Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies最新文献

Smart agriculture, which is culturally specific, combines education with the celebratory potlatch of our agrarian heritage. Smart agriculture, also known as precision farming, refers to the application of advanced technologies to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural practices. The concept of serious games has gained popularity across various fields, including smart agriculture. Serious gaming is currently being considered as a new approach to address challenging farming issues and enhance farmer training, thereby stimulating technological innovation in the agricultural sector. Despite the growing interest in serious games, there is a lack of research exploring how such games can effectively communicate practical farming knowledge, particularly across different cultural practices. Research is needed to assess whether these games can effectively teach key topics, such as soil management and crop selection while respecting cultural norms. It is also crucial to evaluate whether gameplay influences players’ attitudes toward sustainable farming and the extent to which they retain the knowledge in real-world contexts. This study examines a culturally specific game design model for smart agriculture, integrating educational and cultural elements to enhance learning and engagement. The game allows players to experience the farming cycle, encompassing planting, tending, and harvesting. It is intended to educate children and anyone interested in learning about the origins of their food, as well as to explain why sustainable farming is essential for future generations. The players experience farming through seasonal cycles, from decisions on seed types to soil preparation, including dealing with weather calamities. A quasiexperimental design compared two groups: a traditional learning group and an experimental serious game group. A serious game developed based on the proposed model was implemented and evaluated through pre- and posttests, statistical analyses, and heuristic evaluations to measure improvements in agricultural knowledge. The results demonstrate significant knowledge retention in the game group, particularly in precision farming, sustainability, and IoT-based solutions (p < 0.05). These findings highlight the potential of serious games as an innovative tool for blending traditional agricultural knowledge with modern farming practices, promoting sustainable farming education in diverse cultural settings.

As technology becomes ever-present in daily routines, the impact of technostress (TS) extends beyond the workplace, calling for a broader investigation of the construct. This study was aimed at developing a scale to measure TS in everyday life. A 68-item pool capturing key TS dimensions (TS creators) identified through literature review was administered to a large sample of respondents from the general population (N = 602). A cross-validation approach employing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded a final 20-item scale assessing four main factors: techno-overload/invasion (T-OI), techno-complexity/uncertainty (T-CU), techno-insecurity/privacy (T-IP), and techno-relationships/isolation (T-RI). The scale, called Everyday Life TS Scale (ELTS), exhibited strong psychometric properties, including high reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and invariance across gender and two age groups. Interestingly, latent mean differences emerged, with younger individuals and females reporting higher levels of T-OI, while older individuals and females reported higher levels of T-CU. Older respondents also showed higher levels of T-IP. Consistent with previous research, TS dimensions correlated positively with neuroticism and negatively with life satisfaction and well-being (psychological, social, and emotional). The ELTS uniquely contributes to the field by addressing TS in everyday contexts, beyond traditional workplace-focused measures. The ELTS offers a valuable tool for assessing TS in the general population beyond the workplace. Moreover, it can be a useful resource for facilitating a smoother integration of technology into daily life and promoting well-being.

The shift to hybrid work necessitates a deeper understanding of the personal resources that enhance employee adaptation and performance, particularly in remote settings. Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study investigates the impact of e-skill self-efficacy—employees’ confidence in managing remote work tasks, time, and balancing job demands with personal life—on perceptions of technoinvasion and techno-overload, as well as on overall and remote work performance. The study involved 899 hybrid workers from the same organization, all following a 50/50 remote and in-office schedule. Data was collected at two time points, 3 months apart. Cross-lagged model analyses revealed that higher e-skill self-efficacy was negatively related to perceptions of technoinvasion (work interfering with personal life) and techno-overload (pressure to work faster and longer due to technology). Technoinvasion was negatively associated with self-reported remote work performance, while techno-overload had a positive association. Neither technostressor significantly impacted overall performance. Moreover, technoinvasion mediated the relationship between e-skill self-efficacy and remote work performance: Hybrid workers with higher self-efficacy were less likely to experience technoinvasion, allowing them to maintain better performance in remote settings. The findings provide actionable insights for organizations seeking to optimize employee performance in increasingly digital and flexible work environments.

The competitiveness of firms is a subject that is frequently discussed these days by managers, lawmakers, and academics. Even though the idea of competition may seem straightforward, it is frequently used in a variety of dubious contexts. Although the definition of competition might appear basic, there are many skeptical applications of this idea. In order to increase the position of small and medium-sized exporting enterprises (SMEs) in Sfax, the economic capital of Tunisia, on the international market, our goal is to identify the key elements driving improvement in their competitiveness. On the basis of theoretical and empirical research in this field, we identified, based on state-of-the-art recommendations, a set of 19 key criteria (factors) that are crucial for preserving an enterprise’s competitiveness in export. The data used in this study was collected using a questionnaire addressed to business leaders and then evaluated on a Likert scale by experts. Principal component analysis (PCA) modeling was used alongside machine learning algorithms to identify the relationships between these factors as well as to determine the factors capable of influencing the competitiveness of 40 firms. The initial number of variables in our data was 70; using PCA, we reduced this number to 27 for our first experiment and to 14 for our second experiment. Using data augmentation techniques provided by the Python programming language, we increased the number of firms to 60. We managed to achieve an F-score of 74.76% by using the random forest algorithm through the application of PCA modeling for 14 features selected. On the other hand, the energy, chemistry, and rubber industry sector has the highest F-score of 85.71% followed by the textile, clothing, and shoes industry with an F-score of 80%. These findings provide valuable insights into the factors that can propel SMEs in Sfax toward global market competitiveness.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) is a potential solution to the lack of causal evidence regarding how changing the physical environment can increase walking. For VR to be employed in walkability research, the degree to which walking in VR mimics the real world (RW) must be quantified.

Methods: In a preregistered study, 39 participants walked in a historic RW district and in a VR replica. In both environments, participants completed “errands” by either walking to specific locations (e.g., a bank) or choosing an alternate transportation option representing driving.

Results: Accounting for preregistered controls, walking duration differed along a session-number-by-condition (VR/RW) interaction; however, when stratified by condition order, participants walked for a comparable duration in VR and the RW. Generally, participants enjoyed physical activity (PA) less and were more likely to choose the driving option in VR than the RW, although their self-reported walking motivation was equivalent. Concerning intensity, average heart rate (HR) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) duration based on HR were equivalent across conditions, while light PA duration (based on HR) and MVPA duration based on accelerometry were lower in VR. Lastly, certain psychosocial judgments of the VR and RW environments (e.g., mood) were similar, while others differed (e.g., spaciousness).

Discussion: Although participants walked similar durations in VR and the RW, transportation decisions differed, perhaps due to less intense walking in VR, leading to a shortage of time to complete the “errands.” Individuals tend to walk more slowly and cautiously in VR, meaning participants may have chosen the quicker alternative (“driving”) out of necessity rather than out of a desire to stop walking. The current study concerned a highly walkable, homogeneous environment; further research should investigate the comparability of VR and RW walking in diverse locations. This research has important implications for using VR in urban planning and city decision-making.

Purpose: The main purpose of this research paper is to explore the factors affecting Islamic Fintech adoption based on digital accounting practices. The paper examines the relationship among technology integration, organizational culture, regulatory support, tech advancements, innovation readiness, and Islamic Fintech adoption.

Design/Methodology/Approach: Employing a quantitative methodology, the study administered an 18-item questionnaire. A total of 232 participants aged 18 or older, who were aware of Islamic Fintech, were selected through social media and other relevant channels.

Findings: The outcomes show that tech integration has significant influences on Fintech adoption, with the impact of technology, advancement, and innovative technologies restructuring the financial environment. Second, innovation readiness also plays a crucial role, especially in highly educated and talented individuals working in innovative and dynamic environments. Third, organizational culture also mediates the relationship between IR and Fintech adoption, which means that the practices an organization has in relation to information sharing, knowledge sharing, and experimentation will impact how an employee behaves. Fourth, regulatory support mediates the relationship with advancement in tech, finding the importance of government regulation and support that provides legitimacy and structure with regulation. However, it does not significantly mediate the relationship between tech in structural integration and Fintech adoption.

Originality/Value: The study’s originality lies in its nuanced analysis of how regulatory support may mediate or facilitate tech integration and Islamic Fintech adoption within an authoritarian domain, drawing attention to the subtle dynamics of regulatory change. It offers vital insights about which aspects of regulation might expedite and spur innovation in Islamic Fintech while cautioning about the many challenges that continue to beset this domain. The study reaffirms the reality that proper knowledge of formal and informal regulatory structures and government relations is crucial to organizations, policymakers, and stakeholders to be able to address in dealing with these new regulatory settings.

Implication: In Jordan, rapid digitalization requires the implementation of the ISO 20376 Standard to propel Islamic Fintech solutions to new heights. It focuses on developing an innovation-fit culture in institutions, considering Jordan’s conservative, individualistic culture. Regulatory frameworks must facilitate technology adoption while adhering to Islamic financial principles, and there must be a sustainable financial sector. Policymakers and stakeholders must close theoretical gaps and practical challenges to establish an environment conducive to innovation in Islamic Fintech, driving the sector’s growth, flexibility, and excellence.

The growth in interest has shown great promise in game-based learning, with particular potential found in healthcare for first aid training. This study indicates that the issues with conventional first aid training, such as with nonexperts and youth, can be resolved by games. The present study is aimed at designing, implementing, and evaluating a gamified first aid training system using the First Aid Serious Game Design Model (FASGDM) to enhance user motivation, knowledge retention, and practical application of first aid techniques. Feedback was incorporated in the design process to make sure the refinement of low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes to ensure usability and accuracy with an interrater reliability (IRR) coefficient of 90%, confirming the gamified system’s effectiveness and reliability. A quasiexperimental study was conducted with 40 students aged 12–15 years, divided into a control group (n = 20) who received traditional lessons and an experimental group (n = 20) trained using the gamified prototype. Pretest results showed equal performance in both groups, while posttest results revealed significant improvement in the experimental group’s performance through statistical analysis t = −23.77, df = 24, p < 0.05. The gamified approach increased engagement, improved knowledge retention, and increased learner’s confidence in applying first aid skills in real-life scenarios, contributing to improved public health outcomes.

Digital technologies are an integral part of everyday life, making a balanced digital life essential to avoid their negative impact on well-being. This study is aimed at validating the Digital Life Balance (DLB) Scale in Urdu and examining its relationship with social media addiction, Internet addiction, and life satisfaction among Urdu-speaking individuals. A sample of 332 participants (Mage: 26.75 years; SD = 7.12; 41.9% female) completed the DLB Scale along with the Social Media Addiction Scale (SMA), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). The results demonstrated satisfactory to acceptable internal consistency for the DLB Scale (α = 0.72), consistent with previous validations. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensionality of the scale. Correlation analysis revealed that higher DLB is positively associated with life satisfaction and negatively correlated with social media and internet addiction, particularly with avoidance behaviors and problematic social media use. Stepwise regression identified life satisfaction as the strongest predictor of DLB, followed by internet avoidance and problematic social media use. These findings underscore the importance of balancing digital and nondigital activities for maintaining psychological well-being. The study highlights the need for culturally adapted tools to assess digital behaviors and provides critical insights for developing interventions aimed at promoting digital well-being in diverse populations.

Deepfakes refer to a wide range of computer-generated synthetic media, in which a person’s appearance or likeness is altered to resemble that of another. This systematic review is aimed at providing an overview of the existing research into people’s ability to detect deepfakes. Five databases (IEEE, ProQuest, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) were searched up to December 2023. Studies were included if they (1) were an original study; (2) were reported in English; (3) examined people’s detection of deepfakes; (4) examined the influence of an intervention, strategy, or variable on deepfake detection; and (5) reported relevant data needed to evaluate detection accuracy. Forty independent studies from 30 unique records were included in the review. Results were narratively summarized, with key findings organized based on the review’s research questions. Studies used different performance measures, making it difficult to compare results across the literature. Detection accuracy varies widely, with some studies showing humans outperforming AI models and others indicating the opposite. Detection performance is also influenced by person-level (e.g., cognitive ability, analytical thinking) and stimuli-level factors (e.g., quality of deepfake, familiarity with the subject). Interventions to improve people’s deepfake detection yielded mixed results. Humans and AI-based detection models focus on different aspects when detecting, suggesting a potential for human–AI collaboration. The findings highlight the complex interplay of factors influencing human deepfake detection and the need for further research to develop effective strategies for deepfake detection.

When a person chooses to interact with their phone instead of their partner (e.g., technoference, phubbing), it may diminish interactional quality, relationship satisfaction, and well-being. However, much of the research on technology use in relationships has utilized self-reports. We extend prior work by objectively measuring smartphone use in a sample of 247 adult participants (75% women; mean age = 30.87 years) to better understand the extent of use around one’s partner and the connection between this use and relational and personal well-being. Participants completed an online baseline survey and 8 days of phone tracking and nightly time diaries. On average, participants used their smartphone during 27% of their time around their partner; 86% used their phone every day at least some around their partner. Linear regression modeling revealed that phone use around partner (not total daily phone use) predicted lower relationship satisfaction and coparenting quality, although effects were only significant for women. We also found that phone habits in general (i.e., both phone use around partner and total phone use) predicted greater depression and lower life satisfaction, with effects trending toward being stronger for women. Overall, our results suggest that one’s own phone use is connected—especially for women—to one’s own relational and personal well-being. Our objective phone use and daily diary methods offer one potential model for studying the nuances of technoference and its effects on relational and personal well-being. Future research should continue to explore both objective and subjective measures of device use within couples and families.