Excessive problematic sexual behavior in the form of compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD), hypersexuality (HS), and sex addiction has gained increasing credibility in recent years and has led to the development of various psychometric instruments to assess such behavior. However, there is still considerable controversy over the operational definition of such concepts and whether they can be used interchangeably to describe the behavior. One recently developed tool is the Bergen–Yale Sex Addiction Scale (BYSAS) based on the “components model of addiction.” The present study validated the Italian version of the BYSAS. The BYSAS was administered to a large Italian-speaking sample of Italian adults [N = 1230, aged 18 to 67 years] along with psychometric instruments assessing the “Big Five” personality traits, self-esteem, depression, and two other measures of addictive sexual behavior (i.e., PATHOS and Shorter PROMIS Questionnaire–Sex Subscale). Confirmatory factorial analysis supported a one-factor solution. Furthermore, the scale had good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.787). The BYSAS was positively associated with extroversion, openness to experience, depression, and problematic sexual behavior, and negatively associated with self-esteem, conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, and age. Based on the findings, the BYSAS is a brief, psychometrically reliable and valid measure for assessing sex addiction among Italian adults.

Nowadays, most zoos have taken prominent and active positions in endangered species conservation and educating visitors about the value of biodiversity. However, to be effective and trusted in their mission, they must act ethically and have a good reputation. Yet, the drivers that can influence their reputation are still little investigated, and there are still few studies focused on assessing the reputation of these institutions. In the present work, we report the development of a tool, the Zoo Ethical Reputation Survey (ZERS), and its pilot application to assess the opinions of the visitors of two zoos, one in Italy and one in Germany, on drivers that may influence the ethical reputation of zoos. Preliminary results based on the answers of 274 respondents show that visitors’ opinions on zoos acting with ethical responsibility are correlated with emotional appeal and familiarity with these institutions. The application of ZERS can help zoos identify weaknesses in their reputation and develop new strategies to improve people’s attitudes towards them, bringing many benefits to the individual zoo and zoological institutions in general.

Eco-anxiety has emerged as a significant psychological response to the climate crisis. Yet its relationship with pro-environmental behavior remains far from settled, with findings ranging from behavioral paralysis to active engagement and seemingly contradictory evidence accumulating across studies. To clarify both the magnitude of this association and the conditions under which it holds, we conducted a systematic review and three-level random-effects meta-analysis. We systematically searched five databases (ProQuest, APA PsycArticles, PubMed, among others) through April 2025, identifying 20 independent studies that contributed 60 effect sizes (N = 34,206). The pooled results revealed a significant, small-to-moderate positive association between eco-anxiety and pro-environmental behavior (r = 0.24, 95% CI [0.15, 0.32], p < 0.001). So far, fairly straightforward. The complication emerged when examining heterogeneity: we observed substantial variation across studies (I² = 95.4%), with a 95% prediction interval ranging from −0.22 to 0.61. What this tells us is that eco-anxiety does not uniformly predict action across contexts; the variability is considerable and meaningful. Moderator analyses offered important clarification. The association proved significantly stronger for public and collective behaviors, such as activism and advocacy (r = 0.36), compared to private sphere actions (r = 0.22). Beyond this, effects were more robust in adult samples (r = 0.30) than among adolescents (r = 0.18). These findings suggest something worth emphasizing: eco-anxiety appears to function not merely as a pathological burden but as an adaptive, context-sensitive correlate of collective engagement. Put differently, the distress people experience in response to climate change may channel productively into systemic action, particularly when social and collective pathways are available. What this means for practice is significant. Future interventions, in this perspective, should focus on channeling climate distress toward collective, structural engagement rather than defaulting to individual behavioral prescriptions alone.

RICONOSCIMENTO DELL’HATE SPEECH: IL RUOLO DELL’EMPATIA E DELLA CONSAPEVOLEZZA DELL’INFLUENZA DEI SOCIAL MEDIA Abstract Hate speech occurs within democratic societies that embrace freedom of expression and is made tangible in the social network context. It is characterized by a specific form of discrimination based on the use of verbal expressions or other media content and, usually, directed at minority groups. Although there is a lack of consensus about a unique and shared definition of hate speech, its social and personal consequences are particularly relevant for the whole society. For these reasons, it seems of crucial importance to identify hate speech recognition antecedents. The present study aimed at analyzing the relationship between hate speech recognition and specific psychological constructs, namely, empathy and awareness of social media influence. More in details, we hypothesized the association between empathy and hate speech recognition was mediated by awareness of social media influence. Data obtained from 146 participants revealed that empathy positively predicted hate speech recognition, and such relationship was mediated by awareness. Implication of such findings are discussed.

The scoping review examines how pedagogy can incorporate visual language and imagination as integral components of the learning process. Sixty-four studies were analysed following PRISMA-like guidelines to identify definitions, taxonomies, pedagogical functions and skills required by visual thinking. The results highlight the cognitive, communicative and motivational role of visual tools and the active contribution of students in the construction of meaning through images. The study proposes an integrated definition of visualisation as an analytical, generative and socially situated process of meaning creation through visual and symbolic forms, offering a conceptual basis for the development of multimodal and creative educational practices.