bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Approach to Multi-Attribute Decision Making Based on Spherical Fuzzy Einstein Z-Number Aggregation Information
Authors:   Institute of Mathematics, Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, Fatima Adan , Ashraf Shahzaib ,   Institute of Mathematics, Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, Jana Chiranjibe ,   Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India
Published: February 2024

Spherical fuzzy sets are an enhanced framework of the fuzzy set (FS), intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS), Pythagorean fuzzy set (PyFS), and picture fuzzy set (PFS) with the restriction that the total square sum of the membership, indeterminacy, and non-membership degrees must be in 0 and 1. In contrast, the Z-number, a revolutionary idea that captures both the restriction and the reliability of evaluation, is more significant than fuzzy numbers in the fields of decision-making (DM), risk assessment, etc. However, there are still few and insufficient discussions of how to effectively deal with the limitations and reliability of the literature currently in existence. To address this, we first introduced the spherical fuzzy Einstein Z-numbers (SFEZNs), those elements are pairwise comparisons of the decision-makers options. It can be used effectively to make truly ambiguous judgments, reflecting the fuzzy nature, flexibility, and applicability of decision-making data. We present the spherical fuzzy Einstein Z-number weighted aggregation operators and the spherical fuzzy Einstein Z-number weighted geometric operators. We develop a model for spherical fuzzy Einstein Z-number aggregation operators. The main focus of this study is on a technique for handling the issue of multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) effectively and based on one's preferences. We also developed the algorithms for ranking the best options. Finally, we developed the relative comparison and discussion analysis to show the practicability and efficacy of the suggested operators and approaches. The study's findings and implications are discussed.
Observational Measures of Parent-Child Interaction used with Neurodivergent Parents or Infants: A Systematic Review
Authors: Castle Victoria Ellen , Luthra Naveena Cara , Boyle Leoni , Hulks Victoria , Radford Holly , Murphy Shona , Mathers Sandra , Hendry Alexandra
Published: February 2024

Background: Parent-child interaction (PCI) in early childhood plays a key role in children's development. Despite the importance of such interactions for child outcomes, it is possible that observational PCI measures are only suitable for use with neurotypical dyads and are less appropriate when applied to neurodivergent samples (e.g. those who are autistic or have ADHD). Methods: A systematic review of observational PCI measures used with neurodivergent children or parents where the child was aged between 9- and 48-months was conducted. Results: Out of 294 eligible papers, only 19 noted that the PCI measure used had been developed or adapted to ensure that it was appropriate for use with neurodivergent participants. No coding schemes were developed using participatory methods and only one protocol was developed in consultation with the neurodivergent community. Conclusions: Future research should involve the neurodivergent community to develop new PCI measures that are suitable for samples that include neurodivergent individuals, or validate existing measures to check they are appropriate for such samples. Furthermore, researchers need to consider the neurotype of the parent, as well as the child, when applying PCI measures.
Social Utility, Inequality Aversion, and Rank-Status
Authors: Cavve Blake Stockton , Hurlstone Mark J. , Farrell Simon
Published: February 2024

Several distinct strategies or motivations have been proposed in order to characterise the ways in which people compare themselves to others, and how such information influences the decisions they make. Among the most studied type of social preference is inequality aversion, which describes a preference for equal outcomes for all group members, usually with a particular dislike for doing worse than others. A second, rank-status, describes the tendency to focus on the ordinal position (rather than the magnitude) of outcomes and the desire to rank higher than others in outcome standings. Though these competing forms of social preference describe very different psychological processes, these theories do—under certain circumstances—generate identical predictions. To accurately assess how people use information about others in decision-making, these theories must be deliberately, directly, and carefully disentangled. This paper presents two studies in which we competitively test these models of social preference as well as self-interest. We construct social utility curves from a series of satisfaction ratings of allocations for the self and one peer (Study 1) and two peer (Study 2) reference points. In both studies we find some heterogeneity expressed in preferences regarding distribution of several different attributes. Overall, a consistent plurality of participants are best fit by the Fehr and Schmidt inequality aversion model compared to mean reference fairness models and rank-based preference models; though a lesser proportion than found elsewhere in the literature (i.e.,without comparison against competing models). Surprisingly, this preference is also prominent in considerations of vacation time, a leisure attribute assumed to be unaffected by social judgement. The results highlight both discrete and continuous individual differences in the form of social preference.
Motor Dominance and Movement-Outcome Congruency Influence the Electrophysiological Correlates of Sensory Attenuation for Self-Induced Visual Stimuli
Authors: Balla Viktória Roxána , Kilencz Tünde , Szalóki Szilvia , Dalos Vera Daniella , Partanen Eino , Csifcsák Gábor
Published: February 2024

This study explores the impact of movement-outcome congruency and motor dominance on the action-associated modulations of early visual event-related potentials (ERPs). Employing the contingent paradigm, participants with varying degrees of motor dominance were exposed to stimuli depicting left or right human hands in the corresponding visual hemifields. Stimuli were either passively observed or evoked by voluntary button-presses with the dominant or non-dominant hand, in a manner that was either congruent or incongruent with stimulus laterality and hemifield. Early occipital responses (C1 and P1 components) revealed modulations consistent with sensory attenuation (SA) for self-evoked stimuli. Our findings suggest that sensory attenuation during the initial stages of visual processing (C1 component) is a general phenomenon across all degrees of handedness and stimulus/movement combinations. However, the magnitude of C1 suppression was modulated by handedness and movement-stimulus congruency, reflecting stronger SA in right-handed participants for stimuli depicting the right hand, when elicited by actions of the corresponding hand, and measured above the contralateral occipital lobe. P1 modulation suggested concurrent but opposing influences of attention and sensory prediction, with more pronounced suppression following stimulus-congruent button-presses over the hemisphere contralateral to movement, especially in left-handed individuals. We suggest that effects of motor dominance on the degree of SA may stem from functional/anatomical asymmetries in the processing of body parts (C1) and attention networks (P1). Overall, our results demonstrate the modulating effect of hand dominance and movement-outcome congruency on SA, underscoring the need for deeper exploration of their interplay. Additional empirical evidence in this direction could substantiate a premotor account for action-associated modulation of early sensory processing in the visual domain.
How Continuous Concreteness Shapes Brain Processing and Concept Representation Across Diverse Tasks: Insights from an ERP Study
Authors: Montefinese Maria , Visalli Antonino , Angrilli Alessandro , Ambrosini Ettore
Published: February 2024

Behavioural research over several decades has found that concrete words are processed more quickly and accurately than abstract words (concreteness effect). This advantage is also reflected in their different processing and representation in the human brain. In this electrophysiological study, we explored the interplay of concreteness as a continuous measure and task effects on word processing. Electrophysiological responses of 58 participants were recorded during semantic, affective, and grammatical decision tasks on words parametrically varied in concreteness. Our findings uncovered a fine-grained concreteness effect within four distinct spatiotemporal windows when a coding of semantic information is required. In the semantic decision task, we detected a higher parietal positivity within the P300 time range and an increased left temporo-lateral negative-going amplitude for less concrete concepts. We also identified a concreteness effect characterised by greater negativity in the N400 component. In the affective task, we observed a more pronounced parietal P600-like component for more abstract concepts. Interestingly, we found that the neural representational similarity (starting from 450 ms with a widespread scalp distribution) conformed to the concreteness similarity among concepts (regardless of the task), implying that their semantic representations may be characterised along the concreteness dimension in the brain. Our study transcends the conventional dichotomy of abstract versus concrete words, unearthing not only varied processing dynamics along the concreteness dimension but also distinct fine-grained neural representations. This novel insight positions concreteness as a structural dimension, enriching our comprehension of how the brain organises and processes semantic information.
Emotional Contagion in Scandinavia during the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis
Authors: Lane Justin E. , Puga-Gonzalez Ivan , Normann Roger , Shults LeRon , Pastorek Jan
Published: February 2024

In this article we present the findings of social media analysis of the spread of misinformation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and outline how analyses of the psychological properties of a text can be used to optimize strategic messaging online. Our data used Twitter data, collected during the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzed using a suite of AI based analytical tools, which provided data for further empirical analysis. The analysis yielded insights related to the differences in the dynamics of the spread of misinformation within (and outside of) Scandinavian countries. Analysing this data enabled us to explore three hypotheses: (1) Misinformation will be associated with specific moral signatures, which will differ between Scandinavian and non-Scandinavian samples, (2) Levels of engagement will be associated with specific themes and moral concerns, which will differ between Scandinavian and non-Scandinavian samples, and (3) Within Scandinavia, similar unique signatures will be discernible at the country level, with Sweden driving significant differences. These specific results provide guidance for healthcare professionals responsible for communicating information and crafting messages that are more resonant with their target population and more generally demonstrate the ability for social media analysis to be useful in strategic decision making when going beyond focusing on engagement metrics or sentiment alone.
The Relationship Between Cortical Hyperexcitability and Loss of Primary Motor Cortex Excitability in those Predisposed to Aberrant Experiences following Upper Limb Immobilisation: An Exploration.
Authors: Joshi Shalmali D , Robinson Abbie , Drinkwater Amber , O'Hanlon Brandon Lee , Gaffney Christopher J , Nuttall Helen , Braithwaite Jason J
Published: February 2024

Multi-sensory integration is a core aspect of stable self-awareness however it known that this has a propensity to breakdown leading to aberrant experiences (such as hallucinations, distortions, aberrant body experiences). Limb immobilisation has been associated with decrease in corticomotor efficiency and atypical multi-sensory integration. The present study explored the role of predisposition to aberrant experiences and depersonalisation-like experiences in maintaining corticomotor efficiency by rTMS stimulation. Twelve healthy participants were recruited to participate in a limb immobilisation within-subject paradigm. All participants completed two trait-based measures (relating to aberrant experiences and depersonalisation experiences and a state-based measure (where skin conductance responses were measured to a fake blood-giving procedure) indexing interoceptive vulnerability. Cortical excitability was measured by motor evoked potential (MEP) responses to single-pulse TMS in a stepwise procedure for each day of immobilisation. Participants were then randomised into a treatment group (n = 6) who received six 1.5 seconds 50 Hz repetitive inter-pulse trains at 60s intervals and a sham group (n = 6) per day of immobilisation. The results indicated that although the stimulation paradigm was successful in increasing cortical excitability initially, these effects were not maintained throughout the immobilisation period and MEPs evidenced a continual decrease in amplitude over time. Stratification of the participants based on trait-based and state-based measures did not produce any reliable findings. Taken together, this indicated that the stimulation paradigm in isolation was insufficient in maintaining cortical excitability and that baseline brain states are an important consideration for future alternative therapeutic paradigms. Theoretical and methodological improvements are discussed.
Maintaining Whiteness in a Superdiverse Context: White German Parents' Racial-Ethnic Socialization
Authors: Kaiser Marie Jolanda , Moffitt Ursula , Hagelskamp Carolin , Jugert Philipp
Published: February 2024

Objective: We aimed to explore the domains of white German parents’ racial-ethnic socialization (RES) in a superdiverse context.Background: White individuals are becoming numerical minorities in many Western European cities, despite persistent white supremacy. In this context, some white individuals embrace diversity, whereas others perceive it as a threat. Understanding white parents’ RES in diverse contexts is crucial, as parents play a pivotal role in shaping their children's beliefs and behaviors.Method: We conducted qualitative interviews with 12 white German parents of elementary school aged children and employed reflexive thematic analysis to analyze the data.Results: We identified four main themes: silence about race, adhering to white normativity, overtly reinforcing racism, and diversity socialization. Conclusion: RES among white parents is a mechanism that can uphold or resist white supremacy. All parents’ messaging included aspects of both, indicating an ongoing embrace of white normativity and supremacy in this superdiverse context, but also an emerging consciousness of own privileges.Implications: Fostering environments that reject white supremacy demands change at all systemic levels. Interventions to bridge the gap between emerging awareness and concrete actions, guiding parents in exploring and addressing racial-ethnic topics, are one vital puzzle piece to disrupt the intergenerational transmission of racism.
Humans flexibly integrate social information despite interindividual differences in reward
Authors: Witt Alexandra , Toyokawa Wataru , Lala Kevin Neville , Gaissmaier Wolfgang , Wu Charley M
Published: February 2024

There has been much progress in understanding human social learning, including recent studies integrating social information into the reinforcement learning framework.Yet previous studies often assume identical payoffs between observer and demonstrator, overlooking the diversity of real-world interactions. We address this gap by introducing a socially correlated bandit task that accommodates payoff differences among participants, allowing for the study of social learning under more realistic conditions. Our novel Social Generalization (SG) model, tested through evolutionary simulations and two online experiments, outperforms existing models by incorporating social information into the generalization process, but treated as noisier than individual observations. Our findings suggest that human social learning is more flexible than previously believed, with the SG model indicating a potential resource-rational trade-off where social learning partially replaces individual exploration. This research highlights the flexibility of humans social learning, allowing us to integrate social information from others with different preferences, skills, or goals.
Exercise Moderates Longitudinal Group Psychopathology Networks in Individuals with Eating Disorders
Authors: Kolar David R. , Ralph-Nearman Christina , Swanson Trevor , Levinson Cheri A
Published: February 2024

Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) often engage in exercise no matter potential negative long-term outcomes (e.g., weight loss, injury). Yet exercising may temporarily attenuate ED symptoms, but whether exercise also affects network structure and pairwise associations of ED symptoms remained unclear. We used a novel approach called Moderated Multilevel Graphical Vector Autoregression to estimate changes in psychopathology networks from before to after exercising in ecological momentary assessment data from 102 individuals with EDs across multiple days (M = 22.14, SD = 5.40; range: 6 – 22 days) at 4 times daily. Between-person and within-person temporal networks were computed, obtaining stable centrality coefficients for temporal networks only. In those, autoregressive effects of several symptoms, including binge-eating, overeating, or weighing oneself, were attenuated when participants previously exercised. Exercise mostly downregulated temporal effects of ED symptoms on other symptoms, including effects of binge eating and other compensatory behaviors on feeling guilty after the most recent meal, vomiting on weighing oneself, and overeating on fear of weight gain. Our study highlights the complex dynamic effects of exercise on ED symptoms in daily life and calls for novel studies investigating mechanisms of exercise to inform treatments targeting detrimental long-term effects of exercise in EDs.
Promoting Adolescents' Heritage Cultural Identity Development in the Context of the Identity Project in Germany: The Role of Autonomy and Relatedness Basic Needs Satisfaction
Authors: Hölscher Sophie , Schachner Maja , Altoè Gianmarco , Juang Linda P.
Published: February 2024

Varying effects of the Identity Project, an 8-week school intervention, on heritage cultural identity development necessitate a closer look at factors influencing the intervention’s efficacy. Using latent profile cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regressions, this longitudinal study examined how need satisfaction (autonomy and relatedness) at school (1) related to heritage cultural identity development trajectories in N = 198 adolescents (Mage = 12.86 years, SDage = .75, 52% female) in Germany, and (2) moderated effects of the Identity Project. The intervention showed no main effect, and need satisfaction showed mixed effects on identity development trajectories. Yet, teacher-student relationships facilitated intervention effects on identity development trajectories, emphasizing the importance of the relational context when designing interventions to promote heritage cultural identity development.
Consensus Emergence as a Dynamic Concept: Bridging the Gap Between the Theoretical Concept and its Empirical Estimation
Authors: Baurne Yvette , Delmar Frédéric , Wallin Jonas
Published: February 2024

Some of the most influential theories in psychology describe multilevel processes based on dynamic concepts, often with emerging properties. This article aims to provide a precise mathematical definition of consensus emergence, a central concept in such theories. The definition can close the gap between the theoretical definition of consensus emergence and the quantities measured in empirical studies. Empirical studies on the emergence of consensus in the team and group literature can produce new insights when researchers explicitly consider several critical conceptual and methodological issues. Using this definition, we can clarify several issues in modeling consensus emergence in multilevel models. We illustrate this by three potential pitfalls (identifiability, inappropriate statistics, and model misspecification) in estimating consensus emergence in empirical studies and give recommendations on how to avoid them.
What We Learn in School, We Learn for Life: Learning Opportunities as Moderators of the Relationship Between Prior Knowledge and Learning in Post-School Contexts
Authors: Etzel Julian M. , Heinze Aiso , Neumann Knut , Bernholt Sascha , Retelsdorf Jan , Köller Olaf , Nagy Gabriel
Published: February 2024

A commonly held belief is that knowledge acquired in school (KAS) matters for later stages of education because it enables individuals to make better use of new learning opportunities. The current study approached this question by examining the role of domain-specific KAS for the development of professional knowledge (PK) in vocational education and training (VET). Our analyses recurred on (1) school achievement tests that assess domain-specific KAS in chemistry, physics, and math, (2) occupation-specific achievement tests in the same domains to assess PK (and its development) in VET, and (3) comparisons between different VET programs to isolate the effects of learning opportunities on PK acquisition over time and their interaction with KAS. Data stemmed from a sample of N = 2,775 trainees from three VET groups (chemical laboratory assistants, technicians, and industrial clerks) that are characterized by a focus on different knowledge domains. Our findings suggest that VET does not affect the knowledge assessed with school achievement tests. Instead, VET programs provide learning opportunities that facilitate the acquisition of domain-specific PK. In addition, KAS matters for subsequent learning in VET because it (1) determines the level of PK with which trainees enter VET and (2) enables trainees to make better use of the learning opportunities to develop their professional knowledge.
Thinking the Relationships Between Conspiracy Mentality and Belief in Conspiracy Theories: Working Assumptions for a New Research Agenda
Authors: Nera Kenzo
Published: February 2024

In this response, I synthetize and expand on key points of agreement and on nuances brought up by Imhoff, Pummerer, and Sutton and colleagues in this issue. I also attempt to further clarify the concept of conspiracy mentality. Building on Imhoff and Bruder’s (2014) conceptualisation of conspiracy mentality as a generalised political attitude, I propose to adopt the working assumption that conspiracy mentality consists in a worldview, that is, a set of descriptive beliefs and assumptions about how the world functions. Adopting this assumption clarifies the questions of the constituents (descriptive beliefs – whose content remains to be investigated) and associates (e.g., prescriptive beliefs, behaviours) of conspiracy mentality. It also clarifies the causal mechanisms through which conspiracy mentality may foster the endorsement of specific conspiracy beliefs (e.g., through motivated reasoning), and vice versa (e.g., through inductive reasoning). I propose five basic working assumptions to facilitate research on this topic.
Unmasking the Psyche of Shakespeare’s Richard III and Lady Macbeth through Freud’s “The Uncanny”
Authors: AlShalan Amjad
Published: February 2024

Richard III and Lady Macbeth are often portrayed as complex and paradoxical Shakespearean characters, reflecting the human psyche’s complexity. This paper examines two Shakespearean characters, Richard III and Lady Macbeth, within a psychoanalytical framework centered around Freud’s concept of the uncanny. It addresses research questions about the interaction between cunning schemes and complex dynamics shaping characters’ psyches, such as how the idea of the uncanny aids in comprehending the similar roles that both Lady Macbeth and Richard III play in each play. How can we define Lady Macbeth’s role? And how can we interpret Richard III’s evil deeds? The analysis aims to understand Lady Macbeth’s role and interpret Richard III’s evil deeds in the play. Uncanny situations reveal low self-esteem and dissatisfaction, blurring the line between reality and deceit. The analysis reflects the way Shakespeare took advantage of the characters’ trauma and fear to create specific flaws in his characters that would make them relatable to the audience. The use of soliloquies and ghosts reveals the relationship between uncanny situations and the characters’ psyche. Both Richard III and Lady Macbeth grapple with guilt and conscience, which highlights the thematic parallels between the two characters.
A macroevolutionary analysis of European Late Upper Palaeolithic stone tool shape using a Bayesian phylodynamic framework
Authors: Matzig David N. , Marwick Ben , Riede Felix , Warnock Rachel
Published: February 2024

Phylogenetic models are commonly used in paleobiology to study the patterns and processes of organismal evolution. In the human sciences, phylogenetic methods have been deployed for reconstructing ancestor-descendant relationships using linguistic and material culture data. Within evolutionary archaeology specifically, phylogenetic analyses based on maximum parsimony and discrete traits dominate, which sets limitations for the downstream role cultural phylogenies, once derived, can play in more elaborate analytical pipelines. Moreover, the use of discrete character traits in these efforts prevails, which in turn sets a number of non-trivial challenges. Recent methodological advances in Bayesian phylogenetics, however, now allow us to infer evolutionary dynamics using continuous characters. Capitalizing on these developments, we here present an exploratory analysis of cultural macroevolution of projectile point shape evolution in the European Final Palaeolithic and earliest Mesolithic (~15,000-11,000 BP) using a Bayesian phylodynamic approach and the fossilised birth-death process model. This model-based approach leaps far beyond the application of parsimony, in that it not only produces a tree, but also divergence times, and diversification rates, while incorporating uncertainties. This allows us to compare rates to the pronounced climatic changes that occurred during our timeframe. While common in cultural evolutionary analyses of language, the extension of Bayesian phylodynamic models to archaeology represents a major methodological breakthrough.
The Relationship between Modern Theatre and Society According to Henrik Ibsen’s Plays: Rosmersholm, The Wild Duck, and A Doll’s House
Authors: Salman Yousif Ali Yousif , AL-dihaymawee Doaa Taher Matrood , Ali Zahraa Abdulhasan Abd
Published: February 2024

Henrik Ibsen is considered one of the greatest writers on society and its problems in the modern era, as his works deal with society in all its forms in a realistic way, in which he presents the motives and consequences of social problems and their impact on society to study these problems through them to and propose solutions through theatre. Most of his writings were very serious about addressing these social issues. The method of collecting information in the study came through reviewing a group of sources related to realistic theater and social theory, then reading the plays covered in a critical and analytical reading. Based on that, the method of writing this study came and used a group of sources that directly relate to the subject. Thus, this study addresses the following questions 1) Does the theater have a human function? 2) Is there a direct relationship between modern theatre and society? The importance of this study is in dealing with social issues, which makes the aim of this study to analyze the impact of each of these concepts on society and what results from them. This study is an interpretation of these themes that Ibsen wanted to deal with in a literary way according to the Marxist theory as a literary theory. This study provides literary objectives and realistic study in realistic theatre based on the aforementioned theatrical works Rosmersholm (1886), The Wild Duck (1884), and A Doll’s House (1879).
Exploring Theoretical Dimensions in Interpreting Studies: A Comprehensive Overview
Authors: AlSuhaim Dana Sulaiman
Published: February 2024

This paper undertakes a rigorous examination of interpreting theories, seeking to enhance the theoretical understanding of interpreting studies. Recognizing diverse interpretations influenced by theorists’ experiences, education, and cultural backgrounds, the research aims to provide a comprehensive summary of existing literature. The study focuses on three main aspects: interpreting as a product, interpreting as a process, and the interpreter’s role. Through systematic classification, the paper minimizes potential confusion among scholars by organizing theories coherently. Examining interpreting as a product involves a detailed review of corpus-based and discourse-analysis studies, offering nuanced insights into their conceptual frameworks. For interpreting as a process, the paper explores prominent theories such as Relevance Theory, Think-aloud Protocol, and Interpretive theories, highlighting their contributions to the interpretive process. The outcome is a consolidated and organized overview of interpreting theories, serving as a valuable resource for scholars and researchers navigating the theoretical landscape of interpreting studies. By systematically categorizing and summarizing the literature, the study will advance our understanding of diverse perspectives and establish itself as an efficient reference for interpreting studies and research. Ultimately, the paper aims to facilitate future research endeavors by bringing together and reviewing interpreting theories dispersed across various sources, contributing to the ongoing advancement of the discipline.
Applying Juliane House’s Translation Quality Assessment Model on Audio-Visual Political Translations of Arab Intermediate Translators
Authors: Hakami Ahmed
Published: February 2024

Modern translation devices cannot achieve the expected accuracy as they cannot make up the target text as original as the source text on either the cultural or linguistic level. Translation quality is expected to be a critical academic area, especially concerning audio-visual translation, as it cannot be generated by a machine-translator due to its multidimensional nature. The reason for applying political translation in this study is the linguistic and cultural richness of political discourse, as many political texts are defined and understood in terms of ideology, culture, and political circumstances. The present paper adopts a qualitative aspect. It will be applied through a comparative approach as the study will compare both source text (discourse) and target texts (discourse) according to Juliane House’s model. House’s model is applied due to its comprehensiveness, which analyzes translation according to many aspects including lexical, syntactic, and textual meanings. In addition, House’s model applies the communication theory of “sender-receiver” to the text for defining the accuracy of translation in terms of the relationship between the sender and the receiver. Here, the significance of the study is to testify and examine Juliane House’s as a translation quality assessment model and its efficiency assessing and evaluating audio-visual political translations of Arab intermediate translators.
Translation Strategies of Chinese-English Culture-Specific Items: the Case of Translation Test from CET4 and CET6
Authors: Chunyuan Niu , Fang Ng Chwee , Hazlina Abdul Halim , Nik Farhan Mustapha
Published: February 2024

Culture-specific items (CSIs) constitute a critical component within the realm of cultural translation, particularly evident in the context of China’s widely participated CET-4 and CET-6 (College English Test Band 4 and Band 6). These examinations have garnered increasing scholarly attention due to their substantial influence on language education and international communication. Drawing inspiration from Nida’s (1945) cultural criteria and Newmark’s (1988) translation strategies, this comprehensive study delves into the intricacies of CET-4 and CET-6 CSIs spanning the decade from 2013 to 2023. The findings reveal that diverse types of CSIs necessitate distinct translation strategies, influenced by political, economic, sociocultural factors, and translation purposes. Moreover, a majority of these CSIemploy a combination of translation strategies to fulfill their translation objectives. In essence, this study analyzes CSIs in China’s CET-4 and CET-6 English tests, enhancing the understanding of cultural translation and improving the cultural translation skills. It reveals that different CSIs require distinct translation strategies influenced by various factors, providing valuable insights for translators, students and educators.
In the Poem My Last Duchess the Duke Suffers from Personality Disorders
Authors: Ibrahim Amal M. A.
Published: February 2024

Personality disorders are characterized by thoughts and feelings about oneself and other people that have a significant adverse effect on an individual’s ability to operate in many facets of life. The study aims to give an account of conditions of personality disorders such as narcissism and avoidance. The significance of the study is that people need to have education about people who suffer from personality disorders, their behaviors, and their actions. The main objective of the study is to describe the effects of personality disorders, including those that are connected, and how they might be linked to actions and thoughts of homicide. The study used an analytical and descriptive method to provide an account of the conditions of personality disorders based on the Duke of My Last Duchess poem. According to the study’s findings, individuals who suffer from personality disorders are unable to control their haughtiness, conceit, and arrogance which leads them to commit crimes. The researcher recommends preventing and treating personality disorder conduct, as well as understanding the primary causes of symptoms.
Unmasking the Master Narrative: Exclusionary Practices and the Enslaved African Muslims Omar ibn Said, Bilali Muhammad, and Abdulrahman Ibrahima Sori
Authors: Alotaibi Mohrah Abdullah
Published: February 2024

This study aims to investigate the exclusionary practices encountered by enslaved African Muslims in the antebellum United States, with an emphasis on how these practices shaped their lives. The significance of this study is that it sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals such as Omar ibn Said, Bilali Muhammad, and Abdulrahman Ibrahima Sori, offering insights into the workings of historical power structures. The guiding research question is: “In what ways did exclusionary practices impact the lives of the enslaved Muslims under study?” Utilizing a decolonial framework, inspired by the works of Walter Mignolo and Anibal Quijano, the study engages with concepts including the ‘master narrative’, ‘coloniality of power’, and ‘exclusionary practices’ to assess the legacy of oppression. The study contributes to the scholarship by providing a focused analysis of the experiences of enslaved Muslims, a topic that has received limited attention in historical and archival research. The conclusion will synthesize the discussion on exclusionary practices and the ‘master narrative’, reinforcing their importance in historical analysis.
The Emergence, Growth, and Maturation of the Arabic Language
Authors: Al-Zubaidi Sa’eed
Published: February 2024

The writer had heard about Al-Karmali before reading him or anyone who wrote about him. He motivated me to choose this book from among what he had written, and it fell into my hands. I began to look at it repeatedly and examine its thirty-nine chapters. I am not one of those whose hearts are consumed by envy, hatred, or grudges. According to what Al-Karmali mentioned. Rather, I read it in a beneficial manner, as he said: “With an open heart and a grateful heart[i].” A passionate observer meant for me the opportunity provided by “The Iraqi Academy Papers” to commemorate him and explain his role in serving Arabic: as a council, lecturer, and author.Among his extensive linguistic efforts, which were monitored by our Professor Ibrahim Al-Samarrai (may God have mercy on him), who said about these efforts: “The word fascinates him, so he researches its construction, origin, derivation, and its closeness to another Semitic language, or a non-Semitic language, he does not miss using it, the aspect of eloquence in that usage, the widespread error in its use by the public, and how it moved away from eloquence, becoming a disgraced colloquialism”.[ii]From this point of view, I examined his book: “The Emergence, Growth, and Maturation of the Arabic language.”It is clear from this title that this scholar monitors Arabic in its three stages: emergence, growth, and maturation, with his belief in historical linguistic development: He confirms what was said in its origins: “A group holds that words were initially placed on a single consonant, a vowel, and a vowelless consonant”.“Another group says: Words are formed at the beginning of their emergence into three letters”. Then he chooses “the first opinion… so we decided to publish it and detail its facts”.[iii]The statement about the duality of the Arabic word is not new, as Al-Khalil bin Ahmad Al-Farahidi (d. 175 AH) established (Kitab Al-Ain) “on four categories: the dual, the tripartite, the quadruple, and the quinqueliteral[iv]”.This opinion was stated by Dominican Bishop Augustine Marmarji (d. 1963 AD, 1382 AH)[v]. Perhaps Father Anastas looked at Al-Khalil’s statement, as he published an excerpt from “The Book of the Eye” in Al-Aytam Press/Baghdad in 1914 AD[vi].Al-Karmali was influenced by Sibawayh (d. 180 AH) is evident in his use of the word (kalam), as Sibawayh said: “This is a chapter on the knowledge of speech from Arabic[vii]”.As concerns the title of his book, we have the following observation:The scholar used the word (Iktihaliha, Maturation), and the stem (K, H, L) means: “The one whose hair turns gray, and who becomes old mature[viii]”. That is, language has reached maturity and strength, and it indicates the third stage of development, but I’d rather like him to have used the word (its completion) due to the perfection it achieved until God chose it as the language of His revelation, it would have been more accurate in expression, and this is not in the sense of (becoming mature), because after that the old person will grow older and die!
The Resistance Narrative in Arabic Science Fiction: Azem’s The Book of Disappearance (2014)
Authors: Almalki Salma B.
Published: February 2024

This paper aims to analyze the mode of resistance narrative in Ibtisam Azem’s The Book of Disappearance (2014), which is read within the frame of Arabic Science Fiction. The study answers the following questions:(1) What are the Arabic Science Fiction tropes in Azem’s novel? (2) How does ASF subserve resistance narratives in Azem’s novel? (3)Why does Azem utilize the Dystopian Narrative for resistance narratives? The study examines the structure and themes of Azem’s The Book of Disappearance in terms of postcolonial and science fictional theories. The study’s methodology considers Kanafani’s resistance narrative, Morrison’s rememory, and Hochberg’s archival imagination in exploring the historical frame in Azem’s The Book of Disappearance. The analysis of Azem’s The Book of Disappearance interconnects the Palestinian resistance literature and the postcolonial writing to the ASF tropes and techniques. The alternative history closely examines the controversy between Israeli utopia and Palestinian dystopia. The study concludes that in Azem’s novel, the 1948 Nakba is recreated in the future through the imaginative incident of the Palestinian disappearance. As Palestinian novels often grapple with the complex question of identity in the face of displacement, occupation, and cultural pressures, Azem’s novel inspects the question of identity through a simulation of history in Alaa’s diary and through the gaze of Arial, the Israeli journalist. Azem’s novel confronts this trauma, giving voice to the pain and suffering of the Palestinian people through the Arabic Science Fiction frame of a dystopian narrative that dismantles the Zionist ideology and Israeli oppressive regime.
Responsible Research and Innovation
Authors: Woolley Richard , Otero-Hermida Paula , Monsonís-Payá Irene , Wicher Magdalena
Published: February 2024

This chapter summarises the history and significance of the concept of responsible research and innovation (RRI) in Europe and the emergence of a linked community of practice in research and policy arenas.
Evaluating Quality and Readability: Contrastive Analysis of Four Arabic Translations of Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities
Authors: Alassiri Mohammed
Published: February 2024

This study aims to conduct a contrastive analysis of four Arabic translations of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, focusing on quality and readability. The significance of this work lies in its exploration of the linguistic and cultural aspects of translation. It analyses the boundaries of what translators deem acceptable in their practice, particularly in the context of literary classics, which require a delicate balance between original intent and cultural adaptability. The study investigates the differences in translation quality and readability across four Arabic translations of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, and It examines the implications of these variations on translation practices. The core question addresses how the first book’s six chapter titles and the opening paragraph of the first chapter are translated into Arabic. The translations reviewed are by Monir Baalbaki (TR1), Dr. Al-Husseini Al-Husseini (TR2), Sophie Abdullah (TR3), and Dar Al-Haref Al-Arabi (TR4). By analyzing these translations, the study explores the extent to which the essence of the original text is preserved in the translation process. Our findings reveal significant disparities in how these translations approach fidelity and stylistic choices. TR1 adheres closely to the source text, qualifying as a faithful translation, while TR4 introduces extensive, unjustified changes. Without justification, TR2 and TR3 exhibit notable omissions, including the famous opening paragraph and entire chapters. The study contributes to translation studies by highlighting the critical role of careful translation in preserving the integrity of literary classics and the complexities involved in balancing linguistic fidelity with cultural relevance.
The Representation of Islam in Alice Walker’s Everyday Use
Authors: Hussein Khalid M.
Published: February 2024

The present study explores the image of Islam as portrayed in Alice Walker’s Everyday Use. The study seeks to examine the nature of the interplay between Islam and the local community of the story in terms of the way fundamental Islam is received and accommodated within the context of conflicting worldviews. Walker’s Everyday Use unfolds, seamlessly, a portrait that captures the way Fundamental Islam is introduced and received, the Muslim community and its ethos, and the Muslim Individuals as torn between their commitment to Islamic tradition and the spell of trendy Black social movements to which they belong. Walker’s Everyday Use also sheds light on some threads of connection between Islam and Black Americans at the time. For all the clumsiness in his manner, ‘Hakim a barber’, the Black Muslim, remains committed to core Islamic values like offering traditional Islamic greetings of peace, abstaining from eating pork, and adopting the Islamic attitude of showing courtesy to women. Furthermore, the Muslim community in Walker’s Everyday Use is conjectured through the Christian narrator’s eyes as the epitome of African-American values of pride and empowerment.
The Controversy of Teaching World Literature and the Importance of Translation in The Field of English Studies
Authors: Almutairi Samirah
Published: February 2024

For literary texts to be taught in World Literature courses in the Departments of English Literature, they must be translated into English as a general rule. Some scholars advocate for translating literary texts, and others believe that translation as a methodology does not do justice to these texts. This study aims to lay out the arguments for each position and evaluate them. The significance of this study is to show that World Literature remains an essential field and to highlight the importance of translation. This study questions the modes and purpose of translating literary texts. The result of this study includes a discussion of the need for translation to promote the wide circulation of literary texts and ideas and a consideration of the positionality of critics, scholars, and readers in assessing translation. The study concludes with conducting more focus and scholarly efforts on translation techniques and methodologies.
Random sampling is a mathematical necessity beyond debate or opinion for valid statistical inferences
Authors: Xie Gang
Published: February 2024

This poster aims at reminding researchers of the unignorable fundamental concern of random sampling issue in statistical inferences. Random sampling refers to the process of clearly defining a target population and then a probabilistic sample(s) can be literally taken from the population. More specifically, a target population is the collection of all sampling units relevant to some well-defined research questions and, by some objective chance mechanism, each sampling unit has the equal or known probability to be selected into a sample which is referred to as ‘a random sample’. Therefore, each sample unit can be weighted by the inverse of the selection probability to get unbiased estimates of the parameters that fully define the population. Statistical inferences aim at making justifiable conclusions about a population based on sample data. The random sampling thus becomes a matter of mathematical necessity rather than a matter of debate or opinion for any valid statistical inferential analysis. However, it is a matter of fact that practical and/or ethical factors make it literally impossible in most instances to obtain random samples for real life research. This unavoidable fundamental flaw alone invalidates the generalizability of research findings beyond the sample data on the ground of statistical inferences. Sadly, most textbook authors unduly dismiss (or simply ignore) the concerns of random sampling issue with statistical fables (e.g., ‘your sample of observations can be imagined to come and may be regarded as a random sample’); hence most statistical analysis practices simply assume that the random sampling flaw in statistical inferences is negligible.