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Medical professionals such as physicians and veterinarians are responsible for appropriate antimicrobial prescription (AMP) and use. Although seemingly straightforward, the factors influencing antibiotic prescription, a category of antimicrobials, are complex. Many studies have been conducted in the past two decades on this subject. As a result, there is a plethora of empirical evidence regarding the factors influencing clinicians' AMP practices. Aim : A systematic review of AMR studies on AMP was conducted, condensing findings according to a combination of the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) and Capacity, Opportunity, Motivation—Behavior (COM-B) models. Review findings were then synthesized and analyzed for policy implementation according to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Design and methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines to identify peer-reviewed papers indexed in pre-determined medical science, social sciences, and humanities databases that apply the KAP model in their investigations. Antimicrobial prescription factors were compared and contrasted among low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs). Findings: The KAP model is a heuristic and structured framework for identifying and classifying respondents' knowledge. However, other than medical knowledge, factors that influence prescription decision-making can be expanded to include attitudes, perception, personal affinities, professional circumstances, relational pressure, and social norms. • There are intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing antibiotic prescription. • Prudent prescription challenge is externalization of AMR problem in LMIC and HMIC. • Each cohort is characterized with local and pre-existing strength and weaknesses. • This review adapts combined KAP and COM-B domains for behavioral change factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our paper measures time preference for hypothetical rewards via the standard Multiple Price list (MPL) format. • We employ an incentivised experiment using the unique reference numbers of banknotes to determine an individual's willingness to save money. • Hypothetically derived time preference parameters do not predict either incentivised choices in our experiment or actual saving decisions. • Our results remain robust to confounding factors within our incentivised experiment (fungibility and reputation effects). Time preferences are an important determinant of decision-making and are widely measured through hypothetical survey questions. However, the extent to which they offer a good representation of time discounting remains largely unexplored. This paper estimates time preference parameters using a commonly-applied hypothetical elicitation method. We explore whether our estimated parameters correlate with actual and incentivized behaviours related to time preferences. First, we consider the correlation between our hypothetical measures and the result of an incentivised experiment using the unique reference numbers of banknotes as a means of determining an individual's willingness to save money. Individuals are given a banknote and informed that if they chose to retain this specific note for a randomly assigned period of time (2, 7 or 14 days) they will receive a second banknote, in effect doubling their initial endowment. Second, we consider the correlation between hypothetical measures and an individual's observable saving behaviour, including ownership of a savings account and participation in a Rotating Credit and Savings Association (ROSCA). Overall, our results show that hypothetically-derived time preference parameters are not significantly correlated with our measures of actual or incentivized behaviour. We explore the extent to which our results are due to limited power and find that a version of our results comparable to the relevant literature can detect effect sizes in line with similar studies. Furthermore, we recognise that our incentivized experiment will be a noisy reflection of time discounting and subject to confounding factors, such as the inherent fungibility of money. We provide ancillary evidence suggesting that our main results remain robust to these considerations and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential for off-hour deliveries in the city of Rome. It focuses on retailers that play a fundamental role in the decision making process often determining delivery times. It explores their preferences for three off-hour delivery prototypes and inquires retailers' willingness to adopt them, both with and without the provision of dedicated incentives. Finally, it analyses retailers’ reactions to a hypothetical scenario where a mandatory off-hour delivery policy is imposed. The overall results show a good inclination towards off-hour deliveries. This induces optimism with respect to their potential introduction as well as skepticism about the lack of attention local decision makers have, so far, paid to this policy option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the ‘path perspective’ helps to understand and improve the practice of environmental modelling and decision making. A path is the sequence of steps taken in a modelling project. The problem solving team faces several forks where alternative choices can be made. These choices determine the path, together with the impact of uncertainties and exogenous effects. This paper discusses phenomena that influence the problem solvers' choices at the forks. Situations are described where it can be desirable to re-direct the path or backtrack on it. Phenomena are identified that can cause the modelling project to get stuck on a poor path. The concept of a path draws attention to the interplay of behavioral phenomena and the sequential nature of modelling processes. This helps understand the overall effect of the behavioral phenomena. A path checklist is developed to help practitioners detect forks and reflect on the path of the modelling project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: It is well known that ants can use cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) as a specific recognition cue. Most previous studies addressed the perception of CHCs occurring on the cuticle. However, the presence of CHCs in the environment (e.g., on the substrate) and the role of these compounds as a signal cue are less clear. In this study of the ant L. niger, CHCs were extracted from corpses of workers, from the legs of workers and from filter paper marked by workers. Behavioural choice tests were then performed to study the reactions of workers and queens to CHC passively deposited on the substrate by walking workers. A GC–MS analysis of the CHCs revealed a complex mixture of 28 peaks composed of linear alkanes, alkenes and mono-, di- or trimethylalkane. This mixture was consistently present in the three sources tested (corpses of workers, the tarsus of workers and paper marked by walking workers). Nevertheless, discriminant analyses distinguished clearly among the three types of profiles. The results of our behavioural experiments showed that the workers were able to distinguish between marked and unmarked papers but that they exhibited no preferences for different types of marked papers (papers marked by workers from their own colony or papers marked by workers from a different colony). In queens, the perception of marked papers depended on age or physiological state. Just-mated queens did not discriminate between unmarked papers and papers marked by an alien colony. In contrast, the egg-laying queens 3days after mating significantly favoured the marked papers. We discuss the ecological relevance of the differences in decision-making between castes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines public valuations of mortality risk reductions. We set up a theoretical framework that allows for altruistic preferences, and subsequently test theoretical predictions through the design of a discrete choice experiment. By varying the tax scenario (uniform versus individual tax), the experimental design allows us to verify whether pure altruistic preferences are present and the underlying causes. We find evidence of negative pure altruism. Under a coercive uniform tax system respondents lower their willingness to pay possibly to ensure that they are not forcing others to pay at a level that corresponds to their own - higher - valuations. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that respondents perceive other individuals' valuations to be lower than their own. Our results suggest that public valuations of mortality risk reductions may underestimate the true societal value because respondents are considering other individuals' welfare, and wrongfully perceive other people's valuations to be low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the results of an investigation of the factors that shape the decision by passenger car users of a tolled facility to use an electronic toll collection (ETC) system. The paper is based on revealed data collected in the New York City area, that were analysed with the assistance of discrete choice models. The results provide insight into the nature of the underlying decision making process. A number of results stand out. The first one is that the time saved by using ETC at the toll booths does not play a statistically significant role in the decision to use ETC. This result is conceptually correct because: (1) the time saved at the toll booths when using ETC is a relatively small portion of the total travel time in the hyper-congested network in the New York City area and (2) the actual time saved is curtailed by upstream congestion that makes it difficult for drivers to reach the ETC-only toll booths, and by downstream congestion that frequently prevents driver from crossing the toll booths. The second set of results is related to the perceived financial benefits of using ETC. Two variables were found to play a significant role in increasing ETC use: the toll savings (the difference between cash and ETC tolls), and drivers’ awareness of the toll discounts offered. Other socio-economic attributes have a direct relationship with the likelihood of using ETC: the number of trips made through the facilities, auto ownership, college education, age, and income. The results also indicate significant differences by ethnicity as racial minorities (i.e., African–Americans and Hispanics) are less inclined to use ETC than Caucasians. From the policy standpoint, these results imply that in order to increase ETC use, the difference between cash and ETC tolls should be increased, and accompanied with outreach campaigns to raise awareness of the toll discounts available to ETC users. The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities should also be addressed by implementing specially designed outreach efforts to gain insight into the factors that shape their attitude toward ETC. Taken together, the results in the paper—and in a companion paper that focuses on freight users—provide clear suggestions that could be used to increase ETC use, and enable the transportation system to fully exploit the potential benefits of such an important technology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper develops axiomatic foundations of rational decision making involving a choice among action–acts pairs. In the context of the state-space formulation of agency theory, this paper clarifies the assumptions underlying the additive representations that are often used to depict agents'' behavior in the analysis of principal–agent problems. The paper invokes the algebraic approach that renders the analysis general. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The improved evasive capability of the modern deiseal submarine can downgrade the performance of a torpedo seriously. However, a few studies have concerned the sophisticate diesel submarine as a main factor for the influence of a torpedo's attack. This paper presents a torpedo performance Markov model for making quick analyses on a torpedo performance in pursuit of a diesel submarine under various conditions. This model takes into account the effectiveness of submarine's counter measures and maneuvering behaviors of both sides. The Markov process is used and six states are sorted out for representing the dynamic behaviors for both of submarine and torpedo systematically. Through cases analyses, we prove that the torpedo performance is deteriorating exponentially as the number of counter measure is increasing. This analytical result may refine the anti-submarine warfare decision to avoid the possible misleading by solely relying on the deterministic torpedo probability of kill in the engagement. It also identifies that two pairs of jammer coupling with two decoys can be the best combination to saturate torpedo attack that can direct provide the decision makers a basic doctrine for controlling their engagement behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic identification of learners attributes is the main trend in development of e-learning environments and providing personalized learning path. Many learners’ characteristics may be considered to provide personalized learning that fit into individual’s needs. Understanding individual differences in learning is an important issue in educational psychology. Many studies attest that learning process can be more effective by considering personality traits. In this paper, we propose a fuzzy inference system, ALPIS, to identify the Big-Five Personality from learner’s network behaviors. The proposed system had been implemented through MATLAB fuzzy tools. We conducted an experimental study in real e-learning environment with 53 students (29 male and 24 female) to evaluate the ALPIS performance. Comparing to the conventional inventory-based psychological analysis (NEO-FFI) we demonstrate that learners’ personality can be predicted with reasonable precision based on their online behaviors. Experiments have shown that ALPIS is able to automatically detect learners’ personality with accuracy at least 78% on medium Agreeableness category and 97% on low extroversion category. Because of using learners’ behaviors ALPIS provides a reasonable precision in personality detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention is the process of focusing mental resources on a specific cognitive/behavioral task. Such brain dynamics involves different partially overlapping brain functional networks whose interconnections change in time according to the performance stage, and can be stimulus-driven or induced by an intrinsically generated goal. The corresponding activity can be described by different families of spatiotemporal discrete patterns or sequential dynamic modes. Since mental resources are finite, attention modalities compete with each other at all levels of the hierarchy, from perception to decision making and behavior. Cognitive activity is a dynamical process and attention possesses some universal dynamical characteristics. Thus, it is time to apply nonlinear dynamical theory for the description and prediction of hierarchical attentional tasks. Such theory has to include the analyses of attentional control stability, the time cost of attention switching, the finite capacity of informational resources in the brain, and the normal and pathological bifurcations of attention sequential dynamics. In this paper we have integrated today's knowledge, models and results in these directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The exposure and diffusion of energy consumption information in building occupant peer networks has been shown to influence an individual''s energy consumption decisions. In this paper, we develop an agent-based computational model for individual energy consumption behavior based on data collected during an experiment on residential energy use. We simulate the building occupants’ decision making and the information transmission process. By comparing the impact of several parameters in the network level computational model and validating the parameters in a second experimental setting, our research serves to clarify how network relations can be leveraged for modifying energy consumption behavior. Network degree and weight were identified as the major structural parameters that impact building occupants’ conservation decisions, while network size was found to have no significant impact. These findings have important implications for the design and effectiveness of residential energy feedback systems designed to promote energy conservation in residential buildings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Behaviour in public good experiments is usually attributed partly to rational self-interest and partly to social norms and preferences. This paper examines if sensitivity to social desirability affects public good contribution and in what way. A pre-experimental measure of social desirability (SDS17) was used to match partners in a two-person public good game. Half the participants received experimenter approval based upon their investment. Contrary to predictions, the highest public good investment was by low social desirability participants in the approval condition. Social desirability was not positively related to pro-social behaviour. We consider its relation to experimental and social conformity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In a context in which aggressive behavior has been predominantly predicted by self-reports, this paper considers how a theoretical and empirical examination of automatic and deliberative processes in information processing and decision making may contribute to our understanding of aggressive behavior. We review research devoted to distinguishing two types of aggression with regard to the level of automaticity or control they involve, a distinction similar to the one between automatic and deliberative processes. In parallel with this theoretical distinction, implicit measures appear to be a good candidate for measuring aggression and predicting aggressive behavior. Although consideration of automatic processes is essential for a better understanding of how and why people act aggressively, it should not lead to the conclusion that aggressive behavior is fully automatic. This contribution underlines that the interaction between environment and individual differences is the key element at the implicit level, as it is at the explicit level. Some future directions for studying aggression using implicit measures are drawn. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The development of a quantitative intersection aggressiveness propensity index (API) is described in this paper. The index is intended to capture the overall propensity for aggressive driving to be experienced at a given signalized intersection. The index is a latent quantity that can be estimated from observed environmental, situational and driving behavior variables using structural equations modeling techniques. An empirical study of 10 major signalized intersections in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area was conducted to illustrate the approach. The API is shown to provide (a) an approach for capturing and quantifying aggressive driving behavior given certain measurements taken at a particular intersection, (b) understanding of the factors and intersection characteristics that may affect aggressiveness, and (c) an index for the cross comparison of different traffic areas with different features. This index has the potential to support safety policy analysis and decision-making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Safe egress is one of the key design issues identified by facility planners, manager and inspectors. Computational tools are now available for the simulation and design of emergency evacuation and egress. However, these tools rely heavily on assumptions about individual human and social behaviors, which have been found to be oversimplified, inconsistent and even incorrect. Furthermore, the behaviors are usually incorporated into the computational model in an ad hoc manner. This paper presents a framework for studying human and social behavior, from the perspectives of human decision-making and social interaction, and for incorporating such behavior systematically in a dynamic computational model suitable for emergency egress analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Common-pool resources (CPRs) typically involve interaction where precise information about payoffs is absent. However, all experimental studies of CPRs we are aware of study environments where the payoff structure is known. In this paper we address the behavioral consequences of two degrees of information on the mapping between decisions and payoffs. We run two treatments, one with complete information on the payoff structure and one with none. Remarkably, aggregate behavior is not significantly different between the two treatments. In both cases the aggregate tendencies converge to the Nash equilibrium. Furthermore, the best-reply dynamics organize individual behavior in both treatments remarkably well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Utility maximization is widely used to model individuals’ activity scheduling and rescheduling behavior. Utility maximization is based on the assumption that the modeled behavior is the result of a reasoned decision. An alternative to a planned behavior is habitual behavior, whose execution process has become automatic due to its repeated performance. Compared to activity scheduling, little is known about the activity rescheduling behavior. In this paper, we focus our attention on the rescheduling behavior. We step back and ask a basic question: is the activity rescheduling behavior reasoned or habitual? Our initial expectation is that rescheduling behavior is mostly habitual behavior due to its feature of repeated performance. We answer this question by conducting an experiment. Results from the experiment confirm our original null hypothesis that rescheduling behavior is mostly a habitual behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Individual choice behavior usually involves a complex decision-making process, and is often context-dependent reflecting the influence of choice environment and the fact that the individual has limited information processing ability and varying levels of interest in alternatives. However, the existing models in transportation have not represented these behavioral mechanisms satisfactorily, although to avoid the Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives (IIA) property of the widely used multinomial logit (MNL) model, a variety of non-IIA models have been suggested in the literature. This paper will propose another random utility choice model by introducing the concepts of relative utility and relative interest. A revised MNL model and a revised Nested-MNL model will be developed. Both of these models do not have the IIA property. The performance of these new models will be assessed using conjoint-based activity diary data about the choice of destination and stop pattern. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The construction industry (CI) is one of the most hazardous where the specific behaviours of different stakeholders can be contrary to the conditions and safety behaviours in the construction process. Understanding the nature of this kind of uncertainty can reduce the level of inconsistency that reinforces the safety management system in CI. The purpose of this paper is to present an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy-improved score function and weighted divergence based approximation (IVIF-ISF-WDBA) approach for ranking main stakeholders with clear duties that can influence workers' unsafe behaviours as well as risk reduction in final decisions. In this method, a score matrix is compiled based on improved score performance and IVIF decision matrix, and then a linear programming model is developed to determine the weight of unknown criteria. In addition, a divergence measure has been developed to find out the degree of performance of the alternatives. Next, we perform comparative and sensitivity analyses with different proposed methods and different weight criteria sets to determine the stability of the developed approach. The results indicated that the most effective safety factors (ESFs) are safety climate factor 3 (SCF 3) (safety management rules and regulations) at 45%, and safety perceptual factor 2 (SPF 2) (workers' preferences and behaviours related to safety category) at 25%. The LP-model ranked client, designer, construction manager, and contractor as the authoritative bodies that should carry out extensive inspections of ESFs, namely, SCFs, SPFs, and workplace condition factors (WCFs) in the preconstruction phase. However, these priorities can change during the construction phase among the contractor, construction manager, supervisor, client, and designer. This study concluded that workers' unsafe behaviours could be linked to stakeholder duties in complex and dynamic conditions of the CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approach and avoidance are typical behavioral tendencies of consumers when exposed to a new environment. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, this study investigates the effects of atmospheric cues on consumers' approach and avoidance intentions in social commerce environments. We elucidate the interaction mechanisms between atmospheric cues (task, aesthetic and social cues) and consumers' evaluations through the lens of perceived affordances. Then we investigate how three types of perceived affordances (utilitarian, hedonic and connective) influence consumers' approach and avoidance behavioral intentions. A three-way factorial experiment provides strong evidence that task cues, aesthetic cues and social cues elicit perceived utilitarian, hedonic and connective affordances, respectively. Approach behavioral intentions were affected by all three types of perceived affordances, yet avoidance intentions were only affected by perceived utilitarian and hedonic affordances. This paper discusses both theoretical and practical implications for social commerce research. • Different types of atmospheric cues stimulate perceived affordances differently. • More task cues induces a higher level of perceived utilitarian affordances. • The presence of aesthetic cues induces perceive hedonic affordances. • The presence of social cues induces perceive connective affordances. • Approach and avoidance intentions are influenced by different perceived affordances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]