect on specific destination preferences. This research underscores the importance of considering gender and age in understanding consumer behavior within the travel sector, with the aim of developing more effective marketing strategies and catering to diverse customer needs. Within the implications, the growing importance of the older traveler segment should be highlighted, which requires future research and comparisons with the younger traveler segment.
{"title":"Gender and Age in the Travel Choice by Spanish Travel Agency Consumers","authors":"Ángel Rodríguez-Pallas, Myriam Yolanda Sarabia-Molina, María Dolores Sánchez-Fernández, José Ramón-Cardona","doi":"10.3390/soc14060090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14060090","url":null,"abstract":"The tourist intermediary industry has faced multiple challenges to adapt their offers to the heterogeneity of tourists, and understanding consumer interests from a gender and age perspective is considered crucial in the design and marketing of tourist products. The aim of this article is to examine the differences generated by the gender and age variables of consumers of Spanish travel agencies when choosing travel and tourist destinations, focusing on different types of travel, the choice between national and international destinations, and specific destination types. An explanatory quantitative methodology was employed with a hypothetical-deductive approach. A questionnaire was administered to individuals who booked through Spanish travel agencies and a sample of 879 was obtained. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26 software and the main statistical tool was the Pearson Chi-Square (χ2) test. The findings show that gender implies significant differences in travel preferences, with women favoring the exploration of new destinations and men preferring relaxation travel. Age groups impact the choice between national and international travel, but have a lesser effect on specific destination preferences. This research underscores the importance of considering gender and age in understanding consumer behavior within the travel sector, with the aim of developing more effective marketing strategies and catering to diverse customer needs. Within the implications, the growing importance of the older traveler segment should be highlighted, which requires future research and comparisons with the younger traveler segment.","PeriodicalId":21795,"journal":{"name":"Societies","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141519267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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