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Compared to samples sintered from directly mixed powders, reactive sintering enables the production of denser ceramic materials with finer grains at even lower temperatures. However, there is a lack of quantitative comparisons between the two sintering approaches in terms of densification mechanisms and grain growth kinetics. In this work, taking two types of TiB 2 -SiC- h BN ceramics sintered from raw powders containing TiB 2 , SiC and h BN (TSB-M) and TiN, Si and B 4 C (TSB-R) as model materials, above mechanisms were quantitatively investigated using spark plasma sintering. Effects of dwell temperature and sintering pressure on the microstructure evolutions, densification kinetics as well as grain growth of TSB-R and TSB-M were thoroughly examined. The densification mechanisms for both samples under different conditions were revealed by calculating the effective stress exponent and apparent activation energy. According to regression coefficients for different grain growth exponents, the dominated growth mechanisms for SiC and TiB 2 grains were also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison is central in human life and can be especially challenging in depression and social anxiety. We assessed event‐related potentials and emotions using a social comparison task in which participants received feedback on both their own and a co‐player's performance, in participants with depression and/or social anxiety (n = 63) and healthy controls (n = 72). Participants reported more negative emotions for downward (being better than the co‐player [participant correct, co‐player wrong]) and upward (being worse than the co‐player [participant wrong, co‐player correct]) comparisons versus even outcomes, with these effects being stronger in depression and social anxiety. At the Medial Frontal Negativity, both controls and depressed participants showed a more negative amplitude for upward comparison versus both the participant and co‐player performing wrong. Socially anxious subjects showed the opposite effect, possibly due to greater expectations about being worse than others. The P300 decreased for downward and upward comparisons compared to even outcomes, which may relate to the higher levels of conflict of social inequality. Depressed and socially anxious subjects showed a blunted P300 increase over time in response to the task outcomes, suggesting deficits in allocating resources for the attention of incoming social information. The LPP showed increased amplitude for downward and upward comparison versus the even outcomes and no group effect. Emotional findings suggest that social comparisons are more difficult for depressed and socially anxious individuals. Event‐related potentials findings may shed light on the neural substrates of these difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Face-swap models have increasingly gained popularity in recent years because of their improvement in generation quality and applications in privacy protection and entertainment. The study primarily examines underlying factors that influence individuals' intention to purchase Face swap apps. A research framework drawing upon the social comparison theory was proposed to explain the relationship between four categories of social comparison (upward identification, upward contrast, downward identification, downward contrast) on self-esteem, appearance dissatisfaction, curiosity, perceived enjoyment, privacy concern, and purchase intention toward paid apps. The PLS-SEM technique was employed to analyze data from a survey of 315 respondents. The results indicated that upon the aforementioned variables, curiosity and privacy concerns were two key factors driving users a higher intention to purchase Face-swap apps. Meanwhile, perceived enjoyment had no significant impact on purchase intention. These exploratory findings contributed a number of theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laboratory test overuse in hospitals is a form of healthcare waste that also harms patients. Developing and evaluating interventions to reduce this form of healthcare waste is critical. We detail the protocol for our study which aims to implement and evaluate the impact of an evidence-based, multicomponent intervention bundle on repetitive use of routine laboratory testing in hospitalized medical patients across adult hospitals in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Methods: We have designed a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial to assess the impact of a multicomponent intervention bundle across 16 hospitals in the province of British Columbia in Canada. We will use the Knowledge to Action cycle to guide implementation and the RE-AIM framework to guide evaluation of the intervention bundle. The primary outcome will be the number of routine laboratory tests ordered per patient-day in the intervention versus control periods. Secondary outcome measures will assess implementation fidelity, number of all common laboratory tests used, impact on healthcare costs, and safety outcomes. The study will include patients admitted to adult medical wards (internal medicine or family medicine) and healthcare providers working in these wards within the participating hospitals. After a baseline period of 24 weeks, we will conduct a 16-week pilot at one hospital site. A new cluster (containing approximately 2–3 hospitals) will receive the intervention every 12 weeks. We will evaluate the sustainability of implementation at 24 weeks post implementation of the final cluster. Using intention to treat, we will use generalized linear mixed models for analysis to evaluate the impact of the intervention on outcomes. Discussion: The study builds upon a multicomponent intervention bundle that has previously demonstrated effectiveness. The elements of the intervention bundle are easily adaptable to other settings, facilitating future adoption in wider contexts. The study outputs are expected to have a positive impact as they will reduce usage of repetitive laboratory tests and provide empirically supported measures and tools for accomplishing this work. Trial Registration: This study was prospectively registered on April 8, 2024, via ClinicalTrials.gov Protocols Registration and Results System (NCT06359587). https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06359587?term=NCT06359587&recrs=ab&draw=2&rank=1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines transnational social positioning through a family lens. Based on interviews with people who moved to Germany as young adults, we show that socialization and expectations in families coin individual understandings of success as an important baseline for social positioning, while migration challenges these understandings and social position evaluations in complex ways. With a specific focus on evolving processes of social comparison, we look at the role of the family in shaping three forms of transnational social position: (i) transnational status paradox, (ii) attached transnational social positions, and (iii) detached transnational social positions. By demonstrating the various ways in which family relationships affect social positioning in migration contexts, this study contributes to discussions on the links between migration and perceptions of social position, and to our understanding of transnational social structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study compared concerns, anxiety, mindsets, and belonging in introductory statistics among Latine students across three higher education institutions. Students at the Predominantly White Institution voiced more concerns about R-coding and lack of prior knowledge. Students at the Hispanic-Serving Institutions voiced more concerns about math anxiety and social comparison and had more fixed mindsets, yet higher levels of belonging—pointing toward the value of exploring Latine students' experiences across different contexts and providing tailored interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison has a significant impact on individuals' motivation, affect, and behavior. However, we lack a scale that captures individual differences in attitudes toward social comparison. To address this gap, we developed the Attitudes Toward Social Comparison Inventory (ASCI) drawing on existing scales that tap into metacognitive beliefs about worrying, self-motives, beliefs about emotions, and the general comparative-processing model. We examined the psychometric properties of the ASCI in a longitudinal study (N = 1,084), and a second (N = 550) and third cross-sectional study (N = 306). Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, we identified a 12-item two-factor solution capturing positive and negative attitudes toward social comparison. The ASCI demonstrated measurement invariance across gender and time. The two factors were differentially and longitudinally associated with relevant constructs, including social comparison, metacognitive beliefs about worrying, depression, self-concept clarity, envy, and self-esteem. The ASCI facilitates comprehensive investigations of social comparison processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison may weaken one's sense of self and limit satisfaction in romantic relationships. Using a sample of adults in committed relationships (n = 421), we examine whether engaging in social comparison is associated with relationship satisfaction and whether this association is mediated by sense of self. Results indicated that more social comparison is associated with a weaker sense of self but having a strong sense of is positively associated with relationship satisfaction. Given the pervasiveness of social comparison, this may be a helpful consideration for clinicians and educators to address with individuals and couples in strengthening relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined the extent to which caregivers of children with asthma used interpersonal comparisons—a novel comparison process that parallels social comparison and temporal comparison—to form judgments about their child. Methods & Measures: Using semi-structured interviews adapted from the McGill Illness Narrative Interview, we examined the interpersonal comparisons that caregivers of a child with asthma (n = 41) made regarding their child. Results: Interpersonal comparisons influenced caregiver thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They helped caregivers distinguish asthma from other breathing problems, evaluate the severity of the asthma, and understand their child's experience. However, they also created uncertainty by highlighting the complex, unpredictable nature of asthma. Interpersonal comparisons were a source of gratitude and hope, but also worry and frustration. Finally, interpersonal comparisons influenced caregivers' decisions and actions, resulting in decisions that aligned with and, at times, ran counter to biomedical models of asthma care. In some instances, caregivers used interpersonal comparisons to motivate their child's behavior. Conclusion: The interpersonal comparisons served as a source of information for caregivers trying to understand and manage their child's asthma. Investigating these comparisons also expands how we think about other comparison theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted governments worldwide to implement a range of containment measures, including mass gathering restrictions, social distancing, and school closures. Despite these efforts, vaccines continue to be the safest and most effective means of combating such viruses. Yet, vaccine hesitancy persists, posing a significant public health concern, particularly with the emergence of new COVID-19 variants. To effectively address this issue, timely data is crucial for understanding the various factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. While previous research has largely relied on traditional surveys for this information, recent sources of data, such as social media, have gained attention. However, the potential of social media data as a reliable proxy for information on population hesitancy, especially when compared with survey data, remains underexplored. This paper aims to bridge this gap. Our approach uses social, demographic, and economic data to predict vaccine hesitancy levels in the ten most populous US metropolitan areas. We employ machine learning algorithms to compare a set of baseline models that contain only these variables with models that incorporate survey data and social media data separately. Our results show that XGBoost algorithm consistently outperforms Random Forest and Linear Regression, with marginal differences between Random Forest and XGBoost. This was especially the case with models that incorporate survey or social media data, thus highlighting the promise of the latter data as a complementary information source. Results also reveal variations in influential variables across the five hesitancy classes, such as age, ethnicity, occupation, and political inclination. Further, the application of models to different MSAs yields mixed results, emphasizing the uniqueness of communities and the need for complementary data approaches. In summary, this study underscores social media data's potential for understanding vaccine hesitancy, emphasizes the importance of tailoring interventions to specific communities, and suggests the value of combining different data sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health peer support (PS) is a relational approach to recovery. Service users are helped through a relationship focused on connection with a PS worker who shares similar experiences. Despite the strong evidence base, the mechanisms of action for mental health PS are under-researched. Several theories have been proposed to explain the mechanisms, including social comparison theory (SCT). SCT highlights the benefits arising from emphasising differences between a service user and the PS worker. An unintended consequence is that connection between them may be reduced. We propose common humanity (CH) as an under-acknowledged mechanism of action. CH is an experience recognising that there are other people living with similar suffering, and helps us regulate emotions. A CH-informed connection-based PS relationship may help a service user in different ways from a SCT-informed comparison-based PS relationship. Future PS research can investigate emotional self-regulation to establish whether CH-related outcomes arise from PS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminal operators, haulers, shipping agents, port authorities, the marine department, and the customs department all use real-time systems and the internet to run their businesses. But after a few years of using this technology, there are some problems, like managers who do not do their jobs well, which hurts the image of organisations that use this technology. Moreover, sales and returns on investment in technology are not worth it. Hence, the article examines potential factors that contribute to the success of using technology. For instance, the current study will examine the direct and indirect effects of perceived usefulness and perceived resistance on managerial productivity in the Malaysian ship and maritime industry. Based on 357 responses, the current study indicates that task technology fit affects perceived usefulness. Following that, as managers recognise the utility of technology, they will employ it to enhance their managerial productivity. In comparison, when a technology task is not fit for purpose, it affects perceived resistance, technology resistance, and finally, manager productivity. This is likely the first study to examine technology's beneficial and detrimental effects on managerial productivity. The findings shed light on how Malaysian ship and maritime players operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Loneliness is a growing public health concern associated with substantial negative mental and physical health outcomes. Loneliness is especially relevant for individuals with a chronic illness, perhaps more so if their illness is rare. Little is known about the psychosocial experience of individuals with a rare chronic illness, and whether and how it may differ from the experience of individuals with common chronic illnesses. We compared the magnitude of loneliness in persons with a rare or common chronic illness and examined theoretically guided predictors of loneliness as follows: stigma, illness intrusiveness, social comparison, social support, support from healthcare providers, and self-efficacy. Method: Individuals with a chronic illness (common or rare) completed an anonymous online survey (N = 952). Results: Individuals with common chronic illnesses were as lonely as those with a rare chronic illness. Loneliness in both groups was higher than that in population norms. Regression analyses reveal that independent of other predictors, loneliness was especially high among people who feel stigmatized by others, those who have less social support available, and people whose functioning is more disrupted by their illness (all p values < 0.01). Conclusion: The similarity of loneliness in these groups reinforces the value of further systematic research to identify the needs of individuals with any type of chronic illness. Study findings highlight the importance of examining internalized stigma and social support as possible targets of intervention to reduce loneliness among individuals with a chronic illness, recognizing some of the unique features and challenges of their disorders, whether common or rare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine philosophical theories with quantitative analyses of online data to propose a sophisticated approach to social media influencers. Identifying influencers as communication systems emerging from a dialectic interactional process between content creators and in-development audiences, we define them mainly using the composition of their audience and the type of publications they use to communicate. To examine these two parameters, we analyse the audiences of 619 Instagram accounts of French, English, and American influencers and 2,400 of their publications in light of Girard’s mimetic theory and McLuhan’s media theory. We observe meaningful differences in influencers’ profiles, typical audiences, and content type across influencers’ classes, supporting the claim that such communication systems are articulated around ‘reading contracts’ upon which influencers’ image is based and from which their influence derives. While the upkeep of their influence relies on them sticking to this contract, we observe that successful influencers shift their content type when growing their audiences and explain the strategies they implement to address this double bind. Different types of contract breaches then lead to distinct outcomes, which we identify by analysing various types of followers’ feedback. In mediating social interactions, digital platforms reshape society in various ways; this interdisciplinary study helps understand how the digitalisation of social influencers affects reciprocity and mimetic behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of transnational and transcity education consumption suggests the increasingly important role of the capability to move in order to access quality schooling. Studies have examined the multidimensional inequalities underlying translocal education consumption. However, the role of mobility itself is not sufficiently understood. Two questions are rarely asked: (1) How is the capability to move acquired and practised to bring about translocal schooling consumption? and (2) How does the disparity in the capability to move restructure the established intergenerational capital transmission mechanism conceptualized by Bourdieu? This paper answers by theorizing a mobility-mediated, education-based intergenerational capital transmission mechanism. This framework is built upon a theoretical engagement among John Urry, Pierre Bourdieu, and Neil Smith. We substantiate this framework by examining a student migration regime in Sichuan, China. Attention is paid to the inclusion/exclusion of hypermobility-based schooling consumption regime. Empirical analysis is performed by the comparison of two social groups: (a) the middle-class households who employ mobility to chase after the footloose prime schooling resources and thus materialize their class reproduction strategy and (b) the immobile remainder who are stuck in a location deprived of quality schooling resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate whether people's regulatory mode (assessment and locomotion) and social comparison motives (self‐evaluation vs. self‐enhancement) jointly influence with whom—either a peer or their leader—individuals prefer to compare. In three preregistered studies (N = 839), we measured participants' chronic regulatory mode and assessed their comparison target preference separately for different social comparison motives. For each motive, participants indicated with whom they would prefer to compare, using choice (Study 1) and rating (Studies 2 and 3) measures. Supporting our predictions, assessment interacted with social comparison motives such that assessment was positively associated with preferring to compare to peers for self‐enhancement motives, but unrelated to comparison target preference regarding self‐evaluation motives. In addition, and as predicted, locomotion was consistently positively associated with preferring leaders as comparison target, independently of social comparison motives. These results contribute to emerging research highlighting the key role of individuals' regulatory mode in understanding interpersonal dynamics at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Sociocultural factors are believed to play significant roles in predisposing individuals to eating disorders. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate various sociocultural predictors of body shape and weight concerns among healthy women and those with eating disorders within the Turkish population. Method: Data from 79 patients (41 diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, 31 with bulimia nervosa, and 7 with binge eating disorder) were analyzed alongside 72 healthy controls matched for age and education. Participants provided demographic information and completed several questionnaires, including the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire - 4 Revised, the Social Comparison through Physical Appearance Scale and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. Results: Key findings include: 1) Patients exhibited higher scores related to sociocultural factors impacting appearance and engaged in more negative social comparisons than controls; 2) Among both groups, internalization of a thin ideal was a predictor of concerns about shape and weight; 3) In controls, but not in patients, family pressures influenced shape concerns; 4) Parental dieting status influenced weight concerns in both groups. Surprisingly, in controls, paternal dieting was linked to a higher shape and weight concerns, a finding not observed in patients. Conclusion: These findings indicate that sociocultural influences on body image may affect Turkish women with eating disorders (ED) differently from healthy women. The impact of paternal dieting on shape and weight concerns among control women has not been previously reported. This finding suggests that the influence of paternal dieting on daughters' shape and weight concerns may be more pronounced in Turkiye than in Western countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many scholars have used local Chinese county gazetteers for historical and socioeconomic analyses, yet little research has examined the completeness of coverage or the biases in reporting that characterize the compilation of these gazetteers. In this paper, we provide a novel source for studying Chinese political movements and local history under the communist regime after 1949: the internal-discussion drafts of county gazetteers (xianzhi pingyigao). Our findings constitute the first study to use internal review drafts to examine the authenticity and credibility of county gazetteers. Prior to their publication, gazetteer drafts are compiled by a team of editors and typically receive at least three rounds of rigorous internal review. These internal-discussion drafts are subject to a prolonged and strict process of self and external censorship. Our analysis engages in a close comparison of text samples extracted from two versions of local gazetteers collected from four counties in Guangxi province. Compared to the draft versions, we find evidence of serious data manipulation and a tendency to underreport historical events in the published editions. Our research evidently demonstrates the process of historiography editing and reveals how local history is presented through the lens of government public documents in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the limitations of explanation as a means of understanding society. It argues that society is distinct from nature and that individuals actively shape social reality through norms and rules. The article highlights the issue of explanation in social science, which often fails to consider the interactive nature of social categories and realities. It suggests that sociologists should focus on articulation, continuously revising and rethinking categories to accurately name and comprehend phenomena in a dynamic world. The article provides examples from computational social science and feminist technology studies to illustrate the significance of ethnographic description and theory-driven interpretation in capturing the complexities of social phenomena. It argues against the notion that social science should solely prioritize explanation and neglect the importance of articulation. Instead, it emphasizes the need for social science to develop vocabularies, categories, and sensibilities that make phenomena observable, explorable, and communicable. The text also criticizes the narrow focus on explanation and emphasizes the interactive relationship between social science and the social world. It suggests that social science should be reflexive and acknowledge the importance of articulation to avoid perpetuating outdated categories and better engage with the evolving social world. [Extracted from the article]

Past literature has documented a linkage between entitlement and interpersonal tension, primarily in romantic relationships. However, there is a lack of research investigating the impact of entitlement on sibling relationships. Guided by the agency model of narcissism and adult development literature, this study conceptualized relational entitlement as one form of state narcissism and examined the actor and partner effects of relational entitlement on perceived sibling conflict as well as the moderating effects of financial dependence on parents. Participants were 136 emerging adult sibling dyads (older sibling Mage = 22.20, SD = 2.35; younger sibling Mage = 19.54, SD = 1.55). Results indicated that younger siblings' (not older siblings') relational entitlement was positively associated with both their own and their siblings' perceptions of conflict. Moreover, younger siblings' financial dependence buffered the actor association between younger siblings' relational entitlement and perceived conflict. These findings suggest that emerging adult siblings' developmental status of financial dependence provides a nuanced context for understanding the actor and partner effects of relational entitlement on sibling conflict. The discussion focuses on the role of self‐inflated social comparison in emerging adult sibling conflict and how the developmental characteristics of older and younger siblings shape the above associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In three studies (N = 553) we found that despite reporting that others enjoy a more active social life than they do, participants believed that they possessed more social traits than their peers (Study 1), that their level of social activity exceeds the necessary standards for living a satisfying social life (Study 2), and that their social lives would improve significantly in the future (Study 3). Additionally, people were not comparatively pessimistic about the number of close friends they have (Studies 1 and 3), and their pessimism about their social engagement was associated with lowered perceived importance of the social activities in question (Study 3). Taken together, these findings suggest that people's outlook on their social lives is not as grim as others have suggested, but rather, self-enhancing beliefs reside comfortably alongside individuals' acknowledgments of their social deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on recent findings that mothers make social comparisons to idealized portrayals of motherhood on social media, this study was designed to explore how two individual difference variables (social comparison orientation and self-esteem) affect such social comparison processes. A 2 (social comparison orientation: low vs. high) X 2 (self-esteem: low vs. high) X 2 (idealization of motherhood portrayals: non-ideal vs. ideal) mixed factorial design experiment was conducted among 464 new mothers to test how these individual difference variables moderate the effects of social media motherhood portrayals on the outcomes of state social comparison, perceived parenting competence, and life satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two highly powered studies (total N = 1617), we showed that individuals estimated that they would stop earlier than others in a Milgram-like biomedical task leading to the death of an animal, confirming the relevance of the Better than Average Effect (BTAE) in a new research setting. However, this effect was not magnified among participants displaying high self-esteem. We also showed that participants who already knew obedience studies expected that others would be more obedient and would administer more damaging treatment to the target. However, knowledge of Milgram's studies was unrelated to a higher estimate of their own behavior (study 1), and was even linked to the prediction that they would stop earlier (study 2, preregistered). Despite the wide educational use of Milgram's studies to increase people's awareness of the risks inherent to blind obedience, it may be that this knowledge only serves to evaluate other's behaviors, and not oneself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present two experiments, we explore the possibility of swift attenuation of capture by irrelevant features in the contingent-capture protocol. Some prior research suggests that feature attenuation might be most efficient for fixed, anticipated irrelevant features and that varying irrelevant features from trial to trial can undermine their successful attenuation. Here, we exploited this dependence of attenuation on feature certainty to test if attenuation contributed to contingent-capture effects in a capture-probe version of the contingent-capture protocol. In line with the swift attenuation of irrelevant features, salient but target-dissimilar singleton cues that were consistently coloured diminished recall of probes at their locations. This was in comparison to inconsistently coloured target-dissimilar singleton cues. Nonetheless, probe-recall was still better at target-dissimilar cue locations than at non-singleton locations in the cueing display, indicating attenuation of task-irrelevant features rather than their complete suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 18– 24 age group has a much higher rate of depression risk than other age groups, and this age group has the highest proportion among users of mobile social media. The relationship between the use of mobile social media and depressive mood is inconsistent and the mechanism of action is controversial. Purpose: This study explored the relationship among the intensity of social media use, upward social comparison, cognitive overload and depressive mood. Methods: In this research, we used the Brief Self-rating Depression Scale (PHQ-9), the Social Media Usage Intensity Questionnaire, the Social Comparison Scale on Social Networking Sites and the Social Networking Site Cognitive Overload Scale to investigate the depressive mood and mobile social media use of 568 college students. Results: The intensity of mobile social media use, social networking site upward social comparison, and social networking site cognitive overload are all positively correlated with depressive mood. The intensity of mobile social media use has a positive predictive effect on depressive mood, with upward social comparison and cognitive overload acting as independent mediators in the relationship between mobile social media use intensity and depressive symptoms, as well as exhibiting a chained mediating effect of upward social comparison-cognitive overload. Conclusion: The upward social comparison and cognitive load that occur during the use of mobile social media are important predictive factors for the occurrence of depressive mood. This study is a supplement to the mechanism of the relationship between mobile social media use and depression, providing more evidence-based evidence and intervention directions for university teachers, mobile social media developers, and psychologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of social media has grown tremendously, but a considerable number of individuals have stopped using it. This meta-analysis aims to examine the factors that contribute to discontinuing social media use by reviewing 88 studies with a cumulative sample size of 42,159, including 33 effect sizes. Our study reveals that various stressors, including messaging overload (CO), social overload (SO), information collection overload (IO), system feature overload (SFO), privacy concerns (PC), and negative emotions such as technostress, fatigue (SNF), guilt, and dissatisfaction, are significantly correlated with social media discontinuance (DUIN). It is worth noting that only gratifications were negatively associated with both discontinuance and fatigue, but not with all other inhibitors. Furthermore, self-disclosure (S-disc), social comparison (SC), and fear of missing out (FoMo), as well as addiction, were significantly associated only with fatigue. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, emphasizing the importance of social media operators balancing content supply with actual user demand to prevent overload, negative emotions, and discontinuance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research attempting to uncover sources of nonshared environmental influences on behavioral development has highlighted the importance of differential parenting. One way in which parenting may be conceived of as a nonshared environment but has yet to be fully examined in the literature, is through sibling social comparisons. The current study addresses this gap by conducting a series of sibling barricade models examining whether adolescents are affected by their parents' behaviors toward their siblings. Analyses of the Add Health data supported findings of prior research indicating that parenting is not consistent across siblings, but rather is individualized. Results of the sibling barricade models revealed that differences in parenting toward one child did not, however, explain differences in antisocial behavior between siblings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison is a universal social phenomenon that profoundly influences aggressive behaviours among young adults. Based on the general aggression model, this study investigated the relationship between social comparison and aggression, and the mediating role of relative deprivation. To further explore the mechanism underlying this influence, covert narcissism was examined as a moderator in this relationship, based on relative deprivation theory. The results from the current study using a total of 726 Chinese college students showed that social comparison was positively correlated with aggression, which was mediated by relative deprivation. Specifically, more frequent social comparison was associated with higher relative deprivation, which was, in turn, associated with higher aggression. Covert narcissism acted as a moderator in this model. Covert narcissism exacerbated the relationships between social comparison and relative deprivation and relative deprivation and aggression. Specifically, compared to individuals with low levels of covert narcissism, those with high levels of covert narcissism exhibited greater relative deprivation when subjected to the same social comparisons, subsequently displaying increased levels of aggression. This study deepens the understanding of the relationship between social comparison and aggression and provides an intervention direction and a theoretical basis for effectively preventing aggression in young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Materials and methods Results Conclusions Social comparison, the process of evaluating one's characteristics in relation to others, influences individuals' self‐perception and behavior. However, instruments are scarce for assessing social comparison in the medical setting.Our aim was to develop and validate a new scale for assessing social comparison.Seven statements were developed, encompassing the perceived normality of having rashes, the tendency to compare their situation with others, and the emotional response when seeing someone better or worse off than themselves. The instrument was piloted in 15 patients for readability and face validity, then prospectively validated using modern psychometric methods in 1,053 adult patients with eczema or psoriasis from three tertiary dermatological centers in Singapore.Of 1,053 adult patients, 802 (76.2%) had eczema, and 251 (23.8%) had psoriasis. Exploratory factor analysis (using a 70% sample split) showed a single factor model comprising three questions (Eigenvalue: 1.4). Confirmatory factor analysis with the remaining 30% of the sample confirmed an excellent model fit. Cronbach's alpha was 0.7, and inter‐item correlations ranged from 0.42 to 0.46. In the Rasch analysis, item fit statistics and item characteristic curves showed appropriate discrimination between response options, although reliability was suboptimal with a person separation reliability of 0.63.Comprising 3 questions, the newly derived social comparison scale showed acceptable psychometrics as a measure of social comparison for clinical and research purposes in dermatology. Its brief nature likely results from its brevity and applicability to conditions beyond eczema and psoriasis, which warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions are raised about the potential effects of (future) mothers' regular exposure to the perfect representations of motherhood by mommy influencers. Due to the regular exposure, mothers might see these images as the norm but are not always able to meet with these standards themselves. Based on a survey among mothers and primigravida this study analyzed the association between visiting mommy influencer profiles on Instagram, comparing oneself with these online mothers and perceived parental self-efficacy. For mothers, it was found that both exposure to the content and comparison with the mommy influencers were related to lower perceived parental self-efficacy. For primigravida, the direction of the relationship was different: Regular exposure to mommy influencer content was related to higher parental self-efficacy, meaning that this exposure was helpful. The implications of this study for (future) mothers, mommy influencers, and practitioners who guide mothers through the transition to motherhood will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating overqualification research with the social network perspective, we examine how social networks represent a mechanism linking relative overqualification and supervisors' perceptions of employee organizational citizenship behaviors. Specifically, drawing upon social comparison and social exchange theories, we suggest that relative overqualification (ROQ) has implications for employees' centrality in a friendship network and that friendship network centrality mediates the relationship between ROQ and supervisors' perception of a focal employee's organizational citizenship behaviors directed at coworkers (OCBI). Further, extending social comparison theory to the context of workgroup membership, we identify focal employees' perception of workgroup team orientation as a moderator determining the strength of the indirect relationship between ROQ and OCBI via friendship network centrality. Multilevel modeling using multi-source time-lagged data from 182 employees and 33 supervisors working in restaurants in the Southwestern United States showed a negative relationship between ROQ and friendship network centrality with friendship network centrality mediating the relationship between ROQ and OCBI. Moreover, the results of path analysis indicated that the indirect relationship between ROQ and OCBI via friendship network centrality was stronger for employees who perceived low levels of team orientation. Implications and directions for perceived overqualification and social network research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has established that the success of strikes, and social movements more broadly, depends on their ability to garner support from the public. However, there is scant published research investigating the response of the public to strike action by healthcare workers. In this study, we address this gap through a study of public responses to UK nursing strikes in 2022–2023, using a data set drawn from Twitter of more than 2300 publicly available tweets. We focus on negative tweets, investigating which societal discourses social media users draw on to oppose strike action by nurses. Using a combination of corpus‐based approaches and discourse analysis, we identified five categories of opposition: (i) discourse discrediting nurses; (ii) discourse discrediting strikes by nurses; (iii) discourse on the National Health System; (iv) discourse about the fairness of strikers' demands and (v) discourse about potential harmful impact. Our findings show how social media users operationalise wider societal discourses about the nursing profession (e.g., associations with care, gender, vocation and sacrifice) as well as recent crises such as the Covid‐19 pandemic to justify their opposition. The results also provide valuable insights into misconceptions about nursing, strike action and patient harm, which can inform strategies for public communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives While numerous studies have highlighted the positive effects of everyday information and communication technology (EICT) use among older adults, emerging evidence signals potential detriments to mental health, particularly among younger demographics. This study aims to examine the effect of EICT on depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults. We hypothesize that EICT use among older adults will contribute to higher amounts of depressive symptoms, mediated by a decline in subjective social status. Methods We conducted a longitudinal mediation analysis with data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), a nationally representative survey. A total of 3,234 older adults aged 60 years and older were selected from Wave 2016 (T1), Wave 2018 (T2), and Wave 2020 (T3) of the CFPS. Structural equation modeling was used to construct complete longitudinal path model. Results EICT use at T1 predicted a decline in subjective social status at T2 (β = −0.215, p =.001), which in turn predicted higher depressive symptoms at T3 (β = −0.375, p =.005). The mediating effect of subjective social status was statistically supported (indirect effect 0.081, p =.042). Discussion We reveal the potential negative impact of EICT use among older adults and its underlying mechanism. It lays the groundwork for the formulation of relevant public health initiatives, critical for stemming and mitigating the burgeoning incidence of depressive symptoms within China's aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The National Health Service Digital Diabetes Prevention Programme is a nine-month behavioural intervention for adults in England at risk of type 2 diabetes. This qualitative study aimed to explore how service users engaged with the group support available within the programme. Methods: The majority of participants (n = 33), all service users, were interviewed twice via telephone, at 2–4 months into the programme, and at the end of the programme at 8–10 months. Semi-structured interviews covered participants' experiences of online group support functions and how such groups served as a route of support to aid participants' behavioural changes. Data were analysed using manifest thematic analysis. Results: The majority of participants valued the format of closed group chats, which provided an interactive platform to offer and receive support during their behaviour change journey. However, engagement with group chats reduced over time, and some participants did not find them useful when there was a lack of common interests within the group. Health coaches helped to promote engagement and build rapport among participants within the group chats. Participants reported mixed experiences of discussion forums. Conclusions: Programme developers should consider how to optimise online group support to help service users make behavioural changes, in terms of format, participant composition and use of health coach moderators. Further research is required to better understand who might benefit most from 'group chat' or 'discussion forum' support. Health coach moderation of online support groups is likely to facilitate engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluntary contributions are a crucial resource for nonprofit organizations and challenging to acquire. Social information on other people's contributions has been found to positively influence individual giving behavior. However, a clear understanding how social information reference groups impact volunteering intentions is missing. Drawing on social comparison theory, we conducted a survey experiment with variations in social information reference groups to shed light on mechanisms within social comparison processes in volunteering. Results show that volunteering intention increases when social information refers to reference groups similar to recipients (ingroups) compared with reference groups without similarities (outgroups). This effect is mediated by group identification. In contrast, shifts in volunteering aspiration are anchored by observed performance levels and independent of reference groups. The study contributes to the social information literature and suggests the need to distinguish different forms of social information to understand social comparison processes in volunteering, relevant for researchers and practitioners alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a complicated social context, outcome evaluation involves not only oneself but also others in relation to the self (i.e., social comparison). Previous event‐related potential (ERP) studies have investigated the processing of social comparison‐related outcomes when one's interests are independent of the interests of others (i.e., noncompetition circumstances). However, it is unclear how social comparison‐related outcomes are processed in the brain when there are conflicts of interest between oneself and others (i.e., competition circumstances). To address this issue, participants in the current study were asked to perform an attentional task with several peers and were subsequently presented with self‐related outcomes (i.e., the performance difference between the current trial and several preceding trials) and social comparison‐related outcomes (i.e., the performance difference between oneself and their peer). Importantly, rewards and punishments were based on social comparison‐related outcomes in the competition condition and on self‐related outcomes in the noncompetition condition. ERP results revealed that in the competition condition, positive outcomes involving social comparison elicited a greater P300 response than negative outcomes, whereas this effect was not observed in the noncompetition condition. Additionally, there was generally a larger late positive potential (LPP) response to negative outcomes involving social comparison than to positive outcomes only when one obtained a self‐related positive outcome in the competition condition. These findings suggest that competition might strengthen outcome processing involving social comparison at late time ranges relying on self‐related outcomes to some extent. The present study for the first time investigated whether social competition influences the processing of social comparison‐related outcomes. We observed that competition strengthens the effects of social comparison‐related outcomes on P300 responses, in general, and on late positive potential responses when one obtained self‐related positive outcomes. The findings are consistent with the perspective of evolutionary theories, in which social competition contributes to increased mental adaptation to a new situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines cross-country differences in the strength of individuals' belief that their country is better than most others and the dependence of this belief on their country's performance in various spheres. The research design consists of a series of multilevel ordinal logistic regression models estimated using the data of the most recent thematic wave of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP)—National Identity module. Our research finds that these effects are mostly nonlinear U-shaped: people from both high- and low-performing countries express a strong belief in their country's superiority, while people from average-performing countries do not. These findings suggest a bifurcated nature of belief in national superiority—an interplay between a grounded estimation of a country's actual achievements and the social norms and individual motivations that prescribe holding one's own country in high esteem regardless of its actual performance. These norms are found to be the strongest in underperforming countries, while in average- and high-performing countries, people making these evaluations are under weaker normative pressure and therefore more attuned to country achievements. As a result, the weakest belief in national superiority is found not in underperforming, but in average-performing countries. The latter also have the highest diversity on this belief, probably because different segments of the population compare their country's performance against different benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated negative genital self-image in women and determined the effect of education on natural/normal female genital appearance diversity on the change in women's genital self-image. The type of research is a mixed method descriptive study. The participants were 259 women living in Turkey. In the first stage of the study, female genital self-image levels and body appreciation levels were evaluated. In the second stage of the study, women were interviewed thoroughly about negative female genital self-image, and then, visual education presentation was made on natural/normal female genital diversity. One week after the presentation, the women's genital self-image levels were re-evaluated. In the first phase of the study, the mean Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) total score was 22.07 ± 4.07 and the mean Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) total score was 42.40 ± 8.13 of the women. Higher FGSIS and BAS scores showed an increase in women's positive genital self-image and body appreciation. The relationship between the FGSIS and the BAS scale scores of the women was found to be significantly correlated (r = 0.401, p < 0.001). In the second stage of the study, four main themes were examined as "positive thoughts," "size and image," "metaphors related to genital organs," and "negative thoughts." In conclusion, in the first phase, it was determined that women's feeling of discomfort with their sexual organs during sexual intercourse, comparing their genital organs with other women's genital organs, thinking of genital organ aesthetic surgery, and BAS scores were associated with FGSIS scores. In the second phase, women's positive or negative feelings and thoughts about their genital self-image were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The potential of learning analytics dashboards in virtual reality simulation‐based training environments to influence occupational self‐efficacy via self‐reflection phase processes in the Chemical industry is still not fully understood. Learning analytics dashboards provide feedback on learner performance and offer points of comparison (i.e., comparison with one's own past performance or comparison with peer performance) to help learners make sense of their feedback. Objectives: We present a theoretical framework for describing learning analytics reference frames and investigate the impact of feedback delivered through dashboards with different reference frames on occupational self‐efficacy, while controlling for workplace self‐reflection. Methods: This experimental study engaged 42 chemical operator employees, aged between 18 and 55 years, each with at least one year of experience. We utilised a two‐group design to ask two research question each with three competing hypotheses related to changes in occupational self‐efficacy, employing Bayesian informative hypothesis evaluation. Results and Conclusions: Results for the primary research question suggest that dashboards with progress reference frames do not elicit greater change to self‐efficacy than those with social reference frames, however, they may elicit equal change. Furthermore, dashboards with social reference frames may elicit greater change to self‐efficacy than those with progress reference frames. Exploratory results found that dashboards with progress reference frames may elicit greater positive directional change than those with social reference frames and that they may elicit equal directional change. These findings contribute to the understanding of self‐efficacy beliefs within the Chemical industry, with potential impacts on skill development. The research may inform the design of targeted interventions and training programs to influence self‐efficacy. From a practical perspective, this research suggests that careful consideration is needed when choosing reference frames in learning analytics dashboards due to their potential consequences on the formation of learner self‐efficacy. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Learning analytics dashboards often aim to stimulate self‐regulated learning by providing feedback.Feedback plays a crucial role in simulation‐based learning and learning analytics dashboards can be a valuable tool to deliver feedback and facilitate the learning process by providing learners with insights into their performance and progress.Previous research has highlighted the importance of reference frames as critical design features of learning analytics dashboards, as they assist learners in making sense of learning analytics feedback.Self‐efficacy is a powerful determine factor of workplace performance and is influenced by mastery experiences and social modelling information. What the paper adds?: A theoretical framework describes the mediating role self‐reflection phase processes of the self‐regulated learning cycle plays in the formation of occupational self‐efficacy.This paper introduces the concept of three learning analytics reference frame components which include the performance outcome component, point of comparison component and score delta component.The paper indicates that learning analytics dashboards designed with a progress reference frame does not elicit greater change to occupational self‐efficacy than the social reference frame.Exploratory results suggest dashboards with progress reference frames might produce greater positive directional change compared to social reference frames or elicit equal change. Implications for practice?: Learning analytics system designers who use reference frames to help learners make sense of their feedback should carefully consider which reference frames they use as these decisions likely have consequences on the formation of learner self‐efficacy beliefs.For LAD designers and stakeholders, recognising the absolute change and directional shift in self‐efficacy is crucial, as LAD designs significantly influence these dynamics and guide the tailoring of effective tools.In industries like the chemical sector, where overconfidence can result in severe consequences, understanding the nuance of self‐efficacy changes is especially pertinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased conspicuous consumption motivated by status-seeking behavior can undermine the gains in well-being derived from economic growth. Using expenditure surveys from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay, we assess visible consumption motivated by status seeking behaviour, analyzing different hypotheses about the role of externalities driven by social comparisons and income inequality. Specifically, we provide evidence for the relevance of different reference groups, assessing comparisons with richer (Veblen effects), poorer and similar profile groups (Duesenberry effects). We show that individuals are affected by multiple reference groups. Regarding between-group inequality, we find that individuals mainly seek to differentiate themselves from poorer groups, rather than imitating richer ones. In all cases, average reference group income of similar profile individuals is negatively related to visible consumption. Meanwhile, within-reference group responses are relevant in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico: increased visible goods consumption is associated with larger relative income gaps. In Argentina and Brazil, the sensitivity of visible goods expenditures to income is higher among households located above the reference threshold, which is consistent, again, with more affluent households trying to signal status by differentiating themselves from the most deprived group members. Meanwhile, in the case of Mexico, there is a symmetric response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon social comparison theory, we investigated the influencing mechanism between relational job crafting and workplace loneliness and its boundary condition. A multiple-source, multi-wave field study was conducted with data collected from 267 employee-peer dyads in three Chinese firms. The results showed that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between promotion-oriented relational crafting and loneliness via peer social undermining. Meanwhile, preventionoriented relational crafting is positively related to loneliness through peer social undermining. Moreover, impression management motive moderates the inverted U-shaped relationship between promotionoriented relational crafting and peer social undermining. Implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exercise is the cornerstone of cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Hospital-based CR exercise programmes are a routine part of clinical care and are typically 6–12 weeks in duration. Following completion, physical activity levels of patients decline. Multi-disease, community-based exercise programmes (MCEP) are an efficient model that could play an important role in the long-term maintenance of positive health behaviours in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) following their medically supervised programme. Aim: To explore patients experiences of the initiation and early participation in a MCEP programme and the dimensions that facilitate and hinder physical activity engagement. Methods: Individuals with established CVD who had completed hospital-based CR were referred to a MCEP. The programme consisted of twice weekly group exercise classes supervised by clinical exercise professionals. Those that completed (n = 31) an initial 10 weeks of the programme were invited to attend a focus group to discuss their experience. Focus groups were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-four (63% male, 65.5±6.12yrs) patients attended one of four focus groups. The main themes identified were 'Moving from fear to confidence', 'Drivers of engagement,' and 'Challenges to keeping it (exercise) up'. Conclusion: Participation in a MCEP by individuals with CVD could be viewed as a double-edged sword. Whilst the programme clearly provided an important transition from the clinical to the community setting, there were signs it may breed dependency and not effectively promote independent exercise. Another novel finding was the use of social comparison that provided favourable valuations of performance and increased exercise confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social comparison is an inevitable aspect of human life, often leading to personal relative deprivation, wherein individuals experience a sense of unfair treatment when they perceive themselves as being at a disadvantage in comparison to others. Earlier research has observed a phenomenon called "lying flat" associated with personal relative deprivation, characterized by a lack of motivation for self-improvement. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether this pattern is suitable for the domains of health-promoting lifestyles given that health-promoting is driven by self-improvement motivation. In three studies conducted in China, an understudied non-Western society, we investigated the association between personal relative deprivation and health-promoting lifestyles by utilizing diverse measures and samples. Findings from Study 1 (N = 12,465) indicated a negative relationship between personal relative deprivation and health-promoting behavior. This effect was particularly prominent among older individuals (Study 2, N = 11,378). Study 3 (N = 234) indirectly explored the possibility that a decreased priority given to health goals explains the reduced adoption of health-promoting behaviors when experiencing personal relative deprivation. First, all health-promoting lifestyles are self-reported. Second, the mechanism between PRD and health-promoting lifestyles was not directly examined. Overall, this research confirms the physical "lying flat" phenomenon, highlighting that personal relative deprivation contributes to unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. Moreover, our findings also suggest that the lower significance placed on health goals relative to other life goals may serve as an underlying reason for this phenomenon. • Personal relative deprivation negatively affects health-promoting lifestyles. • Both physical activity and daily diet were affected by personal relative deprivation. • Personal relative deprivation also affects older individuals' lifestyles. • Reduced relative value placed on health may serve as a potential mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An empirical study investigated whether Instagram use increases materialism among young people through two paths, as proposed by Kasser: feelings of insecurity and exposure to materialistic models. A total of 310 university students aged 17–26 years were surveyed, and the collected data were analysed using a Structural Equation Model. Instagram intensity was a significant predictor of materialism via social comparison (a path related to feelings of insecurity) and identification with influencers followed on Instagram (a path related to exposure to materialistic models). The proposed model sheds light on the possible mechanisms through which Instagram usage increases materialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) often report psychological distress. Literature suggests that patients with physical disease often compare their well-being and coping to fellow patients. However, we lack knowledge on social comparison among patients with ICD. In this study, we examined psychological distress and social comparison selection in patients with (ICD+) and without experienced ICD shocks (ICD−). We theorized that relative to ICD− patients, those with ICD+ display higher levels of psychological distress and thereby compare more frequently with fellow patients with more severe disease, but better disease coping and try to identify more strongly with these standards to improve their own coping. We recruited 92 patients with (ICD+, n = 38) and without an experienced ICD shock (ICD−, n = 54), who selected one of four comparison standards varying in disease severity and coping capacity. Relative to ICD−, ICD+ patients reported higher levels of device-related distress, but there were no significant differences in anxiety, depression, or quality of life. ICD+ patients selected more often comparison standards with poor coping and, irrespective of standard choice, displayed more negative mood following comparison. Our results show that ICD+ patients tend to perform unfavorable comparisons to fellow patients, which might explain higher psychological distress and worse coping. These findings warrant further research into social comparison as a relevant coping mechanism in ICD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic college students are often forced to navigate stigma on campus, but little is known about how autistic college students manage communicated stigma. Semi-structured interviews with ten autistic college students were conducted to explore how they manage peer stigma. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to identify three themes from the data: First, participants seek to avoid peer stigma by concealing attributes associated with autism. Next, participants buffer against peer stigma by engaging in favorable social comparison. Finally, participants perceive the autism label as highly stigmatizing, necessitating limited disclosure on campus. These results can help researchers and practitioners focus efforts to promote neurodiversity to both autistic students and their peers on campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deliberation theory posits that users' willingness to participate in online comment sections should increase if the discussions are more evidence-based. However, extant empirical research does not clearly support this assumption. The current study argues that social comparison processes and the metacognitive perception of knowledge mediate the relationship between evidence in comments and participation intention in different ways. Findings from two online experiments (NStudy1 = 368; NStudy2 = 854) support this assumption: For three different topics, the results show that providing evidence in comments, as opposed to merely opinions, increases participants' perceived knowledge by increasing their factual knowledge. At the same time, evidence in comments decreases participants' perceived knowledge through social comparison with other commenters. Higher perceived knowledge is related to increased participation intention. In summary, the studies reveal psychological mechanisms that explain why high deliberative quality of online discussions does not necessarily stimulate further user participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The buildings sector is a substantial contributor to total energy consumption and, according to current forecasts, will remain so in the near future. Technical energy efficiency innovations can reduce energy demand; however, if not accompanied appropriately by building occupants’ behaviour, discrepancies between planned and resulting energy consumption will persist, which is known as the building energy performance gap. To tackle this challenge, interventions such as feedback and social comparison are increasingly applied in combination with persuasive technologies. We report the results from a field experiment conducted in a Swiss energy-efficient district where two consecutive behavioural interventions involving persuasive technologies were tested: (1) real-time hot water consumption feedback while showering and (2) a weekly newsletter with social comparison feedback regarding overall hot water consumption, including hot water saving tips, in addition to real-time feedback. Based on the data from 33 households, we found that, compared with the baseline consumption, hot water consumption was 12.4% lower immediately after the real-time feedback intervention and 16.1% lower after the combined intervention. Hot water consumption increased again after the intervention phase, but it was still 9.7% lower than the baseline consumption 2 months after the combined intervention and 8.6% lower 4.5 months after the combined intervention. While the reductions after the real-time feedback and combined intervention were significant, the reductions 2 and 4.5 months after the combined intervention were not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]