Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Freshman Student Sleep And Academic Stress Levels: An Empirical Study For Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Julia M. Cortese

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

Receiving an adequate amount of sleep is essential for academic success as it prepares the brain each day for the workload ahead. Sleep deprivation is associated with negative cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes that may affect academic performance. Currently, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) does not have any form of sleep education or awareness for first-year, first-semester students, which leaves them susceptible to a cycle of sleep deprivation, academic underperformance, and stress. This study examines the relationship between sleep habits and academic stress among first-semester, first-year students of Fall 2023 at ERAU. This empirical study used a mixed-methods survey with eighteen …

National Belonging And Cricket Fandom: Narrative Storytelling By Indian Premier League (Ipl) Teams On Instagram, Aman Misra, Adam William Love

Journal of Global South Sport Studies

This study examines how Indian Premier League (IPL) teams employed narrative storytelling on Instagram during the 2020 edition of the tournament, which was held in the United Arab Emirates rather than in India. Throughout the season, IPL teams used social media, especiallyInstagram, to foster online relationships and construct visual narratives reflecting transnational identity and other forms of cultural symbolism. Using Fisher’s (1985) narrative paradigm and Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) framework for visual narrative analysis, we investigate how Instagram posts from IPL team accounts articulated political and cultural identities. In doing so, the current study provides a novel contribution to …

D1) Pilgrimage Routes As Spaces Of Interaction: Shared Experiences Of Blind And Sighted Participants, Jolanta Kručkauskaitė

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This presentation examines pilgrimage routes as spaces of interaction in which blind and sighted participants create shared experiences by traveling together. In this context, pilgrimage is understood not only as a religious or touristic practice, but also as a sociocultural activity that enables social and educational interaction.

Drawing on the concepts of educational interaction, social inclusion, and phenomenological experience, the presentation addresses how walking together along pilgrimage routes shapes relationships between blind and sighted participants, how attitudes toward visual impairment change, and how the pilgrimage route becomes a space for mutual learning. Particular attention is given to the multisensory dimension …

D3) “No Straight Journeys”: Tracing The “Twisted Rope” Of Japan In Will Ferguson’S Hitching Rides With Buddha, Dorothy Lane, Elżbieta Bilska-Wodecka

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This work is part of an ongoing study of how pilgrimage experience is translated as published story; the experience of pilgrimage may be global, but the act of writing and marketing that journey is characteristic of ongoing perceptions of "west" and "east." In relation to Japan, a country in which travel writer Pico Iyer describes himself as "always a foreigner," the indescribable the space between words is challenged in contemporary popular pilgrimage narratives. My focus here is on Canadian writer, Will Ferguson's, narrative subtitled "Journey Across Japan" to follow the Cherry Blossom Front. Ferguson’s attempt to hitchhike the length of …

D4) From ‘Non-Places’ To Meaningful Places: Lourdes And Camino Lituano Cases, Marius Minkevičius, Elżbieta Bilska-Wodecka

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

How pilgrimage routes shape cultural heritage practices, place attachment, and the risk of places becoming “non-places” (Augé, 2008).

This presentation contrasts two models of pilgrimage route development. Institutionalized, top-down pilgrimage routes, often embedded in tourism and heritage policies, tend to prioritize economic growth and commercialization. Prominent pilgrimage destinations such as Lourdes (Kaufman, 2005) exemplify how top-down management can transform sacred spaces into functional “non-places” (Augé, 2008), privileging consumption and large-scale flows. This raises questions about whether pilgrimage can retain spiritual meaningfulness under increasingly market-driven logics.

In contrast, community-driven, bottom-up pilgrimage routes provide an alternative model, where social and moral commitments, …

C4) Analysing Tourism Impacts In The Azores: Inducing A Sustainable Tourism Model For A Spiritual Destination, Claudia Faias, Cláudia Hueso Seabra Dr

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The Azores archipelago is recognised for its natural environment and the experiences it offers. Spiritual and sensory tourism fills a gap in contemporary lifestyles. Some researchers define this emerging form of tourism as a high-value product (Pacheco et al., 2022), and many tourists seek holistic harmony between body, soul and mind.

This research focuses on the tourism impacts perceived by residents and how these may influence their support for tourism activity. The literature documents studies on residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts (Charag et al., 2021; Gannon et al., 2020; Suess et al., 2020); however, there are literature gaps regarding how …

C3) Green Spiritual Tourism And Sacred Landscape Experience On Mount Emei, China, Feiran Yang, Katia Hueso Kotekaas Dr

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Mount Emei (China), one of Buddhism’s Four Sacred Mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracts pilgrims and leisure visitors seeking spiritual meaning, nature connection and wellbeing. Yet East Asian sacred mountain traditions remain under-represented in religious tourism debates, particularly regarding how sacred landscape, ritual practice and ecological philosophies co-produce visitor experience. This research examines green spiritual tourism on Mount Emei by integrating restorative environments theory, nature connectedness, authenticity scholarship, and Turner’s concepts of liminality and communitas. Methodology adopts a qualitative case-study design, combining participant observation along sacred trails and at key temples with semi-structured interviews with pilgrims, leisure tourists, …

C2) Integrating Sustainability Into Religious Tourism And Pilgrimage, Kevin A. Griffin, Razaq G. Raj Dr

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

As a global phenomenon, involving the movement of hundreds of millions of people per year, religious tourism and pilgrimage has an immense impact on economies, environments and societies. This paper investigates the complex interplay of religious travel and sustainable development.

Mass pilgrimages to sacred sites can lead to localised environmental degradation, the commercialisation of cultural heritage, the erosion of spirituality, but it can also reinvigorate religious practice, generate income and lead to respect for the environment.

This paper explores holistic ways for managing religious destinations. Drawing on international case studies, the paper identifies key strategies to minimise and mitigate the …

C1) Authenticity, Multifunctionality, And Sustainability In Religious Tourism: The Case Of The Strahov Monastery In Prague, Dimitrios Mylonopoulos, Polyxeni G. Moira Dr

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This article examines the dynamics of historic monastic complexes as multifunctional religious spaces in the context of contemporary religious and cultural tourism, focusing on Strahov Monastery in Prague. The study recognizes that these historical sites currently operate in a complex field that intersects sacred tradition with the demands of the tourism market.

A key theoretical starting point is the need for a conceptual distinction between pilgrimage and religious tourism, as well as the difficulty of accurately capturing visitors' motivations. These motivations often fall within a spectrum that includes spiritual, cultural, and recreational motivations. In this context, the Strahov Monastery is …

D2) The Phygital Pilgrim: Navigating Hybrid Sacred Experiences At The World Youth Day Jubilee 2025 In Rome, Justyna Liro, Elżbieta Bilska-Wodecka

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Religious tourism is undergoing a profound transformation where the boundaries between physical presence and digital engagement are increasingly blurred. This paper presents first results from research analysing the World Youth Day Jubilee 2025 in Rome, examining the event as a "living laboratory" for digitized religious mobility. The study focuses on how hybrid ("phygital") environments redefine the contemporary religious experience and influence spatial behaviours.

Moving beyond the traditional dichotomy of online versus offline, this study examines the pilgrimage as a "platformed experience," co-produced by material urban settings and the communicative logic of social media. The research employs a robust mixed-method design, …

Instructions To Authors, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Journal Acknowledgements And Editorial Board, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Keynote Address And Meeting Program, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Business Meeting Report (Secretary's And Treasurer's Report), Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Sperm Morphology In The Eastern Narrow-Mouthed Frog, Gastrophryne Carolinensis (Anura: Microhylidae), S. E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Studies by Scheltinga et al. (2002) and Scheltinga and Jamieson (2003) provide the most comprehensive analysis and only review of sperm morphology in Narrow-Mouthed Frogs (family Microhylidae). Of the 490+ species known to occur in this anuran family (Vitt and Caldwell 2014), only 3 are distributed in the United States (Powell et al. 2016), and 2 of these occur in Arkansas (Trauth et al. 2004). Surprisingly, sperm studies on only 12 microhylid species have been conducted (Scheltinga and Jamieson 2003), and no sperm studies are available on any North American species.

Multiple Nuclear Configurations And Microtubular Arrangements In Spermatozoa Of The Western Siren, Siren Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), S. E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I examined the ultrastructure of spermatozoa of the Western Siren, Siren nettingi, using transmission electron microscopy. My primary objective in this study was to elucidate, for the first time, the unique morphological complexity of biflagellated sperm in this species. This study also represents my fifth addition in a series of investigations that highlight the novel nature of all aspects of spermatogenesis in this salamander I show the basic sperm transverse and sagittal design which includes a nucleus, 2 axial fibers supporting 2 undulating membranes which have 2 axonemes residing at their terminal ends, several circular mitochondria, and several electron-dense masses. …

Binucleation And Seasonal Cycle Of Sertoli Cells In The Western Lesser Siren, Siren Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), S. E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I examined binucleation and the seasonal cycle of Sertoli cells in the Western Siren (Siren nettingi) using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. My primary objective in this study was to report, for the first time, the presence of double nuclei in Sertoli cells in a salamander. This study also represents the sixth contribution in a series of investigations that highlight the novel nature of all aspects of spermatogenesis in this unique salamander. My findings add to a growing list of extraordinary morphological and reproductive features that distinguish this salamander from all other vertebrates.

Distal Urogenital Anatomy And Epithelial Morphology In The Male Eastern Narrow-Mouthed Frog, Gastrophryne Carolinensis (Anura: Microhylidae), S. E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the microanatomy of the distal urogenital system in male Eastern Narrow-Mouthed Frogs (Gastrophryne carolinensis) from a small sample (n = 5) collected in central Arkansas in April, May, and July (2021) and May 2022. Specifically, my primary goals were to elucidate the histology of the following: (1) the paired Wolffian (urogenital) ducts caudally from the kidneys to their merging with the urodeum of the cloaca, (2) the structure of seminal vesicles, and (3) the epithelial morphologies among the distal urogenital tract, the posterior alimentary canal, and the cloaca. My histological analysis confirmed the presence of …

Academy Presidents And Institutional Members, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Journal Of The Arkansas Academy Of Science Volume 79, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Language, Life, And Indigenous Knowledge: Cultural Contexts In Advanced Kaqchikel Maya Language Education Approaches To Indigenous Language Revitalization In Kik'aslemal Ri Kaqchikela': An Advanced Kaqchikel Maya Language Textbook, José Israel Herrera

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract. This article examines the relationship between Indigenous language revitalization and the continuity of socially embedded systems of knowledge through the case of advanced Kaqchikel Maya language education. Drawing upon scholarship on Indigenous pedagogies, linguistic anthropology, and Indigenous epistemologies, the article explores how culturally grounded approaches to language learning contribute not only to the development of linguistic competence but also to the reproduction of memories, values, and intellectual traditions. Particular attention is devoted to Kik'aslemal ri Kaqchikela': An Advanced Kaqchikel Maya Language Textbook, whose thematic organization and collaborative development illustrate broader processes of knowledge production and cultural continuity. Rather than …

A Scoping Review Of Sycophancy In Large Language Models: Operational And Theoretical Recognition, Kallen Zhou, Manning Littlejohn, Isabella Garrard

Endeavors: Mississippi State Undergraduate Research Journal

As large language models (LLMs) usage grows across different domains, sycophancy, the tendency for output to align with users, is increasingly being recognized as a primary issue arising from applying LLMs into critical areas. Current research has provided a variety of theoretical definitions, mitigation techniques, and quantification for sycophancy. However, there is little to no consistency across different papers. This scoping review seeks to connect different works on LLM sycophancy by identifying themes in theoretical definitions, measurement methods, and inducement techniques of sycophancy. By analyzing 26 papers (preprints, conference proceedings, and journal articles) from arXiv, ACL Anthology, and Scopus, this …

A2) Instagrammable Sacredness: The Commodification And Visual Consumption Of Mosque Tourism, Kristel Kessler

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Tourism experiences are increasingly shaped by digital technologies and social media, with destinations and attractions often selected, consumed, and remembered through their visual appeal. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat have transformed the ways in which tourists select and engage with tourist sites and attractions, including sacred and religious sites. While mosque tourism emerged over a decade ago as a central feature of Islamic tourism, emphasizing the religious, cultural, and social significance of mosques for both Muslim and non-Muslim visitors, the rapid growth of social media has fundamentally altered how these spaces are experienced and represented. Today, mosques function …

A1) When The Oracle Is An Algorithm: The Future Of The Sacred Experience, Po Man Tse

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) into religious sites presents both profound opportunities and significant challenges (Arnold & Shultz, 2025). While AI shows considerable promise for enhancing visitor experiences (Khan, 2024), its deployment in sacred spaces where tradition and authenticity are paramount requires careful investigation. This study explores visitor perceptions of AI-mediated experiences at Hong Kong's Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, a major pilgrimage site uniquely housing Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions. Employing a qualitative approach, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The study utilized the vignette method (Finch, 1987) to anchor conversations in a tangible context, …

B1) The Implementation Of Digital Tools In The Interpretation Of Heritage From A Cultural And Pastoral Perspective, Silvia Aulet, Anna Gili Vilanova-Prat

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The digitisation of cultural languages supposes new challenges and opportunities in the interpretation of religious heritage. From a theoretical perspective, sacred sites can be understood as symbolic realities where material and immaterial dimensions converge. Sacred places are not only architectural containers, but spaces of meaning that articulate identity, memory and transcendence (Aulet & Vidal, 2018).

The preservation of the meaning, identity and original function of sacred spaces in contexts of high tourist accessibility (Aulet & Duda, 2020). Technology, far from being a merely instrumental element, can act as a symbolic mediation that reinforces this sustainability if it contributes to improving …

A3) Reconstructing Sacredness In The Digital Age: Mobile Digital Sacred Spaces And Transformative Experiences In Heritage, Dong Wang, Silvia Gili Aulet

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This study explores the reconstruction of sacredness and cultural meaning in digital immersive experiences at religious heritage sites. Traditional sacredness is rooted in physical space and material authenticity, while the Longmen Grottoes (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and important Buddhist destination in China) is accelerating digital transformation through mobile-based digital incense offerings, algorithmic "Buddha affinity" matching and digital twin visualization platforms, breaking the classical ontology of fixed sacred space.

Based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, this study defines digital atmosphere, narrative engagement and interactive rituality as external stimuli, "digital sacredness" a second-order internal psychological state encompassing transcendence, awe, serenity and …

B2) Ai Generated Narratives In Religious Tourism Marketing: Opportunities And Ethical Risks, Md Javed Kawsar, Rashed Gili Khan

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to redefine narrative construction in religious tourism marketing, creating new opportunities for digital engagement while also raising critical ethical concerns. As religious destinations increasingly adopt AI-enabled storytelling tools, ranging from conversational agents to multimodal generative systems, the nature of narrative authenticity, cultural sensitivity, and visitor perception is being significantly reshaped. Recent work on AI-driven religious tourism indicates that AI-enabled conversational agents influence tourists’ cognitive and affective evaluations, shaping memorable religious tourism experiences and future engagement intentions, highlighting the transformative potential of AI in sacred contexts. Likewise, studies examining AI-driven strategies …

B3) Ai-Enabled Religious Pilgrimage: A Human Centred Sacred Framework For Authenticity And Responsible Transformation, Parichay Parivesh, Razaq Gili Raj

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This paper examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping pilgrimage tourism in India by mediating the practical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of sacred travel. While AI is increasingly used in tourism for personalised recommendations, multilingual assistance, predictive crowd management, virtual interpretation and service automation, its application in religious travel requires deeper cultural and ethical reflection. Using India’s large and diverse pilgrimage ecosystem as the focal context, the paper argues that AI should not be treated merely as a tool for efficiency, but as a socio-technical mediator that influences access, authenticity, ritual participation, trust and post-journey meaning-making.

The paper proposes a Human-Centred …

Performance Of A Fertilizer Sludge Contaminated With Heavy Metals Collected From Two Wastewater Treatment Plants On (Lactuca Sativa), Leila Lila Belkhedim, Yamina Tahri

Makara Journal of Science

The improper management of sewage sludge poses a significant global risk to environmental and public health. In this study, the valorization of sludge as an organic fertilizer for lettuce cultivation was evaluated, offering a sustainable waste-to-resource solution. Sludge from two wastewater treatment plants (Mazouna and El Kerma) were collected between 2019 and 2021. Comprehensive physicochemical analysis was conducted to determine its nutrient value and contaminant levels. In addition, the efficacy and safety of the fertilizer were assessed by measuring lettuce growth and the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in plant tissues. The analyzed sludge, with an organic matter content of 9.91%–83% …