As global awareness of animal welfare continues to rise, it has become essential to understand the factors that shape individual attitudes and consumption behaviors related to animal welfare. This study empirically investigates how pet ownership influences attitudes towards animal welfare and related consumption intentions among Chinese university students. Findings demonstrate that students from pet-owning households exhibit significantly more favorable attitudes and behaviors concerning animal empathy, awareness of animal welfare, willingness to purchase animal welfare certified products, and the willingness to pay a premium for animal welfare labels. Pet ownership fosters emotional resonance, enhancing empathy and perceptions regarding animal welfare, and influences preferences for animal welfare certified products through simulated consumer choices. By applying propensity score matching (PSM) to mitigate endogeneity concerns, this research advances theoretical discussions surrounding animal welfare attitudes and consumption behaviors. Looking ahead, the promotion of animal welfare should involve coordinated efforts across educational institutions, policy frameworks, and market mechanisms to cultivate a broader understanding and adoption of animal welfare principles.

The current study explored how anti-substance abuse campaigns influence substance abusers’ psychological health through the perception of stigma. The study is based on a sample of substance abusers who received community-based treatments (n = 3457) and used structural equation modeling to estimate the role of perceived stigma in mediating between perceptions of overstatement of harm conveyed in anti-substance abuse campaigns and psychological outcomes. The results revealed that substance abusers’ perception of overstatement of the harm caused by the substances and substance abusers enhanced their perceived stigma and impaired their psychological health in terms of anxiety, depression, and somatization, through both direct and indirect pathways. The results advocate for proper strategies in the design of anti-substance abuse campaigns. Possible initiatives to reduce substance abusers’ perceived stigma are recommended.

Rural tourism has become an important component of domestic travel in China. To understand how consumers evaluate rural offerings, this study uses a discrete choice experiment, fielded in Guangdong Province, to examine preferences for eight attributes. Results indicate positive preferences for natural scenery, local cuisine, cultural experiences, outdoor activities, and accommodations, alongside negative sensitivity to higher prices and longer travel distances. Using latent class analysis, we identify three distinct segments: Senior Nature Seekers (12.43%), Young Quality Explorers (35.03%), and Broad-acceptance Experience Pursuers (52.54%). These groups exhibit diverse priorities, ranging from ecological engagement to cultural or family-compatible pursuits. Descriptive comparisons of thematic interests (e.g., farm experiences, health/wellness) further suggest segment-specific ordering of preferences within our sample. The findings provide evidence to inform tailored marketing strategies and tourism products, while potentially supporting broader goals such as environmental sustainability, heritage preservation, and community well-being.

Objectives: The current study aims to investigate how childhood conditions influence the reciprocal associations between informational social participation and the functions in cognitive and physical aspects in late life. Methods: A longitudinal dataset, merged from the 2016, 2018, and 2020 waves from the China Family Panel Studies, was employed. It comprised 4686 individuals aged 60 or older in the 2016 wave. A cross-lagged structural equation model was estimated to examine the influences of health and family socioeconomic status in childhood on the cross-lagged associations between informational social participation (i.e., contact with child(ren), grandparenting, and digital access) and functions in cognitive and physical aspects (i.e., cognitive function and personal activities of daily living) in late life. Results: The results revealed that poor health in childhood was associated with less informal social participation in late life, particularly in contact with families. Moreover, internet access appeared to have a temporal and reciprocal association with cognitive function in late life. Conclusions: The current study highlighted the impact of childhood health on late-life informal social participation and emphasized the crucial role of engaging in social activities through the internet in preserving the elderly’s cognitive function in later stages of life.