social_science papers | Gist.Science

From Native-Speaker Norms to Accent Legitimacy: AFL College Students' Awareness of and Attitudes Toward Foreign Instructors' Arabic Accents and Dialects

This exploratory mixed-methods study of 65 international students at the University of Ha'il reveals that while lower-level learners exhibit stronger native-speaker biases and listening anxiety, upper-intermediate and advanced students demonstrate greater acceptance of diverse Arabic accents and dialects, highlighting the critical role of clarity, pedagogical support, and instructor credibility in fostering inclusive language learning environments.

Bunder Alshammari, Khaled Alfraidi2026-08-05

📄 social_science

Non-Cognitive Skills and Mathematics Achievement AcrossEurope: Evidence from PISA 2022

Using PISA 2022 data from 24 European countries, this study employs LASSO regularization to demonstrate that while core self-beliefs like mathematics self-efficacy and anxiety are robust, cross-national predictors of math achievement, school climate and relational factors vary significantly depending on local educational contexts.

Marco De la Cruz, Anna Mergoni2026-08-04

📄 social_science

Evidence governance and boundary diagnosis in domain-specific university education quality evaluation: a robust fuzzy decision-support study

This article proposes a robust fuzzy decision-support framework that reframes university quality evaluation from a simple ranking exercise into a governance conversation by using boundary diagnosis to reveal how similar aggregate scores can conceal distinct institutional weaknesses and uncertainties.

WenTao Deng, XiaoYan Deng2026-08-04

📄 social_science

The Debate over the Semantics of the Mud-born Lotus (paṅkaja-) in Sanskrit Philosophy of Language

This paper re-evaluates the early second-millennium debate between Prābhākara Mīmāṃsakas and Naiyāyikas over the semantics of *paṅkaja-* ("mud-born lotus") by analyzing key Nyāya texts to demonstrate how this specific case study served as a critical testing ground for broader competing theories of word and sentence meaning, thereby revealing the deeper motivations behind these philosophical frameworks.

Patrick Cummins2026-08-04

📄 social_science

Spending All the Money: A Mixed Methods Exploration of School Districts’ Opportunities and Challenges Using COVID-19 Relief Funds

This mixed methods study of a northeastern state's school districts reveals that while larger and more diverse districts received higher per-pupil ARP ESSER allocations, district leaders faced significant implementation challenges—including staffing shortages, funding expiration, and administrative capacity limits—despite viewing the funds as a crucial opportunity to address immediate academic and socio-emotional needs.

Morgaen L. Donaldson, Alexandra Lamb, Samuel Kamin, Taylor Strickland2026-08-04

📄 social_science

Motivational Processes and Dynamics of Sports Continuity Among Spearfishing Athletes: A Self-Determination Theory-Based Analysis

This qualitative study of 12 elite Turkish spearfishing athletes reveals that their persistence is driven by a dynamic interplay where external motivations, such as national representation, become internalized as personal values, while female athletes face unique sustainability challenges rooted in societal gender role restrictions rather than physical conditions.

Dincer Ceribas, Nilgun Livanelioglu2026-08-04

📄 social_science

The Power of Algorithms: How Algorithmic Trust Shapes the “News Finds Me” Perception Among Gen Z

This study of Turkish Gen Z students reveals that algorithmic trust acts as a critical psychological mechanism linking habitual social media use and perceived algorithmic influence to the "News Finds Me" perception, thereby fostering passive news consumption and reducing motivation for intentional news seeking.

DERYA SAHIN2026-08-04

📄 social_science

Structural Determinants of Student Motivation in Group Assignments: A Phenomenological Study of K-12 Teachers’ Perspectives

This phenomenological study of 18 Turkish K-12 teachers reveals that student motivation in group assignments is significantly undermined by unfairness and free-riding—exacerbated by AI use—while being shaped by school-level differences, hybrid assessment practices, and regional structural constraints, all interpreted through the lenses of Self-Determination and Motivation-Hygiene theories.

Cebrail Öztürk2026-08-04

📄 social_science

Determinants of Psychological Well-Being in South Korea and Japan During the COVID- 19 Pandemic-to-Endemic Transition: A Two-Wave Panel Study

This two-wave panel study reveals that during the COVID-19 transition, South Korea and Japan exhibited similar depression levels but diverged significantly in loneliness and life satisfaction, with relational stressors driving mental health issues in Korea while socioeconomic factors were more influential in Japan.

Ye Jin Kim, Seong Hee Kim, Dong Hun Lee, Miho Takahashi, Geonsil Lee2026-08-04

📄 social_science

Mechanisms linking digital inclusion to social participation among older adults in rural China: evidence from cognitive ability, mental health, and village-level digital use density

Using data from rural Chinese older adults, this study reveals that while digital inclusion significantly boosts social participation by enhancing cognitive ability and mental health, its effectiveness is not automatically amplified by village-level internet density, highlighting the need to integrate digital access with psychological support and offline organizational structures to overcome the "digital participation conversion paradox."

Hong Yan, Guolong Li, ChuEr Zhou, XinHan Gao2026-08-04

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