Opinion consensus incorporating higher-order interactions in individual-collective networks

In the current information society, the dissemination mechanisms and evolution laws of individual or collective opinions and their behaviors are the research hot topics in the field of opinion dynamics. First, in this paper, a two-layer network consisting of an individual-opinion layer and a collective-opinion layer is constructed, and a dissemination model of opinions incorporating higher-order interactions(i.e. OIHOI dissemination model) is proposed. Furthermore, the dynamic equations of opinion dissemination for both individuals and groups are presented. Using Lyapunov's first method,two equilibrium points, including the negative consensus point and positive consensus point, and the dynamic equations obtained for opinion dissemination, are analyzed theoretically. In addition, for individual opinions and collective opinions,some conditions for reaching negative consensus and positive consensus as well as the theoretical expression for the dissemination threshold are put forward. Numerical simulations are carried to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed theoretical results, as well as the influence of the intra-structure, inter-connections, and higher-order interactions on the dissemination and evolution of individual opinions. The main results are as follows.(i) When the intra-structure of the collective-opinion layer meets certain characteristics, then a negative or positive consensus is easier to reach for individuals.(ii) Both negative consensus and positive consensus perform best in mixed type of inter-connections in the two-layer network.(iii) Higher-order interactions can quickly eliminate differences in individual opinions, thereby enabling individuals to reach consensus faster.

Interpersonal Perception in Virtual Groups: Examining Homophily, Identification and Individual Attraction Using Social Relations Model in Network

With the penetration of the Internet, virtual groups have become more and more popular. The reliability and accuracy of interpersonal perception in the virtual environment is an intriguing issue. Using the Social relations model (SRM) [1], this paper investigates interpersonal perception in virtual groups from a multilevel perspective. In particular, it examines the following three areas: homophily, identification, and individual attraction, and explores how much of these directional and dyadic relational evaluations can be attributed to the effect of the actor, the partner, and the relationship.

阐释《建设学习型城市北京宣言》的第一承诺——“Empowering Individuals and Promoting Social Cohesion”的意涵和践履

2013年10月"首届国际学习型城市大会"在北京隆重召开。102个国家的500多名代表一致通过了《建设学习型城市北京宣言》。其中有十二项承诺,而第一承诺便是"Empowering Individuals and Promoting Social Cohesion"(促进个体赋权增能和增强社会凝聚)。何谓"赋权增能"和"社会凝聚"不能从简单的汉译来理解,需从词源来准确辨析,更需要从政治学、社会学、法学、心理学等角度领略其深刻的内涵。"赋权增能"与"社会凝聚"有密切的内在联系,其指向目标、目的、效能等核心价值构成完整体系。学习型城市建设与"赋权增能"和"社会凝聚"有着高度的重要关联。在改革开放的今天,践履"第一承诺"已经成为我国唯一选择。怎样践履这一庄严承诺,《北京宣言》指出了基本路向,在表达教育机会、基本能力、社会参与、性别平等、贫富差距、社区建设等兑现承诺的特定语境中,充分揭示了《北京宣言》将"赋权增能"、"社会凝聚"作为第一承诺的理由和重要意义。这应是对《北京宣言》第一承诺的完整理解。

Habits on Social Networks at Workplace: A Survey of Motivations and Behaviour

This article explores the use of social networks by workers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with particular emphasis on a descriptive or quantitative analysis aimed at understanding motivations and methods of use. More than five hundred and fifty questionnaires were distributed, highlighting workers’ preferred digital channels and platforms. The results indicate that the majority use social media through their mobile phones, with WhatsApp being the most popular app, followed by Facebook and LinkedIn. The study reveals that workers use social media for entertainment purposes and to develop professional and social relationships, with 55% unable to live without social media at work for recreational activities. In addition, 35% spend on average 1 to 2 hours on social networks, mainly between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. It also appears that 46% believe that social networks moderately improve their productivity. These findings can guide marketing strategies, training, technology development and government policies related to the use of social media in the workplace.

Social Network Information Propagation Model Based on Individual Behavior

In this paper, we discuss building an information dissemination model based on individual behavior. We analyze the individual behavior related to information dissemination and the factors that affect the sharing behavior of individuals, and we define and quantify these factors. We consider these factors as characteristic attributes and use a Bayesian classifier to classify individuals. Considering the forwarding delay characteristics of information dissemination, we present a random time generation method that simulates the delay of information dissemination. Given time and other constraints, a user might not look at all the information that his/her friends published. Therefore, this paper proposes an algorithm to predict information visibility, i.e., it estimates the probability that an individual will see the information. Based on the classification of individual behavior and combined with our random time generation and information visibility prediction method, we propose an information dissemination model based on individual behavior. The model can be used to predict the scale and speed of information propagation. We use data sets from Sina Weibo to validate and analyze the prediction methods of the individual behavior and information dissemination model based on individual behavior. A previously proposedinformation dissemination model provides the foundation for a subsequent study on the evolution of the network and social network analysis. Predicting the scale and speed of information dissemination can also be used for public opinion monitoring.

Social Sensors (S^2ensors): A Kind of Hardware-Software-Integrated Mediators for Social Manufacturing Systems Under Mass Individualization

Currently, little work has been devoted to the mediators and tools for multi-role production interactions in the mass individualization environment. This paper proposes a kind of hardware-software-integrated mediators called social sensors （S2ensors） to facilitate the production interactions among customers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders in the social manufacturing systems （SMS）. The concept, classification, operational logics, and for- malization of S2ensors are clarified. S2ensors collect sub- jective data from physical sensors and objective data from sensory input in mobile Apps, merge them into meaningful information for decision-making, and finally feed the decisions back for reaction and execution. Then, an S2en- sors-Cloud platform is discussed to integrate different S2- ensors to work for SMSs in an autonomous way. A demonstrative case is studied by developing a prototype system and the results show that S2ensors and S2ensors- Cloud platform can assist multi-role stakeholders interact and collaborate for the production tasks. It reveals the mediator-enabled mechanisms and methods for production interactions among stakeholders in SMS.

Optimization of Actuarial Model for Individual Account of Rural Social Pension Insurance

This paper firstly analyzes different payment methods of individual account and the pension replacement rate under the pension payment method.Results show that it will be more scientific and reasonable for the individual account of new rural social pension insurance to adopt the actuarial model of payment according to proportion of income and periodic prestation at variable amount.The Guiding Opinions on New Rural Social Pension Insurance sets forth individual account should be paid at fixed amount,and the insured voluntarily selects payment level as per criteria set by the State.The monthly calculation and distribution amount of pension is the total amount of individual account divided by139.Therefore,it should start from continuation of policies and make adjustment of payment level in accordance with growth of per capita net income of rural residents.When condition permits,it is expected to realize transition to payment as per income proportion and periodic prestation at variable amount.

Hikikomori, a Phenomenon of Social Withdrawal and Isolation in Young Adults Marked by an Anomic Response to Coping Difficulties: A Qualitative Study Exploring Individual Experiences from First- and Second-Person Perspectives

Hikikomori is a recent phenomenon among young adults in which they isolate themselves from social contacts and responsibility for more than 6 months. This problem has assumed epidemic proportions in Japan and has been widely discussed across disciplines. Previous studies have associated hikikomori with a maladaptation to structural change, an emergent mental problem that needs new diagnosis, or an under-diagnosed schizophrenic disorder. Most previous work has adopted a clinical perspective, and there have been no qualitative studies exploring the individual feelings of people suffering from the syndrome. We adopted a qualitative method using a grounded theory approach. Data collection and analysis took place between September 2006 and August 2008. Theoretical sampling included eight informants from snowball sampling and an online observation consisting of 160 online participants. Analysis focused on informants’ first- and second-person experiences of hikikomori. Data analysis revealed one overriding theme: coping difficulties consisting of the two categories stasis and expression. As a result of conflicting demands and reduced autonomy, respondents experienced stasis, which prevented them from moving forward;“hiding” or “avoiding” heightened the expression of their behaviors. This is the first study to explore the in-depth experience of individuals suffering from hikikomori syndrome in a non-clinical setting. We argue that hikikomoriis not a result of asocial behavior, but rather an anomic response to a situation that informants felt powerless to change and from which they could see no way out. We also observed that feelings of hopelessness and relationship fatigue might be overcome by introducing a relaxed social environment that people can control during rehabilitation.

Motivations of Individuals Participating in Social Media： A Cultural Perspective

Social media is an information technology that allows users to communicate and share information. With steadily rising number of users across the globe, individuals participate in various activities, like connecting with friends and community members, sharing information, posting political messages, disaster recovery activities, reading daily news, learning, and entertainment, each driven by different sets of motivations. Culture has an influence on the kind of motivation―pro-social and personal needs oriented―that drives social media usage by individuals. Using Hofstede’s （1984b） cultural dimensions, the paper suggests that each of the dimensions will have influences on the social media behaviors differently. Such a cultural perspective helps future social media users to plan the kind of activity and information sharing based on the kind of motivation driving the target audience and the platform providers to design and market accordingly.

Research of Social Problems under Global Vision, Local Consciousness and People＇s Standard --Take analysis of the design intention of individual account as example

In the study of social problems, it is important to realize the organic combination of global view, local people standard,, which plays an important role in handing and understanding specific social problems undoubtedly. This article takes our country＇s public pension personal account as example ,analyzing how to realize the combination of all three in the whole research process of the individual account.

Depressive symptoms and the associations with individual, psychosocial, and structural determinants in Swedish adolescents

Depressive symptoms in adolescents are an increasing public health issue in Sweden and in most Western countries. Aim: To explore how individual, psychosocial, and structural determinants are associated with depressive symptoms in Swedish adolescents. Methods: A web-based questionnaire was answered by 1193 13- to 16-year-old boys (n = 566) and girls (n = 627). Stepwise logistic regressions were employed to analyse the association between depressive symptoms and various determinants at the individual level (self-efficacy), the psychosocial level (parental, peer, and teacher support, school demands, sexual harassment, and bullying) and the structural level (family affluence, having less money than friends, and parental foreign background). Results: Determinants at the individual, psychosocial, and structural levels were independently associated with high levels of depressive symptoms in both boys and girls. The full model explained a high proportion of the variance in depressive symptoms in both genders;34.1% in boys and 36.8% in girls. The psychosocial level contributed the most to explaining the variance in depressive symptoms in boys. In girls, when harassment variables were separated from psychosocial variables, the harassment variables contributed as much to the full model as the rest of the psychosocial variables combined. Conclusions: Addressing psychosocial determinants provides the greatest benefits for preventing depressive symptoms in adolescents. Acknowledging the association between sexual harassment and depressive symptoms for girls and having less money than their friends for boys and girls are particularly important.

体育参与、社会资本与个体福利提升——基于福利经济学理论和CFPS调查数据的研究

研究目标:基于福利经济学和阿马蒂亚·森的可行能力理论构建个体福利指标体系,来检验体育参与对个体福利提升的作用和效应以及社会资本的中介作用。研究方法:利用中国家庭追踪调查数据库(CFPS)的微观数据,运用多元线性回归模型和KHB中介效应检验法和可视化进行实证分析。研究结论:体育参与不仅可以提升个体总福利水平,还可以提升分维度福利水平;社会资本在体育参与影响个体福利的过程中发挥中介作用,其中,个体社会资本对健康和幸福感维度的福利提升作用较大,集体社会资本对教育和收入维度的福利提升作用较大。研究创新:揭示了体育参与通过社会资本对个体福利提升的影响机理。研究价值:为进一步促进全民健身、实施健康中国战略提供理论支撑。

Individualism in Moby Dick and the Old Man and the Sea

This paper analyzes the individualism in Herman Melville's Moby Dick and Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea to comprehend the development of individualism and the position and function in American culture.

Individualized music for dementia:Evolution and application of evidence-based protocol

The theory-based intervention of individualized music has been evaluated clinically and empirically leading to advancement and refinement of an evidence-based protocol, currently in its 5th edition. An expanded version of the protocol was written for professional health care providers with a consumer version tailored for family caregivers. The underlying mid-range theory is presented along with a seminal study that was followed by further research in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Norway, Japan and Taiwan. Key studies are summarized. Given its efficacy when implemented by research staff, studies have advanced to testing the intervention under real-life conditions when implemented and evaluated by trained nursing assistants in long-term care facilities and visiting family members. In addition, one study evaluated the implementation of music by family members in the home setting. Initial research focused on agitation as the dependent variable with subsequent research indicating a more holistic response such as positive affect, expressed satisfaction, and meaningful interaction with others. The article advances by describing on-line programs designed to train health care professionals in the assessment, implementation and evaluation of individualized music. In addition, Gerdner has written a story for apicture book intended for children and their families(in press). The story models principles of individualized music to elicit positive memories, reduce anxiety and agitation, and promote communication. The article concludes with implications for future research.

Children’s Health, Parent-Child Activities, Using Digital Devices, and Social Competence: Serial Mediation

Background: Studies have pointed out the influence of different children’s activities and prolonged use of digital products on their social development. However, whether the parent-child activities and using digital devices were serial mediators of the relationship between children’s health and social development needs further verification. Purpose: This study explored how parent-child activities and children’s use of digital devices influence the relationship between children’s health and their social competence. Method: This study used data from Kids in Taiwan: National Longitudinal Study of Child Development and Care. A total sample of 2164 participants was used in this study. Serial mediation analyses were performed using model six of Hayes’ PROCESS (2012). Results: This study found that parent-child activities and the use of digital devices can serially mediate the relationship between children’s health and social competence. Children’s health could directly improve their social competence, but it could also serially mediate social competence by increasing parent-child activities and reducing the use of digital devices. Conclusion: Childcare policy planners and parenting educators should not only call on parents to reduce the use of electronic products for their children, but also encourage parents to spend more time interacting with their children, so that children can learn social skills by interacting with others in their daily lives.

Timing of individualized surgical intervention in Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease(CD)is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with an increasing incidence worldwide.Comprehensive therapy for CD focuses on symptom control and healing the intestinal mucosa to improve the quality of life and prevent complications.Surgical intervention plays a vital role in comprehensive therapy.However,deciding the optimal timing for surgical intervention has long been a focus of controversy.This review provides insights into the timing of surgery for CD and guides clinicians in daily treatment.

The Investigation into Problems of College Students’ Individual Tutoring on the Subject of English

More and more college students start their social practice by tutoring children. However, quite a few do not have a clear conception about individual tutoring at the beginning of their practice, and not everyone involved in individual tutoring can end up with fruitful results. In this paper, the author did a research to find out the problems and the efficient ways to carry on this social practice in the hope that college students can finish their practice efficiently and thus form their career goal gradually.

Understanding the individual with Alzheimer’s disease: Can socioemotional selectivity theory guide us?

Individuals often get lost behind the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) while widespread differences between these patients are morecommon than similarities. Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST) suggests that as we age our goals change from future-oriented (acquiringnew information) to present-oriented (enhancing the emotional, especially positive, meaning of encounters). The goal of the current article is to examine whether the principles of SST might also apply for people with AD. Some aspects of SST are found especially in the early stages of AD when awareness is often intact and cognitive impairment is relatively limited. This review has clinical significance for the treatment of AD because it focuses on what is important to the individual rather than treating patients as a homogenous group. It also highlights the importance of social networks and emphasizes the role of the proxy in AD care. Lastly, it suggests that if those with AD (like the healthy elderly) have a positivity bias then positive emotional stimuli/wording/instructions could usefully be employed in their daily treatment. I suggest that SST may be a useful starting point when attempting to address what matters to individuals with AD and conclude by providing a few suggestions for future studies.

Evolution and Governance of the Structure of Marine Economic Networks in China’s Coastal Areas: Based on Sea-related A-share Listed Companies

Data on discrete,isolated attributes of the marine economy are often used in traditional marine economic research.However,as the focus of urban research shifts from internal static attributes to external dynamic linkages,the importance of marine economic net-work research is beginning to emerge.The construction of the marine economic network in China’s coastal areas is necessary to change the flow of land and sea resources and optimize regional marine economic development.Employing data from headquarters and branches of sea-related A-share listed enterprises to construct the marine economic network in China,we use social network analysis(SNA)to discuss the characteristics of its evolution as of 2010,2015,and 2020 and its governance.The following results were obtained.1)In terms of topological characteristics,the scale of the marine economic network in China’s coastal areas has accelerated and expan-ded,and the connections have become increasingly close;thus,this development has complex network characteristics.2)In terms of spatial structure,the intensity of the connection fluctuates and does not form stable development support;the group structure gradually becomes clear,but the overall pattern is fragmented;there are spatial differences in marine economic agglomeration radiation;the radi-ation effect of the eastern marine economic circle is obvious;and the polarization effect of northern and southern marine economic circles is significant.On this basis,we construct a framework for the governance of a marine economic network with the market,the government,and industry as the three governing bodies.By clarifying the driving factors and building objectives of marine economic network construction,this study aims to foster the high-quality development of China’s marine economy.

Identification of Microplankton in South China Sea with Image-Matching Individual PCR

In this study, marine microplankton were identified by combining standard light microscopy with Sanger 18S rRNA gene sequencing. The image-matching individual PCR technique was applied to identify the image collectable unicellular microplankton to genera. Instead of pure strain culture and morphological identification, microplankton individual cells were isolated and fixed with glutaraldehyde, frozen and stored for months. Finally, they were imaged under a microscope and molecularly identified via phylogenetic analysis of their 18S ribosomal RNA gene(18S rDNA). Microplankton cells were collected at 30 locations in South China Sea, and were assigned to 21 known and 4 unidentified genera(2 uncultured fungi and 2 uncultured stramenopiles) with phylogenetic analysis in parallel to the morphological identification.