Q Methodology

Introduction: Drought is considered as a complex and creeping natural hazard associated with pervasive socio-economic and environmental impacts. Given the water reserves, per capita consumption, and average rainfall, Iran can be regarded as one of the countries facing the risk of lack of physical water resources and therefore proper management of drought in the country is an important issue. The main objective in the present study was to identify the dimensions gaining less attention in the context of executive drought management measures. METHODS: This was an applied-developmental study performed with the field method along with documentary studies. The data collection tool, data collection method, and data analysis method were a researcher-made questionnaire, structured interview, Q methodology using factor analysis, respectively. The statistical population of the study consisted of 12 executives of the Forests, Range, and Watershed Management Organization, Deputy ABFA of ministry of energy, Agricultural Promotion, Training, and Development Organization, and Deputy Minister of Water and Soil of Ministry of Agricultural Jihad active in drought management executive actions in the country. To derive the questionnaire items using the expert opinion, 24 items on drought management performance measures were selected in four technical-structural, socio-economic, managerial, and environmental-climatic aspects and factor interpretation was performed on them. FINDINGS: Based on the factor analysis of the results, the two technical-oriented and management-centered technical-oriented subjective models that both criticized the executive actions in the socio-economic dimension, were specified among the executives of the drought management field. Thus, according to the experts, most problems in the country in the field of drought management were in the socio-economic sector and most of the achievements in the technical-structural dimension. CONCLUSION: The results of the viewpoints of the executive managers indicated that most of them considered health promotion in drought crisis as one of the achievements of the executive measures in this field in the country which can be used as a strength in future planning.

Background: Social media has enabled both intentional and incidental user exposure to diverse cultures and subcultures. This exposure fosters the socialization of similar cultural elements or produces changes in original cultural patterns through cyber-acculturation, which arises from continuous contact with culturally distinct groups. Aims: This study aimed to develop models of social media users’ cyber-acculturation in their exposure to cyber-subcultures. Methodology: Using a Q methodology research design, the study employed convenience snowball sampling and an online questionnaire to collect data from 52 participants, who freely rated 61 statements derived from interviews. Exploratory Factor Analysis, treating participants as variables, was conducted to identify distinct cyber-acculturation models. To further examine the characteristics of each factor, network analysis was applied. Discussions: Users demonstrated varying patterns of cyber-acculturation. Comparable to the model proposed by Sam and Berry (2006)— which outlines the strategies of assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization— this study identified five distinct models of social media users’ acculturation in exposure to cyber-subcultures: 1) Conservative Socialization Adopters, 2) Media-Literate Non-Adopters, 3) Media-Literate Acculturation Adopters, 4) Change-Aspirant Semi Non-Adopters, and 5) Risk-Taking Socialization Adopters. Each of these categories, to some extent, reflects the integration strategy, particularly motivated by social mobility, self-actualization, well-being, and personal advancement. Conclusion: Understanding the variations in how users adopt cultural elements enables governance bodies, policymakers, and professionals in media, culture, and education to design and implement more effective measures with greater impact across different user types.