The Impact of Gender Factor on the Formation of Career Aspirations of Military Personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The article examines the prevalence of a discrepancy in career aspirations among students attending military academies, with a particular focus on differences based on gender. The study uses the psycholinguistic research method, specifically a free association experiment. Two stimulus words were selected for the psycholinguistic experiment: ‘career’ and ‘family’. The word ‘family’ serves as an auxiliary stimulus in the experiment. A total of 102 students, all of whom were currently ranked as lieutenants and in their fifth year of studies at the Military Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technology, participated in the experiment. The sample consisted of 74 male (n = 72.5%) and 28 female (n = 27.5%) participants. The study findings show that primary career motivation for both male and female respondents is the acquisition of social prestige, demonstrated through high status and rank identification, as well as a stable financial situation. Gender differences in career orientation lead to variations in conflict behavior strategies. Both men and women may use cooperation and competition strategies equally. However, in situations of conflicting interests, women tend to orient their social interaction towards confrontation and antagonism. The majority of both male and female respondents view the family as a potential for career advancement. However, some male respondents may experience high inter-role conflict between work and family. Women have various methods of resolving the role conflict between work and family. These include remaining childless, delegating child-rearing duties to their parents, and minimizing work responsibilities to allocate their physical and psychological resources to their family. To create more opportunities for women’s career success, it is recommended that military organizations provide training in integrative career approaches that can help service women approach career development in terms of their professional competencies rather than gender role stereotypes

Together in a Digital World: Motivational States, Affect, and Relationship Quality in Couples’ Messenger Communication

Our study investigates if couples with a high relationship quality judge their partner’s mental state more accurately. We examine associations between different aspects of empathic accuracy and relationship quality in the context of couples’ messenger communication. We propose a new procedure for assessing the empathic accuracy of judgments of affect and interpersonal motivational states. Using the Truth and Bias Model and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, data from N = 102 participants (51 couples) was analyzed to examine how empathic accuracy of different variables (affective states, e.g. valence and arousal, and interpersonal motivational states, e.g. agency and communion) are related to quality of relationship. Contrary to our pre-registered hypotheses, results do not indicate a clear positive association with relationship quality across all facets of empathic accuracy. However, empathic accuracy of affective valence was significantly associated with relationship quality, and a similar trend emerged for empathic accuracy of agentic motivational states. These findings provide some evidence for the connection of relationship quality and empathic accuracy of affective states in the context of couples’ messenger communication. Our findings underline the relevance of differentially examining affective and motivational subdomains of empathic accuracy and their outcomes. In addition, our results call for further research on empathic accuracy of agentic motivational states in couples

Intergenerational Gender Preferences in Romantic Partner Selection: An Indonesian Perspective

Trends in the transition of gender role expectations that have occurred in the last few decades have slowly shifted the views regarding the characteristics that are deemed important in a romantic partner. Both evolutionary and contemporary perspectives are considered in the effort to better understand changes in these shifts. This study aims to explore these shifts by comparing data from two generations based on the year of marriage. Using a cross-sectional design, 279 Indonesian heterosexual married adults (Mage = 39.95; SD = 10.23) completed the Mate Preferences Questionnaire. Participants were grouped by the year of marriage: the senior group (n = 96; married before 2000) and the younger group (n = 163; married after 2000). Their responses were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. The study results show that based on sex differences, there were no significant differences between the senior group and the younger group in romantic partner preferences. However, when considering the time of marriage, participants in the younger group prioritised certain criteria more strongly than those in the senior group. These included maintaining order, being ambitious, and having good prospects in terms of intelligence and finances. The interaction between gender differences and marital duration showed significant differences in the importance of similar education levels as well as good education and intelligence. The study highlights the impact of evolving gender role expectations on the process of selecting romantic partners

The Hybrid Modern Network Model: A Multi-Technique Framework for Comprehensive Network Analysis

This research addresses the limitations of traditional network models in capturing the complexity and dynamics of real-world social networks. Motivated by the need for a more comprehensive and flexible framework, the study introduces the Hybrid Modern Network Model (HMNM). The HMNM integrates foundational models like the Stochastic Block Model (SBM) and Preferential Attachment with advanced machine learning techniques, including Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), Reinforcement Learning (RL), Hierarchical Random Graphs (HRGs), Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), and Variational Autoencoders (VAEs). The methods employed involve constructing initial network structures using SBM, simulating network growth through preferential Attachment, learning node embeddings with GNNs, dynamically optimizing network properties using RL, capturing hierarchical community structures with HRGs, controlling degree distributions using GANs, and uncovering latent patterns with VAEs. The empirical illustration of HMNM highlights its effectiveness in providing a more realistic, scalable, and comprehensive analysis of social networks compared to traditional models. Integrating diverse methodologies allows for accurately modeling of network structures, dynamic processes, and latent patterns. In conclusion, the HMNM offers significant advancements in network modeling, providing a robust and flexible framework for analyzing social networks. This model overcomes the limitations of traditional models and delivers deeper insights into the complexities and dynamics of social structures. Future research will optimize the HMNM and explore its applications across various domains. The R programming code used for the network simulations and visualizations is conceptual and demonstrates the HMNM framework. The results and metrics are illustrative placeholders, emphasizing the methodology rather than empirical validation

Self- and Not-Self-Determined Solitude: French Version of the Motivation for Solitude Scale

Thomas and Azmitia (2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.11.004) proposed a short version of the Motivation for Solitude Scale. They tested this short form using a population of emerging adults and adolescents and they presented both the psychometric characteristics of this scale and its links with several adjustment factors. The aim of this study was to propose a French version of this scale. We translated this scale in French and tested it using a population presenting a larger range of ages and sociodemographic characteristics (N = 268). We also used a measure of anxiety-depression and a scale of emotional competences. This French version showed factor loadings and scores similar to those of the original version and has satisfactory psychometric properties. We discuss the properties of this short scale and the links between its scores and the scores on the additional measures, and finally we propose several leads for its use

The “Favorite Person” in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Content Analysis of Social Media Posts

In the borderline personality disorder (BPD) online community, shared experience has led to the emergence of the term “favorite person” (FP) to describe a unique interpersonal relationship. Despite its widespread use, this term has not been defined in the scholarly literature. The purpose of this exploratory study was to develop a working definition of FP through quantitative content analysis of relevant Instagram posts. Results suggest that FP may be defined as an insecure attachment figure who consumes the thoughts and evokes the abandonment fears of individuals with BPD. The FP is viewed as a rescuer and depended on for a sense of identity and emotional validation. Reactivity of mood and a tendency to hypermentalize around the FP may contribute to the instability evident in these relationships. These findings offer a novel understanding of the lived experience of BPD relationships, having important implications for treatment and stigma reduction

Experimental Evidence of the Prejudice and Discrimination That Exists Towards Tattooed People in Some Hiring Processes

A considerable body of research has shown having visible tattoos is linked to greater workplace-related discrimination, with some women reporting feeling dehumanized based on their tattoo status within the context of their careers. However, most of this work is qualitative in nature, and little correlational or experimental evidence has supported these links or examined specific mechanisms of prejudice that might underpin this discrimination. The present study addressed these gaps using an experimental design in which participants were told they would assist with hiring a research assistant by viewing and evaluating online video job applications. In one condition that applicant was tattooed, and in the other she was not. Results showed that participants were less likely to hire the tattooed target, and that this effect was specific to when participants were average or higher in their dehumanization of her. These findings held controlling for participant sex, own tattoo status, age, and hiring capability in their job. Together, these findings suggest that some tattooed job applicants may face implicit discrimination which is driven by dehumanization of the target

The Role of Gender Identity in Well-Being and Psychosexual Aspects

This study underscores the impact of individuals’ gender identity experiences on their well-being and psychosexuality, drawing data from a sample of 2907 adults in Greece. Utilizing the Gender Identity Scale, we collected responses to transcend the conventional “man – woman” binary. Employing Latent Class Analysis, we identified nine Gender Identity Groups based on participants' responses. The results revealed that those embracing a fluid gender identity demonstrated better well-being indicators compared to those rigidly identifying as “men” or “women”. Notably, individuals associating with a “woman” gender identity displayed the lowest well-being indicators. In terms of psychosexual aspects, those with a fluid gender identity reported heightened sexual assertiveness and satisfaction, while individuals identifying solely as “men” exhibited elevated sexual anxiety. Furthermore, the gender of the sexual partner interacted with different gender identity groups. These findings suggest a potential influence of internalized societal roles and expectations linked to man and woman conceptual constructs, exerting pressure to conform to established gender norms. Limitations are also discussed

All Is Well in Moderation: Perspectives of Young Adults on Positive and Negative Factors Influencing the Quality of Romantic Relationships

Considerable research confirms that romantic relationships and their quality are one of the top priorities in the lives of individuals, especially as they enter the emerging adulthood stage. It is indisputably relevant to revisit relationship quality factors in research, even though there is generally plenty of interest in this topic across the research literature. The present study concerns the antecedents of relationship quality in a research-excluded region of Central Eastern Europe, namely Slovakia, where no similar research has been published to date, presuming the cultural specificities of Slovak youth. The study intends to approximate individuals' perceptions, not to fit them into predefined theories; thus, the research is inductive with an experiential orientation to the data. A reflexive thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews (37) or written self-moderated accounts (74) from 104 participants in a cohort of 18- to 35-year-olds resulted in the creation of four themes. These reflect the participants’ accounts of the antecedents of relational quality, which are i) external circumstances, ii) partners’ mutual attitudes and feelings, iii) the degree of sharing, and iv) individual contributions to relationship quality (personality, character traits, emotionality). Although the results can be formulated as a positive versus negative duality of oppositional influences, the degree phenomenon is strongly present. The idea that “everything in excess is bad” certainly applies

“Hugging With Masks on”: LGBTQ+ College Students’ Relationship Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted many LGBTQ+ college students, who already experience minority stressors. In particular, pandemic-related restrictions may have increased stress in LGBTQ+ students’ romantic relationships, particularly for non-cohabiting LGBTQ+ couples. To understand LGBTQ+ students’ romantic relationship experiences at the start of the pandemic, when pandemic-related restrictions decreased opportunity for face-to-face interaction, we considered relationship experiences (relationship dissolution, in-person and virtual interactions, and changes in sexual behavior) in a sample of LGBTQ+ college students (N = 444; 36.49% non-cohabiting) in the U.S. Participants completed an online survey during April and May, 2020, while their university was still in session. Findings indicated that relationship dissolution due to the pandemic was relatively rare. Roughly half of non-cohabiting students saw their partner in person and the majority who did considered their partner an exception to social distancing. Of students who saw their partner in person, a majority engaged in entertainment activities. Non-cohabiting students were more likely to experience decreased frequency in multiple sexual behaviors with their romantic partners compared to cohabiting students. Overall, results highlight the relationship experiences of non-cohabiting LGBTQ+ students early in the pandemic, and showcase how students continued to find ways to connect with their partner despite pandemic-related restrictions