Simon Owen Academic Proceedings Series is an international, refereed, double-blind peer-reviewed, open-access journal that compiles the proceedings of academic conferences, workshops, and symposia across various disciplines. The series highlights groundbreaking research, emerging trends, and innovations presented by scholars, researchers, and practitioners in their respective fields. With a focus on high-quality contributions, the series serves as a valuable resource for the academic community, facilitating the dissemination of knowledge, fostering collaboration, and offering insights into the latest developments in science, technology, and academia.
Trust as Capital: Confucian Ethics and the Moral Logic of Modern Finance
Trust constitutes the moral and institutional foundation of modern financial markets, influencing investment behavior, credit allocation, and market resilience. In East Asian economies shaped by Confucian ethics, the development and erosion of trust are not determined solely by legal or contractual enforcement but are also guided by embedded social norms emphasizing ren (benevolence), yi (righteousness), li (propriety), and xin (trustworthiness). Despite extensive research on social capital and financial governance, few studies have systematically linked Confucian moral philosophy with quantifiable mechanisms of trust in contemporary finance. This study addresses this gap by integrating Confucian ethical theory with empirical evidence from China's financial sector. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the analysis combines quantitative data from listed firms with qualitative case studies, including CEO social capital and debt cost data (2018-2024), regional trust and ESG performance metrics, and the collapse of the Ezubao peer-to-peer platform. The study identifies both constructive and destructive dynamics of trust. Results indicate that stronger social capital is associated with lower financing costs and improved governance outcomes, whereas failures in moral and institutional frameworks lead to systemic distrust. These findings contribute to a culturally grounded "economics of trust," illustrating how Confucian ethics can inform sustainable financial development and regulatory innovation in rapidly evolving markets.
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From Protest to Policy: The Rocks Green Bans and the Transformation of Heritage Protection in Sydney
This paper examines the Rocks Green Bans (1971-1974) as a pivotal episode in the history of Sydney's urban planning and heritage protection. The Green Bans, imposed by the Builders Labourers Federation in collaboration with the Rocks Residents Action Group, halted large-scale modernist redevelopment proposed by the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority. Drawing on multi-source archival research, including newspapers, government records, and visual materials, the study reconstructs how grassroots mobilisation challenged state-led planning and reshaped the concept of heritage. The findings reveal three major contributions. First, the Green Bans contested the dominance of top-down modernist planning by legitimising community participation in shaping urban futures. Second, they broadened the notion of heritage beyond architectural preservation to encompass social and cultural values, particularly working-class identity and collective memory. Third, they laid the groundwork for institutional reforms, notably the establishment of the New South Wales Heritage Council in 1977. Beyond their historical significance, the Green Bans continue to influence contemporary debates on redevelopment and gentrification, demonstrating that heritage cannot be separated from principles of equity and justice. This case thus offers enduring insights for participatory planning and values-driven approaches to conservation in rapidly evolving urban contexts.
Symbolic Expression in Painting Therapy for Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders
Adolescents with anxiety disorders often face challenges in verbally expressing emotional distress, which can limit the effectiveness of traditional therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral or pharmacological treatments. Painting therapy offers a non-verbal, symbolic avenue for expressing and reorganizing anxiety; however, prior research has primarily examined therapeutic outcomes while overlooking the underlying symbolic mechanisms of change. To address this gap, the present study develops and empirically validates a symbolic mediation framework linking emotional activation, symbolic formation, reflective dialogue, and integration. Using a mixed-method design, four adolescents aged 13-18 diagnosed with anxiety disorders participated in a twelve-session painting therapy program. Their artworks were analyzed with a coding scheme covering five symbolic motifs: enclosure, fragmentation, movement, contrast, and emergence, which were then correlated with standardized anxiety assessments. Results demonstrated a consistent progression from fragmented, chaotic imagery to coherent, open compositions, with the motifs of emergence and movement showing strong associations with reductions in anxiety. Symbolic transformation was observed to precede measurable improvement, confirming its mediating role in emotional regulation. These findings enhance theoretical understanding of non-verbal therapeutic mechanisms and provide clinicians with a structured model for identifying symbolic indicators of psychological recovery in adolescent anxiety treatment.
Beyond Words: Thomas Merton's Transformative Encounter with Tibetan Buddhism
This paper examines Thomas Merton's 1968 pilgrimage to Asia as a pivotal moment in the development of Buddhist-Christian dialogue. While Merton's journey is often remembered for its personal and spiritual significance, this study argues that it also represents an early example of comparative theology in practice. Drawing on his encounters with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, and Chatral Rinpoche, the paper explores how Merton moved beyond surface-level exchanges to engage deeply with Tibetan Buddhist contemplative traditions. Through his dialogue with Trungpa, he confronted the dangers of "spiritual materialism" and recognized parallels with the challenges faced by modern Western monasticism. In conversation with the Dalai Lama, he reflected on the renewal of contemplative life, learning that discipline, wisdom, and compassion must be integrated for authentic practice. His meeting with Chatral Rinpoche, who emphasized direct realization and mystical language, prepared him for the culminating experience at Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka, where Merton articulated a vision of unity between emptiness and compassion. To frame this analysis, the paper draws on Catherine Cornille's account of the essential virtues for dialogue-humility, commitment, interconnection, empathy, and hospitality-and Francis X. Clooney's definition of comparative theology as "faith seeking understanding" across religious boundaries. The study concludes that Merton's pilgrimage anticipated later theological methods while offering a model of contemplative dialogue that is faithful to one's tradition yet open to transformation through encounter. His unfinished vision continues to inspire contemporary efforts toward interreligious understanding and peace.
Synthesis, Crystallographic Features, and Urease Inhibition Performance of Aromatic Dicarboxylate Copper-Based Architectures
A series of novel aromatic dicarboxylate copper complexes were designed and synthesized via hydrothermal and solvothermal methods, and their structural and biological properties were systematically investigated. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the copper centers adopt either distorted octahedral or square planar geometries, with the ligands acting as bridging units to form one-, two-, or three-dimensional frameworks. Intermolecular interactions, including hydrogen bonding, π–π stacking, and van der Waals contacts, contribute to lattice stability and framework rigidity. Comprehensive structure-activity analysis demonstrated that the urease inhibitory performance of these complexes is strongly influenced by the electronic properties of the ligands, the accessibility of the copper centers, and the topology of the metal-organic frameworks. Complexes with electron-withdrawing substituents, partially exposed metal sites, and moderate structural flexibility exhibited the highest inhibitory potency. These findings highlight the importance of fine-tuning both ligand electronics and three-dimensional framework geometry in the rational design of metal-based enzyme inhibitors. This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between crystal structure and biological activity, offering guidance for the development of efficient urease inhibitors and other bioactive metal-organic materials.
Copper complex, Single-crystal X-ray diffraction
Strategic Planning Methodologies across Contemporary Professional Sectors: Trends, Challenges, and Transformative Practices
Strategic planning remains a fundamental mechanism for organizational success across diverse professional sectors, despite the increasing complexity and volatility of contemporary operational environments. This paper examines the evolution and application of strategic planning methodologies in multiple domains including technology development, construction management, architectural design, creative industries, and business strategy formulation. The research explores how traditional planning frameworks have adapted to accommodate rapid technological advancement, market disruption, and unprecedented global challenges such as pandemic-induced transformations. Through comparative analysis of sector-specific approaches, this study identifies common principles underlying effective strategic planning while recognizing the unique contextual demands of different professional fields. The investigation reveals that successful strategic planning in modern contexts requires balancing systematic frameworks with adaptive capacity, integrating digital technologies with human expertise, and maintaining organizational agility without sacrificing long-term vision. Findings demonstrate that contemporary strategic planning transcends conventional linear models, embracing iterative processes that facilitate continuous learning and real-time adjustment. This synthesis provides valuable insights for professionals seeking to enhance organizational performance through refined strategic planning practices tailored to their specific operational contexts.
The Dilemma of Choice: How Social Media Commerce Shapes and Undermines Consumer Autonomy
Social media commerce has fundamentally reshaped consumer decision-making by seamlessly integrating shopping functionalities into platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and RedNote. These platforms offer highly engaging and interactive shopping experiences while leveraging persuasive design elements, algorithmic personalization, and influencer-driven marketing to subtly shape consumer behavior-frequently at the expense of genuine autonomy. This study investigates the mechanisms through which social media platforms influence purchasing decisions, emphasizing the tension between perceived autonomy and actual decision-making power. While algorithmically curated recommendations and targeted content can alleviate decision fatigue, streamline choice, and enhance efficiency for certain users, they often produce an illusion of choice, constraining critical self-reflection and the formation of authentic preferences. Moreover, social commerce practices-such as live-streaming promotions, curated reviews, and influencer endorsements-further reinforce behavioral guidance, sometimes without consumers' conscious awareness. The study concludes that social media commerce exerts a profound and multi-dimensional influence on consumer spending, decision-making processes, and self-perception. Drawing on these findings, the article offers ethical and practical recommendations for brands, platform designers, and consumers to cultivate a more transparent, responsible, and autonomy-preserving digital marketplace, balancing commercial innovation with consumer empowerment.
A Sustainability-Oriented Lifecycle Framework for Educational Technology Software
The rapid expansion of educational technology (EdTech) has profoundly reshaped global learning environments while raising growing concerns about software sustainability, including technical debt, excessive energy consumption, and limited product longevity. Current development models often emphasize functionality and scalability but rarely incorporate long-term ecological and pedagogical considerations. To address this gap, this study introduces the Sustainability-Oriented Educational Software Lifecycle (SESL) framework, which systematically embeds sustainability principles into every phase of software development. Drawing on a comparative case study of three representative platforms-Moodle, ClassDojo, and Coursera-the research integrates qualitative evidence from documentation analysis, stakeholder interviews, and lifecycle indicators to identify the primary drivers and inhibitors of sustainability in EdTech. The findings reveal five major sustainability drivers-modular architecture, community governance, ethical data practices, energy-efficient deployment, and pedagogical traceability-counterbalanced by barriers such as short product cycles, centralized control, and the lack of standardized evaluation metrics. The SESL framework establishes five iterative sustainability checkpoints throughout the software lifecycle, reframing sustainability from a terminal assessment into a continuous, feedback-oriented process. By bridging sustainable software engineering with educational technology design, this study provides both a theoretical and practical foundation for fostering resilient, inclusive, and ecologically responsible EdTech ecosystems.
Rethinking ESG Cost Accounting under Carbon Regulation: Toward an Integrated Model of Recognition, Measurement, and Reporting
The accelerating transition toward low-carbon development has intensified the need for enterprises to treat environmental, social, and governance (ESG) costs as material financial items rather than discretionary disclosures. However, existing studies often conceptualize ESG costs qualitatively, lack standardized recognition principles, and offer limited empirical evidence on how carbon policy pressures shape accounting practices. To address these gaps, this paper develops an integrated framework for ESG cost accounting under carbon regulation, linking recognition, measurement, and reporting through a three-layer model encompassing institutional pressures, organizational strategies, and micro-level accounting practices. Methodologically, the study employs a combination of literature review, cross-jurisdictional comparison, and multiple case studies of ArcelorMittal, Shell, and Heidelberg Materials during 2023-2025, drawing on corporate reports, regulatory filings, and assurance statements. Findings indicate that firms are increasingly embedding ESG costs into financial reporting, albeit with divergent recognition approaches, hybrid measurement models that combine historical cost and scenario-based fair value, and evolving assurance practices. These results contribute to academic debates by reconciling conservatism with forward-looking relevance, while offering practical guidance for firms, regulators, and auditors to enhance transparency, comparability, and credibility in ESG cost accounting.
From Access to Outcomes: Understanding and Addressing the Digital Divide in China's K-12 Education
China's K-12 education system has experienced rapid digital transformation, driven by large-scale state investment in broadband infrastructure and the nationwide deployment of platforms such as Smart Education of China. By 2023, all schools had achieved formal internet connectivity, positioning China as a global leader in educational access. Despite this remarkable progress, significant inequities persist. Prior research has often focused on coverage metrics, neglecting the complex, multi-layered interactions among infrastructure, teacher capacity, pedagogical practice, and student learning outcomes. To address this gap, this study proposes the ICUO framework-Infrastructure, Capacity, Usage, and Outcomes-as an integrated model for analyzing the educational digital divide. Employing a structured literature review, policy analysis, and comparative case studies of Shanghai and Guizhou, the research reveals stark contrasts: Shanghai benefits from stable infrastructure, robust teacher training, and innovative digital practices that foster advanced literacy, whereas Guizhou continues to face unstable connectivity, limited professional development, and persistent outcome disparities. These findings indicate that infrastructural expansion alone is insufficient; equitable digitalization requires parallel investments in human capacity and high-quality usage. The study contributes theoretically by reconceptualizing digital equity as a systemic, process-oriented phenomenon and practically by offering a policy-relevant framework to guide interventions that ensure digital technologies translate into meaningful and equitable learning outcomes.
An Investment Value Analysis of Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd.
This study focuses on Kweichow Moutai, conducting an in-depth analysis of its multifaceted performance within the liquor industry to provide comprehensive guidance for investor decision-making. Within the broader macroeconomic context, the paper examines overall industry trends, including market dynamics and policy influences, and further evaluates Kweichow Moutai's leading position, its supply-demand conditions, and competitive landscape. By analyzing financial data from the past three years and applying professional frameworks such as DuPont analysis, the study quantitatively assesses the company's financial health, profitability, and operational efficiency, highlighting the stability and advantages of its performance. From the perspectives of brand influence, profit sustainability, and favorable market conditions, the paper systematically demonstrates the company's investment value. Considering varying investor risk preferences, it proposes diversified strategies-including long-term holding, swing trading, and portfolio allocation-to support informed investment decisions. Finally, the study provides an outlook on Kweichow Moutai's future development, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive, multi-factor approach for achieving stable and long-term investment planning.
A Critical Analysis of Noodle House Role Play Area
This paper critically examines the development of the "Noodle House Role Play Area" as an innovative approach to early childhood education for children aged 3-6. The project integrates practical life skills into play by simulating noodle preparation activities, including mixing, rolling, cutting, and cooking, thereby creating an engaging, hands-on learning environment. Guided by a SMART action plan, the initiative emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, fine motor development, and logical thinking, while actively involving educators, parents, and the wider community. The paper explores necessary modifications, delineates stakeholder roles, and outlines evaluation methods to ensure a safe, supportive, and effective learning space. Key challenges-including space limitations, safety concerns, resource constraints, engagement variability, and cultural considerations-are analyzed alongside proposed solutions. Findings indicate that immersive role play can enhance children's holistic development, reinforce family-school partnerships, and foster broader community involvement. Overall, the project highlights the potential of structured, experiential role play to prepare young learners for academic success and lifelong learning.
Sustainable and Smart Materials in Structural Engineering: Key Technologies for Future Buildings
The construction industry faces mounting pressure to address critical environmental challenges, including resource depletion, energy inefficiency, and the substantial carbon footprint associated with traditional building materials. In response, the integration of sustainable and smart materials into structural engineering has emerged as a transformative strategy for creating resilient and environmentally responsible infrastructures. Innovative materials-such as bio-based composites, self-healing concrete, and energy-efficient smart systems-offer substantial benefits by reducing environmental impacts while enhancing overall building performance. Sustainable materials conserve natural resources, minimize waste, and lower carbon emissions, whereas smart materials adapt to environmental conditions, optimizing energy consumption and extending the lifespan of structures. This paper systematically examines key technologies and innovations in sustainable and smart materials that are reshaping structural engineering practices. By analyzing these advancements, it highlights their potential to revolutionize building design, reduce operational costs, and support the development of high-performance, eco-friendly structures. The study provides a comprehensive overview of these materials and technologies, underscoring their pivotal role in shaping the future of sustainable construction.
Policy-Driven Green Transformation in Manufacturing: Regional Synergy and Governance in the Yangtze River Delta
The Yangtze River Delta, as China's most advanced manufacturing hub, faces increasing environmental pressures amid rapid industrialization. Although green transformation policies have been widely implemented across the region, the effectiveness of cross-jurisdictional governance mechanisms remains underexplored. This study investigates how policy-driven regional synergy facilitates the transition to green manufacturing, addressing critical gaps in understanding multilevel environmental governance dynamics. Employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates policy document analysis, corporate ESG report evaluation, and stakeholder interviews, the research systematically examines 48 policy instruments deployed between 2018 and 2023 across Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui. The analysis identifies three distinct policy synergy models: technology leadership in Shanghai, industrial park restructuring in Jiangsu, and market mechanism activation in Zhejiang, with Anhui exhibiting a gradient adoption pattern. Key findings indicate that coercive environmental regulations combined with market incentive policies achieve 23% higher compliance rates than standalone measures. The establishment of the Yangtze River Delta Ecological Green Integration Demonstration Zone proves particularly effective, reducing cross-border industrial pollution disputes by 41%. These results demonstrate that vertically aligned policy frameworks, coupled with horizontal coordination mechanisms, significantly enhance regional green manufacturing performance. The study contributes to environmental governance theory by empirically validating the "policy toolbox" approach for industrial decarbonization and provides practical guidance for designing tiered governance systems in megacity clusters, offering a replicable model for other manufacturing-intensive regions pursuing ecological civilization objectives.
Phonological Variation and Gender Performance: A Sociolinguistic Study of the "Nü Guoyin" Phenomenon in Beijing Youth Speech
The phenomenon known as "Nu Guoyin" or "female national pronunciation" involves the fronting of palatal sounds /j/, /q/, and /x/ to alveolar [ts], [tsʰ], and [s]. Documented in Beijing since the 1920s, it was traditionally associated with educated young women and explained through aesthetic, dialectal, or intimacy-related accounts. However, little research has explored its contemporary status under changing gender norms and digital media influences. This study examines Nu Guoyin among 44 Beijing middle and high school students using speech samples, surveys, and interviews. Results show that 40.9% of participants used fronted variants, including 26.1% of male speakers, a sharp contrast to earlier findings of exclusively female use. Most users were unaware of their pronunciations, highlighting its unconscious nature. Although statistical differences were modest, fronting users tended to favor lifestyle-oriented platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Weibo, while standard users were more active on gaming and subcultural platforms like Bilibili and Douyin. Interviews revealed imitation, parody, and performative identity, suggesting that the variant now functions as a mediated style rather than a residual dialect feature. These findings indicate that Nu Guoyin persists but with shifting social meanings, serving as a resource for both genders in youth identity performance and raising questions about an emerging "male national pronunciation."
Forecasting University Admission Rates in China's Gaokao Using ARIMA and ARIMAX Models
This study employs ARIMA, ARIMAX, VAR, and GLM models to forecast China's Gaokao admission rates using annual data from 1977 to 2024. The analysis focuses on the admission rate as the dependent variable, with GDP, newborn population, and policy dummies serving as exogenous factors. The results demonstrate that the ARIMAX model, which incorporates economic and demographic variables alongside PCA-based dimensionality reduction, outperforms the other models in terms of both accuracy and interpretability. Predictions indicate an admission rate of 78.47% for 2025 and 83.55% for 2029. The findings emphasize the crucial role of external factors in forecasting and offer valuable methodological and policy insights for higher education planning.
The Semantic Coercion and Generative Mechanism in English "V + Oneself" Reflexive Constructions
This paper delves into the semantic coercion and generative mechanisms behind the "Verb + Oneself" reflexive constructions in English. Grounded in Lakoff's theory of the Subject-Self Metaphor and metonymy, the study classifies these reflexive constructions into four distinct categories, each based on verb semantics and the agent-patient relationship inherent in the verb phrase. By analyzing the interplay between verbs and reflexive pronouns, the research uncovers how reflexive pronouns, traditionally used to denote self-reference, can enable non-causative verbs to assume causative meanings through the process of semantic coercion. This phenomenon challenges the conventional understanding of verb argument structure, demonstrating how verbs that were once unable to take direct objects are now able to combine with reflexive pronouns, thereby transforming their syntactic and semantic functions. Through this analysis, the paper not only enriches the theoretical understanding of reflexive constructions but also offers insights into the dynamic nature of verb usage and its capacity to expand and adapt through semantic change. The findings contribute to a more nuanced view of how reflexive constructions interact with verb meaning, thereby enhancing our understanding of linguistic flexibility and evolution.
AI-Driven Personalized Positive Psychology Interventions for Enhancing User Psychological Resilience
Digital positive psychology interventions (PPIs) are increasingly employed to enhance well-being and resilience, yet most existing systems remain static and insufficiently personalized. These limitations hinder adaptability, sustained engagement, and overall effectiveness. To address this gap, we propose an AI-driven personalized intervention framework that integrates user profiling, natural language processing, reinforcement learning-based feedback optimization, and explainable AI. The system dynamically tailors activities such as gratitude journaling, mindfulness practice, and strengths identification to each user's psychological profile. Empirical validation using synthetic datasets and a 10-week pilot study involving 210 participants demonstrates that the proposed framework outperforms both generic mobile applications and chatbot-based interventions. It achieved a 17.3% increase in life satisfaction (SWLS) and a 22.8% improvement in resilience (CD-RISC), with statistically significant results (p < 0.01). Ablation studies confirm the critical contribution of user profiling and adaptive feedback, while explainability enhances user trust and perceived autonomy. These findings suggest that integrating artificial intelligence with positive psychology offers a scalable, interpretable, and empirically effective pathway for promoting happiness and resilience-holding strong potential for deployment in educational, occupational, and clinical settings.
Evaluation the Efficacy of Nutritional Interventions in the Recovery and Management of Post-Concussion
Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) affects a substantial number of patients, often involves prolonged symptom duration, and imposes a considerable medical and economic burden. This study systematically evaluated the efficacy of nutritional interventions for PCS recovery compared to conventional treatments. Following PRISMA guidelines, a literature review identified nine studies that met inclusion criteria, examining the effects of interventions including melatonin, Enzogenol, MLC901, phytocannabinoids, and the ketogenic diet. Key findings indicated that melatonin improved sleep quality and alleviated PCS symptoms, MLC901 enhanced attention and executive functioning, Enzogenol reduced mental fatigue and promoted restorative sleep, a ketogenic diet improved visual memory, and phytocannabinoids mitigated autonomic dysfunction and related symptoms. Despite variability in study designs and limited sample sizes, nutritional interventions demonstrated promising benefits for PCS symptom management. Future research should prioritize large-scale, well-controlled trials with standardized protocols and long-term follow-up to validate these findings and inform clinical practice.
Barriers and Institutional Dynamics in Public Mental Health Across Income Groups
Public Mental Health (PMH) has increasingly attracted global attention, yet substantial disparities in its implementation persist between high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). As the global burden of mental disorders continues to rise, many countries-particularly LMICs-face challenges including limited institutional capacity, workforce shortages, and fragmented policies. This study examines institutional dynamics, barriers, and engagement practices in PMH across income groups, aiming to identify structural strengths and weaknesses that shape organizational contributions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 242 respondents from 52 countries, classified according to World Bank income groups. Participants evaluated key PMH components, opportunities, barriers, engagement frequency, and training quality. Statistical analyses included descriptive comparisons, ANOVA, correlation, and linear regression models stratified by income level. While strategic PMH priorities show broad convergence, significant disparities remain in institutional capacity and implementation readiness. Effective PMH reform must therefore be context-sensitive, emphasizing strengthened knowledge systems and networks in LMICs, alongside continued investment in high-quality training infrastructure in HICs. The advancement of global PMH will depend on scalable strategies that address these structural asymmetries.
The Gendered Psyche of Emotional Labor: A Psychological Exploration of Expectation, Performance, and Burnout in the Digital Era
Emotional labor has long been recognized as central to service economies, yet the digital era amplifies its psychological dimensions through algorithmic monitoring, constant connectivity, and gendered cultural expectations. While prior research has extensively explored the sociological and organizational facets of emotional labor, comparatively little attention has focused on the psychological mechanisms linking expectations, performance, and burnout in digitally mediated work. To address this gap, this study integrates emotional labor theory, gender role perspectives, and burnout models into a unified analytical framework. Methodologically, it adopts a qualitative, interdisciplinary approach combining recent literature review, textual and discourse analysis, and comparative case studies of Amazon digital customer service representatives, post-pandemic remote teachers, and social media influencers. Findings indicate that women encounter heightened and gender-specific emotional demands: customer service workers are pressured to over-perform scripted friendliness, remote teachers engage in deep acting under conditions of role overload, and influencers navigate hybrid authenticity performances that merge personal identity with brand expectations. These dynamics contribute to diverse yet convergent forms of burnout, disproportionately affecting women. By extending emotional labor models into digital contexts, this study advances theoretical understanding and offers practical guidance for designing equitable workplace policies, establishing digital boundaries, and enhancing platform accountability.
Psychological Adaptation and Affective Feedback in AI-Enhanced Education: A Systematic Review
This review synthesizes current research at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), education, and psychology, with a particular focus on the psychological mechanisms underlying learner adaptation. Evidence from affective computing illustrates the pedagogical value of multimodal emotion recognition, while meta-analyses of large language model (LLM)-based tutoring systems reveal both the potential for enhanced engagement and the risks of cognitive dependency. Empirical studies on adoption further highlight the mediating roles of self-efficacy, motivation, and anxiety in sustaining learner interaction with AI tools. Case analyses identify progressive adaptation, emotional regulation, and transparency as critical enablers of effective learning experiences. The review concludes that ethically grounded, human-centered AI design is indispensable for cultivating resilient, adaptive, and learner-centered educational ecosystems.
Beyond Fashion: The Value and Impact of Diversity in Contemporary Society
Although diversity has become a global buzzword, its substantive value and enduring impact remain contested. This paper reexamines the concept of diversity by challenging conventional frameworks that regard it merely as the passive inclusion of minorities within majority-dominated systems. Instead, it reconceptualizes diversity as an active condition characterized by openness, reciprocity, and equitable access to opportunity. Drawing upon insights from multiple disciplines, the study investigates the interplay between cultural assimilation and identity preservation, the transformation of mainstream cultures through minority participation, and the socio-economic dividends of diversity across education, professional environments, and international collaboration. Ultimately, the paper contends that diversity is far more than a symbolic ideal; it constitutes a dynamic catalyst for innovation, justice, and the sustainable advancement of human societies.
Beyond Population Size: Human Capital, Industrial Upgrading, and the Drivers of Shanghai's Economic Growth
This paper investigates Shanghai’s economic growth trajectory from 2014 to 2023, highlighting the city’s strategic shift from population-driven to talent-driven development. During this period, Shanghai’s resident population remained largely stable at approximately 24 million, yet its GDP nearly doubled, reaching 4.72 trillion yuan in 2023. Using regression analysis, the study finds that higher education enrollment exhibits the strongest correlation with GDP growth (r = 0.93), exceeding the influence of both total population and migrant inflows. This underscores the emergence of a “talent dividend” where the quality of human capital increasingly drives economic expansion, effectively replacing the traditional “demographic dividend” associated with sheer population growth. Beyond human capital, complementary factors-including industrial upgrading, accelerated R&D investment, and targeted policy reforms-have reinforced this transition, facilitating structural transformation and innovation-led growth. The findings imply that megacities can sustain high-quality economic growth even under conditions of population stagnation, provided they strategically cultivate skilled talent and foster innovation ecosystems. Policy recommendations emphasize the importance of attracting and nurturing high-skilled workers, investing in advanced research and development, and improving urban livability to enhance long-term competitiveness and resilience in a rapidly evolving global economy.