Hasil untuk "Other beliefs and movements"

F. Van Overwalle, M. Manto, Z. Cattaneo et al.

The traditional view on the cerebellum is that it controls motor behavior. Although recent work has revealed that the cerebellum supports also nonmotor functions such as cognition and affect, only during the last 5 years it has become evident that the cerebellum also plays an important social role. This role is evident in social cognition based on interpreting goal-directed actions through the movements of individuals (social “mirroring”) which is very close to its original role in motor learning, as well as in social understanding of other individuals’ mental state, such as their intentions, beliefs, past behaviors, future aspirations, and personality traits (social “mentalizing”). Most of this mentalizing role is supported by the posterior cerebellum (e.g., Crus I and II). The most dominant hypothesis is that the cerebellum assists in learning and understanding social action sequences, and so facilitates social cognition by supporting optimal predictions about imminent or future social interaction and cooperation. This consensus paper brings together experts from different fields to discuss recent efforts in understanding the role of the cerebellum in social cognition, and the understanding of social behaviors and mental states by others, its effect on clinical impairments such as cerebellar ataxia and autism spectrum disorder, and how the cerebellum can become a potential target for noninvasive brain stimulation as a therapeutic intervention. We report on the most recent empirical findings and techniques for understanding and manipulating cerebellar circuits in humans. Cerebellar circuitry appears now as a key structure to elucidate social interactions.

Irfan Ullah, K. Khan, M. J. Tahir et al.

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the international crises and researchers are working collaboratively to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. The World Health Organization recognizes vaccine hesitancy as the world's top threat to public health safety, particularly in low middle-income countries. Vaccine hesitancy can be due to a lack of knowledge, false religious beliefs, or anti-vaccine misinformation. The current situation regarding anti-vaccine beliefs is pointing towards dreadful outcomes. It raises the concern that will people believe and accept the new COVID-19 vaccines despite all anti-vaccine movements and COVID-19-related myths and conspiracy theories. This review discusses the possible detrimental impacts of myths and conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 and vaccine on COVID-19 vaccine refusals as well as other vaccine programs.

S. Constantino, Gregg Sparkman, Gordon T. Kraft-Todd et al.

Anthropogenic carbon emissions have the potential to trigger changes in climate and ecosystems that would be catastrophic for the well-being of humans and other species. Widespread shifts in production and consumption patterns are urgently needed to address climate change. Although transnational agreements and national policy are necessary for a transition to a fully decarbonized global economy, fluctuating political priorities and lobbying by vested interests have slowed these efforts. Against this backdrop, bottom-up pressure from social movements and shifting social norms may offer a complementary path to a more sustainable economy. Furthermore, norm change may be an important component of decarbonization policies by accelerating or strengthening the impacts of other demand-side measures. Individual actions and policy support are social processes—they are intimately linked to expectations about the actions and beliefs of others. Although prevailing social norms often reinforce the status quo and unsustainable development pathways, social dynamics can also create widespread and rapid shifts in cultural values and practices, including increasing pressure on politicians to enact ambitious policy. We synthesize literature on social-norm influence, measurement, and change from the perspectives of psychology, anthropology, sociology, and economics. We discuss the opportunities and challenges for the use of social-norm and social-tipping interventions to promote climate action. Social-norm interventions aimed at addressing climate change or other social dilemmas are promising but no panacea. They require in-depth contextual knowledge, ethical consideration, and situation-specific tailoring and testing to understand whether they can be effectively implemented at scale. Our review aims to provide practitioners with insights and tools to reflect on the promises and pitfalls of such interventions in diverse contexts.

Ricardo Martins, Miguel Rosa, Riccardo Padovan et al.

PURPOSE Lifting straps (LS) are popular tools used by resistance-training (RT) practitioners with the intention of improving exercise performance. This tool is worn around the wrist to enhance grip on the barbell or other RT equipment and potentially decrease grip limitation throughout the exercise-a limitation that is usually reported by practitioners, especially during deadlifts, weightlifting movements, and pulling exercises. However, this knowledge remains mostly based on common experiential beliefs. Thus, this narrative review aims to highlight the current knowledge on the impact of LS in RT, focusing on physiological and biomechanical effects, exercise performance, chronic training adaptations, and safety concerns, and also to expose the existing literature gaps and distinguish between evidence-based findings and empirical assumptions. CONCLUSION Evidence suggests that LS can enhance maximal strength and grip perception. However, for pulling/back exercises, no consistent effects have been observed. In addition, LS may increase mechanical work in the deadlift, but contrary to common belief, they appear not to contribute to increased muscle recruitment. Furthermore, no scientific evidence supports the chronic effects of LS usage in training; it is still a hypothesis. Finally, this review offers future research insights to assist sport scientists in designing and conducting more comprehensive investigations on this topic, ultimately enhancing the understanding and application of LS in RT.

Patrik Kallio, Anton Törnberg

The incel community presents an intriguing case within social movement studies, marked by a collective sense of victimhood, a negative collective identity, and a self-deprecating view that starkly contrasts with the positive self-image and objectives typical of most social movements. This discrepancy raises questions about what motivates members to continually engage with the community. This study conducts online observations and discourse analysis to offer an in-depth examination of the community's interaction patterns, discursive practices, and ideological beliefs. Using Randall Collins’ Interaction Ritual Chain framework, the analysis uncovers a paradoxical emotional landscape, challenging traditional models of social interactions and emotional energy as described in his framework. Contrary to the anticipated positive emotional outcomes from successful interaction rituals, incels predominantly display negative emotional expressions, which are transformed into discursive symbols fundamental to group identity. This dynamic is especially evident in discussions of suicide, where members frequently and actively encourage each other to take their own lives. The study elaborates on Collins’ theory by proposing the concept of “dark emotional energy” to elucidate the dynamics that not only perpetuate harmful group dynamics but also bolster a collective sense of belonging, providing insights into the complex mechanisms through which destructive ideologies are maintained within online communities.

O. Véron

This article explores the nested scales of veganism by investigating how vegan ethics, places, and identities are produced through everyday practices across spatial and temporal scales. Drawing on militant (auto)ethnography, it centrally engages with the role of space in the realization of vegan ethics by examining how individuals committed to veganism actualize, test, and realize their political and ethical beliefs within their everyday spaces. It shows that veganism is situated, interpreted, and intersectional, and that it cannot be understood without the place-based negotiations, contestations, and encounters that both shape and are shaped by it. By unpacking the multilayered spatial practices and narratives of vegans, the article reveals how these contribute to the formation of alternative identities, spaces, and communities, extending beyond veganism to highlight broader dynamics of social change in other places and movements.

Evangeline Warren, Lauren Valentino

Intergroup relations research suggests that individuals perceive racial politics through a zero-sum framework, whereas scholarship on mobilization and social movements has shown the importance of cross-racial solidarity in effecting political change through coalition-building. We apply these two theoretical perspectives to the question of discrimination, asking whether perceptions or experiences with discrimination against one’s own racial group lead to diminished (zero-sum) or heightened (coalition) beliefs that other racial groups also face discrimination. To do so, we use a dyadic approach, examining all possible relationships between four major ethnoracial groups in the United States. Analyzing nationally representative data from the 2020 American National Election Studies (ANES), we find evidence for the zero-sum framework for one of the dyads (White ⇔ Black) and evidence for the coalition framework within four of the dyads (Black ⇔ Hispanic, Hispanic ⇔ Asian, White ⇒ Asian, White ⇒ Hispanic). We also find that personal experiences with discrimination matter only for Whites’ outgroup perceptions, whereas group experiences with discrimination are related to outgroup perceptions for ethnoracial minorities. Results demonstrate the power of the dyadic approach by revealing the asymmetry in these dynamics, highlighting the differing role of personal versus group discrimination for various ethnoracial groups, and illustrating the unique nature of anti-Black sentiment among Whites. These results have important implications for scholarship on race and ethnicity as well as political sociology. Our findings are also critical for informing efforts to mobilize and educate the broader public about issues of discrimination and racial injustice.

Georgy Lukyanov, David Li

This paper studies a two-player game in which the players face uncertainty regarding the nature of their partner. In this variation of the standard Prisoner's Dilemma, players may encounter an 'honest' type who always cooperates. Mistreating such a player imposes a moral cost on the defector. This situation creates a trade-off, resolved in favor of cooperation if the player's trust level, or belief in their partner's honesty, is sufficiently high. We investigate whether an environment where players have explicit beliefs about each other's honesty is more or less conducive to cooperation, compared to a scenario where players are entirely uncertain about their partner's beliefs. We establish that belief diversity hampers cooperation in environments where the level of trust is relatively low and boosts cooperation in environments with a high level of trust.

Junli Jiang, Pavel Naumov, Wenxuan Zhang

Traditionally, an agent's beliefs would come from what the agent can see, hear, or sense. In the modern world, beliefs are often based on the data available to the agents. In this work, we investigate a dynamic logic of such beliefs that incorporates public announcements of data. The main technical contribution is a sound and complete axiomatisation of the interplay between data-informed beliefs and data announcement modalities. We also describe a non-trivial polynomial model checking algorithm for this logical system.

Tommaso Flaminio, Lluis Godo, Ramón Pino Pérez et al.

Within the formal setting of the Lockean thesis, an agent belief set is defined in terms of degrees of confidence and these are described in probabilistic terms. This approach is of established interest, notwithstanding some limitations that make its use troublesome in some contexts, like, for instance, in belief change theory. Precisely, Lockean belief sets are not generally closed under (classical) logical deduction. The aim of the present paper is twofold: on one side we provide two characterizations of those belief sets that are closed under classical logic deduction, and on the other we propose an approach to probabilistic update that allows us for a minimal revision of those beliefs, i.e., a revision obtained by making the fewest possible changes to the existing belief set while still accommodating the new information. In particular, we show how we can deductively close a belief set via a minimal revision.

S. Setiawan, Muhammad Hatta, Alhuda Alhuda et al.

Religion, which serves as a system of social beliefs and norms, is often used by leaders to acquire and maintain power. The study shows that legitimacy gained through religion can strengthen political control, as seen in the Iranian context after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. On the other hand, religion is also a tool for mass mobilization in social movements, such as Action 212 in Indonesia. While religion can strengthen social solidarity, it also has the potential to spark conflict, especially when associated with national identity, as in India. Qualitative methods are used to examine the complex relationship between religion and politics, including the influence of religious values in policymaking. The findings suggest that the relationship between religion and politics is dynamic, and can serve as a source of stability or conflict, depending on the existing social and cultural context.

Diana R. Lakunova

Funeral and commemorative rites are valuable ethnographic sources that reflect a mix of traditional and modern religious practices. This article examines the funeral and commemorative ceremonies of the Kabardians in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic and the impact of “new” Islamic movements on these rituals. The majority of Kabardians adhere to Sunni Islam, yet their rituals often retain elements of ancient beliefs, which has created friction with “new” Muslims. These new movements advocate for a return to orthodox Islam, leading to contradictions and the gradual replacement of old ritual practices with new ones. To document these changes, the author conducted fieldwork from 2022 to 2024 in several villages and cities across the region, including Baksanenok, Kishpek, and Zayukovo of the Baksan region; Argudan and Anzorey of Lesken region; Altud of Prohladnenskoe region; Zalukokoazhe of Zolskyi region; Baksan, Nalchik, and Nartkala cities. The study also employed participant observation to analyze individuals and groups in their natural social environment. Analysis of the collected data reveals that many traditional Kabardian rites and behavioral norms have either lost their original meaning or fallen into disuse. Others have been transformed and modified, while some entirely new practices have emerged under the influence of modern Islamic trends. The study concludes that ethnographic research in this area is crucial for understanding the diversity and dynamics of local culture amidst globalization and religious transformation.

Antik Bintari, Ida Widianingsih, Mudiyati Rahmatunnisa

This article aims to highlight the typology of faith-based women's movements and organizations in the democratic era. This research focuses on religious women's organizations in West Java, including representatives from Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and indigenous beliefs. The purpose of this research is to determine the roles and strategies used by religious-based women's movements and organizations in advocating for civil society interests, particularly in promoting gender equality issues. The research results indicate that religious-based women's organizations or movements overall prioritize and consider religious values in their various actions and organizational decisions when advocating for gender equality issues. In West Java, religious-based women's movements and organizations exhibit various typologies, with some rooted in Islam. Three dominant typologies emerged from the organizations studied: religious-centered, religiously affiliated, and religiously backgrounded. These three typologies provide at least a glimpse of the differences and similarities in the strategies of women's movements and organizations in advocating for gender-responsive public interests, particularly how they collaborate with the government and other stakeholders.Artikel ini bertujuan untuk menyoroti tipologi gerakan dan organisasi perempuan berbasis agama di era demokrasi. Penelitian ini berfokus pada organisasi perempuan berbasis agama di Jawa Barat, yang meliputi perwakilan dari Islam, Kristen, Katolik, Hindu, Buddha, dan Penghayat.Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menentukan peran dan strategi yang digunakan oleh gerakan dan organisasi perempuan berbasis agama dalam memperjuangkan kepentingan masyarakat sipil khususnya dalam memperjuangkan isu-isu kesetaraan gender. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keseluruhan organisasi atau gerakan perempuan berbasis agama dalam memperjuangkan isu-isu kesetaraan gender tersebut dengan memprioritaskan dan mempertimbangkan nilai-nilai agama dalam berbagai tindakan dan keputusan organisasi. Di Jawa Barat, gerakan dan organisasi perempuan berbasis agama menunjukkan berbagai tipologi, dengan beberapa di antaranya berakar pada Islam. Tiga tipologi dominan muncul dari organisasi yang diteliti, yaitu tipologi berpusat pada agama, tipologi berafiliasi dengan agama, dan tipologi berlatar belakang agama. Ketiga tipologi ini setidaknya memberikan gambaran perbedaan dan persamaan strategi gerakan dan organisasi perempuan dalam memperjuangkan kepentingan publik yang responsive gender, khususnya bagaiamana mereka melakukan kolaborasi dengan pemerintah dan pemangku kepentingan lainnya.

A. Ghofur, Agus H. S. Reksoprodjo, Nama instansi disini

Terrorism is globally recognized as a serious threat to the security and stability of a country. In the context of Indonesia, terrorism is defined as an actual threat, namely a threat that is currently developing and will continue in the next few years. Based on the history of the development of terrorism in Indonesia, extreme Muslim groups are often found as perpetrators of terrorism in Indonesia. Some of them are affiliated with international terrorism networks such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This group believes that it is permissible to kill anyone who disagrees with their views. This group is known as Khawarij. The special characteristic of the Khawarij group is that they adhere to the Takfiri ideology, namely declaring those who do not follow the beliefs or practices of the religion they adhere to as infidels. In its development, the Khawarij ideology became the ideological root of extremist movements among Muslims. The relationship between the Khawarij ideology and current acts of terrorism lies in the excessive understanding of Islam, as well as the justification of violence against other groups under the pretext of religion. Khawarij ideology also believes that a leadership (government) that does not implement Islamic laws is an infidel government that must be fought. These radical doctrines have led to the emergence of new extremist movements such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Therefore, one strategy in preventing acts of terrorism is to conduct Early Detection of the understanding of Khawarij ideology as part of the Early Warning System.

Johannes Jungilligens, David L Perez

Rana Mohammad Taghinejad Esfahani, Majid Movahed, Halimeh Enayat et al.

IntroductionPatriarchy has systematically marginalized many issues related to women, including their biological experiences, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth, by relegating them to personal rather than social matters. As a result, women's issues have rarely been addressed in public discourse or socio-political discussions. Historically, in many cultures and religions, menstruation has been viewed as "unclean" and "taboo" (Buckley & Gottlieb, 1989), leading to its characterization as undesirable and shameful. Consequently, many women refrain from sharing their experiences or challenging the taboos surrounding menstruation in public, confining this natural process to the private sphere. Women’s biological experiences are profoundly influenced by power dynamics and cultural contexts. The marginalization of these experiences in private spaces necessitates their reintroduction and emphasis in public, cultural, and academic discussions. Acknowledging this is crucial as menstruation is an inherent part of every woman's life and has significant implications for their physical, mental, and social health. Addressing this issue is vital not only for improving public awareness and acceptance of menstruation, but also for combating gender and bodily discrimination, supporting women’s rights and health, and dismantling cultural taboos. However, due to the lack of proper information and education, as well as  the persistence of cultural taboos, many women experience feelings of shame and isolation during menstruation, resulting in their exclusion from public spaces. Therefore, structural changes in power and culture are essential for redefining women’s issues. Instagram as a social network that offers a free and visual platform plays a crucial role in dismantling socio-cultural taboos. Many social activists, feminists, and health brands leverage this space to share educational content on the menstrual cycle, hygiene products, and menstrual management through posts and stories. These efforts aim to shift negative attitudes and enhance public awareness on the subject. This study examined women’s experiences of menstruation on Instagram and explored how menstruation taboos function as mechanisms for controlling women’s bodies within the existing power structures and daily life. It also investigated the tools and strategies used to increase awareness and acceptance of this natural process within the society. By integrating the theories of Foucault and Kristeva, we gained insight into how this natural phenomenon was influenced by social, cultural, and discursive powers, as well as how the taboos surrounding menstruation shaped women’s lived experiences. Furthermore, these theories allowed us to explore the representation of women’s bodies and menstruation in virtual spaces like Instagram, revealing how socio-cultural powers were exercised through the female body and how menstruation remained marginalized as a shameful and impure topic. However, social media provided a platform for women to challenge these power structures and share their experiences.   Materials & MethodsThis research employed feminist ethnography, utilizing Charmaz Grounded Theory for data analysis. Feminist ethnography is a research approach rooted in feminist principles that not only considers individuals' experiences and perspectives within their social contexts, but also emphasizes power dynamics, gender inequalities, and representation of women and marginalized groups. This approach allowed the researchers to critically examine findings, amplifying the experiences and voices of those on the margins rather than relying solely on dominant societal narratives. It asserted that the everyday experiences of women often overlooked warranted serious study.When the initial idea for this article took shape, we began with non-participatory observation by visiting pages that shared content about menstruation and women's bodies. I actively engaged with these pages through likes and comments, collecting a wealth of information, screenshots, and field notes. Gradually, we transitioned from an observer to an active participant by sharing posts and question boxes related to menstruation on our private Instagram pages. We then selected participants from our followers and those we followed. All participants were women, who had experienced menstruation, were active on Instagram, and were willing to discuss the topic.Participants were initially selected through purposeful and convenience sampling followed by snowball sampling. This process continued until theoretical saturation was reached, ensuring that no new categories emerged and theoretical sufficiency was achieved. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 individuals, who also identified Instagram pages, such as Mahsa Mousavi (a midwifery page), Zagah, Nabat Etemad, Farank Amidi, and Levva.Pharma, as valuable sources of information on menstruation. Additionally, screenshots were randomly collected from posts or stories by popular bloggers discussing the topic.To validate the results, 6 participants were given their interview transcripts for review. After receiving their approval, the analysis process was discussed with two methodology experts. Subsequently, using triangulation, the codes derived from the analysis were reviewed by specialists, yielding consistent results. The interviews were carefully transcribed and incorporated into the text. Given the qualitative nature of this research, the findings were context-specific, while different outcomes might emerge in other settings with different participants. Discussion of Results & ConclusionWe analyzed the social experiences of our participants, each of which, while unique, shared commonalities with others. Despite their differences, these experiences were shaped by patriarchal structures. Utilizing feminist ethnography and Charmaz grounded theory, this research provided a critical exploration of women’s experiences related to menstruation. The aim was to amplify the voices of women whose life experiences—such as housework, cooking, menstruation, and breastfeeding—were often dismissed as insignificant. Each woman’s story served as the foundation for this analysis.The central category identified was "menstruation as a social construct", which encompassed 8 main subcategories: menstruation as "becoming a woman", discovery of menstruation, women’s social life during menstruation, digitalization of menstruation awareness, presence or absence of legal support, menstruation as a social taboo, menstruation as a source of social shame, and men's encounters with women’s menstruation. These categories emerged from the contributions of women active on Instagram.The experience, perception, and acceptance of menstruation are influenced not only by biological factors, but also by social, cultural, and historical contexts. Attitudes toward menstruation vary across cultures shaped by social norms and power structures that can evolve over time. Women’s resistance to restrictive discourses manifests in awareness-raising efforts, open discussions about menstruation, participation in social movements that challenge taboos, and advocacy for healthcare rights. Understanding menstruation as a social construct is crucial for addressing related inequalities. By increasing awareness and providing appropriate education, we can enhance women’s understanding and experiences of menstruation, transforming it into a more positive and constructive process.In this study, participants shared how taboos and misconceptions surrounding menstruation had adversely affected women. Religious and traditional beliefs, the role of family, the educational system, and mass media had all contributed to reinforcing these taboos. However, the silence surrounding menstruation was gradually being broken through discussions on platforms like Instagram. In this space, women learned to observe their bodies, ask questions, and engage constructively with their own experiences. As this discursive space evolves, menstruation is continually reconstructed by a new generation of women. Understanding menstruation as a social construct allows us to recognize how women's bodies are shaped by power dynamics, resistance, and gender norms. Instagram serves as a platform for re(constructing) the menstrual experience, enabling individuals to redefine their own narratives, challenge gender taboos, and create an environment conducive to changing negative norms and attitudes.By employing Foucault’s concept of bio-power and Kristeva’s notion of abjection, this study illustrated how social and cultural systems influenced women’s bodies and how their experiences of menstruation were reflected in both social and digital spaces like Instagram. The research revealed the diversity and depth of women’s experiences in confronting menstruation-related taboos and stigmas, offering a more nuanced understanding of the subject. Menstruation was not merely a biological process; it was intertwined with social, cultural, political, and economic structures. Through sharing their experiences, women were transforming the narrative around menstruation, breaking the stigma, and paving the way for a more informed, open, and compassionate society where women could discuss their issues freely, without fear or shame.

Ezzatullah Mirzaei, elham keshavarz moghadam

Introduction:In the Islamic Republic, a unique variant of public opinion is observed, distinct from traditional models. While existing outside the realm of power relations, this form of public opinion lacks the connection to civil society commonly found in other contexts. Instead, it is defined by a collection of shared beliefs, attitudes, and viewpoints that are shaped independently of power dynamics, thus forming a unique, isolated public opinion within the Islamic Republic's sociopolitical landscape. The precarious state of civil society in Iran has led to it becoming a negligible factor in social and political equations and relations. Public opinion in Iran, rather than taking shape through the lens of civil society and aligning with government policies and decisions, functions as a force that is manipulated by adversaries and used as a tool to apply pressure against the Islamic Republic’s authority.Currently, the media plays a substantial role in influencing and steering public opinion. Many scholars and researchers in fields such as sociology, communication sciences, psychology, and others have posited that the media has the ability to shape its perceptions and interpretations of events to align with its preconceived biases. Consequently, media outlets often select data and scrutinize social phenomena based on these biases, and the information provided may not always accurately reflect reality but can be tainted with cultural, political, and social values and norms.Research question(s):The present research aimed at understanding the necessity of implementing social policies to manage and control Iranian public opinion. In the first stage, the study focused on identifying factors that contribute to the pessimistic outlook and confused mentality among Iranians. Subsequently, in the second stage, the research sought to analyze the meaningful relationships between causes and effects, with the objective of providing strategies in the domain of social policy. In accordance with these objectives, the research aimed to answer the following questions:What are the platforms that influence Iranian public opinion?What are the characteristics of Iranian public opinion?What strategies and tactics are implemented in the arena of managing and controlling Iranian public opinion?What capacities and constructive ideas can potentially impact Iranian public opinion?Literature Review:Given the profound and far-reaching changes and transformations experienced by human societies, the role of media, virtual space, and social networks in shaping such transformations is significant. Numerous thinkers have substantiated this assertion, as they argue that in the current era, the media serves as the primary force shaping public thoughts and minds. Disregard towards this phenomenon is considered impractical.Castells, for instance, posits that all identities are constructed, but the critical question at hand is how, from what sources, by whom, and for what purposes. Gerbner and his associates in the "cultivation theory" have attempted to address the impact of mass media, particularly television, on shaping public opinions and thoughts. Hall and J. Holley (2005) introduced the theory of "representation," which posits that in the contemporary context, mass media's audio-visual presentations have the most profound impact on shaping public culture, thoughts, and perceptions. According to this theory, mass media serve as instruments for representing the world to their audiences.The media, according to the theoretical framework of framing, does not solely function as a mirror that reflects events and the realities of the social and political world. Instead, they play a more active role in shaping social and political realities. Through their news reporting, the media influence how people perceive and understand the world around them, essentially constructing those realities. McCombs and Reynolds (2009) propose the theory of "highlighting," asserting that in the context of modern times, the media wield significant influence as a powerful factor. According to this theory, media communications and platforms play a pivotal role in the discursive processes of highlighting and marginalization. Moreover, the media are regarded as a foundational power factor in a global system that is constantly undergoing change.Methodology:This study is a descriptive-analytical research project conducted in accordance with the qualitative methodological approach, grounded in contextual theorization. It utilizes semi-structured interviews as the primary data collection technique and employs purposeful theoretical sampling to identify participants who can provide insights related to the research questions. Theoretical saturation was achieved after conducting interviews with 16 academics and experts in the fields of social sciences and communication sciences from various universities in Tehran (Tehran, Tarbiat Modares, and Khwarazmi). The interviewees comprised 13 men and 3 women, with ages ranging from 42 to 70 years.Result:Based on analysis conducted using MAXQDA software, 52 distinct concepts were identified during the initial open coding stage. These were subsequently grouped into 15 core categories during the axial coding phase. These categories can be further organized into three broader forms: platforms that shape the state of Iranian public opinion, characteristics of Iranian public opinion, and strategies and tactics employed in policy-making and public opinion management.The influence of the following platforms on Iranian public opinion is evident: a general sentiment of disappointment, a prevailing negativity, diminishing trust in official media spaces, and a decrease in their overall favorability.Several characteristics are evident in such a thought process: there is an increase in the tendency towards activism and direct action, a heightened influence of public opinion on government decision-making, a growing dissatisfaction and expression of demands shaped by virtual spaces and social media platforms, a stronger focus on political issues and concerns for security among the populace, and an increasing interest in adopting global values and norms, along with a strong influence wielded by unofficial media sources in opposition to civil society and official media channels. There is also a desire to form new social movements, particularly through acts of civil disobedience and other forms of influence. As a means of controlling public opinion, the researcher emphasized looking towards weaker and less developed neighboring countries as a cautionary tale. To manipulate public opinion in line with policy objectives, the researcher proposed strategies and tactics such as cover action, coordinated action (shaping aligned narratives), and media action. These tactics are aimed at influencing public opinion to align with policy goals and public opinion management.Discussion:In this study, the primary objectives were twofold: to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to the pessimistic outlook and confusing mindset of Iranians, and to examine the meaningful relationships between causes and effects by introducing social policy measures. It is worth noting that despite the numerous and persistent crises faced since the establishment of the Islamic Republic system, Iranian society has consistently demonstrated resilience and cooperation with the system. However, challenges and threats have emerged within society, creating wounds and uncertainties.It appears that factors such as a decrease in public trust (regarding structures, authorities, organizations, and institutions), heightened frustration and pessimism about the possibility of large-scale reform, the continued proliferation of negative news, and an escalating growth in demands that are difficult to meet in the short term are exacerbating the situation.Class divisions, continuous revelations against leaders and executive officials, an increase in the propensity for protests and a trend towards violence in these protests, the growth of political polarization, the focus of satellite and social media networks in directing public opinion, the establishment of an identity of resistance through cultural and social focus, a changing lifestyle and a rise in family breakdowns, a focus on celebrities and decreasing significance of former reference groups, and heightened external pressures have contributed to a sense of abandonment in Iran's public opinion, resulting in negative representations. When considering the nature and context of Iranian society in terms of its social, political, economic, and cultural aspects, it may be beneficial to categorize the primary and significant strategies for shaping Iranian public opinion in a positive, constructive, and hopeful direction into the following three broad categories:Several techniques have been utilized to shape public opinion: representation, framing, highlighting, and planting, which are based on the extensive use of virtual spaces and social networks. Moreover, strategies such as forming a think tank, analyzing positive narratives, and employing media actions were identified as potentially effective approaches in the realm of policymaking and public opinion management within the Iranian context. In response to the influence of the information and satellite space, public opinion might be steered in a different direction compared to that preferred by the government. It is worth noting that it is challenging to quickly overcome the enemy's soft and cognitive warfare, as this influence leverages the vast reach of virtual spaces, social networks, and satellite channels. The enemy not only seeks to impose a new lifestyle among Iranians but also employs various tactics and imagery to direct public opinion towards confrontational and oppositional stances against the government.

Jiho Park

This paper proposes a theory of stock market predictability patterns based on a model of heterogeneous beliefs. In a discrete finite time framework, some agents receive news about an asset's fundamental value through a noisy signal. The investors are heterogeneous in that they have different beliefs about the stochastic supply. A momentum in the stock price arises from those agents who incorrectly underestimate the signal accuracy, dampening the initial price impact of the signal. A reversal in price occurs because the price reverts to the fundamental value in the long run. An extension of the model to multiple assets case predicts co-movement and lead-lag effect, in addition to cross-sectional momentum and reversal. The heterogeneous beliefs of investors about news demonstrate how the main predictability anomalies arise endogenously in a model of bounded rationality.

Shahreen Salim, Md Naimul Hoque, Klaus Mueller

Causal belief is a cognitive practice that humans apply everyday to reason about cause and effect relations between factors, phenomena, or events. Like optical illusions, humans are prone to drawing causal relations between events that are only coincidental (i.e., causal illusions). Researchers in domains such as cognitive psychology and healthcare often use logistically expensive experiments to understand causal beliefs and illusions. In this paper, we propose Belief Miner, a crowdsourcing method for evaluating people's causal beliefs and illusions. Our method uses the (dis)similarities between the causal relations collected from the crowds and experts to surface the causal beliefs and illusions. Through an iterative design process, we developed a web-based interface for collecting causal relations from a target population. We then conducted a crowdsourced experiment with 101 workers on Amazon Mechanical Turk and Prolific using this interface and analyzed the collected data with Belief Miner. We discovered a variety of causal beliefs and potential illusions, and we report the design implications for future research.

Guang Hu, Tim Miller, Nir Lipovetzky

Epistemic planning is the sub-field of AI planning that focuses on changing knowledge and belief. It is important in both multi-agent domains where agents need to have knowledge/belief regarding the environment, but also the beliefs of other agents, including nested beliefs. When modeling knowledge in multi-agent settings, many models face an exponential growth challenge in terms of nested depth. A contemporary method, known as Planning with Perspectives (PWP), addresses these challenges through the use of perspectives and set operations for knowledge. The JP model defines that an agent's belief is justified if and only if the agent has seen evidence that this belief was true in the past and has not seen evidence to suggest that this has changed. The current paper extends the JP model to handle \emph{group belief}, including distributed belief and common belief. We call this the Group Justified Perspective (GJP) model. Using experimental problems crafted by adapting well-known benchmarks to a group setting, we show the efficiency and expressiveness of our GJP model at handling planning problems that cannot be handled by other epistemic planning tools.