In this article, we analyse the processes that contribute to changes in career aspirations among German PhD graduates. Drawing on the concept of cooling out (Goffman 1952; Clark 1960) - which describes semi-intentional practices that can cause a gradual decline in educational or career aspirations -- the paper expands on this by distinguishing…

Today's adolescents have grown up with technology as a main element in their lives and are particularly susceptible to experiencing mental health challenges, so-called nature-deficit disorder, and eco-anxiety around the climate crisis. This unique developmental context may necessitate a reconceptualising of adolescents' relationships with the…

The purpose of this literature review was to examine the current studies identifying sport specialization of collegiate athletes. Four aspects of specialization were identified: (1) age of sport initiation, (2) age of sport specialization, (3) differences of specialization between team-based and individual-based sports, and (4) reason for sport…

The rise of modern socio-digital technologies has fundamentally changed the everyday environments in which young people communicate with each other and cultivate interests. To gain a more sophisticated understanding of this phenomenon, this study provides in-depth, qualitative insights into adolescents' experiences of their socio-digital…

Researchers studying curiosity and interest note a lack of consensus in whether and how these important motivations for learning are distinct. Empirical attempts to distinguish them are impeded by this lack of conceptual clarity. Following a recent proposal that curiosity and interest are folk concepts, we sought to determine a non-expert…

Individuals with conversation skill deficits often have difficulties discriminating cues of interest and uninterest from their conversation partner(s). We used behavioral skills training (BST) to teach 3 individuals with autism spectrum disorder to converse about the conversation partner's topics of interest, initiate strategic preferred topics to…

Stellar observation, encompassing the study of star formation, stellar properties, and the governing physical laws, presents a readily accessible topic for many learners; however, many stargazing beginners may find it challenging. By applying the supplemental Gollin effect within animated display and the haptic effect of game-like play with a…

In this study, the researcher explored the lived experiences of clinical supervisors working in the field. The supervisors' experiences were collected via interviews as they reflected on their work supervising counselors seeking state licensure. They also responded to a demographic questionnaire. The participants were asked about their interest in…

Multisensory-rich VR experiences, which encompass visual, auditory, and haptic stimuli, have the potential to enhance engagement, motivation, and learning. However, extensive sensory stimuli could also compromise learning through sensory overload. In museum settings, visitors who are inundated with excessive stimuli such as unrelated background…

Studies have shown the importance of program evaluation in Extension and its value in communicating Extension program successes. This current study was conducted to assess Extension educators' motivation toward program evaluation using the self-determination theory. Respondents perceived that they were not competent enough to engage in program…

Interests play an essential role in the process of learning, thereby enriching learners 'interests will yield to an enhanced experience in MOOCs. Learners interact freely and spontaneously on social media through different forms of user-generated content which contain hidden information that reveals their real interests and preferences. In this…

Humor is widespread in communication and its use in the context of science is no exception. Although science jokes are pervasive on social media, we are only beginning to understand the mechanisms through which humor affects people's attitudes, opinions, and perceptions of scientific topics. Here, we add to our understanding of how funny science…

Purpose: Underrepresentation of transgender men and women, gender-expansive people, and cisgender women in autism research has created barriers to appropriate, timely identification and supports that can improve quality of life. To address this need, this study investigated themes in spoken narratives produced by autistic adults whose genders are…

A major challenge for refugees and asylum seekers is social and professional integration. Using constructivist and capability approaches, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 young refugees and asylum seekers enrolled in an integration program in French-speaking Switzerland about their career choices. Following consensual qualitative…

Background: Down Syndrome is the most common genetic disorder associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Research to improve health care outcomes in Down Syndrome lags significantly behind other disease categories. Among these reasons are funding, recruitment and availability of research studies being conducted. Methods: We…