high-and low-context cultures: Topics by WorldWideScience.org

Sample records for high-and low-context cultures

High or low context culture in the EFL classroom?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melih KARAKUZU

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Intercultural communicative competence (ICC and high-low context culture situations are important for both EFL/ESL teachers and their students. In the EFL context, tertiary level students in Turkey are taught by both native and non-native English speakers, which might be challenging for foreign language students as it causes potential communication breakdowns in the classroom. By regarding cultural values, there is a need to examine how EFL tertiary level students successfully negotiate these cultural differences and how both native and non-native English-speaking teachers might respond to them in classroom situations. This study aimed to investigate what culture group the EFL tertiary level students belong to and to explore to what extent high- and low-context culture situations affect the EFL tertiary level students’ communication in the classroom. The participants of the study included 50 EFL tertiary level students, and 15 native and non-native English instructors at a state university in Turkey. The data were collected using the “High or Low Context Culture Questionnaire” (Hall, 1976, and semi structured interviews. A coding and classifying approach (Gay, Mills, & Airasian, 2012 was used for the data analysis. Three categories of cultural conflicts; misperception, misinterpretation, and misevaluation in communication were identified. The result of the current research is important for EFL tertiary level students, TESOL and ESOL teachers. Building ICC helps EFL/ESL students perceive information across cultures, develop strategies in communication and overcome challenging situations in various contexts. Future research in other EFL/ESL contexts would help to expand the findings of the current study.
Beyond culture or beyond control? Reviewing the use of Hall’s high-/low-context concept

OpenAIRE

Kittler, Markus G.; Rygl, David; Mackinnon, Alex

2012-01-01

This paper reviews Edward T. Hall’s influential concept of high-/low-context communication and its use in cross-cultural research. Hall’s concept suggests that individuals combine preprogrammed culture specific context and information to create meaning. The use of context is argued to vary across cultures and country classifications have been attached to Hall’s concept. These country rankings have evolved over time classifying (national) cultures as ‘high-context’ (HC) and ‘low-context’ (LC)....
A Comparative Study of Uncertainty Reduction Theory in High- and Low-Context Cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Myoung-Hye; Yoon, Tae-Jin

To test the cross-cultural validity of uncertainty reduction theory, a study was conducted using students from South Korea and the United States who were chosen to represent high- and low-context cultures respectively. Uncertainty reduction theory is based upon the assumption that the primary concern of strangers upon meeting is one of uncertainty…
Understanding the Merits and Demerits of High and Low Context Oriented Communication Cultures in Intercultural Business Conflict : the case of Fukushima and Japanese communication schema

OpenAIRE

Ryan, Stephen B.

2012-01-01

This paper shall highlight the merits and demerits of both high and low context oriented communication cultures - particularly in cross-cultural business contexts. Intercultural Communication (IC) theories such as high . low context, universalism . particularism and monochromic . polychromic time are meant to serve as guideposts for the international sojourner to communicate effectively in the host country. We shall also briefly discuss the idea that the English language serves as a low conte...
The role of Social Media on Sales strategy : A Conceptual Explication in a High-context Culture

OpenAIRE

Ukpabi, Dandison; Karjaluoto, Heikki; Ikaba, Victoria; Wali, Kemkamma; Kpunee, Henry

2017-01-01

People’s behaviours are shaped by their cultural values as much as it also influences the definition of friendship building and sustenance. Low-context cultures as marked with independent lifestyle, loosed family units and communication patterns are often characterized by fewer words. On the other hand, high-context cultures are markedly different. These cultures are characterized with high closed family units, high level of social cohesion and social identity. To achieve ...
Global Contexts for Learning: Exploring the Relationship between Low-Context Online Learning and High-Context Learners

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Westbrook, Timothy Paul

2014-01-01

Current research on culture and distance education suggests that cultural variables influence student success online. When online courses are writing-based, they may provide easy information dissemination; however, the low-context medium may restrict the learning experience and class dynamic due to the lack of nonverbal communication. Students who…
Typical Responses in Giving Evaluation: An Analysis of High and Low Context Culture Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferany Arifin

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This paper aims at discussing high and low context in responses given by the students to evaluate their friend’s impromptu speech performance. The study focuses on the characteristics of high and low context represented specifically on (1 direct-indirect (2 simple-complex response, and (3 relationship orientation. The study is based on the analysis of ten responses given by ten students with different sexes. Classroom observation followed by transcription analysis is used. The data were collected naturally at undergraduate campus. The result shows that using indirect and complex responses can maintain harmonious relationship with others. The basic asumption is that the students tend to communicate in high level context. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membahas konteks tinggi dan rendah dalam mengevaluasi performansi pidato tanpa persiapan temannya. Penelitian ini memusatkan perhatian pada ciri konteks tinggi dan rendah yang direpresentasikan oleh (1 tanggapan langsung-tak langsung (2 sederhana-kompleks, dan (3 orientasi hubungan. Penelitian ini didasarkan pada sepuluh tanggapan yang diberikan oleh sepuluh mahasiswa pria dan wanita. Pengamatan kelas yang diikuti dengan analisis transkripsi digunakan untuk pengumpulan data. Data dikumpulkan di kampus diploma. Analisis menunjukkan bahwa siswa cenderung menggunakan tanggapan kompleks dan tak langsung agar dapat menjaga keharmonisan hubungan dengan temannya. Oleh karena itu asumsi dasarnya adalah bahwa siswa cenderung berkomunikasi dalam konteks level tinggi.
Cultural Capital in Context: Heterogeneous Returns to Cultural Capital Across Schooling Environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ida Gran; Jæger, Mads Meier

2015-01-01

This paper tests two competing explanations of differences in returns to cultural capital across schooling environments: Cultural reproduction (cultural capital yields a higher returns in high-achieving environments than in low-achieving ones) and cultural mobility (cultural capital yields higher...... returns in low-achieving environments). Using multilevel mixture models, empirical results from analyses based on PISA data from three countries (Canada, Germany, and Sweden) show that returns to cultural capital tend to be higher in low-achieving schooling environments than in high-achieving ones....... These results principally support the cultural mobility explanation and suggest that research should pay explicit attention to the institutional contexts in which cultural capital is converted into educational success....
A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Advertisements from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, He

2016-01-01

With the development of economy and the change of social culture, advertisements have penetrated our life slowly and done a lot to the commercial markets. Advertisements have often been analyzed in a stylistic way for its unique language style. But language is an important part, as well as a carrier, of culture. Advertising language, as other…
Cultural capital in context: heterogeneous returns to cultural capital across schooling environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Ida Gran; Jæger, Mads Meier

2015-03-01

This paper tests two competing explanations of differences in returns to cultural capital across schooling environments: Cultural reproduction (cultural capital yields a higher returns in high-achieving environments than in low-achieving ones) and cultural mobility (cultural capital yields higher returns in low-achieving environments). Using multilevel mixture models, empirical results from analyses based on PISA data from three countries (Canada, Germany, and Sweden) show that returns to cultural capital tend to be higher in low-achieving schooling environments than in high-achieving ones. These results principally support the cultural mobility explanation and suggest that research should pay explicit attention to the institutional contexts in which cultural capital is converted into educational success. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Cooperation in multicultural negotiations: How the cultures of people with low and high power interact.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopelman, Shirli; Hardin, Ashley E; Myers, Christopher G; Tost, Leigh Plunkett

2016-05-01

This study examined whether the cultures of low- and high-power negotiators interact to influence cooperative behavior of low-power negotiators. Managers from 4 different cultural groups (Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, and the United States) negotiated face-to-face in a simulated power-asymmetric commons dilemma. Results supported an interaction effect in which cooperation of people with lower power was influenced by both their culture and the culture of the person with higher power. In particular, in a multicultural setting, low-power managers from Hong Kong, a vertical-collectivist culture emphasizing power differences and group alignment, adjusted their cooperation depending on the culture of the high-power manager with whom they interacted. This study contributes to understanding how culture shapes behavior of people with relatively low power, illustrates how a logic of appropriateness informs cooperation, and highlights the importance of studying multicultural social interactions in the context of negotiations, work teams, and global leadership. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
Cultural Context and Translation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

张敏

2009-01-01

cultural context plays an important role in translation. Because translation is a cross-culture activity, the culture context that influ-ences translating is consisted of both the culture contexts of source language and target language. This article firstly analyzes the concept of context and cultural context, then according to the procedure of translating classifies cultural context into two stages and talks about how they respectively influence translating.
Cultural Capital in Context:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ida Gran; Jæger, Mads Meier

This paper analyzes the extent to which the effect of cultural capital on academic achievement varies across high- and low-achieving schooling environments. We distinguish three competing theoretical models: Cultural reproduction (cultural capital yields higher returns in high-achieving schooling...... to be higher in low-achieving schooling environments than in high-achieving ones. These results support the cultural mobility explanation and are in line with previous research suggesting that children from low-SES families benefit more from cultural capital than children from high-SES families....... environments than in low-achieving ones), cultural mobility (cultural capital yields higher returns in low-achieving environments), and cultural resources (cultural capital yields the same returns in different environments). We analyze PISA data from six countries and find that returns to cultural capital tend...
Cultural Socialization Across Contexts: Family-Peer Congruence and Adolescent Well-Being.

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Wang, Yijie; Benner, Aprile D

2016-03-01

Racial/ethnic minority youth live at the intersection of diverse cultures, yet little is known about cultural socialization outside families or how cultural socialization in multiple settings conjointly influences adolescent well-being. In a sample of 236 8th graders (51 % female; 89 % Latinos, 11 % African Americans), we examined adolescents' perceptions of family and peer cultural socialization toward the heritage culture and the mainstream American culture. A variable-centered approach demonstrated that the socioemotional and academic benefits of family cultural socialization were most evident when peer cultural socialization was congruently high. Although family and peer cultural contexts are often assumed to be drastically different, we identified similar proportions of adolescents experiencing congruently high, congruently low, and incongruent cultural socialization from families and peers using a person-centered approach. Although the incongruent group received relatively high levels of cultural socialization in one setting, their well-being was similar to the congruently low group. The findings highlight the importance of considering cultural socialization across multiple developmental settings in understanding racial/ethnic minority youth's well-being.
The hidden and implicit curricula in cultural context: new insights from Doha and New York.

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Fins, Joseph J; Rodríguez del Pozo, Pablo

2011-03-01

The authors report their longitudinal experience teaching a clerkship in clinical ethics and palliative care at the Weill Cornell Medical College campuses in New York and Doha. This course uses participant observation and reflective practice to counteract the hidden curriculum when learning about clinical ethics and end-of-life care. The authors consider how this formal element of the curriculum is influenced by the implicit and hidden curricula in different cultural contexts and how these differing venues affect communication and information exchange, using the anthropological concept of high- and low-context societies. The authors' analysis provides additional information on Weill Cornell's educational efforts in the medical humanities, bioethics, and palliative care across the curriculum and across cultural settings. By contrasting high-context Doha, where much information is culturally embedded and seemingly hidden, with low-context New York, where information is made overt, the authors theorize that in each setting, the proportion of implicit and explicit curricular elements is determined by the extramural cultural environment. They argue that there are many hidden and implicit curricula and that each is dependent on modes of communication in any given setting. They assert that these variations can be seen not only across differing societies but also, for example, among individual U.S. medical schools because of local custom, history, or mission. Because these contextual factors influence the relative importance of what is implicit and explicit in the student's educational experience, medical educators need to be aware of their local cultural contexts in order to engage in effective pedagogy.
Cultural Capital and Habitus in Context: The Importance of High School College-Going Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Roksa, Josipa; Robinson, Karen Jeong

2017-01-01

While an extensive body of research has examined the role of cultural capital in reproducing social class inequality in educational outcomes, the role of habitus and school context has received less attention in quantitative studies. We attend to this gap in the literature by considering the relationship between cultural capital, habitus, and the…
Deconstructing career myths and cultural stereotypes in a context of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Deconstructing career myths and cultural stereotypes in a context of low resourced ... in low socio-economic communities and negatively influence career opportunities. ... Keywords: career beliefs; career decision-making; career development; ...
Cultural differences in affect intensity perception in the context of advertising

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianna ePogosyan

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Cultural differences in the perception of positive affect intensity within an advertising context were investigated among American, Japanese and Russian participants. Participants were asked to rate the intensity of facial expressions of positive emotions, which displayed either subtle, low intensity or salient, high intensity expressions of positive affect. In agreement with previous findings from cross-cultural psychological research, current results demonstrate both cross-cultural agreement and differences in the perception of positive affect intensity across the three cultures. Specifically, American participants perceived high arousal images as significantly less calm than participants from the other two cultures, while the Japanese participants perceived low arousal images as significantly more excited than participants from the other cultures. The underlying mechanisms of these cultural differences were further investigated through difference scores that probed for cultural differences in perception and categorization of positive emotions. Findings indicate that rating differences are due to (1 perceptual differences in the extent to which high arousal images were discriminated from low arousal images, and (2 categorization differences in the extent to which facial expressions were grouped into affect intensity categories. Specifically, American participants revealed significantly higher perceptual differentiation between arousal levels of facial expressions in high and intermediate intensity categories. Japanese participants, on the other hand, did not discriminate between high and low arousal affect categories to the same extent as did the American and Russian participants. These findings indicate the presence of cultural differences in underlying decoding mechanisms of facial expressions of positive affect intensity. Implications of these results for cross-cultural communication and global advertising are discussed.
Cultural differences in affect intensity perception in the context of advertising.

Science.gov (United States)

Pogosyan, Marianna; Engelmann, Jan B

2011-01-01

Cultural differences in the perception of positive affect intensity within an advertising context were investigated among American, Japanese, and Russian participants. Participants were asked to rate the intensity of facial expressions of positive emotions, which displayed either subtle, low intensity, or salient, high intensity expressions of positive affect. In agreement with previous findings from cross-cultural psychological research, current results demonstrate both cross-cultural agreement and differences in the perception of positive affect intensity across the three cultures. Specifically, American participants perceived high arousal (HA) images as significantly less calm than participants from the other two cultures, while the Japanese participants perceived low arousal (LA) images as significantly more excited than participants from the other cultures. The underlying mechanisms of these cultural differences were further investigated through difference scores that probed for cultural differences in perception and categorization of positive emotions. Findings indicate that rating differences are due to (1) perceptual differences in the extent to which HA images were discriminated from LA images, and (2) categorization differences in the extent to which facial expressions were grouped into affect intensity categories. Specifically, American participants revealed significantly higher perceptual differentiation between arousal levels of facial expressions in high and intermediate intensity categories. Japanese participants, on the other hand, did not discriminate between high and low arousal affect categories to the same extent as did the American and Russian participants. These findings indicate the presence of cultural differences in underlying decoding mechanisms of facial expressions of positive affect intensity. Implications of these results for global advertising are discussed.
Cross-cultural Context and Politeness

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

朱芬

2012-01-01

In social interaction,politeness is a universal phenomenon existing in all languages.However,for social,ethnographic and even historical reasons,politeness strategies in a specific cultural context may vary from one to another.And for most time it is not language itself but different politeness strategies that lead to cross-cultural communicative failure.Knowing about these differences will help to overcome pragmatic failure in cross-cultural communication.

Culture-specific delusions. Sense and nonsense in cultural context.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaines, A D

1995-06-01

It can be said that a definition of delusions requires the invocation of cultural understandings, standards of acceptability, as well as conceptions of reality and the forces that animate it. For these reasons, the determination of delusional or normative ideation can only be effected properly within particular cultural contexts. The cross-cultural record suggests that it is difficult to separate the delusional from the cultural; a belief that is patterened and culturally specific is, by definition a cultural, not a delusional belief. One must rely upon particular, relevant local cultural understandings to ascertain when the bounds of culture have been transgressed and meaning has given way to unshareable nonsense.
The Interaction of Local Context and Cultural Background

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rikke Skovgaard; Holmqvist, Emma; Dhalman, Hanna

2015-01-01

Immigrants' housing position is often explained by (lack of) resources or differences in cultural backgrounds. Recent studies have included the importance of local context. The aim of this paper is to examine Somalis' perceptions of their possibilities in four Nordic capitals' housing markets...... and sometimes conflict with each other, but that the negotiation between cultural background and local context was individual. The conclusion is that local context and cultural background are important factors for understanding differences between Somalis on different housing markets, thus emphasising...
How does context affect assessments of facial emotion? The role of culture and age.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Seon-Gyu; Lee, Tae-Ho; Yoon, Hyea-Young; Kwon, Jung-Hye; Mather, Mara

2011-03-01

People from Asian cultures are more influenced by context in their visual processing than people from Western cultures. In this study, we examined how these cultural differences in context processing affect how people interpret facial emotions. We found that younger Koreans were more influenced than younger Americans by emotional background pictures when rating the emotion of a central face, especially those younger Koreans with low self-rated stress. In contrast, among older adults, neither Koreans nor Americans showed significant influences of context in their face emotion ratings. These findings suggest that cultural differences in reliance on context to interpret others' emotions depend on perceptual integration processes that decline with age, leading to fewer cultural differences in perception among older adults than among younger adults. Furthermore, when asked to recall the background pictures, younger participants recalled more negative pictures than positive pictures, whereas older participants recalled similar numbers of positive and negative pictures. These age differences in the valence of memory were consistent across culture. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.
Prenatal care of African American women in selected USA urban and rural cultural contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, M

1996-01-01

The purpose of this ethnonursing research was to systematically discover, describe, and analyze the beliefs, practices, and values of African American women related to prenatal care. The domain of inquiry was prenatal care of African American women within their familiar cultural contexts. The study was conceptualized within Leininger's Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality which enabled the researcher to study professional and generic care as influenced by the worldview, social structural factors, cultural values and beliefs, ethnohistory, and environmental context. The goal of the study was to discover knowledge that could be used by health professionals to provide culturally congruent prenatal care that would increase the health and well being of the people. The rationale for the study was based on studies that showed the lack of prenatal care in the African American cultural group leads to low birth weights and high infant mortality rates. Four major themes that focused on the domain of inquiry were identified: 1) Cultural care meant protection, presence, and sharing; 2) social structural factors that greatly influenced the health and well being were spirituality, kinship, and economics; 3) professional prenatal care was seen by the women as necessary and essential but there was distrust of noncaring professionals, and barriers to such care; and 4) folk health beliefs, practices, and indigenous health care providers were widely used by women in the African American community.
Experience and Cultural Learning in Global Business Contexts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søderberg, Anne-Marie

2017-01-01

. Learners in today’s global business (school) world are more culturally diverse, and the potential of the increasing number of bi-cultural and bi-lingual students and managers as boundary-spanners must be considered. Recent empirical studies of face-to-face and virtual global collaboration show that cross...... divides. This chapter discusses a number of issues in relation to cultural learning processes in global business contexts: various concepts of learning, different approaches to cross-cultural competence training of future global leaders, and various learning contexts in management education and training......Globalization with increased mobility of the workforce and more frequent use of information and communication technologies means still more people must develop a deeper understanding of Cultural Others, a higher degree of cultural self-awareness and an ability to bridge across multiple cultural...
Implications of high-/low-context communication for target audience member interpretation of messages in the Nimechill abstinence campaign in Nairobi, Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraya, Julie Gathoni; Neville Miller, Ann; Mjomba, Leonard

2011-09-01

Although it ran on multiple mass media for the better part of a year, end line evaluation of the Nimechill youth abstinence campaign in Kenya indicated that exposure to the campaign had no relationship to youth decisions to defer sexual debut. One possible explanation of this lack of association could be that target audience members derived inconsistent and confusing meanings from visuals as opposed to text in the campaign. Employing Hall's concept of high- and low-context communication, we assessed target population interpretation of four campaign posters via 12 focus-group discussions and four individual in-depth interviews with Nairobi youth. We found that although participants endorsed and recognized campaign objectives, contextual cues in some campaign visuals were interpreted by participants as being contradictory to the abstinence message in the poster texts. In addition noticeable differences arose between the low-income and middle-/high-income groups in interpretation of one of the posters. We conclude with recommendations regarding use of visuals in high-context cultures and involvement of youth from various socioeconomic strata in campaign planning.
Technological, mediatic and cultural hybridisation: Cultural mediations in the context of globalisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laan Mendes de Barros

2009-12-01

Full Text Available We live in a context of borders that are dissolving in many senses, of the convergence and hybridisation of technologies, mass media and cultures. The context is the resizing of practical time, of movements and links between the local and the global. In these times of interculturality, communication plays a very important role; not so much in its technological media dimension, but particularly in the dynamics of cultural mediations that are dividing off from mediatised relations. This article aims to reflect on the transformations in present-day communication processes, marked by strong movements of hybridisation, as well as examining how to consider interculturality in the context of cultural mediations, based on dialogue between Latin American and French authors. Also, using media material, the article presents illustrations of the Brazilian cultural scene, which is marked by a long history of hybridisation that is filled with intercultural dynamics.
Culture and Literacy: Frameworks for Understanding.

Science.gov (United States)

Westby, Carol E.

1995-01-01

This article presents a framework for understanding cultural variations in beliefs, values, and communication styles and considers the role of culture in relation to children's response to formal education and literacy. Major dimensions of cultural variability discussed include individualism/collectivism and high-context/low-context. (Author/DB)
Cultural tourism is in context of mass culture

OpenAIRE

Гарбар, Г. А.

2014-01-01

Philosophic analysis of tourist activity within mass culture is carried out in the thesis. Cultural tourism within mass culture is more than orientation on cultural values, it is the understanding of peculiar cultural values within the context of generally accepted ones, confirmation of tourist activity peculiarities.Having reviewed tourism as a coherent system, the facts about impact of tourism on the society development are determined, potential development zones are identified, which are a...
Cultural context in medical ethics: lessons from Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Powell Tia

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper examines two topics in Japanese medical ethics: non-disclosure of medical information by Japanese physicians, and the history of human rights abuses by Japanese physicians during World War II. These contrasting issues show how culture shapes our view of ethically appropriate behavior in medicine. An understanding of cultural context reveals that certain practices, such as withholding diagnostic information from patients, may represent ethical behavior in that context. In contrast, nonconsensual human experimentation designed to harm the patient is inherently unethical irrespective of cultural context. Attempts to define moral consensus in bioethics, and to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable variation across different cultural contexts, remain central challenges in articulating international, culturally sensitive norms in medical ethics.
Beyond diffusion: sport and its remaking in cross-cultural contexts

OpenAIRE

van Bottenburg, M.

2010-01-01

Project MUSE - Journal of Sport History - Beyond Diffusion: Sport and Its Remaking in Cross-Cultural Contexts Project MUSE Journals Journal of Sport History Volume 37, Number 1, Spring 2010 Beyond Diffusion: Sport and Its Remaking in Cross-Cultural Contexts Journal of Sport History Volume 37, Number 1, Spring 2010 E-ISSN: 2155-8455 Print ISSN: 0094-1700 Beyond Diffusion:Sport and Its Remaking in Cross-Cultural Contexts Maarten van Bottenburg†Utrecht School of GovernanceUtrecht University In 1...
Socio-Cultural Context and Bulling Others in Childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Morcillo, Carmen; Ramos-Olazagasti, Maria A; Blanco, Carlos; Sala, Regina; Canino, Glorisa; Bird, Hector; Duarte, Cristiane S

2015-08-01

The objective of this epidemiological study was to examine, using an ecological perspective, which individual and distal contextual factors (familial, social and cultural) are associated with bullying other children across two different sites. Our sample included 1,271 Puerto Rican children 10 and older years of age at baseline residing in the South Bronx in New York and in the Standard Metropolitan Area in San Juan and Caguas, Puerto Rico. Bullying others was assessed through parents' and children's response to one item in the conduct disorder section of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV (DISC IV). Child, family, social and cultural factors were examined as independent variables with bullying others as dependent variable in hierarchical models adjusting for gender, maternal education, poverty, single parent household and site. Prevalence of bullying others was 15.2% in South Bronx versus 4.6% in Puerto Rico (p<0.0001). Poor social adjustment and academic achievement, parental harsh discipline, negative school environment, exposure to violence, peer delinquency and level of acculturation in the child were all risk factors for bullying others. Child acculturation accounted for site differences in rates of bullying others. We conclude that, besides the school context, specific aspects of the community, family, and culture influence the development of bullying perpetration and should be targets for interventions and prevention programs. Minority youth living in at-risk contexts may benefit from contextually sensitive preventive interventions that address how assimilation into a high-risk context may increase involvement in bullying perpetration.
Organizing Construction Practices in Different Cultural Contexts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thuesen, Christian; Rasmussen, Christian K. S.

2013-01-01

a number of characteristics and challenges related to the cultural context have been identified highlighting a central issue in existing and future construction practices due to the globalization and thereby increasing importance of cultural understanding in project-based organizing. The empirical findings......This paper presents in-depth case studies of construction practices with a specific focus on understanding the emergent and dynamic nature of construction management in different cultural contexts. The cases are based on actual working-experiences by the author as an assistant project manager...... participating in the construction management on site working for three different contractors in different cultural contexts: (1) Construir Futuro S.A. in Quito, Ecuador; (2) Anker Hansen & co. A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark; and (3) E. Pihl & Soen A/S in Stockholm, Sweden. Based on these explorative case studies...
Downsides of an overly context-sensitive self: implications from the culture and subjective well-being research.

Science.gov (United States)

Suh, Eunkook M

2007-12-01

The self becomes context sensitive in service of the need to belong. When it comes to achieving personal happiness, an identity system that derives its worth and meaning excessively from its social context puts itself in a significantly disadvantageous position. This article integrates empirical findings and ideas from the self, subjective well-being, and cross-cultural literature and tries to offer insights to why East Asian cultural members report surprisingly low levels of happiness. The various cognitive, motivational, behavioral, and affective characteristics of the overly relation-oriented self are discussed as potential explanations. Implications for the study of self and culture are offered.
Usability in a cultural context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clemmensen, Torkil; Yammiyavar, Pradeep; Ørngreen, Rikke

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on presenting and discussing the aim, context, challenges, results, and impact of the Cultural usability project named as CultUsab. This project was a four year international research effort from 2006 to 2009, which was supported by a grant for the Danish Research Councils...... for Independent Research in Culture and Communication. The project aimed at innovating processes in Information and Communication Technology development through an understanding of culturally sensitive aspects of usability evaluation methods....
Beyond diffusion: sport and its remaking in cross-cultural contexts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bottenburg, M.

2010-01-01

Project MUSE - Journal of Sport History - Beyond Diffusion: Sport and Its Remaking in Cross-Cultural Contexts Project MUSE Journals Journal of Sport History Volume 37, Number 1, Spring 2010 Beyond Diffusion: Sport and Its Remaking in Cross-Cultural Contexts Journal of Sport History Volume 37, Number
School as a Context for "Othering" Youth and Promoting Cultural Assets

Science.gov (United States)

Borrero, Noah E.; Yeh, Christine J.; Cruz, Crivir I.; Suda, Jolene F.

2012-01-01

Background/Context: Schools are cultural contexts that have the power and potential to promote students' cultural assets or "other" youth in a way that keeps them from creating meaningful academic identities. In this study, we build on existing research and theory by defining "othering" as a personal, social, cultural, and…
Social and Cultural Contexts of Alcohol Use

Science.gov (United States)

Sudhinaraset, May; Wigglesworth, Christina; Takeuchi, David T.

2016-01-01

Alcohol use and misuse account for 3.3 million deaths every year, or 6 percent of all deaths worldwide. The harmful effects of alcohol misuse are far reaching and range from individual health risks, morbidity, and mortality to consequences for family, friends, and the larger society. This article reviews a few of the cultural and social influences on alcohol use and places individual alcohol use within the contexts and environments where people live and interact. It includes a discussion of macrolevel factors, such as advertising and marketing, immigration and discrimination factors, and how neighborhoods, families, and peers influence alcohol use. Specifically, the article describes how social and cultural contexts influence alcohol use/misuse and then explores future directions for alcohol research. PMID:27159810
Symbolic Meanings of High and Low Impact Daily Consumption Practices in Different Cultures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ger, Güliz; Wilhite, Harold; Halkier, Bente

1998-01-01

. They influence our choices and practices whether it is by motivating or impeding them. In this study we will look at the symbolic meanings of high and low environmental impact consumption practices. In order to create desirable social markers for environmentally-friendly practices and/or to change high impact...... practices, we need to understand emergent practices and their existing cultural meanings. Thus we have chosen three fields of daily consumption practices - food consumption, transport and hygiene - and sorted out the relatively environmentally friendly (low impact) and the relatively environmentally...
Stigma and Exclusion in Cross-Cultural Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annie Elizabeth Pohlman

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Discriminatory and marginalising discourses affect the cultural and social realities of people in all human societies. Across time and place, these discourses manifest in numerous tangible and intangible ways, creating stigma and forms of exclusion by means particular to their cultural, historical, political and social contexts. These discourses also manifest in varying degrees of harm; from verbal abuse and behavioural forms of exclusion, to physical abuse and neglect, and exclusionary practices at institutional, legal and regulatory levels. Such forms of stigma cause direct physical and mental harm and other forms of persecution. The papers in this special issue arise from a one-day symposium held at the University of Queensland in February 2013. The symposium, ‘Stigma and Exclusion in Cross-Cultural Contexts’, brought together researchers and community-based practitioners from across Australia and overseas to explore marginalization, discriminatory discourses and stigma in a wide range of historical and cross-cultural settings. By critically engaging with experiences of social, political and cultural exclusion and marginalisation in different contexts, we aimed to elucidate how discourses of stigma are created, contested and negotiated in cross-cultural settings. We also aimed to explore stigmatisation in its lived realities: as discourses of exclusion; as the fleshy reality of discrimination in social worlds; as part of the life narratives of individuals and groups; and as discourses of agency and counter-discourses in responding to stigma.

Relationship building between high-context and low-context cultures

OpenAIRE

Матряшина, Т. В.

2016-01-01

Раздел 5. «Культурология. Лингвострановедение. Литературоведение. Современные иностранные языки. Журналистика. Медицина»
Cultural Context and Modification of Behavior Change Theory

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Sanders Thompson, Vetta L.

2009-01-01

Although social and cultural contexts act on each level of the multilevel ecologic model to affect cancer risk, health behavior, and cancer screening and promotion in health behavior research, people have yet to develop theories that sufficiently integrate the social and environmental context with group and individual behavior. The "Behavioral…
Aging, culture, and memory for socially meaningful item-context associations: an East-West cross-cultural comparison study.

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Yang, Lixia; Li, Juan; Spaniol, Julia; Hasher, Lynn; Wilkinson, Andrea J; Yu, Jing; Niu, Yanan

2013-01-01

Research suggests that people in Eastern interdependent cultures process information more holistically and attend more to contextual information than do people in Western independent cultures. The current study examined the effects of culture and age on memory for socially meaningful item-context associations in 71 Canadians of Western European descent (35 young and 36 older) and 72 native Chinese citizens (36 young and 36 older). All participants completed two blocks of context memory tasks. During encoding, participants rated pictures of familiar objects. In one block, objects were rated either for their meaningfulness in the independent living context or their typicality in daily life. In the other block, objects were rated for their meaningfulness in the context of fostering relationships with others or for their typicality in daily life. The encoding in each block was followed by a recognition test in which participants identified pictures and their associated contexts. The results showed that Chinese outperformed Canadians in context memory, though both culture groups showed similar age-related deficits in item and context memory. The results suggest that Chinese are at an advantage in memory for socially meaningful item-context associations, an advantage that continues from young adulthood into old age.
Humor in Context: Fire Service and Joking Culture

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Moran, Larry; Roth, Gene

2013-01-01

Although theorizing about humor has occurred for several decades, scant research exists that examines humor in the broad context of human resource development. Humor exists in workplaces and it is historicized in the professional and organizational contexts of workers. This paper explores aspects of a joking culture within the specific work…
Adolescent Behavior and Health in Cross-Cultural Context

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Demetrovics, Zsolt

2012-01-01

Specific behavioral problems appear during early adolescence, and they become more pronounced. Although these problems are universal in many aspects, cultural differences are also conspicuous. The author, in addition to analyzing the five studies in the Special Issue, addresses questions concerning the cross-cultural context. The analysis reveals…
Broader context for social, economic, and cultural components

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Patricia L. Winter; Jonathan W. Long; Frank K. Lake; Susan. Charnley

2014-01-01

This chapter sets the context for the following sociocultural sections of the synthesis by providing information on the broader social, cultural, and economic patterns in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range. Demographic influences surrounding population change, including those accounted for through amenity migration, are examined. Social and cultural concerns...
Socialization of emotions and emotion regulation in cultural context

OpenAIRE

Trommsdorff, Gisela; Heikamp, Tobias

2013-01-01

In this chapter, universal and culture-specific aspects of socialization of emotion regulation are discussed. Emotions and emotion regu lation are socialized and develop in cultural contexts. Cultural views on self·other relations are the basis for the chi ld's agentie self and emotion regu lation affecting the socio-emotional adjustment in the respective culture. Cultural models of self-other relations are transmitted through socia lization processes such as parenting beliefs and practices, ...
Aging, Culture, and Memory for Socially Meaningful Item-Context Associations: An East-West Cross-Cultural Comparison Study

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Yang, Lixia; Li, Juan; Spaniol, Julia; Hasher, Lynn; Wilkinson, Andrea J.; Yu, Jing; Niu, Yanan

2013-01-01

Research suggests that people in Eastern interdependent cultures process information more holistically and attend more to contextual information than do people in Western independent cultures. The current study examined the effects of culture and age on memory for socially meaningful item-context associations in 71 Canadians of Western European descent (35 young and 36 older) and 72 native Chinese citizens (36 young and 36 older). All participants completed two blocks of context memory tasks. During encoding, participants rated pictures of familiar objects. In one block, objects were rated either for their meaningfulness in the independent living context or their typicality in daily life. In the other block, objects were rated for their meaningfulness in the context of fostering relationships with others or for their typicality in daily life. The encoding in each block was followed by a recognition test in which participants identified pictures and their associated contexts. The results showed that Chinese outperformed Canadians in context memory, though both culture groups showed similar age-related deficits in item and context memory. The results suggest that Chinese are at an advantage in memory for socially meaningful item-context associations, an advantage that continues from young adulthood into old age. PMID:23593288
Aging, culture, and memory for socially meaningful item-context associations: an East-West cross-cultural comparison study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lixia Yang

Full Text Available Research suggests that people in Eastern interdependent cultures process information more holistically and attend more to contextual information than do people in Western independent cultures. The current study examined the effects of culture and age on memory for socially meaningful item-context associations in 71 Canadians of Western European descent (35 young and 36 older and 72 native Chinese citizens (36 young and 36 older. All participants completed two blocks of context memory tasks. During encoding, participants rated pictures of familiar objects. In one block, objects were rated either for their meaningfulness in the independent living context or their typicality in daily life. In the other block, objects were rated for their meaningfulness in the context of fostering relationships with others or for their typicality in daily life. The encoding in each block was followed by a recognition test in which participants identified pictures and their associated contexts. The results showed that Chinese outperformed Canadians in context memory, though both culture groups showed similar age-related deficits in item and context memory. The results suggest that Chinese are at an advantage in memory for socially meaningful item-context associations, an advantage that continues from young adulthood into old age.
Civil Procedure in Cross-cultural Dialogue: Eurasia Context

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Stefaan Voet

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Reviewed book: Civil Procedure in Cross-cultural Dialogue: Eurasia Context: IAPL World Conference on Civil Procedure, September 18–21, 2012, Moscow, Russia (Dmitry Maleshin, ed. (Statut 2012, available at (accessed March 9, 2014 [hereinafter Civil Procedure in Cross-cultural Dialogue: Eurasia Context].
Mindfulness in cultural context.

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Kirmayer, Laurence J

2015-08-01

Mindfulness meditation and other techniques drawn from Buddhism have increasingly been integrated into forms of psychotherapeutic intervention. In much of this work, mindfulness is understood as a mode of awareness that is present-centered and nonevaluative. This form of awareness is assumed to have intrinsic value in promoting positive mental health and adaptation by interrupting discursive thoughts that give rise to suffering. However, in the societies where it originated, mindfulness meditation is part of a larger system of Buddhist belief and practice with strong ethical and moral dimensions. Extracting techniques like mindfulness meditation from the social contexts in which they originate may change the nature and effects of the practice. The papers in this issue of Transcultural Psychiatry explore the implications of a cultural and contextual view of mindfulness for continued dialogue between Buddhist thought and psychiatry. This introductory essay considers the meanings of mindfulness meditation in cultural context and the uses of mindfulness as a therapeutic intervention in contemporary psychiatry and psychology. © The Author(s) 2015.
Raising Cultural Awareness in the English Language Classroom

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Frank, Jerrold

2013-01-01

This article discusses how teachers can incorporate cultural knowledge into English language classes, exploring elements of culture, intercultural phenomena, and high-context and low-context cultures. Activities offered by the author to raise cultural awareness include web quests, role plays, cultural observations, and culture journals.
Using qualitative methods to design a culturally appropriate child feeding questionnaire for low-income, Latina mothers.

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Lindsay, Ana Cristina; Sussner, Katrina Mucha; Greaney, Mary; Wang, Monica L; Davis, Rachel; Peterson, Karen E

2012-05-01

Obesity rates remain high among children in the United States (US), but children of low-income, minority families are at particularly high risk. Latinos are the largest and most rapidly growing US population group. Effective strategies will require attention to a wide array of culturally mediated variables that influence child feeding practices through the social contexts in which behaviors take place. This paper presents the design and implementation of a qualitative study examining low-income, Latina mothers' perceptions of child weight status and feeding practices, and their associations with the development of overweight in children. Guided by the social ecologic model and social contextual model on the role of the family in mediating health behavior, the Latina Mother Child Feeding Practices (LMCFP) study provided a systematic exploration of the influence of social class, culture, and environmental factors associated with mothers' perceptions of child overweight on feeding practices and behaviors. The design for this qualitative study consisted of three sequential phases: focus groups, in-depth interviews and cognitive interviews with Latina mothers conducted by Spanish-speaking researchers. Results showed the important role of socio-cultural factors in influencing Latina mothers' child feeding practices. In the short-term, this research yielded information to develop a child-feeding questionnaire appropriate for low-income, Latina mothers. Findings have important implications in developing nutrition education strategies for child health promotion that account for the social and cultural context of minority, low-income caregivers.
The realistic performance achievable with mycobacterial automated culture systems in high and low prevalence settings

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Klatser Paul R

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Diagnostic tests are generally used in situations with similar pre-test probability of disease to where they were developed. When these tests are applied in situations with very different pre-test probabilities of disease, it is informative to model the likely implications of known characteristics of test performance in the new situation. This is the case for automated Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB liquid culture systems for tuberculosis case detection which were developed and are widely used in low burden settings but are only beginning to be applied on a large scale in high burden settings. Methods Here we model the performance of MTB liquid culture systems in high and low tuberculosis (TB prevalence settings using detailed published data concentrating on the likely frequency of cross-contamination events. Results Our model predicts that as the TB prevalence in the suspect population increases there is an exponential increase in the risk of MTB cross-contamination events expected in otherwise negative samples, even with equivalent technical performance of the laboratories. Quality control and strict cross-contamination measures become increasingly critical as the burden of MTB infection among TB suspects increases. Even under optimal conditions the realistically achievable specificity of these systems in high burden settings will likely be significantly below that obtained in low TB burden laboratories. Conclusions Liquid culture systems can play a valuable role in TB case detection in laboratories in high burden settings, but laboratory workers, policy makers and clinicians should be aware of the increased risks, independent of laboratory proficiency, of cross-contamination events in high burden settings.
Family Cultures in The Context of Migration and Ageing.

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Albert, Isabelle; Coimbra, Stephanie Barros

2017-06-01

Intergenerational family relations are embedded in family cultures which influence how families regulate their relations over the whole life span with regard to key issues, such as autonomy and relatedness, or support exchange and reciprocity, and which may vary inter- and intraculturally. Migrant families undoubtedly face a special situation as values and expectations from the culture of origin and from the host cultural context might differ. Not much is known yet about how migrant families adapt their family cultures to the host cultural context. The present article will focus on aspects of intergenerational family regulation by taking into account family cultures of migrant compared to non-migrant families in a life span perspective. We will illustrate our theoretical outline by presenting first results from the IRMA-study comparing Luxembourgish and Portuguese immigrant families living in Luxembourg. We focus on issues of family cohesion, enmeshment and normative expectations regarding adult children's support for their ageing parents, by drawing both on quantitative questionnaire as well as qualitative interview data. Implications for the experience of ambivalence and conflicts as well as well-being of family members from both generations will be discussed.
Cross-Cultural Communication Patterns in Computer Mediated Communication

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Panina, Daria; Kroumova, Maya

2015-01-01

There are important cultural differences in attitudes towards and use of electronic text communication. Consistent with Hall's high-context/low-context conceptualization of culture, electronic inter-cultural communication, just as verbal inter-cultural communication, is affected by the culturally-specific assumptions and preferences of message…
Early Reminiscing in Cultural Contexts: Cultural Models, Maternal Reminiscing Styles, and Children's Memories

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Schroder, Lisa; Keller, Heidi; Kartner, Joscha; Kleis, Astrid; Abels, Monika; Yovsi, Relindis D.; Chaudhary, Nandita; Jensen, Henning; Papaligoura, Zaira

2013-01-01

The present study examined conversations of 164 mothers from seven different cultural contexts when reminiscing with their 3-year-old children. We chose samples based on their sociodemographic profiles, which represented three different cultural models: (1) autonomy (urban middle-class families from Western societies), (2) relatedness (rural…
Environmental influences on childhood obesity: ethnic and cultural influences in context.

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Kumanyika, Shiriki K

2008-04-22

Ethnicity is associated with differences in food-related beliefs, preferences, and behaviors, and cultural influences may contribute to the higher than average risk of obesity among children and youth in U.S. ethnic minority populations. However, cultural attitudes and beliefs are not the only potential source of ethnic variation in childhood obesity prevalence and should not be studied in isolation. Demographic, socio-structural, and environmental variables must also be considered. Available evidence indicates ethnic differences along several pathways that may increase risks of obesity development during gestation, infancy, childhood and adolescence. These include above-average prevalence of obesity in adult females and of maternal diabetes during pregnancy, parental attitudes and practices that may lead to overfeeding children, above-average levels of consumption of certain high calorie foods and beverages, and inadequate physical activity. Environments with lower than average neighborhood availability of healthful foods and higher than average availability of fast food restaurants, along with exposure to ethnically targeted food marketing may contribute to reliance on high calorie foods and beverages, and these foods may be socially and culturally valued. Attitudes about and environmental contexts for physical activity are also relevant. Increasingly, it is acknowledged that individual behaviors and lifestyles, e.g. food choices or child feeding practices, are responsive to the ecological contexts in which they are practiced. Focusing attention on the fluid interactions of cultural influences with contextual factors, of recognized importance for the study of childhood undernutrition, can also lead to further understanding of how to address ethnic disparities in childhood obesity.
Within-culture variations of uniqueness: towards an integrative approach based on social status, gender, life contexts, and interpersonal comparison.

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Causse, Elsa; Félonneau, Marie-Line

2014-01-01

Research on uniqueness is widely focused on cross-cultural comparisons and tends to postulate a certain form of within-culture homogeneity. Taking the opposite course of this classic posture, we aimed at testing an integrative approach enabling the study of within-culture variations of uniqueness. This approach considered different sources of variation: social status, gender, life contexts, and interpersonal comparison. Four hundred seventy-nine participants completed a measure based on descriptions of "self" and "other." Results showed important variations of uniqueness. An interaction between social status and life contexts revealed the expression of uniqueness in the low-status group. This study highlights the complexity of uniqueness that appears to be related to both cultural ideology and social hierarchy.
Does high-stakes testing increase cultural capital among low-income and racial minority students?

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Won-Pyo Hong

2008-03-01

Full Text Available This article draws on research from Texas and Chicago to examine whether high-stakes testing enables low-income and racial minority students to acquire cultural capital. While students' performance on state or district tests rose after the implementation of high-stakes testing and accountability policies in Texas and Chicago in the 1990s, several studies indicate that these policies seemed to have had deleterious effects on curriculum, instruction, the percentage of students excluded from the tests, and student dropout rates. As a result, the policies seemed to have had mixed effects on students' opportunities to acquire embodied and institutionalized cultural capital. These findings are consistent with the work of Shepard (2000, Darling-Hammond (2004a, and others who have written of the likely negative repercussions of high-stakes testing and accountability policies.

cultural differences in coordination decisions within interdependent security context

OpenAIRE

ju, linlin

2009-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate cultural differences in coordination decisions in a coordination game with considering IDS context. IDS context is introduced into a coordination game since it recently draws more and more people’s attention. The concepts of individualism/collectivism as the key aspects of culture variability are introduced into the cultural differences study. It is assumed that Chinese people are more collectivistic and more likely to coordinate each ot...
The Type of Culture at a High Performance Schools and Low Performance School in the State of Kedah

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Daud, Yaakob; Raman, Arumugam; Don, Yahya; O. F., Mohd Sofian; Hussin, Fauzi

2015-01-01

This research aims to identify the type of culture at a High Performance School (HPS) and Low Performance School (LPS) in the state of Kedah. The research instrument used to measure the type of organizational culture was adapted from Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (Cameron & Quinn, 2006) based on Competing Values Framework Quinn…
Culture in Animals: The Case of a Non-human Primate Culture of Low Aggression and High Affiliation

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Sapolsky, Robert M.

2006-01-01

Philosophers often consider what it is that makes individuals human. For biologists considering the same, the answer is often framed in the context of what are the key differences between humans and other animals. One vestige of human uniqueness still often cited by anthropologists is culture. However, this notion has been challenged in recent…
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Korean and American Social Network Sites: Exploring Cultural Differences in Social Relationships and Self-Presentation

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Cho, Seong Eun

2010-01-01

National culture is being challenged as societies evolve from their homogeneous origins. The theoretical base of this study uses two cultural dimensions, individualism-collectivism (Hofstede, 2001) and high-and low-context cultures (Hall, 1976), to unpack the effects of national culture on social network sites (SNSs). This study explores cultural…
Cultural influence on Chinese teachers’ perceptions and beliefs in a Danish context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Li; Jensen, Annie Aarup

2013-01-01

The paper presents the results of a pilot study designed to investigate native Chinese teachers’ beliefs and perceptions in Danish teaching context and how culture impacts their perceptions and beliefs. Ethnographic interviews were utilized to explore their perceptions on students’ characteristics......, teaching methods, and relevant experiences of four native Chinese who have been teaching in Denmark for many years. It demonstrates that teachers’ perceptions reflect two different educational cultures which have shaped and are reshaping their beliefs about students’ characteristics and teaching methods...... in Danish context. It suggests that teachers’ cultural backgrounds and the new cultural contexts in which they are teaching cause their belief development from more teacher-oriented to more student-oriented. However, their belief about teaching methods also implies a complexity of combining two competing...
Cultural Reflexivity and the Nostalgia for Glocal Consumer Culture: Insights from a Multicultural Multiple Migration Context

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Emontspool, Julie; Kjeldgaard, Dannie

2013-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to investigate consumption discourses in contexts characterized by multiple cultures and intercultural contacts, as multicultural contacts and multiple migrations challenge existing consumer acculturation models based on a dualistic process of acculturation....... This chapter explores empirically the character of cultural reflexivity and its expression in consumers’ discourses. Given that nostalgia is one prominent dimension of the migration conceptualization, we seek to understand how the role of nostalgia changes in contexts where consumers are decreasingly...... – On the basis of these findings, the article discusses cultural reflexivity in terms of naturalization and cultivation narratives (Wilk, 1999), proposing shifts between reflexive and routinized consumption practices as basis for consumers’ cultural reflexivity. Originality/value of chapter – The contribution...
Care and cultural context of Lebanese Muslim immigrants: using Leininger's theory.

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Luna, L

1994-01-01

The purpose of this ethnonursing study was to describe and analyze the meanings and experiences of care for Lebanese Muslims as influenced by cultural context in selected natural and community settings. Leininger's theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality served as the conceptualizing frame-work for the study. Research questions focused on discovering the meanings and experiences of care as influenced by world view, social structure, and cultural context in the hospital, clinic, and home. Ethno-nursing research methods were used with key and general informants in an urban US community. The majority of informants were new immigrants living less than 10 years in the US. Universal themes of care that were similar in the three contexts reflected care as a religious obligation in Islam, care as equal but different gender role responsibilities, and care as individual and collective meanings of honor. This article also presents findings related to gender role responsibilities. Nursing decisions and actions using Leininger's three modes were identified to achieve culturally congruent nursing care.
Low-intensity red and infrared laser effects at high fluences on Escherichia coli cultures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barboza, L.L.; Campos, V.M.A.; Magalhaes, L.A.G. [Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Departamento de Biofisica e Biometria; Paoli, F. [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil). Departamento de Morfologia; Fonseca, A.S., E-mail: adnfonseca@ig.com.br [Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Departamento de Ciencias Fisiologicas

2015-10-15

Semiconductor laser devices are readily available and practical radiation sources providing wavelength tenability and high monochromaticity. Low-intensity red and near-infrared lasers are considered safe for use in clinical applications. However, adverse effects can occur via free radical generation, and the biological effects of these lasers from unusually high fluences or high doses have not yet been evaluated. Here, we evaluated the survival, filamentation induction and morphology of Escherichia coli cells deficient in repair of oxidative DNA lesions when exposed to low-intensity red and infrared lasers at unusually high fluences. Cultures of wild-type (AB1157), endonuclease III-deficient (JW1625-1), and endonuclease IV-deficient (JW2146-1) E. coli, in exponential and stationary growth phases, were exposed to red and infrared lasers (0, 250, 500, and 1000 J/cm{sup 2}) to evaluate their survival rates, filamentation phenotype induction and cell morphologies. The results showed that low-intensity red and infrared lasers at high fluences are lethal, induce a filamentation phenotype, and alter the morphology of the E. coli cells. Low-intensity red and infrared lasers have potential to induce adverse effects on cells, whether used at unusually high fluences, or at high doses. Hence, there is a need to reinforce the importance of accurate dosimetry in therapeutic protocols. (author)
Ecologies of Learning: Culture, Context and Outcomes of Workplace LES. Research Brief

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Merrifield, Juliet

2013-01-01

There is a need to connect workplace learning and essential skills to a larger domain of workplace learning in general. To do this, the contexts in which learning takes place, and the cultures of the actors and environments involved, should be taken into consideration. Although research on the direct effects of contexts and cultures on workplace…
Scientific psychology within the Chinese language and cultural context.

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Shen, Heyong

2006-01-01

The Scientific Psychology that was founded by Wilhelm Wundt appeared in China in the late nineteenth century. The scholars translated the name of psychology into Chinese as Xin-Li-Xue, for which the meaning of the words looks like "heartology," i.e., "the study of the heart." In Chinese, the same core structure related to "heart" (Xin) is found in most of the terms of psychology, such as emotion, thinking, will, forgetting, and memory. By translating Xin as "heart" instead of "mind," we maintain an embodied approach to understanding the "principles of the heart." Through a historical approach to the influence of Western psychology, a cultural analysis of the meaning of the term psychology in Chinese, and a focus on the meeting of Eastern and Western psychology, we can witness the significance of psychology in the Chinese language and cultural context. I will use three parts to present psychology in the Chinese cultural context: the origins of Chinese psychology, from a historical approach; the meaning of "psychology" in Chinese, using a cultural analysis; and the meeting of Eastern and Western psychology, focusing on the development and future.
The Influence of Cultural Individualism-Collectivism, Self Construals, and Individual Values on Communication Styles across Cultures.

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Gudykunst, William B.; And Others

1996-01-01

Shows that independent self-construals and individualistic values of college students mediate the influence of cultural individualism-collectivism on the use of low-context communication, and interdependent self-construals and collectivistic values mediate the influence of cultural individualism-collectivism on the use of high-context…
Culture in Context: An Interdisciplinary Travel Study Course.

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Berger, Karen A.; O'Neill, Geraldine P.

2002-01-01

Describes an interdisciplinary travel study course designed to teach cultural appreciation and sensitivity in context. Readings and instruction focus on cultural issues that affect business and marketing practices, using France and the French as the subjects of the study. (Author/VWL)
Understanding Mathematics and Culture in Rural Contexts. ERIC Digest.

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Bush, William S.

This ERIC Digest provides an overview of concepts, writers, and tenets associated with the study of mathematics and culture and offers researchers a framework for the field, particularly with regard to rural contexts. (Author)
Parenting Practices in Cultural Context: An Ecological Perspective

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Zarnegar, Zohreh

2015-01-01

Despite general consensus that parenting practices influence the developmental processes of children, many questions about the impacts of parenting practices on child development within the cultural context remain unanswered. This article presents how cultural templates influence parenting practices and developmental processes of young children.…
Munificence of Parent Corporate Contexts and Expatriate Cross-Cultural Training in China

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selmer, Jan

2006-01-01

The practice of providing expatriates with cross-cultural training varies widely among business corporations. To examine the proposition that some characteristics of the parent corporation context could be munificent to the practice of providing cross-cultural training, a mail survey was addressed...... to business expatriates in China. Surprisingly, the results showed no association between corporate size, international stake, and international experience on the one hand and the extent to which the expatriates had received cross-cultural training on the other hand. Although an ad hoc analysis found...... a positive relationship between international experience and the provision of sequential cross-cultural training, there was no association between any of the variables depicting corporate context and predeparture or postarrival training. The findings and their implications are discussed in detail....
Developing ICT Services in a Low-Resource Development Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Bon

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Despite an urgent need for social and technological innovation to improve wellbeing of people and communities in poor regions of the world, information and communications technology (ICT service delivery has not yet been very successful in regions with low levels of literacy, poor infrastructures, and limited purchasing power. High rates of failure, reported in various studies, point at a frequent mismatch between deployed technologies and local needs and contexts. Still, no practical field-validated methodologies for ICT service innovation in low-resource development contexts have been proposed that offer adequate ways to meet local needs and contexts and assess sustainability before deployment. This article outlines a framework for development of ICT services in low-resource development contexts, covering the full lifecycle of ICT service innovation. This framework is based on extensive field research, and shows how a collaborative, adaptive, and iterative methodology can address a set of key sociotechnical concerns and issues widely encountered in developing and emerging countries.
Predictive distractor context facilitates attentional selection of high, but not intermediate and low, salience targets.

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Töllner, Thomas; Conci, Markus; Müller, Hermann J

2015-03-01

It is well established that we can focally attend to a specific region in visual space without shifting our eyes, so as to extract action-relevant sensory information from covertly attended locations. The underlying mechanisms that determine how fast we engage our attentional spotlight in visual-search scenarios, however, remain controversial. One dominant view advocated by perceptual decision-making models holds that the times taken for focal-attentional selection are mediated by an internal template that biases perceptual coding and selection decisions exclusively through target-defining feature coding. This notion directly predicts that search times remain unaffected whether or not participants can anticipate the upcoming distractor context. Here we tested this hypothesis by employing an illusory-figure localization task that required participants to search for an invariant target amongst a variable distractor context, which gradually changed--either randomly or predictably--as a function of distractor-target similarity. We observed a graded decrease in internal focal-attentional selection times--correlated with external behavioral latencies--for distractor contexts of higher relative to lower similarity to the target. Critically, for low but not intermediate and high distractor-target similarity, these context-driven effects were cortically and behaviorally amplified when participants could reliably predict the type of distractors. This interactive pattern demonstrates that search guidance signals can integrate information about distractor, in addition to target, identities to optimize distractor-target competition for focal-attentional selection. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A socio-cultural instrumental approach to emotion regulation: Culture and the regulation of positive emotions.

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Ma, Xiaoming; Tamir, Maya; Miyamoto, Yuri

2018-02-01

We propose a sociocultural instrumental approach to emotion regulation. According to this approach, cultural differences in the tendency to savor rather than dampen positive emotions should be more pronounced when people are actively pursuing goals (i.e., contexts requiring higher cognitive effort) than when they are not (i.e., contexts requiring lower cognitive efforts), because cultural beliefs about the utility of positive emotions should become most relevant when people are engaging in active goal pursuit. Four studies provided support for our theory. First, European Americans perceived more utility and less harm of positive emotions than Japanese did (Study 1). Second, European Americans reported a stronger relative preference for positive emotions than Asians, but this cultural difference was larger in high cognitive effort contexts than in moderate or low cognitive effort contexts (Study 2). Third, European Americans reported trying to savor rather than dampen positive emotions more than Asians did when preparing to take an exam, a typical high cognitive effort context (Studies 3-4), but these cultural differences were attenuated when an exam was not expected (Study 3) and disappeared when participants expected to interact with a stranger (Study 4). These findings suggest that cultural backgrounds and situational demands interact to shape how people regulate positive emotions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Teachers' Perceptions of Cultural Differences: Ethnocentric and Ethnorelative Worldview in School Context

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Dimitrijevic, Bojana M.

2015-01-01

In Serbian context many of the teachers are faced with a challenge of diversifying classrooms regarding the cultural background of the students. According to intercultural theory the way that people perceive cultural differences and their competence to effectively act in situations that involve different cultures is influenced by the intercultural…
High-Performance Sport, Learning and Culture: New Horizons for Sport Pedagogues?

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Penney, Dawn; McMahon, Jenny

2016-01-01

Background: Research in sport coaching and sport pedagogy including studies published in this special issue bring to the fore the relationship between learning and culture in contexts of high-performance sport. This paper acknowledged that how learning, culture and their relationship are conceptualised is a crucial issue for researchers and…

Culture, context and community: ethical considerations for global nursing research.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrowing, J N; Mill, J; Spiers, J; Kulig, J; Kipp, W

2010-03-01

High-quality research is essential for the generation of scientific nursing knowledge and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. However, the incorporation of Western bioethical principles in the study design may not be suitable, sufficient or relevant to participants in low-income countries and may indeed be harmful and disrespectful. Before engaging in global health studies, nurses must consider carefully the cultural and social context and values of the proposed setting in order to situate the research within the appropriate ethical framework. The purpose of this paper was to examine the ethical principles and considerations that guide health research conducted in international settings using the example of a qualitative study of Ugandan nurses and nurse-midwives by a Canadian researcher. The application of Western bioethical principles with their emphasis on autonomy fails to acknowledge the importance of relevant contextual aspects in the conduct of global research. Because ethics is concerned with how people interact and live together, it is essential that studies conducted across borders be respectful of, and congruent with, the values and needs of the community in which it occurs. The use of a communitarian ethical framework will allow nurse scientists to contribute to the elimination of inequities between those who enjoy prosperity and good health, and those who do not.
Religion and health in Europe: cultures, countries, context.

Science.gov (United States)

VanderWeele, Tyler J

2017-10-01

Much of the research on the relationships between religious participation and health comes from the United States. Studies in other geographic regions or cultural contexts is more sparse. Evidence presented by Ahrenfelt et al., and that from other research studies, is reviewed concerning the associations between religion and health within Europe and world-wide. The evidence within Europe suggests protective associations between various forms of religious participation and lower depression, lower mortality, and better self-rated health. Methodological challenges in such research are reviewed, and discussion is given as to whether a person-culture-fit explanation suffices to account for the existing data and to what other mechanisms might be operative.
Situating the practice of organ donation in familial, cultural, and political context.

Science.gov (United States)

Lock, Margaret; Crowley-Makota, Megan

2008-07-01

This article provides a discussion of the factors that have contributed in recent years to the assertion that there is a growing shortage of organs for transplant. Findings from ethnographic research carried out in 3 settings--the United States, Japan, and Mexico--are then presented to demonstrate that factors other than low education levels, irrationality, or a lack of generosity are at work when individuals make decisions about organ donation. In all 3 sites, it is clear that both the donation and receiving of organs are based on moral positions and felt obligations concerning appropriate behavior among close relatives and that the ideal of autonomous choice is not readily applicable. Culturally informed expectations are at work in all 3 sites, and in Japan and Mexico, social and political dimensions additionally come into play. We argue that a better accounting is called for of the familial, cultural, and political contexts within which organ transfer takes place.
Ecologies of Learning: How Culture and Context Impact Outcomes of Workplace Literacy and Essential Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Merrifield, Juliet

2012-01-01

Learning always takes place in a particular context and culture, yet educators have tended to focus their attention mainly on the form of learning, its methodology, content and teaching approach. While these can and do affect learning and its results, this paper looks beyond the particulars of the program to explore how the context and culture of…
Patterns of Interaction in Police Interviews : The Role of Cultural Dependency

OpenAIRE

Beune, Karlijn; Giebels, Ellen; Taylor, Paul J.

2010-01-01

The authors analyzed authentic, videotaped police interviews (N = 27) to examine how the use of different influencing behaviors by police officers affects the provision of information by suspects. The analysis focused on variations in cue-response patterns across suspects from cultures that tend to use more direct and content-oriented communication (i.e., low-context cultures) and cultures in which communication is typically more indirect and context orientated (i.e., high-context cultures). ...
Communication during Cultural Context need to be Learned During English Learning

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

王计

2017-01-01

The paper discusses the importance of cultural learning during English study. It is not only aim at some ways to en-hance cultural knowledge and also how the cultural context response influences the effective of communication.
A Measure of Market Orientation: Development and Validation in a Different Cultural Context

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José Miguel Ospina

2013-09-01

Full Text Available For several decades, researchers and marketing practitioners have proclaimed that the adoption of a consumer-oriented philosophy is the key to developing and maintaining a sustainable competitive advantage for a business operating in a highly competitive environment. The interest shown has not been sufficient to dispel certain concerns about the construct’s domain, and the methodology followed for measuring it in different cultural contexts. This paper examines the reliability and validity of three scales for measuring market orientation in a Spanish-speaking international context. The results confirm those obtained from previous research efforts. The study of the three scales, when combined, suggests the existence of six dimensions that are measurable with eighteen items.
Ontology-Based High-Level Context Inference for Human Behavior Identification

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Villalonga, Claudia; Razzaq, Muhammad Asif; Khan, Wajahat Ali; Pomares, Hector; Rojas, Ignacio; Lee, Sungyoung; Banos, Oresti

2016-01-01

Recent years have witnessed a huge progress in the automatic identification of individual primitives of human behavior, such as activities or locations. However, the complex nature of human behavior demands more abstract contextual information for its analysis. This work presents an ontology-based method that combines low-level primitives of behavior, namely activity, locations and emotions, unprecedented to date, to intelligently derive more meaningful high-level context information. The paper contributes with a new open ontology describing both low-level and high-level context information, as well as their relationships. Furthermore, a framework building on the developed ontology and reasoning models is presented and evaluated. The proposed method proves to be robust while identifying high-level contexts even in the event of erroneously-detected low-level contexts. Despite reasonable inference times being obtained for a relevant set of users and instances, additional work is required to scale to long-term scenarios with a large number of users. PMID:27690050
Ontology-Based High-Level Context Inference for Human Behavior Identification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Villalonga

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Recent years have witnessed a huge progress in the automatic identification of individual primitives of human behavior, such as activities or locations. However, the complex nature of human behavior demands more abstract contextual information for its analysis. This work presents an ontology-based method that combines low-level primitives of behavior, namely activity, locations and emotions, unprecedented to date, to intelligently derive more meaningful high-level context information. The paper contributes with a new open ontology describing both low-level and high-level context information, as well as their relationships. Furthermore, a framework building on the developed ontology and reasoning models is presented and evaluated. The proposed method proves to be robust while identifying high-level contexts even in the event of erroneously-detected low-level contexts. Despite reasonable inference times being obtained for a relevant set of users and instances, additional work is required to scale to long-term scenarios with a large number of users.
Learner Autonomy in Foreign Language Education and in Cultural Context

OpenAIRE

Ivanovska, Biljana

2015-01-01

The present paper is a brief review of the theoretical concepts about learner autonomy focusing on highlighting the main themes on learner autonomy in foreign language education and in cultural context as a globalized construct. These themes are based on the concepts of learner responsibility and independence, the importance of the autonomy in foreign language education in both the Western and Eastern style and the role of the culture in the concept of learner independence. The present study ...
Social class culture cycles: how three gateway contexts shape selves and fuel inequality.

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Stephens, Nicole M; Markus, Hazel Rose; Phillips, L Taylor

2014-01-01

America's unprecedented levels of inequality have far-reaching negative consequences for society as a whole. Although differential access to resources contributes to inequality, the current review illuminates how ongoing participation in different social class contexts also gives rise to culture-specific selves and patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. We integrate a growing body of interdisciplinary research to reveal how social class culture cycles operate over the course of the lifespan and through critical gateway contexts, including homes, schools, and workplaces. We first document how each of these contexts socializes social class cultural differences. Then, we demonstrate how these gateway institutions, which could provide access to upward social mobility, are structured according to middle-class ways of being a self and thus can fuel and perpetuate inequality. We conclude with a discussion of intervention opportunities that can reduce inequality by taking into account the contextual responsiveness of the self.
Examining the cultural context of youth mentoring: a systematic review.

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Farruggia, Susan P; Bullen, Pat; Solomon, Frank; Collins, Efeso; Dunphy, Ann

2011-12-01

While research in youth mentoring is extensive in the U.S., little research has explored its effectiveness in New Zealand, despite its growth in the past 20 years. While arguments have been raised that overseas models may not fit all cultural contexts within New Zealand, there appears to be limited evidence supporting this contention. Further, little is known about associations between effectiveness and the cultural appropriateness of programs and research. This systematic review of youth mentoring programs in New Zealand is based on 26 studies that met inclusion criteria. Of those, 14 had a significant proportion (15% or more) of indigenous Māori youth and six had a significant proportion of Pasifika (Pacific Islander) youth. While almost all programs and associated research were culturally appropriate to the overall New Zealand context, they tended to be less culturally appropriate for programs working with Māori and Pasifika youth. Further, there was a negative association between cultural appropriateness and program effectiveness.
'Nursing research culture' in the context of clinical nursing practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøttcher Berthelsen, Connie; Hølge-Hazelton, Bibi

2017-01-01

for efficiency, nurses’ barriers to research use and the lack of definition of the concept of nursing research culture make it difficult to establish. Design Concept analysis. Data sources Data were collected through a literature review in PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO during March 2016. Methods Walker and Avant......Aim To report an analysis of the concept of nursing research culture in the context of clinical nursing practice. Background Nursing research culture should be valued for its contribution to improving patient care and should be considered as a routine hospital activity. However, the demand......'s eight-step framework for concept analysis. Results Five defining attributes of nursing research culture in the context of clinical nursing practice were identified: strong monodisciplinary nursing professionalism, academic thinking and socialization, research use as a part of daily nursing practice...
Clarifying the links between social support and health: culture, stress, and neuroticism matter.

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Park, Jiyoung; Kitayama, Shinobu; Karasawa, Mayumi; Curhan, Katherine; Markus, Hazel R; Kawakami, Norito; Miyamoto, Yuri; Love, Gayle D; Coe, Christopher L; Ryff, Carol D

2013-02-01

Although it is commonly assumed that social support positively predicts health, the empirical evidence has been inconsistent. We argue that three moderating factors must be considered: (1) support-approving norms (cultural context); (2) support-requiring situations (stressful events); and (3) support-accepting personal style (low neuroticism). Our large-scale cross-cultural survey of Japanese and US adults found significant associations between perceived support and health. The association was more strongly evident among Japanese (from a support-approving cultural context) who reported high life stress (in a support-requiring situation). Moreover, the link between support and health was especially pronounced if these Japanese were low in neuroticism.
Clarifying the links between social support and health: Culture, stress, and neuroticism matter

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jiyoung; Kitayama, Shinobu; Karasawa, Mayumi; Curhan, Katherine; Markus, Hazel R; Kawakami, Norito; Miyamoto, Yuri; Love, Gayle D; Coe, Christopher L; Ryff, Carol D

2012-01-01

Although it is commonly assumed that social support positively predicts health, the empirical evidence has been inconsistent. We argue that three moderating factors must be considered: (1) support-approving norms (cultural context); (2) support-requiring situations (stressful events); and (3) support-accepting personal style (low neuroticism). Our large-scale cross-cultural survey of Japanese and US adults found significant associations between perceived support and health. The association was more strongly evident among Japanese (from a support-approving cultural context) who reported high life stress (in a support-requiring situation). Moreover, the link between support and health was especially pronounced if these Japanese were low in neuroticism. PMID:22419414
Uninformative contexts support word learning for high-skill spellers.

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Eskenazi, Michael A; Swischuk, Natascha K; Folk, Jocelyn R; Abraham, Ashley N

2018-04-30

The current study investigated how high-skill spellers and low-skill spellers incidentally learn words during reading. The purpose of the study was to determine whether readers can use uninformative contexts to support word learning after forming a lexical representation for a novel word, consistent with instance-based resonance processes. Previous research has found that uninformative contexts damage word learning; however, there may have been insufficient exposure to informative contexts (only one) prior to exposure to uninformative contexts (Webb, 2007; Webb, 2008). In Experiment 1, participants read sentences with one novel word (i.e., blaph, clurge) embedded in them in three different conditions: Informative (six informative contexts to support word learning), Mixed (three informative contexts followed by three uninformative contexts), and Uninformative (six uninformative contexts). Experiment 2 added a new condition with only three informative contexts to further clarify the conclusions of Experiment 1. Results indicated that uninformative contexts can support word learning, but only for high-skill spellers. Further, when participants learned the spelling of the novel word, they were more likely to learn the meaning of that word. This effect was much larger for high-skill spellers than for low-skill spellers. Results are consistent with the Lexical Quality Hypothesis (LQH) in that high-skill spellers form stronger orthographic representations which support word learning (Perfetti, 2007). Results also support an instance-based resonance process of word learning in that prior informative contexts can be reactivated to support word learning in future contexts (Bolger, Balass, Landen, & Perfetti, 2008; Balass, Nelson, & Perfetti, 2010; Reichle & Perfetti, 2003). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
In vitro effect of Reiki treatment on bacterial cultures: Role of experimental context and practitioner well-being.

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Rubik, Beverly; Brooks, Audrey J; Schwartz, Gary E

2006-01-01

To measure effects of Reiki treatments on growth of heat-shocked bacteria, and to determine the influence of healing context and practitioner well-being. Overnight cultures of Escherichia coli K12 in fresh medium were used. Culture samples were paired with controls to minimize any ordering effects. Samples were heat-shocked prior to Reiki treatment, which was performed by Reiki practitioners for up to 15 minutes, with untreated controls. Plate-count assay using an automated colony counter determined the number of viable bacteria. Fourteen Reiki practitioners each completed 3 runs (n = 42 runs) without healing context, and another 2 runs (n = 28 runs) in which they first treated a pain patient for 30 minutes (healing context). Well-being questionnaires were administered to practitioners pre-post all sessions. No overall difference was found between the Reiki and control plates in the nonhealing context. In the healing context, the Reiki treated cultures overall exhibited significantly more bacteria than controls (p bacterial cultures in the nonhealing context. Practitioner social (p bacterial cultures in the healing context. For practitioners starting with diminished well-being, control counts were likely to be higher than Reiki-treated bacterial counts. For practitioners starting with a higher level of well-being, Reiki counts were likely to be higher than control counts. Reiki improved growth of heat-shocked bacterial cultures in a healing context. The initial level of well-being of the Reiki practitioners correlates with the outcome of Reiki on bacterial culture growth and is key to the results obtained.
Influence of organizational characteristics and context on research utilization.

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Cummings, Greta G; Estabrooks, Carole A; Midodzi, William K; Wallin, Lars; Hayduk, Leslie

2007-01-01

Despite three decades of empirical investigation into research utilization and a renewed emphasis on evidence-based medicine and evidence-based practice in the past decade, understanding of factors influencing research uptake in nursing remains limited. There is, however, increased awareness that organizational influences are important. To develop and test a theoretical model of organizational influences that predict research utilization by nurses and to assess the influence of varying degrees of context, based on the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework, on research utilization and other variables. The study sample was drawn from a census of registered nurses working in acute care hospitals in Alberta, Canada, accessed through their professional licensing body (n = 6,526 nurses; 52.8% response rate). Three variables that measured PARIHS dimensions of context (culture, leadership, and evaluation) were used to sort cases into one of four mutually exclusive data sets that reflected less positive to more positive context. Then, a theoretical model of hospital- and unit-level influences on research utilization was developed and tested, using structural equation modeling, and 300 cases were randomly selected from each of the four data sets. Model test results were as follows--low context: chi2= 124.5, df = 80, p low: chi2= 144.2, p high: chi2= 157.3, df = 80, p low: chi2= 146.0, df = 80, p contexts with more positive culture, leadership, and evaluation also reported significantly more research utilization, staff development, and lower rates of patient and staff adverse events than did nurses working in less positive contexts (i.e., those that lacked positive culture, leadership, or evaluation). The findings highlight the combined importance of culture, leadership, and evaluation to increase research utilization and improve patient safety. The findings may serve to strengthen the PARIHS framework and to suggest that, although
East-West cultural differences in context-sensitivity are evident in early childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Imada, Toshie; Carlson, Stephanie M; Itakura, Shoji

2013-03-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that North Americans tend to focus on central objects whereas East Asians tend to pay more attention to contextual information in a visual scene. Although it is generally believed that such culturally divergent attention tendencies develop through socialization, existing evidence largely depends on adult samples. Moreover, no past research has investigated the relation between context-sensitivity and other domains of cognitive development. The present study examined children in the United States and Japan (N = 175, age 4-9 years) to investigate the developmental pattern in context-sensitivity and its relation to executive function. The study found that context-sensitivity increased with age across cultures. Nevertheless, Japanese children showed significantly greater context-sensitivity than American children. Also, context-sensitivity fully mediated the cultural difference in a set-shifting executive function task, which might help explain past findings that East Asian children outperformed their American counterparts on executive function. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Transferring methods to teach business administration from one cultural context to another

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Marie Catalo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available What happens when a teaching method is transferred from one cultural context to another? In this article we investigate this question by looking at how Computer Based Simulations (CBS were transposed from a French context to an Egyptian one. In this article we demonstrate, through the case of Egypt, how culture and the characteristics of the school system impact learning abilities. We describe what happens when Egyptian students are confronted with learning modes they have not encountered prior to University, in the context of an Egyptian-French dual-degree programme in business administration and business informatics. We show that the transfer of CBS as a teaching method revealed cultural differences between French and Egyptian students. As a consequence the teaching objectives of CBS were redefined in order to take the Egyptian context into account.

Diet and chronology of the neolithic cultures in the low povolzhye

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vybornov, A. A.; Kulkova, Marianna A.; Kosintsev, Pavel

. The identification of animal bones allowed the detailed reconstruction of the meat component of the diet. Fish bones indicate the consumption of freshwater. Onager, saiga antelope, red deer, aurochs, wild-boar, corsac fox, wolf, birds and fish were found in Kairshak type sites of the Seroglazovskaya culture (Baybek......-boar were identified. Sheep and goats were determined as domestic animals. This is the first evidence for producing economy in Povolzhye. There are ten radiocarbon dates for this cultural type from 5500 to 4800 calBC. The AMS dates on the bones and organics from pottery have a good correlation...... these context have older ages. The results of lipid analysis of charred food crusts on the pottery from several sites showed that the meat and plant food prevailed in the diet of people in this region. These results allow for the first palaeodietary reconstructions of people of different cultures in the Low...
P2-34: Similar Dimensions Underlie Emotional and Conversational Expressions in Korean and German Cultural Contexts

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Ahyoung Shin

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Although facial expressions are one of the most important ways of communication in human society, most studies in the field focus only on the emotional aspect of facial expressions. The communicative/conversational aspects of expressions remain largely neglected. In addition, whereas it is known that there are culturally universal emotional expressions, less is known about how conversational expressions are perceived across cultures. Here, we investigate the underlying dimensions of the complex space of emotional and conversational expressions in a cross-cultural context. For the experiments, we used 620 video sequences of the KU facial expression database (62 expressions of 10 Korean actors, and 540 video sequences of the MPI facial expression database (54 expressions of 10 German actors. Four groups of native German and Korean participants were asked to group the sequences of the German or Korean databases into clusters based on similarity, yielding a fully crossed design across cultural contexts and databases. The confusion matrices created from the grouping data showed similar structure for both databases, but also yielded significantly less confusion for own-culture judgments. Interestingly, multidimensional scaling of the confusion matrices showed that for all four participant groups, two dimensions explained the data sufficiently. Most importantly, post-hoc analyses identified these two dimensions as valence and arousal, respectively, for all cultural contexts and databases. We conclude that although expressions from a familiar background are more effectively grouped, the evaluative dimensions for both German and Korean cultural contexts are exactly the same, showing that cultural universals exist even in this complex space.
International Business Mentoring for Development: The Importance of Local Context and Culture

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Purcell, Gisela; Scheyvens, Regina

2015-01-01

This research investigates the value of donor-funded, cross-cultural business mentoring in a development context. Following a review of the existing literature on cross-cultural mentoring, it examines the effectiveness of the Pacific Business Mentoring Programme in Samoa through interviews with 23 entrepreneurs and a survey of the New Zealand…
Cultural bases for self-evaluation: seeing oneself positively in different cultural contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Maja; Vignoles, Vivian L; Owe, Ellinor; Easterbrook, Matthew J; Brown, Rupert; Smith, Peter B; Bond, Michael Harris; Regalia, Camillo; Manzi, Claudia; Brambilla, Maria; Aldhafri, Said; González, Roberto; Carrasco, Diego; Paz Cadena, Maria; Lay, Siugmin; Schweiger Gallo, Inge; Torres, Ana; Camino, Leoncio; Özgen, Emre; Güner, Ülkü E; Yamakoğlu, Nil; Silveira Lemos, Flávia Cristina; Trujillo, Elvia Vargas; Balanta, Paola; Macapagal, Ma Elizabeth J; Cristina Ferreira, M; Herman, Ginette; de Sauvage, Isabelle; Bourguignon, David; Wang, Qian; Fülöp, Márta; Harb, Charles; Chybicka, Aneta; Mekonnen, Kassahun Habtamu; Martin, Mariana; Nizharadze, George; Gavreliuc, Alin; Buitendach, Johanna; Valk, Aune; Koller, Silvia H

2014-05-01

Several theories propose that self-esteem, or positive self-regard, results from fulfilling the value priorities of one's surrounding culture. Yet, surprisingly little evidence exists for this assertion, and theories differ about whether individuals must personally endorse the value priorities involved. We compared the influence of four bases for self-evaluation (controlling one's life, doing one's duty, benefitting others, achieving social status) among 4,852 adolescents across 20 cultural samples, using an implicit, within-person measurement technique to avoid cultural response biases. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses showed that participants generally derived feelings of self-esteem from all four bases, but especially from those that were most consistent with the value priorities of others in their cultural context. Multilevel analyses confirmed that the bases of positive self-regard are sustained collectively: They are predictably moderated by culturally normative values but show little systematic variation with personally endorsed values.
Cultural Adaptation of a Neurobiologically Informed Intervention in Local and International Contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Pakulak, Eric; Hampton Wray, Amanda; Longoria, Zayra; Garcia Isaza, Alejandra; Stevens, Courtney; Bell, Theodore; Burlingame, Sarah; Klein, Scott; Berlinski, Samuel; Attanasio, Orazio; Neville, Helen

2017-12-01

The relationship between early adversity and numerous negative outcomes across the lifespan is evident in a wide range of societies and cultures (e.g., Pakulak, Stevens, & Neville, 2018). Among the most affected neural systems are those supporting attention, self-regulation, and stress regulation. As such, these systems represent targets for neurobiologically informed interventions addressing early adversity. In prior work with monolingual native English-speaking families, we showed that a two-generation intervention targeting these systems in families improves outcomes across multiple domains including child brain function for selective attention (for detail, see Neville et al., 2013). Here, we discuss the translation and cultural adaptation (CA) of this intervention in local and international contexts, which required systematic consideration of cultural differences that could affect program acceptability. First, we conducted a translation and CA of our program to serve Latino families in the United States using the Cultural Adaptation Process (CAP), a model that works closely with stakeholders in a systematic, iterative process. Second, to implement the adapted program in Medellín, Colombia, we conducted a subsequent adaptation for Colombian culture using the same CAP. Our experience underscores the importance of consideration of cultural differences and a systematic approach to adaptation before assessing the efficacy of neurobiologically informed interventions in different cultural contexts. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dueling Banjos: Shifting Economic and Cultural Contexts in the Lives of Youth

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Weis, Lois; Dimitriadis, Greg

2008-01-01

Background/Context: As the economy grows ever more tight, the school (K-16) is increasingly important in relation to life choices and outcomes, and researchers who focus on youth culture, often in and out of school contexts, can no longer afford to ignore such traditional educational institutions. If school credentials do not "guarantee" social…
Parents' Views of the Relevance of a Violence Prevention Program in High, Medium, and Low Human Development Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Durrant, Joan; Plateau, Dominique Pierre; Ateah, Christine A.; Holden, George W.; Barker, Leslie A.; Stewart-Tufescu, Ashley; Jones, Alysha D.; Ly, Gia; Ahmed, Rashid

2017-01-01

Every day, almost one billion children around the world experience violent punishment. Eliminating all violence against children is a key target of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is a monumental challenge due to the diversity of cultural, economic and social contexts in which children live. Violence-prevention…
Considering the cultural context in psychopathology formulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junaid Hassim

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Background. Mental health research appears to be continually transforming. Recent literature reflects a greater appreciation for the ways in which pathoplastic features of culture modulate emotional regulation. This article introduces those aspects of the literature which explore the (reconsideration of culture as a dynamic and essential construct in the clinical formulation of psychopathology. Objectives. The study aims to review literature that focuses on the dynamic influence of culture in psychopathology. Furthermore, the researchers aim to present a view on the ways in which culture appeared to shape the topography of psychopathology nosology. Method. A literature review of 31 sources. Results. The review indicated that 29 literature sources were conceptual in design, suggesting a great need for more empirical research. This section also explored themes identified during the literature review. The literature was tabulated according to features and emerging themes. Three major themes were identified and included: the cultural context; the evolving definitions of culture; and culture and psychopathology. Conclusion/discussion. An analysis of the themes was offered. The authors concluded by highlighting the significance of the literature at present. Areas of particular interest suggested that health and behaviour are dependent, at least in part, on culture; psychopathology may also be appreciated as a social construct; culture influences psychopathology regardless of the aetiology; diagnostic classes do not adequately consider operational definitions; and a greater focus on hermeneutic perceptivity in appreciating cultural dynamics in psychopathology will benefit clinical assessment.
Promoting health, preserving culture: adapting RARE in the Maasai context of Northern Tanzania.

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Birks, L K; Powell, C D; Thomas, A D; Medard, E; Roggeveen, Y; Hatfield, J M

2011-05-01

HIV/AIDS prevention strategies often neglect traditions and cultural practices relevant to the spread of HIV. The role of women in the HIV/AIDS context has typically been relegated to high-risk female groups such as sex workers, or those engaged in transactional sex for survival. Consequently, these perceptions are born out in the escalation of HIV/AIDS among communities, and female populations in particular where prevention frameworks remain culturally intolerant. We have attempted to address these issues by using an adapted Rapid Assessment Response and Evaluation (RARE) model to examine the impact of HIV/AIDS in the Maasai community of Ngorongoro. Our adapted RARE model used community engagement venues such as stockholder workshops, key informant interviews, and focus groups. Direct observations and geomapping were also done. Throughout our analysis, a gender and a pastoralist-centered approach provided methodological guidance, and served as value added contributions to out adaptation. Based in the unique context of a rural pastoralist community, we made recommendations appropriate to the cultural setting and the RARE considerations.
Toward a culture-by-context perspective on negotiation: negotiating teams in the United States and Taiwan.

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Gelfand, Michele J; Brett, Jeanne; Gunia, Brian C; Imai, Lynn; Huang, Tsai-Jung; Hsu, Bi-Fen

2013-05-01

Within the United States, teams outperform solos in negotiation (Thompson, Peterson, & Brodt, 1996). The current research examined whether this team advantage generalizes to negotiators from a collectivist culture (Taiwan). Because different cultures have different social norms, and because the team context may amplify the norms that are salient in a particular culture (Gelfand & Realo, 1999), we predicted that the effect of teams on negotiation would differ across cultures. Specifically, we predicted that since harmony norms predominate in collectivist cultures like Taiwan, the team context would amplify a concern with harmony, leading Taiwanese teams to negotiate especially suboptimal outcomes. In support, 2 studies showed that Taiwanese teams negotiated less-optimal outcomes than Taiwanese solos. We also used a moderated-mediation analysis to investigate the mechanism (Hayes, 2012), documenting that the interactive effect of culture and context on outcomes was mediated by harmony norms. By showing that the same situational conditions (team negotiations) can have divergent effects on negotiation outcomes across cultures, our results point toward a nuanced, sociocontextual view that moves beyond the culture-as-main-effect approach to studying culture and negotiations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.
Treatment Professionals' Basic Beliefs About Alcohol Use Disorders: The Impact of Different Cultural Contexts.

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Koski-Jännes, Anja; Pennonen, Marjo; Simmat-Durand, Laurence

2016-01-01

The treatment of alcohol abusers in different cultural contexts does not depend only on the methods used but also on the ways in which treatment providers perceive the problem and relate to their clients. This study compares treatment professionals' basic beliefs about alcohol use disorders in two culturally different European countries to find out to what extent these ideas are shaped by the respondents' socio-cultural context, profession, and other background variables. Similar postal surveys were conducted among professionals working in specialized addiction treatment units in Finland (n = 520) and France (n = 472). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and logistic regression analysis. Consistent cultural differences were found in almost all the questions asked and they remained significant even after controlling for the other background factors. The French professionals emphasized the addictiveness of alcohol more than their Finnish colleagues. They also believed less in the chances of recovery and attributed more responsibility for the problem to external factors, while the Finns emphasized individual responsibility. Profession, gender and some other background variables also modified beliefs about specific questions. Cultural factors shape the ways in which alcohol use disorders are perceived more pervasively than the other background variables. The French professionals' low trust in treatment and the Finnish professionals' lack of concern for the addiction potential of alcohol and stronger tendency to regard the person as responsible for the problem could be seen as potential impediments to effective ways of helping alcohol abusers in these countries.
Culture and context in understanding child maltreatment: Contributions of intersectionality and neighborhood-based research.

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Nadan, Yochay; Spilsbury, James C; Korbin, Jill E

2015-03-01

In the early 1990s, the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect commissioned a series of reviews that appeared as the edited volume, Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect (Melton & Barry, 1994). Using the 1994 review "Sociocultural Factors in Child Maltreatment" (Korbin, 1994) as a background, this article reconsiders culture and context in child maltreatment work. Since 1994, conditions promoting research and practice attention in this area include immigration-driven global increases in diverse, multicultural societies where different beliefs and practices meet (and clash); expanding purview of the human rights discourse to children; and the disproportionate and disparate representation of cultural, ethnic, and racial groups in child-welfare systems. Although research on child maltreatment has advanced in many ways over 20 years, the complexity of child maltreatment leaves many critical questions demanding further attention, culture and context among them. To help address these questions, we propose two approaches for future maltreatment research: intersectionality - the simultaneous examination of multiple identities (such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status) - as a framework for understanding the complexity of cultural factors; and neighborhood-based research as a means for understanding the context of child maltreatment from the perspective of an ecological framework. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Deferred imitation in 18-month-olds from two cultural contexts: the case of Cameroonian Nso farmer and German-middle class infants.

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Borchert, Sonja; Lamm, Bettina; Graf, Frauke; Knopf, Monika

2013-12-01

Imitative learning has been described in naturalistic studies for different cultures, but lab-based research studying imitative learning across different cultural contexts is almost missing. Therefore, imitative learning was assessed with 18-month-old German middle-class and Cameroonian Nso farmer infants - representing two highly different eco-cultural contexts associated with different cultural models, the psychological autonomy and the hierarchical relatedness - by using the deferred imitation paradigm. Study 1 revealed that the infants from both cultural contexts performed a higher number of target actions in the deferred imitation than in the baseline phase. Moreover, it was found that German middle-class infants showed a higher mean imitation rate as they performed more target actions in the deferred imitation phase compared with Cameroonian Nso farmer infants. It was speculated that the opportunity to manipulate the test objects directly after the demonstration of the target actions could enhance the mean deferred imitation rate of the Cameroonian Nso farmer infants which was confirmed in Study 2. Possible explanations for the differences in the amount of imitated target actions of German middle-class and Cameroonian Nso farmer infants are discussed considering the object-related, dyadic setting of the imitation paradigm with respect to the different learning contexts underlying the different cultural models of learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Effect of local cultural context on the success of community-based conservation interventions.

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Waylen, Kerry A; Fischer, Anke; McGowan, Philip J K; Thirgood, Simon J; Milner-Gulland, E J

2010-08-01

Conservation interventions require evaluation to understand what factors predict success or failure. To date, there has been little systematic investigation of the effect of social and cultural context on conservation success, although a large body of literature argues it is important. We investigated whether local cultural context, particularly local institutions and the efforts of interventions to engage with this culture significantly influence conservation outcomes. We also tested the effects of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration. We systematically reviewed the literature on community-based conservation and identified 68 interventions suitable for inclusion. We used a protocol to extract and code information and evaluated a range of measures of outcome success (attitudinal, behavioral, ecological, and economic). We also examined the association of each predictor with each outcome measure and the structure of predictor covariance. Local institutional context influenced intervention outcomes, and interventions that engaged with local institutions were more likely to succeed. Nevertheless, there was limited support for the role of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration on intervention success. We recommend that conservation interventions seek to understand the societies they work with and tailor their activities accordingly. Systematic reviews are a valuable approach for assessing conservation evidence, although sensitive to the continuing lack of high-quality reporting on conservation interventions.
The Effectiveness of Somatization in Communicating Distress in Korean and American Cultural Contexts

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Choi, Eunsoo; Chentsova-Dutton, Yulia; Parrott, W. Gerrod

2016-01-01

Previous research has documented that Asians tend to somatize negative experiences to a greater degree than Westerners. It is posited that somatization may be a more functional communication strategy in Korean than American context. We examined the effects of somatization in communications of distress among participants from the US and Korea. We predicted that the communicative benefits of somatic words used in distress narratives would depend on the cultural contexts. In Study 1, we found that Korean participants used more somatic words to communicate distress than US participants. Among Korean participants, but not US participants, use of somatic words predicted perceived effectiveness of the communication and expectations of positive reactions (e.g., empathy) from others. In Study 2, we found that when presented with distress narratives of others, Koreans (but not Americans) showed more sympathy in response to narratives using somatic words than narratives using emotional words. These findings suggest that cultural differences in use of somatization may reflect differential effectiveness of somatization in communicating distress across cultural contexts. PMID:27047414
The Effectiveness of Somatization in Communicating Distress in Korean and American Cultural Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eunsoo eChoi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Previous research has documented that Asians tend to somatize negative experiences to a greater degree than Westerners. It is posited that somatization may be a more functional communication strategy in Korean than American context. We examined the effects of somatization in communications of distress among participants from the US and Korea. We predicted that the communicative benefits of somatic words used in distress narratives would depend on the cultural contexts. In Study 1, we found that Korean participants used more somatic words to communicate distress than US participants. Among Korean participants, but not US participants, use of somatic words predicted perceived effectiveness of the communication and expectations of positive reactions (e.g., empathy from others. In study 2, we found that when presented with distress narratives of others, Koreans (but not Americans showed more sympathy in response to narratives using somatic words than narratives using emotional words. These findings suggest that cultural differences in use of somatization may reflect differential effectiveness of somatization in communicating distress across cultural contexts.
Assessing self-reported disability in a low-literate population with chronic low back pain: cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric testing of Igbo Roland Morris disability questionnaire.

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Igwesi-Chidobe, Chinonso N; Obiekwe, Chinwe; Sorinola, Isaac O; Godfrey, Emma L

2017-12-14

Cross-culturally adapt and validate the Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Cross-cultural adaptation, test-retest, and cross-sectional psychometric testing. Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire was forward and back translated by clinical/non-clinical translators. An expert committee appraised the translations. Twelve participants with chronic low back pain pre-tested the measure in a rural Nigerian community. Internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha; test-retest reliability using intra-class correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plot; and minimal detectable change were investigated in a convenient sample of 50 people with chronic low back pain in rural and urban Nigeria. Pearson's correlation analyses using the eleven-point box scale and back performance scale, and exploratory factor analysis were used to examine construct validity in a random sample of 200 adults with chronic low back pain in rural Nigeria. Ceiling and floor effects were investigated in the two samples. Modifications gave the option of interviewer-administration and reflected Nigerian social context. The measure had excellent internal consistency (α = 0.91) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC =0.84), moderately high correlations (r > 0.6) with performance-based disability and pain intensity, and a predominant uni-dimensional structure, with no ceiling or floor effects. Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure of pain-related disability. Implications for rehabilitation Low back pain is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide, and is particularly prevalent in rural Nigeria, but there are no self-report measures to assess its impact due to low literacy rates. This study describes the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of a core self-report back pain specific disability measure in a low-literate Nigerian population. The Igbo Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure of self
Biological and cultural diversity in the context of botanic garden conservation strategies

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Christopher P. Dunn

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Impacts of global climate change, habitat loss, and other environmental changes on the world's biota and peoples continue to increase, especially on islands and in high elevation areas. Just as floristic diversity is affected by environmental change, so too are cultural and linguistic diversity. Of the approximately 7000 extant languages in the world, fully 50% are considered to be at risk of extinction, which is considerably higher than most estimates of extinction risks to plants and animals. To maintain the integrity of plant life, it is not enough for botanic gardens to consider solely the effects of environmental change on plants within the context of major conservation strategies such as the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Rather, botanic gardens should actively engage in understanding and communicating the broader impacts of environmental change to biological and cultural diversity.
The Cultural Context of Learning in International Joint Ventures.

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Liu, Shimin; Vince, Russ

1999-01-01

A study of Chinese-Western joint business ventures showed that cultural context and different modes of managing and organizing must be considered. Successful joint ventures involve a process of collective, two-way learning. (SK)
Health system context and implementation of evidence-based practices-development and validation of the Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool for low- and middle-income settings.

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Bergström, Anna; Skeen, Sarah; Duc, Duong M; Blandon, Elmer Zelaya; Estabrooks, Carole; Gustavsson, Petter; Hoa, Dinh Thi Phuong; Källestål, Carina; Målqvist, Mats; Nga, Nguyen Thu; Persson, Lars-Åke; Pervin, Jesmin; Peterson, Stefan; Rahman, Anisur; Selling, Katarina; Squires, Janet E; Tomlinson, Mark; Waiswa, Peter; Wallin, Lars

2015-08-15

The gap between what is known and what is practiced results in health service users not benefitting from advances in healthcare, and in unnecessary costs. A supportive context is considered a key element for successful implementation of evidence-based practices (EBP). There were no tools available for the systematic mapping of aspects of organizational context influencing the implementation of EBPs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Thus, this project aimed to develop and psychometrically validate a tool for this purpose. The development of the Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool was premised on the context dimension in the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services framework, and is a derivative product of the Alberta Context Tool. Its development was undertaken in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Uganda, South Africa and Nicaragua in six phases: (1) defining dimensions and draft tool development, (2) content validity amongst in-country expert panels, (3) content validity amongst international experts, (4) response process validity, (5) translation and (6) evaluation of psychometric properties amongst 690 health workers in the five countries. The tool was validated for use amongst physicians, nurse/midwives and community health workers. The six phases of development resulted in a good fit between the theoretical dimensions of the COACH tool and its psychometric properties. The tool has 49 items measuring eight aspects of context: Resources, Community engagement, Commitment to work, Informal payment, Leadership, Work culture, Monitoring services for action and Sources of knowledge. Aspects of organizational context that were identified as influencing the implementation of EBPs in high-income settings were also found to be relevant in LMICs. However, there were additional aspects of context of relevance in LMICs specifically Resources, Community engagement, Commitment to work and Informal payment. Use of the COACH tool will allow

Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to fat-free yogurts and fermented milks with live yogurt cultures complying with the specifications “fat free”, “low in sugars”, “high protein”, “source of calcium” and “source of vitamin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tetens, Inge

2015-01-01

substantiation of a health claim related to fat-free yogurts and fermented milks with live yogurt cultures complying with the specifications “fat free”, “low in sugars”, “high protein”, “source of calcium” and “source of vitamin D” for nutrition claims and maintenance of lean body mass in the context...... of an energy-restricted diet. The Panel considers that the food that is the subject of the claim, fat-free yogurts and fermented milks complying with the specifications “fat free”, “low in sugars”, “high protein”, “source of calcium” and “source of vitamin D” for nutrition claims, is sufficiently characterised...... and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of fat-free yogurts and fermented milks with live yogurt cultures complying with the specifications “fat free”, “low in sugars”, “high protein”, “source of calcium” and “source of vitamin D” for nutrition claims and maintenance of lean...
Concussions and Risk Within Cultural Contexts of Play.

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Torres Colón, Gabriel Alejandro; Smith, Sharia; Fucillo, Jenny

2017-06-01

Concussions are a type of traumatic injury caused by a jolting of the brain that disrupts normal brain function, and multiple concussions can lead to serious long-term health consequences. In this article, we examine the relationship between college students' understanding of concussions and their willingness to continue playing despite the possibility of sustaining multiple head injuries. We use a mixed-methods approach that includes participant observation, cultural domain analysis, and structured interviews. Our research finds that students hold a robust cognitive understanding of concussion yet discursively frame concussions as skeletomuscular injuries. More importantly, students affirm the importance of playing sports for themselves and others, so their decisions to risk multiple concussions must be understood within cultural and biocultural contexts of meaningful social play. We suggest that peoples' decision to risk multiple head injuries should be understood as a desire for meaningful social play rather than an uninformed health risk.
Influences of context and culture on singaporean strategic investment decision making practises

OpenAIRE

Soh, Li Khee Christine

2014-01-01

This thesis investigates the interplay of context with culture on strategic investment decision (SID) making practises in strategic management accounting, strategic management, cross cultural management and global strategic management research in Singapore using three research questions. These research questions commence from an inter-country perspective on SID making and narrow down to the theme of foreign versus domestic investments. The three research questions are: Re...
Borderline personality disorder in cultural context: commentary on Paris.

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Miller, S G

1996-01-01

Paris suggests that some cultures provide protective factors that can suppress the emergence of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Yet all cultures contain some individuals who perceive themselves as unable to meet what is expected of them, and the resultant distress is expressed through a variety of "ethnic" disorders such as susto or nervios. When viewed in this context, BPD is similar to these disorders, notably in the perceived sense of social failure, marginality and powerlessness.
The Culture Care theory and the Old Order Amish.

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Wenger, A F

1991-11-01

This chapter discussed knowledge about culture care and culture context in relation to Old Order Amish culture. Leininger's theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality and Hall's concept of high-context culture were used to study culture care of the Old Order Amish. This study provided new findings about the culture, especially as related to culture care and high context. These findings also are important to guide nurses and other health care professionals in providing culture-specific care to the Old Order Amish. Leininger's Cultural Care theory has provided a comprehensive theoretical framework to explicate embedded care constructs and patterns of daily living within this culture. Hall's concepts helped to value and discover the importance of high context within the Old Order Amish culture and its relation to the phenomenon of care.
Protocol for culturing low density pure rat hippocampal neurons supported by mature mixed neuron cultures.

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Yang, Qian; Ke, Yini; Luo, Jianhong; Tang, Yang

2017-02-01

primary hippocampal neuron cultures allow for subcellular morphological dissection, easy access to drug treatment and electrophysiology analysis of individual neurons, and is therefore an ideal model for the study of neuron physiology. While neuron and glia mixed cultures are relatively easy to prepare, pure neurons are particular hard to culture at low densities which are suitable for morphology studies. This may be due to a lack of neurotrophic factors such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). In this study we used a two step protocol in which neuron-glia mixed cultures were initially prepared for maturation to support the growth of young neurons plated at very low densities. Our protocol showed that neurotrophic support resulted in physiologically functional hippocampal neurons with larger cell body, increased neurite length and decreased branching and complexity compared to cultures prepared using a conventional method. Our protocol provides a novel way to culture highly uniformed hippocampal neurons for acquiring high quality, neuron based data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Digital Equity in Cultural Context: Exploring the Influence of Confucian Heritage Culture on Hong Kong Families

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Yuen, Allan H.; Park, Jae Hyung; Chen, Lu; Cheng, Miaoting

2017-01-01

Our study examines digital equity in a cultural context. Many studies have used classic analytical variables such as socioeconomic status and gender to investigate the problem of unequal access to, and more recently differences in the use of, information and communication technology (ICT). The few studies that have explored cultural variables have…
Children’s Self-Regulation in Cultural Contexts: The Role of Parental Socialization Theories, Goals, and Practices

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Jaramillo, Jorge M.; Rendón, María I.; Muñoz, Lorena; Weis, Mirjam; Trommsdorff, Gisela

2017-01-01

Self-regulation is a complex multidimensional construct which has been approached mainly in Western cultural contexts. The present contribution examines the importance of considering the culture-sensitive nature of self-regulation by reviewing theory and research on the development of children’s self-regulation in different cultural contexts. This review of theory and research allows to suggest that widely shared values in a cultural group influence parental socialization theories, goals, and practices, which in turn have an impact on how children learn to self-regulate, the forms of self-regulation they develop, and the goals associated with self-regulation. Thus, this article concludes that more specific research is required to relate both the developmental and the cultural aspects of children’s self-regulation. PMID:28634460
Formation of financial culture of Ukraine's population in the context of the minimization of the market asymmetry

OpenAIRE

V. Kornivska

2011-01-01

This paper presents the features of the institutionalization of the Ukrainian financial market in the context of high levels of market asymmetry due to the insufficient level of general financial culture. The author characterizes the global experience of improving the financial culture of population, and justifies the ways to overcome the market asymmetry of socio-institutional space of the Ukrainian financial market.
Indigenous cultural contexts for STEM experiences: snow snakes' impact on students and the community

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Miller, Brant G.; Roehrig, Gillian

2018-03-01

Opportunities for American Indian youth to meaningfully engage in school-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences have historically been inadequate. As a consequence, American Indian students perform lower on standardized assessments of science education than their peers. In this article we describe the emergence of meaning for students—as well as their community—resulting from Indigenous culturally-based STEM curriculum that used an American Indian tradition as a focal context. Specifically, the game of snow snakes ( Gooneginebig in Ojibwe) afforded an opportunity for STEM and culturally-based resources to work in unison. A case study research design was used with the bounded case represented by the community associated with the snow snake project. The research question guiding this study was: What forms of culturally relevant meaning do students and the community form as a result of the snow snake game? Results indicate evidence of increased student and community engagement through culturally-based STEM experiences in the form of active participation and the rejuvenation of a traditional game. Implications are discussed for using culturally-based contexts for STEM learning.
N-Acetyl-2-Aminofluorene (AAF) Processing in Adult Rat Hepatocytes in Primary Culture Occurs by High-Affinity Low-Velocity and Low-Affinity High-Velocity AAF Metabolite-Forming Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Katherine S; Moran, Tom; Shier, W Thomas; Leffert, Hyam L

2018-05-01

N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) is a procarcinogen used widely in physiological investigations of chemical hepatocarcinogenesis. Its metabolic pathways have been described extensively, yet little is known about its biochemical processing, growth cycle expression, and pharmacological properties inside living hepatocytes-the principal cellular targets of this hepatocarcinogen. In this report, primary monolayer adult rat hepatocyte cultures and high specific-activity [ring G-3 H]-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene were used to extend previous observations of metabolic activation of AAF by highly differentiated, proliferation-competent hepatocytes in long-term cultures. AAF metabolism proceeded by zero-order kinetics. Hepatocytes processed significant amounts of procarcinogen (≈12 μg AAF/106 cells/day). Five ring-hydroxylated and one deacetylated species of AAF were secreted into the culture media. Extracellular metabolite levels varied during the growth cycle (days 0-13), but their rank quantitative order was time invariant: 5-OH-AAF > 7-OH-AAF > 3-OH-AAF > N-OH-AAF > aminofluorene (AF) > 1-OH-AAF. Lineweaver-Burk analyses revealed two principal classes of metabolism: System I (high-affinity and low-velocity), Km[APPARENT] = 1.64 × 10-7 M and VMAX[APPARENT] = 0.1 nmol/106 cells/day and System II (low-affinity and high-velocity), Km[APPARENT] = 3.25 × 10-5 M and VMAX[APPARENT] = 1000 nmol/106 cells/day. A third system of metabolism of AAF to AF, with Km[APPARENT] and VMAX[APPARENT] constants of 9.6 × 10-5 M and 4.7 nmol/106 cells/day, was also observed. Evidence provided in this report and its companion paper suggests selective roles and intracellular locations for System I- and System II-mediated AAF metabolite formation during hepatocarcinogenesis, although some of the molecules and mechanisms responsible for multi-system processing remain to be fully defined.
Examining Culture's Impact on the Learning Behaviors of International Students from Confucius Culture Studying in Western Online Learning Context

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Kang, Haijun; Chang, Bo

2016-01-01

There is a lack of shared understanding of how culture impacts learning in online environment. Utilizing document analysis, the authors in this research study culture's impact on the learning behaviors of student sojourners from Confucius culture studying in Western online learning context. The shared understandings of Confucius culture and…
Understanding cultural influences on back pain and back pain research.

Science.gov (United States)

Henschke, Nicholas; Lorenz, Eva; Pokora, Roman; Michaleff, Zoe A; Quartey, Jonathan N A; Oliveira, Vinicius Cunha

2016-12-01

Low back pain is highly prevalent and places a considerable burden on individuals, their families and communities. This back pain burden is unequally distributed around the world and within populations. Clinicians and researchers addressing back pain should be aware of the cultural, social and political context of back pain patients and how this context can influence pain perception, disability and health care use. Culture, which influences the beliefs and behaviour of individuals within a social group, could be considered an important contributor to the unequal distribution of back pain. However, there is paucity of high-quality research exploring the influence of culture on the experience and management of back pain. Further development and testing of specific tools, assessment methods and communication strategies are needed to improve our understanding of how cultural practices, values and identifications affect those dealing with back pain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
HORIZONTAL OBJECTIVES OF EU PROGRAMMES AND THE SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT FOR EAP MEMBERS

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Irina Teodora MANOLESCU

2016-10-01

Full Text Available As the Eastern Partnership (EaP was founded in 2009, between European Union (EU and six countries from Eastern Europe, its main goal was to create adequate conditions for economic integration, social and regional development of the EaP country members. Based on the same principles as the EU was built, international law and fundamental values (e.g. human rights, freedom, democracy, rule of law, sustainable development and also good governance, the EaP was regularly analysed and renewed (once every two years in order to better respond to the needs of Eastern European countries. Even so, while the economic context was especially considered, there are still some actions to be undertaken with regards to socio-cultural factors. Therefore the aim of the paper is to analyse the socio-cultural context of the six Eastern European EaP members (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in order to make recommendations regarding their absorption capacity when integrating the horizontal EU objectives into the funding neighbourhood instruments. Our main research question is: what is the right approach for developing operational funding programmes (individual/bilateral or partnership/multilateral participations for EaP members: is it by maintaining the EU horizontal objective or by adapting these objectives from the beginning considering the socio-cultural context?
Navigating Online Selves: Social, Cultural, and Material Contexts of Social Media Use by Diasporic Gay Men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Dhoest

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Social media not only create new opportunities but also pose new challenges for the ways people navigate their online selves. As noted by boyd, social media are characterized by unique dynamics such as collapsed contexts, implying that one’s distinct offline social worlds meet online. This creates particular challenges for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ people, at least those who find it crucial to maintain distinct contexts in which they disclose or conceal their gender and/or sexual selves. However, the existing scholarship on social media use by LGBTQs is predominantly anchored in English-language Western contexts and tends to lose sight of the cultural specificities of Internet use. Therefore, in this article, we build on the scholarship to further investigate the role of context for disclosing or concealing gender and/or sexual selves online. More specifically, we ask, “How do social, cultural, and material contexts affect the ways LGBTQs navigate their selves on social media?” To investigate this question, we analyze in-depth face-to-face interviews with gay men who themselves, or whose parents, migrated to Belgium. Because their migration background forces them to negotiate different social, cultural, and material contexts, our focus on diasporic gay men helps to bring out the issue of context in social media use.
Culture and the distinctiveness motive: constructing identity in individualistic and collectivistic contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Maja; Vignoles, Vivian L; Owe, Ellinor; Brown, Rupert; Smith, Peter B; Easterbrook, Matt; Herman, Ginette; de Sauvage, Isabelle; Bourguignon, David; Torres, Ana; Camino, Leoncio; Lemos, Flávia Cristina Silveira; Ferreira, M Cristina; Koller, Silvia H; González, Roberto; Carrasco, Diego; Cadena, Maria Paz; Lay, Siugmin; Wang, Qian; Bond, Michael Harris; Trujillo, Elvia Vargas; Balanta, Paola; Valk, Aune; Mekonnen, Kassahun Habtamu; Nizharadze, George; Fülöp, Marta; Regalia, Camillo; Manzi, Claudia; Brambilla, Maria; Harb, Charles; Aldhafri, Said; Martin, Mariana; Macapagal, Ma Elizabeth J; Chybicka, Aneta; Gavreliuc, Alin; Buitendach, Johanna; Gallo, Inge Schweiger; Ozgen, Emre; Güner, Ulkü E; Yamakoğlu, Nil

2012-04-01

The motive to attain a distinctive identity is sometimes thought to be stronger in, or even specific to, those socialized into individualistic cultures. Using data from 4,751 participants in 21 cultural groups (18 nations and 3 regions), we tested this prediction against our alternative view that culture would moderate the ways in which people achieve feelings of distinctiveness, rather than influence the strength of their motivation to do so. We measured the distinctiveness motive using an indirect technique to avoid cultural response biases. Analyses showed that the distinctiveness motive was not weaker-and, if anything, was stronger-in more collectivistic nations. However, individualism-collectivism was found to moderate the ways in which feelings of distinctiveness were constructed: Distinctiveness was associated more closely with difference and separateness in more individualistic cultures and was associated more closely with social position in more collectivistic cultures. Multilevel analysis confirmed that it is the prevailing beliefs and values in an individual's context, rather than the individual's own beliefs and values, that account for these differences. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.
Culture-bound syndromes in migratory contexts: the case of Bolivian immigrants

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María Teresa Roldán-Chicano

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the culture-bound syndromes maintained by Bolivian immigrants in the new migratory context and analyze the care processes of these health problems. Method: qualitative research with an ethnographic methodological approach. Sample: 27 Bolivian immigrants. In-depth interviews and participatory observation were the strategies used for data collection. Data were classified and categorized into logical schemes manually and using the ATLAS-ti program v.5. Results: susto, “wayras”, amartelo, pasmo de sol, pasmo de luna and pasmo de sereno are some of the folk illnesses that affect the Bolivian immigrants and that they have to treat in the new migratory context. Conclusions: in the new environment, the group under study preserves culture-bound syndromes that are common in their country of origin. The care strategies used for these health problems are adapted to the resources of the new context and based on interactions with the domestic environment, biomedicine and traditional medicine. It was observed the need for the health professionals to realize that the efficacy of certain therapies occurs within the scope of cultural beliefs and not in that of the scientific evidence.
In/Formal Sex Education: Learning Gay Identity in Cultural and Educational Contexts in Mexico

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Lozano-Verduzco, Ignacio; Rosales Mendoza, Adriana Leona

2016-01-01

This paper addresses how educational and cultural contexts incorporate lessons around sexuality, particularly sexual and gender identity, and how these contexts impact on identity construction of gay men in Mexico City. We analyse the experiences of 15 gay men reported through semi-structured in-depth interviews and how they incorporate sexuality…
Cultural capital and self-rated health in low income women: evidence from the Urban Health Study, Beirut, Lebanon.

Science.gov (United States)

Khawaja, Marwan; Mowafi, Mona

2006-05-01

This paper examines the association between cultural capital and self-rated psychosocial health among poor, ever-married Lebanese women living in an urban context. Both self-rated general and mental health status were assessed using data from a cross-sectional survey of 1,869 women conducted in 2003. Associations between self-rated general and mental health status and cultural capital were obtained using chi (2) tests and odds ratios from binary logistic regression models. Cultural capital had significant associations with self-perceived general and mental health status net of the effects of social capital, SES, demographics, community and health risk factors. For example, the odds ratios for poor general and mental health associated with low cultural capital were 4.5 (CI: 2.95-6.95) and 2.9 (CI: 2.09-4.05), respectively, as compared to participants with high cultural capital. As expected, health risk factors were significantly associated with both measures of health status. However, demographic and community variables were associated with general health but not with mental health status. The findings pertaining to social capital and measures of SES were mixed. Cultural capital was a powerful and significant predictor of self-perceived general and mental health among women living in poor urban communities.
"It's Like Spiderman … with Great Power Comes Great Responsibility": School Autonomy, School Context and the Audit Culture

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Keddie, Amanda

2014-01-01

This paper explores issues of school autonomy within the context of the performative demands of the audit culture. The focus is on a case study of Clementine Academy, a large and highly diverse English secondary school. Specific situated, professional, material and external factors at the school were significant in shaping Clementine's response to…

Translation, cultural adaptation, and content validity index of the Juvenile Love Scale to the Brazilian context

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Lorrayne Stephane Soares

Full Text Available Abstract Background Passionate love involves physiological, emotional, and cognitive features that greatly changes behavior. This phenomenon seems universal or near universal. Even other animal species choose partners. An intense state of passionate love is associated with activity in dopamine pathways of the brain ‘reward system’, and recently has been regarded as a ‘natural addiction’. Instruments or tools to evaluate romantic love during childhood is still scarce. Objective To perform the translation and cultural adaptation of the Juvenile Love Scale (JLS for use in the Brazilian context targeted for adolescents between 14 and 18 years old. Methods The translation and cultural adaptation of JLS followed international recommendations, and its content validity was analyzed by a panel of experts in different areas of knowledge. Results The final version of the JLS for use in the Brazilian context showed high content validity (> 90%. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first scale for measuring romantic or passionate love in adolescents adapted to the Brazilian context. This instrument is a significant contribution to the study of the dimensions of love, as well as to understand the impact of love on the psychiatric phenomena that pervade life in this stage of development.
Avoiding the conflict: Metacognitive awareness drives the selection of low-demand contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Desender, Kobe; Buc Calderon, Cristian; Van Opstal, Filip; Van den Bussche, Eva

2017-07-01

Previous research attempted to explain how humans strategically adapt behavior in order to achieve successful task performance. Recently, it has been suggested that 1 potential strategy is to avoid tasks that are too demanding. Here, we report 3 experiments that investigate the empirically neglected role of metacognitive awareness in this process. In these experiments, participants could freely choose between performing a task in either a high-demand or a low-demand context. Using subliminal priming, we ensured that participants were not aware of the visual stimuli creating these different demand contexts. Our results showed that participants who noticed a difference in task difficulty (i.e., metacognitive aware participants) developed a clear preference for the low-demand context. In contrast, participants who experienced no difference in task difficulty (i.e., metacognitive unaware participants) based their choices on variables unrelated to cognitive demand (e.g., the color or location associated with a context), and did not develop a preference for the low-demand context. Crucially, this pattern was found despite identical task performance in both metacognitive awareness groups. A multiple regression approach confirmed that metacognitive awareness was the main factor driving the preference for low-demand contexts. These results argue for an important role of metacognitive awareness in the strategic avoidance of demanding tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
Landscape experiences as a cultural ecosystem service in a Nordic context:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindhjem, Henrik; Reinvang, Rasmus; Zandersen, Marianne

2015-01-01

Cultural ecosystem services in the form of experiences derived from landscapes are potentially important, but often overlooked. Given the large and unprecedented landscape changes many of the Nordic countries are undergoing, there is a need to find ways of including people’s preferences and the v......Cultural ecosystem services in the form of experiences derived from landscapes are potentially important, but often overlooked. Given the large and unprecedented landscape changes many of the Nordic countries are undergoing, there is a need to find ways of including people’s preferences...... and decision-making contexts in the Nordics. The literature demonstrates potentially high unaccounted welfare loss from landscape change. We find clear weaknesses in current practices, that a second phase will try to address. The project was carried out by Vista Analysis in Oslo and Department of Environmental...
Culture and Context in Mental Health Diagnosing: Scrutinizing the DSM-5 Revision.

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Bredström, Anna

2017-12-28

This article examines the revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and its claim of incorporating a "greater cultural sensitivity." The analysis reveals that the manual conveys mixed messages as it explicitly addresses the critique of being ethnocentric and having a static notion of culture yet continues in a similar fashion when culture is applied in diagnostic criteria. The analysis also relates to current trends in psychiatric nosology that emphasize neurobiology and decontextualize distress and points to how the DSM-5 risks serving as an ethnic dividing line in psychiatry by making sociocultural context relevant only for some patients.
Xpert MTB/RIF testing in a low tuberculosis incidence, high-resource setting: limitations in accuracy and clinical impact.

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Sohn, Hojoon; Aero, Abebech D; Menzies, Dick; Behr, Marcel; Schwartzman, Kevin; Alvarez, Gonzalo G; Dan, Andrei; McIntosh, Fiona; Pai, Madhukar; Denkinger, Claudia M

2014-04-01

Xpert MTB/RIF, the first automated molecular test for tuberculosis, is transforming the diagnostic landscape in low-income countries. However, little information is available on its performance in low-incidence, high-resource countries. We evaluated the accuracy of Xpert in a university hospital tuberculosis clinic in Montreal, Canada, for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis on induced sputum samples, using mycobacterial cultures as the reference standard. We also assessed the potential reduction in time to diagnosis and treatment initiation. We enrolled 502 consecutive patients who presented for evaluation of possible active tuberculosis (most with abnormal chest radiographs, only 18% symptomatic). Twenty-five subjects were identified to have active tuberculosis by culture. Xpert had a sensitivity of 46% (95% confidence interval [CI], 26%-67%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI, 99%-100%) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sensitivity was 86% (95% CI, 42%-100%) in the 7 subjects with smear-positive results, and 28% (95% CI, 10%-56%) in the remaining subjects with smear-negative, culture-positive results; in this latter group, positive Xpert results were obtained a median 12 days before culture results. Subjects with positive cultures but negative Xpert results had minimal disease: 11 of 13 had no symptoms on presentation, and mean time to positive liquid culture results was 28 days (95% CI, 25-47 days) compared with 14 days (95% CI, 8-21 days) in Xpert/culture-positive cases. Our findings suggest limited potential impact of Xpert testing in high-resource, low-incidence ambulatory settings due to lower sensitivity in the context of less extensive disease, and limited potential to expedite diagnosis beyond what is achieved with the existing, well-performing diagnostic algorithm.
Discourses of Anti-corruption in Mexico. Culture of Corruption or Corruption of Culture?

OpenAIRE

Coronado, Gabriela

2008-01-01

In the context of global capitalism the so-called developing countries are considered ‘commodities’ in offer in the global economy as emerging markets or for foreign investment. Countries need to show they are potentially highly competitive with low risk. The value of country characteristics is set by globalised managerial discourses, based on postcolonial ideologies that rate cultures and societies in terms of linear notions of progress and civilisation. Cultures and behaviours are judged po...
Information disclosure in clinical informed consent: "reasonable" patient's perception of norm in high-context communication culture.

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Hammami, Muhammad M; Al-Jawarneh, Yussuf; Hammami, Muhammad B; Al Qadire, Mohammad

2014-01-10

The current doctrine of informed consent for clinical care has been developed in cultures characterized by low-context communication and monitoring-style coping. There are scarce empirical data on patients' norm perception of information disclosure in other cultures. We surveyed 470 adults who were planning to undergo or had recently undergone a written informed consent-requiring procedure in a tertiary healthcare hospital in Saudi Arabia. Perceptions of norm and current practice were explored using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly agree with disclosure) and 30 information items in 7 domains: practitioners' details, benefits, risks, complications' management, available alternatives, procedure's description, and post-procedure's issues. Respondents' mean (SD) age was 38.4 (12.5); 50.2% were males, 57.2% had ≥ college education, and 37.9% had undergone a procedure. According to norm perception, strongly agree/agree responses ranged from 98.0% (major benefits) to 50.5% (assistant/trainee's name). Overall, items related to benefits and post-procedure's issues were ranked better (more agreeable) than items related to risks and available alternatives. Ranking scores were better in post-procedure respondents for 4 (13.3%) items (p s name) to 13.9% (lead practitioner's training place), ranking scores were worse for all items compared to norm perception (p norm, 2) the focus of the desired information is closer to benefits and post-procedure's issues than risks and available alternatives, 3) male, post-procedure, and older patients are in favor of more information disclosure, 4) male, older, and more educated patients may be particularly dissatisfied with current information disclosure. The focus and extent of information disclosure for clinical informed consent may need to be adjusted if a "reasonable" patient's standard is to be met.
Studying the Landscape of Families and Children's Emotional Engagement in Science across Cultural Contexts

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Fleer, Marilyn; Adams, Megan; Gunstone, Richard; Hao, Yijun

2016-01-01

It has been reported that in cross-cultural contexts, Western science content is often not used in everyday practice, and the learning of science is often viewed as difficult and having no social meaning (e.g., Aikenhead & Michell, 2011). It is suggested that the cultural relevance of everyday family practices and Western constructions of…
Good faith in the context of restitution of cultural property

OpenAIRE

Midorović Sloboda D.

2016-01-01

The paper examines international and supranational rules on good faith in the context of restitution of cultural property. Deviations from the general rules on good faith with regard to the good faith acquisition and adverse possession have been indicated. Instead of insuring acquisition of ownership in conjunction with other preconditions, good faith only entitles an acquirer of the stolen or illegally exported cultural object to a fair compensation. The good faith presumption was abandoned ...
Genotoxic Effects of Low- and High-LET Radiation on Human Epithelial Cells Grown in 2-D Versus 3-D Culture

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Patel, Z. S.; Cucinotta, F. A.; Huff, J. L.

2011-01-01

Risk estimation for radiation-induced cancer relies heavily on human epidemiology data obtained from terrestrial irradiation incidents from sources such as medical and occupational exposures as well as from the atomic bomb survivors. No such data exists for exposures to the types and doses of high-LET radiation that will be encountered during space travel; therefore, risk assessment for space radiation requires the use of data derived from cell culture and animal models. The use of experimental models that most accurately replicate the response of human tissues is critical for precision in risk projections. This work compares the genotoxic effects of radiation on normal human epithelial cells grown in standard 2-D monolayer culture compared to 3-D organotypic co-culture conditions. These 3-D organotypic models mimic the morphological features, differentiation markers, and growth characteristics of fully-differentiated normal human tissue and are reproducible using defined components. Cultures were irradiated with 2 Gy low-LET gamma rays or varying doses of high-LET particle radiation and genotoxic damage was measured using a modified cytokinesis block micronucleus assay. Our results revealed a 2-fold increase in residual damage in 2 Gy gamma irradiated cells grown under organotypic culture conditions compared to monolayer culture. Irradiation with high-LET particle radiation gave similar results, while background levels of damage were comparable under both scenarios. These observations may be related to the phenomenon of "multicellular resistance" where cancer cells grown as 3-D spheroids or in vivo exhibit an increased resistance to killing by chemotherapeutic agents compared to the same cells grown in 2-D culture. A variety of factors are likely involved in mediating this process, including increased cell-cell communication, microenvironment influences, and changes in cell cycle kinetics that may promote survival of damaged cells in 3-D culture that would
Contributions of acculturation, enculturation, discrimination, and personality traits to social anxiety among Chinese immigrants: A context-specific assessment.

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Fang, Ke; Friedlander, Myrna; Pieterse, Alex L

2016-01-01

Based on the diathesis-stress model of anxiety, this study examined the contributions of cultural processes, perceived racial discrimination, and personality traits to social anxiety among Chinese immigrants. Further guided by the theory of intergroup anxiety, this study also adopted a context-specific approach to distinguish between participants' experience of social anxiety when interacting with European Americans versus with other Chinese in the United States. This quantitative and ex post facto study used a convenience sample of 140 first-generation Chinese immigrants. Participants were recruited through e-mails from different university and community groups across the United States. The sample includes 55 men and 82 women (3 did not specify) with an average age of 36 years old. Results showed that more social anxiety was reported in the European American context than in the Chinese ethnic context. The full models accounted for almost half the variance in anxiety in each context. Although personality accounted for the most variance, the cultural variables and discrimination contributed 14% of the unique variance in the European American context. Notably, low acculturation, high neuroticism, and low extraversion were unique contributors to social anxiety with European Americans, whereas in the Chinese ethnic context only low extraversion was a unique contributor; more discrimination was uniquely significant in both contexts. The findings suggest a need to contextualize the research and clinical assessment of social anxiety, and have implications for culturally sensitive counseling with immigrants. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
Culture and context of HIV prevention in rural Zimbabwe: the influence of gender inequality.

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Duffy, Lynne

2005-01-01

After many years of HIV prevention in Zimbabwe, AIDS morbidity and mortality rates continue to rise. This study explores factors facilitating or hindering rural Ndau women's participation in HIV prevention that might influence health promotion programming. Ethnographic methods were used with a sample of 38 females and 10 males. Women's existence is revealed as difficult and oppressive. Their socialization to become workers and mothers occurs within a context of limited voice, subservience, violence, and economic powerlessness, all barriers to HIV prevention. Through analysis of sociocultural and economic factors, it is suggested that cultural beliefs and practices, along with national and international forces, support and sustain gender inequality. For a change in the AIDS crisis, prevention strategies need to be multifaceted, consider people's culture and context, and include gender analysis. It is imperative that nurses working with diverse populations be sensitive to culture while challenging unjust and oppressive systems.
Cultural Communication Characteristics and Student Connectedness in an Online Environment: Perceptions and Preferences of Online Graduate Students

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Green, Tim; Hoffmann, Malia; Donovan, Loretta; Phuntsog, Nawang

2017-01-01

This multi-year exploratory research examined the perceptions of connectedness of students enrolled in an online cohort-based Master's program in educational technology. The research specifically examined the level of connectedness the graduate students from low-context and high-context cultures felt towards their peers, the professors, and the…
Feeding Frequency Affects Cultured Rat Pituitary Cells in Low Gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Hymer, W. C.; Grindeland, R. E.; Salada, T.; Cenci, R.; Krishnan, K.; Mukai, C.; Nagaoka, S.

1996-01-01

In this report, we describe the results of a rat pituitary cell culture experiment done on STS-65 in which the effect of cell feeding on the release of the six anterior pituitary hormones was studied. We found complex microgravity related interactions between the frequency of cell feeding and the quantity and quality (i.e. biological activity) of some of the six hormones released in flight. Analyses of growth hormone (GH) released from cells into culture media on different mission days using gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography yielded qualitatively similar results between ground and flight samples. Lack of cell feeding resulted in extensive cell clumping in flight (but not ground) cultures. Vigorous fibroblast growth occurred in both ground and flight cultures fed 4 times. These results are interpreted within the context of autocrine and or paracrine feedback interactions. Finally the payload specialist successfully prepared a fresh trypsin solution in microgravity, detached the cells from their surface and reinserted them back into the culture chamber. These cells reattached and continued to release hormone in microgravity. In summary, this experiment shows that pituitary cells are microgravity sensitive and that coupled operations routinely associated with laboratory cel1 culture can also be accomplished in low gravity.
Forming insights: assessment of the occupational therapy practice in a cultural context from experience with indigenous people

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Maria Daniela Corrêa de Macedo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article is the result of a reflection process on the issue of occupational therapy and culture through analysis of practical experiences of a extension project. It aimed to increase knowledge and reflections of occupational therapy and its technical actions in cultural contexts from the perspective of ethnicity issues. It is a documental and qualitative research was aiming to report the experience of students and an occupational therapist, obtained through their written reports between 2012 and 2014. Data were analyzed using the categorizations proposed by Bardin. The categories of analysis found are related to technical activities in occupational therapy, namely: cultural and ethnic action. The results showed that, in the experiences with the Guarani community, there are already significant and consolidated actions of occupational therapy in cultural contexts. The technical actions already performed confirm the relevance of the occupational therapist role in the cultural context and in the ethnicity context. These practices are, in turn, relevant for the production of knowledge, the theoretical and methodological scope and professional training in social and cultural contexts of occupational therapy. It is emphasized that technical procedures coherent with the ethnicity issues in a joint relationship, articulated by cultural mediation, can strengthen human doings and identity claims.
Culture and aesthetic preference: comparing the attention to context of East Asians and Americans.

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Masuda, Takahiko; Gonzalez, Richard; Kwan, Letty; Nisbett, Richard E

2008-09-01

Prior research indicates that East Asians are more sensitive to contextual information than Westerners. This article explored aesthetics to examine whether cultural variations were observable in art and photography. Study 1 analyzed traditional artistic styles using archival data in representative museums. Study 2 investigated how contemporary East Asians and Westerners draw landscape pictures and take portrait photographs. Study 3 further investigated aesthetic preferences for portrait photographs. The results suggest that (a) traditional East Asian art has predominantly context-inclusive styles, whereas Western art has predominantly object-focused styles, and (b) contemporary members of East Asian and Western cultures maintain these culturally shaped aesthetic orientations. The findings can be explained by the relation among attention, cultural resources, and aesthetic preference.
Objects and identities : Dowry and material culture in Venetian Crete in regional and European context (1600-1645)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Markaki, T.

2018-01-01

This comparative study explores the socioeconomic and cultural meanings of the dowry movables in Venetian Crete and attempts to place the island in the broader context of European material culture studies; especially of those which are based on probate inventory research. Through qualitative and
Going global: the functions of autobiographical memory in cultural context.

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Alea, Nicole; Wang, Qi

2015-01-01

This special issue of Memory brings together research from around the globe, from Japanese, Chinese and East Indian cultures, to American and European societies, to the Caribbean, to Turkey and to Australia and New Zealand, which examines how and why people, from childhood to old age, remember the personal past in daily life. This journey highlights the important role of the cultural context in shaping the functional usages of autobiographical memory. We illuminate six major contributions of cross-cultural research to a broader and deeper understanding of the functions of autobiographical memory, and call attention to the filed that memory research must "go global."
Physical and sexual violence against children in Kenya within a cultural context.

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Bridgewater, Grace

2016-02-01

The issue of physical and sexual abuse of children in Kenya is recognised as a highly prevalent and significant problem, occurring within a framework of social values that contribute to the exploitation of women and children. In order to understand the risk and protective factors for children who experience physical and sexual abuse, the cultural context must be taken into consideration. This paper will argue that patriarchy and traditional values underlie the norms and behaviours of parents and communities interacting with children. These values can be protective, eg the value placed on family structure; however, the traditional value-system justifies harsh physical punishment as a means of disciplining children. While systems exist to prevent abuse, these often disenfranchise the poor, who are then left to seek traditional means of support (eg out-of-court agreements and settlements). A culture of silence also prevents many children from reporting abuse. The paper argues that efforts must be made to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of child maltreatment in Kenya so that targeted services can be developed to reduce it, taking into consideration and overcoming negative cultural factors through the implementation of educational programmes and anti-oppressive practice. It is hoped that this paper will enable community practitioners and health visitors in the UK to provide better support to Kenyan children who are at risk of experiencing physical and sexual violence.
Evaluating the role of low-speed centrifugation towards transfecting human peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture.

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Majumdar, M; Ratho, R; Chawla, Y; Singh, M P

2014-01-01

The conventional method of transfection of suspension cells by chemical has proven to be very difficult. We present a new transfection protocol, wherein, low-speed centrifugation of cell culture plates immediately after adding the lipid: DNA complex significantly enhances the transfection efficiency. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were transfected with BLOCK-iT™ Fluorescent Oligo (scrambled siRNA) and lipofectamine complex using conventional and low-speed centrifugation modified transfection protocols. The efficiency of transfection was determined using flowcytometer and cell viability was checked using MTT assay. Incorporation of low-speed centrifugation significantly enhances the transfection efficiency of BLOCK-iT™ in the suspension culture of PBMCs as compared to conventional transfection method (99.8% vs 28.3%; P Centrifugation enhanced transfection (CET) technique is simple, time-saving and novel application without compromising the cell viability in the context of recently popular RNA interference in suspension cultures of PBMCs. This undemanding modification might be applicable to a wide variety of cell lines and solve crucial problem of researchers working with RNA interference in suspension cultures.

Access to HIV/AIDS care: a systematic review of socio-cultural determinants in low and high income countries.

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Gari, Sara; Doig-Acuña, Camilo; Smail, Tino; Malungo, Jacob R S; Martin-Hilber, Adriane; Merten, Sonja

2013-05-28

The role of socio-cultural factors in influencing access to HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support is increasingly recognized by researchers, international donors and policy makers. Although many of them have been identified through qualitative studies, the evidence gathered by quantitative studies has not been systematically analysed. To fill this knowledge gap, we did a systematic review of quantitative studies comparing surveys done in high and low income countries to assess the extent to which socio-cultural determinants of access, identified through qualitative studies, have been addressed in epidemiological survey studies. Ten electronic databases were searched (Cinahl, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, IBSS, JSTOR, MedLine, Psyinfo, Psyindex and Cochrane). Two independent reviewers selected eligible publications based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was used to synthesize data comparing studies between low and high income countries. Thirty-four studies were included in the final review, 21 (62%) done in high income countries and 13 (38%) in low income countries. In low income settings, epidemiological research on access to HIV/AIDS services focused on socio-economic and health system factors while in high income countries the focus was on medical and psychosocial factors. These differences depict the perceived different barriers in the two regions. Common factors between the two regions were also found to affect HIV testing, including stigma, high risk sexual behaviours such as multiple sexual partners and not using condoms, and alcohol abuse. On the other hand, having experienced previous illness or other health conditions and good family communication was associated with adherence to ART uptake. Due to insufficient consistent data, a meta-analysis was only possible on adherence to treatment. This review offers evidence of the current challenges for interdisciplinary work in epidemiology and public health. Quantitative studies did not
Evaluating the role of low-speed centrifugation towards transfecting human peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Majumdar

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The conventional method of transfection of suspension cells by chemical has proven to be very difficult. We present a new transfection protocol, wherein, low-speed centrifugation of cell culture plates immediately after adding the lipid: DNA complex significantly enhances the transfection efficiency. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs were transfected with BLOCK-iT™ Fluorescent Oligo (scrambled siRNA and lipofectamine complex using conventional and low-speed centrifugation modified transfection protocols. The efficiency of transfection was determined using flowcytometer and cell viability was checked using MTT assay. Incorporation of low-speed centrifugation significantly enhances the transfection efficiency of BLOCK-iT™ in the suspension culture of PBMCs as compared to conventional transfection method (99.8% vs 28.3%; P < 0.0001, even at a low concentration of 40 picomoles without affecting the cell viability. Centrifugation enhanced transfection (CET technique is simple, time-saving and novel application without compromising the cell viability in the context of recently popular RNA interference in suspension cultures of PBMCs. This undemanding modification might be applicable to a wide variety of cell lines and solve crucial problem of researchers working with RNA interference in suspension cultures.
Social Learning Theory and Behavioral Therapy: Considering Human Behaviors within the Social and Cultural Context of Individuals and Families.

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McCullough Chavis, Annie

2011-01-01

This article examines theoretical thoughts of social learning theory and behavioral therapy and their influences on human behavior within a social and cultural context. The article utilizes two case illustrations with applications for consumers. It points out the abundance of research studies concerning the effectiveness of social learning theory, and the paucity of research studies regarding effectiveness and evidence-based practices with diverse groups. Providing a social and cultural context in working with diverse groups with reference to social learning theory adds to the literature for more cultural considerations in adapting the theory to women, African Americans, and diverse groups.
The psychology of voice and performance capabilities in masculine and feminine cultures and contexts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van den Bos, K.; Brockner, J.; Stein, J.H.; Steiner, D.D.; van Yperen, N.W.; Dekker, D.

2010-01-01

In this article, we examine the hypothesis that in masculine cultures or in other contexts that emphasize competitive achievement, those with higher performance capabilities will feel empowered to have input in decisions and, hence, will desire opportunities to voice their opinions about decisions
Identity development in cultural context: The role of deviating from master narratives.

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McLean, Kate C; Lilgendahl, Jennifer P; Fordham, Chelsea; Alpert, Elizabeth; Marsden, Emma; Szymanowski, Kathryn; McAdams, Dan P

2017-08-18

The great majority of research on identity and personality development has focused on individual processes of development, to the relative neglect of the cultural context of development. We employ a recently articulated framework for the examination of identity development in context, centered on the construct of master narratives, or culturally shared stories. Across four studies, we asked emerging and midlife adults (N = 512) to narrate personal experiences of deviations from these master narratives. Across three quantitative studies, we show that (a) those who elaborated their deviation experiences were more likely to be in structurally marginalized positions in society (e.g., ethnic or sexual minorities); (b) those who elaborated an empowering alternative to the master narrative were more likely to be engaged in identity processes; and (c) master narratives maintain their rigidity by the frequency of their use. In study 4, using qualitative analyses, we illustrate the rigidity of master narratives, as well as the degree to which they take shape in social and group experiences. These studies emphasize the importance of cultural context in considering personality and identity development. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High resolution estimates of the corrosion risk for cultural heritage in Italy.

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De Marco, Alessandra; Screpanti, Augusto; Mircea, Mihaela; Piersanti, Antonio; Proietti, Chiara; Fornasier, M Francesca

2017-07-01

Air pollution plays a pivotal role in the deterioration of many materials used in buildings and cultural monuments causing an inestimable damage. This study aims to estimate the impacts of air pollution (SO 2 , HNO 3 , O 3 , PM 10 ) and meteorological conditions (temperature, precipitation, relative humidity) on limestone, copper and bronze based on high resolution air quality data-base produced with AMS-MINNI modelling system over the Italian territory over the time period 2003-2010. A comparison between high resolution data (AMS-MINNI grid, 4 × 4 km) and low resolution data (EMEP grid, 50 × 50 km) has been performed. Our results pointed out that the corrosion levels for limestone, copper and bronze are decreased in Italy from 2003 to 2010 in relation to decrease of pollutant concentrations. However, some problem related to air pollution persists especially in Northern and Southern Italy. In particular, PM 10 and HNO 3 are considered the main responsible for limestone corrosion. Moreover, the high resolution data (AMS-MINNI) allowed the identification of risk areas that are not visible with the low resolution data (EMEP modelling system) in all considered years and, especially, in the limestone case. Consequently, high resolution air quality simulations are suitable to provide concrete benefits in providing information for national effective policy against corrosion risk for cultural heritage, also in the context of climate changes that are affecting strongly Mediterranean basin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Culture, innovation and periphery: a theoretical sketch and some evidence from different portuguese contexts

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Eduardo Brito Henriques

1997-11-01

Full Text Available The present paper tries to look at the culture-innovation nexus in periphery. Starting with a theoretical discussion on this issue, in which the role of culture in current capitalism is analysed, we raise the question whether the increasing imporance of culture in the present economic context has been creating new opportunities for peripheral regions to innovate, namely by the valorization of tradition.The paper will highlight the results of four case studies from the handicraft pottery sector. These achievements will then be confronted with an exemple of cultural political promotion in an urban area - Lisbon'94, European Cultural Capital, in order to unravel the political logic of cultural and innovation in the periphery. The final section provides a brief conclusion, placing emphasis on the ambivalences which characterise peripherical modernisation processes and their cultural dimension. We argue that the ability of periphery to sustain development strategies based on the valorization of tradition depends primarily upon a successful management of these ambivalences.
Conversing across cultures: East-West communication styles in work and nonwork contexts.

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Sanchez-Burks, Jeffrey; Lee, Fiona; Choi, Incheol; Nisbett, Richard; Zhao, Shuming; Koo, Jasook

2003-08-01

Four experiments provided evidence that East-West differences in attention to indirect meaning are more pronounced in work settings compared with nonwork settings as suggested by prior research on Protestant relational ideology. Study 1 compared errors in interpreting indirect messages in work and nonwork contexts across three cultures. Studies 2 and 3 examined differences in self-reported indirectness with coworkers versus nonwork acquaintances across three cultures controlling for variation in individualism--collectivism. Study 4 examined self-reported indirectness in bicultural managers and experimentally manipulated the salience of Western versus Eastern culture. The results showed that Americans, but not East Asians, were less attentive to indirect cues in work than nonwork settings and that East-West differences in indirectness were greater in work than nonwork settings.
Reading Difference: Picture Book Retellings as Contexts for Exploring Personal Meanings of Race and Culture

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Lysaker, Judith; Sedberry, Tiffany

2015-01-01

In racially and culturally homogeneous school settings, opportunities for children to interact with those who are unlike themselves are not always available. Picture book retellings provide contexts within which students are exposed to racial and cultural differences by allowing them to engage in vicarious events with people they might not…
Low versus high volume of culture medium during embryo transfer: a randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigalos, George Α; Michalopoulos, Yannis; Kastoras, Athanasios G; Triantafyllidou, Olga; Vlahos, Nikos F

2018-04-01

The aim of this prospective randomized control trial was to evaluate if the use of two different volumes (20-25 vs 40-45 μl) of media used for embryo transfer affects the clinical outcomes in fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. In total, 236 patients were randomized in two groups, i.e., "low volume" group (n = 118) transferring the embryos with 20-25 μl of medium and "high volume" group (n = 118) transferring the embryos with 40-45 μl of medium. The clinical pregnancy, implantation, and ongoing pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups. No statistically significant differences were observed in clinical pregnancy (46.8 vs 54.3%, p = 0.27), implantation (23.7 vs 27.8%, p = 0.30), and ongoing pregnancy (33.3 vs 40.0%, p = 0.31) rates between low and high volume group, respectively. Higher volume of culture medium to load the embryo into the catheter during embryo transfer does not influence the clinical outcome in fresh IVF cycles. NCT03350646.
Psycho-Socio-Cultural Determinants of Food Choice: A Qualitative Study on Adults in Social and Cultural Context of Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Haghighian Roudsari, Arezoo; Vedadhir, Abouali; Amiri, Parisa; Kalantari, Naser; Omidvar, Nasrin; Eini-Zinab, Hassan; Hani Sadati, Seyed Mohammad

2017-10-01

Objective: Food choice is a process through which people think, feel, and eat food. It does not only influence individuals' health and well-being, families and communities, but also it has an effect on regional, national, and global levels. This qualitative study was conducted to explore perceptions and lived experiences of Tehran adult residents on psychological, social and cultural determinants of food choice. Method: In this qualitative design, we recruited 33 adults aged 30 to 64 years from various districts of Tehran, capital of Iran, and we explored how people make decisions about food choice in practice and shape their perception, attitude, and eating practices. An individual in-depth semi-structured interview guide included major questions with follow-up probes was used to explore participants' current and past eating habits from childhood to adulthood, dietary change at different life courses, and effective psychological state on food selection in different seasons. Results: This study revealed that food choice in the studied adults (30-64 years old) was widely influenced by psychological, social, and cultural determinants, which can be categorized into 5 main themes: cultural context and patterns; social Structure and norms; information resources and media; household and family structure; and nutrition transition. Conclusion: The findings clarified the importance of social and cultural contexts, which influence the food choice of adults in a metropolis like Tehran. Many of these concepts are contextualized from childhood. These findings could serve as guideline to design socio-culturally appropriate strategies and improve dietary behaviors of Iranians.
Social and Cultural Contexts of Chinese Learners: Teaching Strategies for American Educators

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Thakkar, Darshan

2011-01-01

This article seeks to evaluate the social and cultural context of education among Chinese learners in order to identify ways through which American educators can best serve such students. It is intended that such efforts will create multiple pathways to knowledge for Chinese learners by accommodating their varying learning needs. Several common…
MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IN THE CONTEXT OF RISK CULTURE

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Iwona Gorzeń-Mitka

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In recent years (especially in the context of the financial sector we can find many debates (public and academic which emphasise the need to change mindsets in management (Gorzeń-Mitka, 2012. This discussion is a result of the dynamically changing external and internal conditions of the functioning of organizations. At the same time, we observe great progress over the past decade in developing effective tools and techniques for managing (also risk and complexity within organizations. But management is carried out by people. Their awareness of threats and opportunities determines the effectiveness of the whole management process within the organization. One of the themes of this discussion is to indicate the need for changes in the area of organizational culture by creating the so-called risk culture.
Vocabulary of Emotions Test (VET: A Cross-cultural Validation in Portuguese and Croatian Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Costa

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the adaptation and cross-cultural validation of the Vocabulary of Emotions Test (VET in the Portuguese and Croatian contexts, an Emotional Intelligence ability measure with 35 items, which assesses individual's ability to understand emotion. Based on Mayer and Salovey's (1997 theoretical framework of emotional intelligence, VET was originally developed in Croatian academic settings by Takšić, Harambašić and Velemir (2003. This study involved 1119 secondary school students, 682 Portuguese and 437 Croatian, attending different grades and courses. Overall, in both Croatian (original version and Portuguese (adapted version contexts, VET evidenced good psychometric properties particularly concerning sensibility, difficulty item analysis and reliability, although slightly better indicators were found in the Croatian original version. Moreover, cultural and gender differences were found, benefiting Portuguese students and girls.
When in Rome: the role of culture & context in adherence to robot recommendations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, L.; Rau, P.-L.P.; Evers, V.; Robinson, B.K.; Hinds, P.

2010-01-01

In this study, we sought to clarify the effects of users' cultural background and cultural context on human-robot team collaboration by investigating attitudes toward and the extent to which people changed their decisions based on the recommendations of a robot collaborator. We report the results of
Struggling for clarity : cultural context, gender and a concept of depression in general practice

OpenAIRE

Lehti, Arja

2009-01-01

Many depressed patients attend primary health care, and minority-group patients often see general practitioners for depressive symptoms. The diagnosis and classification criteria of depression and guidelines for management are based on symptoms. However,expressions of depression can vary with culture and gender but the diagnostic tools and guidelines are not adapted to gendered or cultural context and have shown to be poorly applicable in clinical practice. The purpose of this thesis was to a...
Interpersonal Movement Synchrony Responds to High- and Low-Level Conversational Constraints

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Alexandra Paxton

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Much work on communication and joint action conceptualizes interaction as a dynamical system. Under this view, dynamic properties of interaction should be shaped by the context in which the interaction is taking place. Here we explore interpersonal movement coordination or synchrony—the degree to which individuals move in similar ways over time—as one such context-sensitive property. Studies of coordination have typically investigated how these dynamics are influenced by either high-level constraints (i.e., slow-changing factors or low-level constraints (i.e., fast-changing factors like movement. Focusing on nonverbal communication behaviors during naturalistic conversation, we analyzed how interacting participants' head movement dynamics were shaped simultaneously by high-level constraints (i.e., conversation type; friendly conversations vs. arguments and low-level constraints (i.e., perceptual stimuli; non-informative visual stimuli vs. informative visual stimuli. We found that high- and low-level constraints interacted non-additively to affect interpersonal movement dynamics, highlighting the context sensitivity of interaction and supporting the view of joint action as a complex adaptive system.
The Theory of Social Control and the Social Psychology of Dissatisfaction: Inhibition, regression and isolation in a cultural context

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Orsolya Selymes, PhD Candidate

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The Theory of Social Control (TSC is grounded in satisfaction and happiness research. The study investigated the reasons behind relatively low levels of civil and personal satisfaction, subjective social well-being and experienced happiness in the post-communist Hungarian social context. The basic social process uncovered in the research is self-situating, which involves a continuous assessment of social control, which occurs on three psychological dimensions: activity, fairness and connectedness, operated via social flow. The culturally salient outcome of self-situating in Hungary is self-victimizing, meaning a subjective loss of control on all three dimensions. Some of the most important emotional-motivational consequences of self-victimizing are inhibition, regression and isolation, which contribute to various socio-cultural phenomenon such as distrust, bystander strategies, pessimism or anomie across a number of social situations. Based on the emerging theory, the concept of subjective social control is introduced and an expanded three-dimensional model of civil satisfaction, comfort and contribution, along with psychological and cultural implications, are discussed.Key words: social control, self-situating, self-victimizing, activity, fairness, connectedness, inhibition, fury, isolation
Talking heads : interviewing suspects from a cultural perspective

OpenAIRE

Beune, K.

2009-01-01

Although the literature on the interviewing of suspects has increased over the past decade, research on the use and effectiveness of police strategies and their boundary conditions is very rare. The present dissertation aims to fill this void by identifying behaviors that appeal to and persuade suspects to talk (i.e., influencing behavior), focusing on the effects of such behaviors and their dependency on cultural context (low-context vs. high-context). In doing so, we depart from a theoretic...
The culture of peace in the context of university education in Venezuela.

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Elizabeth Coromoto Sánchez

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This investigation addresses the management of the culture of peace in the educational environment, specifically from the context of university education. The aim is to present the treatment of this subject, from different theoretical and the realization of a culture of peace in science teaching, from the educational space, valuing the inclinations from the optics, of holism, interdisciplinary, integration of education, contemporary critical approach on violence and conflict, and analysis of adaptation to the concrete realities to the cultural, social and geographical.

Assessing Citizenship Behavior in Educational Contexts: The Role of Personality, Motivation, and Culture

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Chen, Sylvia Xiaohua; Carey, Timothy Patrick

2009-01-01

The present study developed a measure to assess citizenship behavior in educational settings and examined its antecedents and consequences in the cultural context. The results of this study provided discriminant validity for the newly extracted two-factor structure, that is, self-regulation and other-orientation. The authors identified both…
An Assessment of Culturally Appropriate Design: A Malaysian University Context

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Shamsul Arrieya Ariffin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The growing popularity of mobile devices, together with the constant technological improvement of mobile websites and applications informed about the quality of the user interface design. However, the particularities of mobile devices require special attention in terms of their usability aspects, such as culture. Therefore, this study evaluated the use of culturally appropriate design guidelines for a mobile learning web site. The research methodology used comprised a survey from heuristic evaluation questionnaires with undergraduate students. This research captured the students’ experiences in using the MLearn website of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia. From the study, the lowest ranking is realistic error management at 3.5, and the highest is suitable content for local culture at 4.6. This study affirmed that general usability and cultural principles in design are important for a usable mobile learning website system in a local university context.
Cultural context, obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, and cognitions: a preliminary study of three Turkish samples living in different countries.

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Yorulmaz, Orçun; Işık, Bilgen

2011-04-01

Previous research findings have suggested that recent cognitive accounts of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are valid across different cultural contexts for both clinical and nonclinical samples; however, there is evidence that cultural differences may have an impact on a number of cognitive variables. For this reason, immigration provides an exceptional opportunity for an examination of the role of cultural context in cognitions and possible changes in cultural characteristics. To this end, the present study examined the interrelationships between thought-action fusion, thought control strategies and OCD symptoms in three nonclinical samples, taking the immigration factor into consideration. Thus, the current study included three Turkish sample groups: those who remigrated to Turkey from Bulgaria, those still living in Bulgaria, and those that have always resided in Turkey. The findings of the study supported the role of thought and action fusion and control strategies in OCD symptoms in a cross-cultural context. To illustrate, worry, as a thought control strategy for OCD symptoms, was a common factor in all three sample groups. However, differences were also noted between the groups, despite having the same ethnic origin. Although they immigrated back to Turkey and have been living there for a considerable period of time, the Turkish remigrants retained similar characteristics to the respondents in Bulgaria on cognitions in general. Consequently, it may be suggested that cultural context might have a relative impact on certain correlates. A replication of these findings using different immigration groups and examining various cultural factors is strongly encouraged.
Problematisation reconfiguration contexts of social control in the cultural landscape of today

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O. I. Zubarieva

2016-08-01

First, social control is considered outside of the connotation with the processes of socialization, since the latter loses its significance as a mechanism of reproduction of an actor’s social norms, values, behavior patterns, roles, attitudes, customs, cultural tradition, collective assumptions and beliefs, and the like. «Norm» as reference marker conceptualization of social control in classical sociology in the context of contemporary sociological theorizing do not appear, because the situation of postmodernism blurs the binary contradiction of the norm-pathology. However, social control as a sociological object of reflection in the context of the relevant cultural code finds theoretical understanding through the prism of analysis of the characteristics of the visual turning, virtual reality, chaos, consumption and other markers of the postmodern society.
Homologous Tautology in High-Context and Low-Context Communication : Different Values in Two Cultures

OpenAIRE

Kanemoto, Madoka; 兼本, 円

1987-01-01

本稿では、「ＸはＸ」（ホモロガス・トートロジー）の発話の持つ異文化間に於ける価値の相違について検討してみた。ホモロガス・トートロジーは、高文脈の日本文化では、低文脈の米国での低い評価とは逆に、美的であり､説得力に豊むコミュニケーションの手段として高く評価されていることが分った。さらに、今後の研究の必要性を説いた。
High resolution estimates of the corrosion risk for cultural heritage in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Marco, Alessandra; Screpanti, Augusto; Mircea, Mihaela; Piersanti, Antonio; Proietti, Chiara; Fornasier, M. Francesca

2017-01-01

Air pollution plays a pivotal role in the deterioration of many materials used in buildings and cultural monuments causing an inestimable damage. This study aims to estimate the impacts of air pollution (SO 2 , HNO 3 , O 3 , PM 10 ) and meteorological conditions (temperature, precipitation, relative humidity) on limestone, copper and bronze based on high resolution air quality data-base produced with AMS-MINNI modelling system over the Italian territory over the time period 2003–2010. A comparison between high resolution data (AMS-MINNI grid, 4 × 4 km) and low resolution data (EMEP grid, 50 × 50 km) has been performed. Our results pointed out that the corrosion levels for limestone, copper and bronze are decreased in Italy from 2003 to 2010 in relation to decrease of pollutant concentrations. However, some problem related to air pollution persists especially in Northern and Southern Italy. In particular, PM 10 and HNO 3 are considered the main responsible for limestone corrosion. Moreover, the high resolution data (AMS-MINNI) allowed the identification of risk areas that are not visible with the low resolution data (EMEP modelling system) in all considered years and, especially, in the limestone case. Consequently, high resolution air quality simulations are suitable to provide concrete benefits in providing information for national effective policy against corrosion risk for cultural heritage, also in the context of climate changes that are affecting strongly Mediterranean basin. - Highlights: • Air pollution plays a pivotal role in the deterioration of cultural materials. • Limestone, copper and bronze corrosion levels decreased in Italy from 2003 to 2010. • PM 10 is considered the main responsible for limestone corrosion in Northern Italy. • HNO3 is considered the main responsible for limestone corrosion in all analyzed years. • High-resolution data are particularly useful to define area at risk for corrosion. - Importance of the high
Uptake of [3H]vitamin D3 from low and high density lipoproteins by cultured human fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shireman, R.B.; Williams, D.; Remsen, J.F.

1986-01-01

The plasma distribution and cellular uptake of [ 3 H]vitamin D 3 was studied in vitro using cultured human fibroblasts. Incubation of [ 3 H]vitamin D 3 (cholecalciferol) with plasma followed by sequential ultracentrifugal fractionation of the lipoproteins indicated that 2-4% of the radioactivity associated with the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), 12% with low density lipoprotein (LDL), and approximately 60% with the high density lipoprotein (HDL). The remaining radioactivity, 25%, was associated with the sedimented plasma fractions. By comparison, an average of 86% of the radioactivity from [ 3 H] 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol associated with the sedimented plasma fractions. The uptake of [ 3 H]vitamin D 3 from plasma, LDL, or HDL was studied in cultured human cells; uptake by normal fibroblasts was greatest from LDL and least from plasma. The cellular association of vitamin D 3 was time, concentration, and temperature dependent. At a concentration of 50 μg LDL/ml of medium, the uptake of [ 3 H]vitamin D 3 from LDL at 37 0 C was rapid and reached a maximum at approximately 4 hr; it was slower from HDL but continued to increase slowly up to 24 hr. The significance of these in vitro findings is uncertain since much of the vitamin D 3 absorbed from the intestine reportedly associates with chylomicrons and is rapidly taken up by the liver
The role of culture in the context of school-based BMI screening.

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Fitzgibbon, Marian L; Beech, Bettina M

2009-09-01

The high prevalence of overweight and obesity is a significant public health concern in the United States. Minority populations are disproportionately affected, and the impact of obesity on minority children is especially alarming. In this article we discuss school-based BMI reporting, which is intended to increase parental awareness of their children's weight status. This information could potentially lead parents of overweight and obese children to carefully examine and possibly change their children's diet and activity patterns. However, any program related to child weight status must consider culturally defined aspects of body size and shape. In other words, the cultural context in which information on child BMI is presented to and received by parents must be considered. In this article we review parental perceptions of child weight. Multiple studies have shown that parents of overweight or obese children often fail to correctly perceive their children as overweight. Possible reasons for, and implications of, this misperception of child weight status among minority parents are then explored within a cultural framework. The PEN-3 model is used to examine influences on health behaviors and could help inform the development of a culturally sensitive BMI-notification program for minority parents. Reporting materials congruent with the social and cultural values and practices of the target audience are likely to maximize program effectiveness. A culturally based BMI-notification program should be conceptualized as a small step in a comprehensive plan to reduce childhood obesity and improve the current and future health of minority children.
Socio-cultural context of eating disorders in Poland.

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Pilecki, Maciej Wojciech; Sałapa, Kinga; Józefik, Barbara

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between sociocultural factors and clinical eating disorders during the intensive process of Westernisation in Poland that occurred after 1989. The study population included girls diagnosed with an eating disorder according to DSM-IV criteria (n = 47 anorexia nervosa restrictive type [ANR], n = 16 anorexia binge/purge type [ANBP], n = 34 bulimia nervosa [BN], n = 19 eating disorder not otherwise specified [EDNOS]) who received consultation for the first time between 2002 and 2004 in the Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital, Kraków, Poland. The study included an age-matched normal control group [NOR] of 85 schoolgirls from Kraków. Relationships between two given qualitative features were investigated using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Correspondence analysis was applied to graphically explore the relationship. The Kruskal-Wallis test with the Bonferroni was performed to compare quantitative results across groups. Objective sociodemographic variables and responses to the 62-item Questionnaire of Socio-cultural Context were measured. The mothers of ANBP and BN patients were less professionally active than mothers of ANR patients and NOR subjects. Subjective socio-cultural factors were more relevant for the BN group than the ANR group. Questionnaire responses in the ANBP group were more similar to those in the BN group than to those in the ANR group. The most unambiguous and specific characteristic of the ANR group was a sense of belonging to the middle class. Variables that differentiated the BN group from the NOR group included the importance attached to thinness treated as an expression of power and control over one's self, as well as a multifaceted negative evaluation of one's own family, including a negative assessment of the position of women and parental lack of concern for appearance and principles of nutrition. All patients, regardless
The economic financial culture in the Ecuadorian context: some ideas for its formation

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Carlos Manuel Varela-Patiño

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The challenges that today the Ecuadorian society faces, demand the elevation of the quality in the formation of highly qualified professionals in the area of Economy and entrepreneurship, which may contribute in the finding of solutions as signals of changes and thus become the nucleus in the transformations that the country needs. This article has as main goal to reveal some ideas about the cultural financial formation of the technologist in Higher Education, which is supported in the curricular content of Financial Economy and in the determination of the formative intention in the entrepreneur context, from the perspective of the unity between school- enterprises. During this research some theoretical and empirical methods were used, which allowed to verify the insufficiencies within the process of formation of the financial economic culture in the technicians – to-be.
The influence of socio-cultural background and product value in usability testing.

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Sonderegger, Andreas; Sauer, Juergen

2013-05-01

This article examines the influence of socio-cultural background and product value on different outcomes of usability tests. A study was conducted in two different socio-cultural regions, Switzerland and East Germany, which differed in a number of aspects (e.g. economic power, price sensitivity and culture). Product value (high vs. low) was varied by manipulating the price of the product. Sixty-four test participants were asked to carry out five typical user tasks in the context of coffee machine usage, measuring performance, perceived usability, and emotion. The results showed that in Switzerland, high-value products were rated higher in usability than low-value products whereas in East Germany, high-value products were evaluated lower in usability. A similar interaction effect of socio-cultural background and product value was observed for user emotion. Implications are that the outcomes of usability tests do not allow for a simple transfer across cultures and that the mediating influence of perceived product value needs to be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.
Information disclosure in clinical informed consent: “reasonable” patient’s perception of norm in high-context communication culture

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The current doctrine of informed consent for clinical care has been developed in cultures characterized by low-context communication and monitoring-style coping. There are scarce empirical data on patients’ norm perception of information disclosure in other cultures. Methods We surveyed 470 adults who were planning to undergo or had recently undergone a written informed consent-requiring procedure in a tertiary healthcare hospital in Saudi Arabia. Perceptions of norm and current practice were explored using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly agree with disclosure) and 30 information items in 7 domains: practitioners’ details, benefits, risks, complications’ management, available alternatives, procedure’s description, and post-procedure’s issues. Results Respondents’ mean (SD) age was 38.4 (12.5); 50.2% were males, 57.2% had ≥ college education, and 37.9% had undergone a procedure. According to norm perception, strongly agree/agree responses ranged from 98.0% (major benefits) to 50.5% (assistant/trainee’s name). Overall, items related to benefits and post-procedure’s issues were ranked better (more agreeable) than items related to risks and available alternatives. Ranking scores were better in post-procedure respondents for 4 (13.3%) items (p disclosure of procedure’s name) to 13.9% (lead practitioner’s training place), ranking scores were worse for all items compared to norm perception (p risks and available alternatives, 3) male, post-procedure, and older patients are in favor of more information disclosure, 4) male, older, and more educated patients may be particularly dissatisfied with current information disclosure. The focus and extent of information disclosure for clinical informed consent may need to be adjusted if a “reasonable” patient’s standard is to be met. PMID:24406055
Context-specific control and context selection in conflict tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Schouppe, Nathalie; Ridderinkhof, K Richard; Verguts, Tom; Notebaert, Wim

2014-02-01

This study investigated whether participants prefer contexts with relatively little cognitive conflict and whether this preference is related to context-specific control. A conflict selection task was administered in which participants had to choose between two categories that contained different levels of conflict. One category was associated with 80% congruent Stroop trials and 20% incongruent Stroop trials, while the other category was associated with only 20% congruent Stroop trials and 80% incongruent Stroop trials. As predicted, participants selected the low-conflict category more frequently, indicating that participants avoid contexts with high-conflict likelihood. Furthermore, we predicted a correlation between this preference for the low-conflict category and the control implementation associated with the categories (i.e., context-specific proportion congruency effect, CSPC effect). Results however did not show such a correlation, thereby failing to support a relationship between context control and context selection. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Validation of the Hospitality Culture Scale in the context of hotel industry

OpenAIRE

Fernandes, A.; Alturas, B.; Laureano, R.

2018-01-01

This study aims to validate the final factors for the Organizational Culture of the Hospitality Culture Scale which consists of the following four dimensions: management principles, customer relationships, job variety, and job satisfaction in the context of hotel industry organizations both in Brazil and Portugal. To this end, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed, where two hundred and fifty-nine hotel industry professionals were rated. The presented results support a structure ...
Curriculum-Based Language Assessment With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students in the Context of Mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Newkirk-Turner, Brandi L; Johnson, Valerie E

2018-04-05

The purpose of this tutorial is to discuss the use of curriculum-based language assessment (CBLA) with students who are English language learners and students who speak nonmainstream varieties of English, such as African American English. The article begins with a discussion of the discourse of mathematics and the role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP), followed by a review of studies that includes those that examined the performance of English language learner and nonmainstream dialect-speaking students on word-based math items. The literature review highlights the linguistic and content biases associated with word-based math problems. Useful strategies that SLPs and educators can incorporate in culturally and linguistically appropriate assessments are discussed. The tutorial ends with a discussion of CBLA as a viable assessment approach to use with culturally and linguistically diverse students. Tests used at national, state, and school levels to assess students' math abilities have associated linguistic bias and content bias often leading to an inaccurate depiction of culturally and linguistically diverse students' math skills. CBLA as an assessment method can be used by school-based SLPs to gather valid and useful information about culturally and linguistically diverse students' language for learning math. By using CBLA, SLPs can help modify curricular tasks in broader contexts in an effort to make math, including high-level math, "accessible and achievable for all" students (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2017).
Parental grief and memento mori photography: narrative, meaning, culture, and context.

Science.gov (United States)

Blood, Cybele; Cacciatore, Joanne

2014-01-01

Postmortem photography is a widespread practice in perinatal bereavement care, yet few studies have explored how it affects bereaved parents, or how it might be received by parents of older children. This study is an examination of the meaning, utility, and social context of postmortem photography in a sample of 181 bereaved parents. Data were subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Photographs were positively regarded by most parents after perinatal death and several parents of older children. Other parents rejected postmortem photography for aesthetic, personal, or cultural reasons. Brief recommendations are offered for healthcare providers.
Satellite-aided survey sampling and implementation in low- and middle-income contexts: a low-cost/low-tech alternative.

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Haenssgen, Marco J

2015-01-01

The increasing availability of online maps, satellite imagery, and digital technology can ease common constraints of survey sampling in low- and middle-income countries. However, existing approaches require specialised software and user skills, professional GPS equipment, and/or commercial data sources; they tend to neglect spatial sampling considerations when using satellite maps; and they continue to face implementation challenges analogous to conventional survey implementation methods. This paper presents an alternative way of utilising satellite maps and digital aides that aims to address these challenges. The case studies of two rural household surveys in Rajasthan (India) and Gansu (China) compare conventional survey sampling and implementation techniques with the use of online map services such as Google, Bing, and HERE maps. Modern yet basic digital technology can be integrated into the processes of preparing, implementing, and monitoring a rural household survey. Satellite-aided systematic random sampling enhanced the spatial representativeness of the village samples and entailed savings of approximately £4000 compared to conventional household listing, while reducing the duration of the main survey by at least 25 %. This low-cost/low-tech satellite-aided survey sampling approach can be useful for student researchers and resource-constrained research projects operating in low- and middle-income contexts with high survey implementation costs. While achieving transparent and efficient survey implementation at low costs, researchers aiming to adopt a similar process should be aware of the locational, technical, and logistical requirements as well as the methodological challenges of this strategy.
Is Male Androphilia a Context-Dependent Cross-Cultural Universal?

Science.gov (United States)

Hames, Raymond; Garfield, Zachary; Garfield, Melissa

2017-01-01

The cross-cultural ethnographic literature has traditionally used the label male "homosexuality" to describe sexual relationships between biological males without considering whether or not the concept encompasses primary sexual attraction to adult males. Although male androphilia seems to be found in all national populations, its universal existence in tribal populations has been questioned. Our goal is to review previous cross-cultural classifications and surveys of male same sex behavior to present a system that does justice to its varied expressions, especially as it is informed by contemporary sexuality research. Previous comparative research does not effectively distinguish male same sex behavior from male androphilia. Using the standard cross-cultural sample (SCCS) as a sampling frame and the ethnographic sources in the human relations area files and elsewhere, we present distributional data on various forms of male same sex behavior. The SCCS is useful because it is designed to be representative of all historically known social formations and the sample is designed to reduce similarities as a consequence of common descent or historical origin as well as reduce the probability of diffusion of sociocultural practices from one culture to another. Our results show that male same sex behavior as well as male androphilia is much more common than previously estimated in the SCCS. With our findings, we make an argument that male androphilia is a context-dependent cross-cultural universal.
The Comparison of Politeness Strategies in Chinese Culture and in Eng-lish Speaking Context

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

李庆龄

2015-01-01

In contemporary society, as the development of globalization a growing tendency of how to communication effective⁃ly between different culture and languages has becoming a matter of fact. Even though a great number of communication strate⁃gies used to reduce the culture shock, obstacles in cultural exchanges still remains due to the culture differences. Politeness theory, as an important communication strategy, is still the most important and influential theory for cross-cultural communication. While there still has a few controversial arguments being conducted. It results in the issue of this article:Is there different compar⁃ing Chinese culture with English Speaking Culture in Terms of Politeness Strategies? In this paper, I will present a general review of classic politeness theories including Brown&Levinson, Leech’s research in English speaking culture and Gu and Xu’s findings in Chinese culture. Among their theories some specific politeness strategies such as face-saving strategy, politeness principle and its maxims will be used to give an image of the difference between Chinese culture and English speaking culture in terms of po⁃liteness strategies. In the definition of‘politeness’, two characteristics are worth mentioning:universality as well as culture-specif⁃ic. Therefore the article concludes by the arguing that, in spite of a few similarities, there are differences between in Chinese cul⁃ture and in English speaking context in politeness.
Written Cultural Heritage in the Context of Adopted Legal Regulations

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Eva Kodrič-Dačić

2013-09-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTPurpose: Libraries collect written cultural heritage which is not only the most valuable part of their collections but also a part of library materials which is, due to digitalization projects in the last decade, becoming more and more interesting to librarians and library users. The main goal of the study is a theoretical research of library materials acknowledged as Slovenian heritage. By defining the basic terms it highlights the attributes which are immanent to library materials, derived from the context of their origin or later destiny. Slovenian library legislation concerning protection of written cultural heritage is also critically analysed.Methodology/approach: Comparative analyses of European and Slovenian legislation concerning librarianship and written cultural heritage. Research limitation: Research was mainly limited to professional literature and resources dealing with written cultural heritage. Originality/practical implications: Results of the research serve as formal criteria for definition of library materials as written heritage and suggest how to improve legislation in the field of protection of written heritage in libraries.

The relationship between characteristics of context and research utilization in a pediatric setting.

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Cummings, Greta G; Hutchinson, Alison M; Scott, Shannon D; Norton, Peter G; Estabrooks, Carole A

2010-06-16

Research utilization investigators have called for more focused examination of the influence of context on research utilization behaviors. Yet, up until recently, lack of instrumentation to identify and quantify aspects of organizational context that are integral to research use has significantly hampered these efforts. The Alberta Context Tool (ACT) was developed to assess the relationships between organizational factors and research utilization by a variety of healthcare professional groups. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a pilot study using the ACT to elicit pediatric and neonatal healthcare professionals' perceptions of the organizational context in which they work and their use of research to inform practice. Specifically, we report on the relationship between dimensions of context, founded on the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework, and self-reported research use behavior. A cross-sectional survey approach was employed using a version of the ACT, modified specifically for pediatric settings. The survey was administered to nurses working in three pediatric units in Alberta, Canada. Scores for three dimensions of context (culture, leadership and evaluation) were used to categorize respondent data into one of four context groups (high, moderately high, moderately low and low). We then examined the relationships between nurses' self-reported research use and their perceived context. A 69% response rate was achieved. Statistically significant differences in nurses' perceptions of culture, leadership and evaluation, and self-reported conceptual research use were found across the three units. Differences in instrumental research use across the three groups of nurses by unit were not significant. Higher self-reported instrumental and conceptual research use by all nurses in the sample was associated with more positive perceptions of their context. Overall, the results of this study lend support to
The relationship between characteristics of context and research utilization in a pediatric setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cummings Greta G

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research utilization investigators have called for more focused examination of the influence of context on research utilization behaviors. Yet, up until recently, lack of instrumentation to identify and quantify aspects of organizational context that are integral to research use has significantly hampered these efforts. The Alberta Context Tool (ACT was developed to assess the relationships between organizational factors and research utilization by a variety of healthcare professional groups. The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a pilot study using the ACT to elicit pediatric and neonatal healthcare professionals' perceptions of the organizational context in which they work and their use of research to inform practice. Specifically, we report on the relationship between dimensions of context, founded on the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS framework, and self-reported research use behavior. Methods A cross-sectional survey approach was employed using a version of the ACT, modified specifically for pediatric settings. The survey was administered to nurses working in three pediatric units in Alberta, Canada. Scores for three dimensions of context (culture, leadership and evaluation were used to categorize respondent data into one of four context groups (high, moderately high, moderately low and low. We then examined the relationships between nurses' self-reported research use and their perceived context. Results A 69% response rate was achieved. Statistically significant differences in nurses' perceptions of culture, leadership and evaluation, and self-reported conceptual research use were found across the three units. Differences in instrumental research use across the three groups of nurses by unit were not significant. Higher self-reported instrumental and conceptual research use by all nurses in the sample was associated with more positive perceptions of their context
Transformation of conceptual basis of political science under cultural and historical context

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O. S. Tokovenko

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The paper is submitted to a scientific discussion the possibility of considering the idea of political science, based on the criteria of intellectual integrity and disciplinary unity. In this context, generally accepted among professionals and political scientists idea that political science as a scientific discipline occurs in the early twentieth century and its conceptual framework is still in a state of development, and a long preceding period should be characterized as a period of political thought is being challenged. The main idea that is being proved is recognition the existence of such scientific discipline as political science requires recognition of the existence of specific inherent ideals of science, cognitive standards, rules, procedures, explanations, etc. They allow political thinkers from the ancient world as well as modern researchers to combine it into a single, unique, different from others in their methodological principles and heuristic potential Science. It is convinced that the existence of intellectual integrity and disciplinary unity in Political Science is possible due to the existence of the ideals of scholarship, which are closely related to the cultural and historical context in which Political Science is being developed. The possibility of applying such disciplinary and integrated approach is considered as an example of the impact that was made by changes of the Great French Revolution and its consequences on transformation of the conceptual framework of Political Science. It is concluded that the consideration of the peculiarities of political thought development in the social and cultural contexts related to the events of the Great French Revolution and its consequences argues that political science is responsive to changing the social context, makes changes in categorical apparatus, introduces the new field of scientific inquiry, actualized subject field. These actions are due to the specific disciplinary unity
Getting it right: Culturally safe approaches to health partnership work in low to middle income countries.

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Taylor, Alison

2017-05-01

Many health professionals become engaged in international health and education work in low to middle income countries, often as part of health partnerships. This type of work, increasingly popular in an age of global health, can present a number of challenges. Many of these involve cultural factors which are often acknowledged in the literature on overseas health work but rarely explored in depth. This paper aims to illustrate the key cultural considerations to be made by those currently engaged in or considering overseas health and education work in a low to middle income country. A comprehensive literature review methodology was used to examine data through the lens of Cultural Safety Theory and as a result provide guidance for professionals working with international colleagues. Recommendations for practice are based on the importance of gaining an understanding of the host country's history and social context and of professionals examining their own individual worldviews. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
National Contexts Influencing Principals' Time Use and Allocation: Economic Development, Societal Culture, and Educational System

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Lee, Moosung; Hallinger, Philip

2012-01-01

This study examines the impact of macro-context factors on the behavior of school principals. More specifically, the article illuminates how a nation's level of economic development, societal culture, and educational system influence the amount of time principals devote to their job role and shape their allocation of time to instructional…
Success for All: Eroding the Culture of Power in the One-to-One Teaching and Learning Context

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Rakena, Te Oti; Airini,; Brown, Deidre

2016-01-01

This study applied a cultural lens to the "expert-novice dyad" (Kennell, 2002, p. 243) and explored the learning experiences of indigenous minorities studying in this context. The purpose of this study was to gather narratives that reflected the nature of teaching practices in the one-to-one studio context. The resulting data presented…
THE QUALITY OF CULTURAL SERVICES IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS CONTEXT

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Aurica DVORACIC

2015-11-01

Full Text Available It suffices to browse the websites of only a few of the most noteworthy Romanian cultural organizations – including the website of the Ministry of Culture – to conclude that quality policies are missing. In fact, these are not the only policies that are missing, but this topic should be discussed in another paper. The objective of this paper is to analyze the progresses and the opportunities, as well as the problems and the challenges that the Romanian society and economy are facing as far as culture is concerned at the beginning of the new millennium, in the particular context of the global economic crisis: specifically, we will focus on the role of cultural organization managers in implementing quality management as the main factor in assuring the competitiveness needed to overcome the crisis. Cultural organization managers generally admit that a change is needed in order to cope with competitive pressure, but few understand how this change should be implemented. To avoid the issues associated with “change programs”, the management of cultural organizations must focus on the structure of processes, recognizing the roles and responsibilities of their employees in the processes in which they are involved.
Developing a cultural context for conducting a neuropsychological evaluation with a culturally diverse client: the ECLECTIC framework.

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Fujii, Daryl E M

2018-02-20

With the increasing diversification of the American population, the discipline of neuropsychology is challenged to develop appropriate tools and conceptual models to meet its evolving client base. Thus far, the focus has been on developing appropriate tests and norms to obtain accurate testing data. By contrast, far less attention has been paid to the contextual impact of culture on an evaluation. This paper attempts to address this shortcoming. This manuscript introduces the ECLECTIC framework for conceptualizing different facets of culture pertinent for understanding a culturally diverse client when conducting a neuropsychological evaluation. Individual components of the framework (E: education and literacy; C: culture and acculturation; L: language; E: economics; C: communication; T: testing situation: comfort and motivation; I: intelligence conceptualization; and C: context of immigration) are introduced and potential biases to fairness in testing are described. In this manner, the framework specifies how individual facets of culture can impact neuropsychological test performance. Clinical implementation of the framework will be illustrated with a case sample. Strengths and weaknesses of the framework are discussed as well as recommendations for implementation.
Quelle(s culture(s et littérature(s enseigner en cours de français en contextes scolaires espagnols?

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Esmeralda González Izquierdo

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Ce travail s’inscrit dans le domaine de la didactique des langues-cultures. Résultat d’une recherche-action menée pendant 6 ans dans divers contextes scolaires en Espagne, il vise à répondre aux questions suivantes : Quelle place ont la culture et la littérature dans les méthodes actuelles d’enseignement-apprentissage des langues étrangères ? Comment transmettre ces compétences en accord avec les manuels de FLE en Espagne ? Tout d’abord, nous réfléchirons sur la notion de culture et des problématiques que cela génère dans le domaine de la didactique du français dans notre pays. Ensuite, nous présenterons les caractéristiques qui rendent la littérature de l’intime une source très riche pour enseigner la culture dans toutes ses dimensions en parallèle avec la culture maternelle, à partir de l’analyse d’un corpus d’ouvrages de M. Proust, R. Queneau, G. Pérec et A. Ernaux. Enfin, nous présenterons des propositions pratiques à partir de certains textes de ce corpus faites dans plusieurs contextes éducatifs en Espagne.
Adaptation and creativity in cultural context

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Leonora M. Cohen

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Adaptation is the fit between the individual and the environment. The dynamic interplay between person, culture, and environment is one of the most important issues in analyzing creativity. Adaptation is defined as the fit or adjustment of the individual to external conditions, but adaptation can also mean moving from one environment to another more suitable, or even forcing the environment to adapt in response to creative efforts. Culture impacts creativity in limiting acceptable boundaries, yet providing the artifacts used in creating. Culture is impacted and changed by creative efforts. Tight conformity to confining environments or cultures can stifle. The creator must be aware of cultural values and not overstep these boundaries for work to be accepted. A developmental continuum of adaptive, creative behaviors suggests a shift from individual adaptation to the environment to adaptation by the world to the individual.
Management of psychosocial risks in European workplaces: drivers and barriers in a national and cultural context

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Heuvel, S. van den; Bakhuys Roozeboom, M.M.C.; Eekhout, I.; Houtman, I.L.D.

2017-01-01

Management of psychosocial risks in European workplaces; drivers and barriers in a national and cultural context. General objective of the project commissioned by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is to support policy makers in stimulating successful psychosocial risk (PSR)
Interaction patterns in crisis negotiations: persuasive arguments and cultural differences.

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Giebels, Ellen; Taylor, Paul J

2009-01-01

This research examines cultural differences in negotiators' responses to persuasive arguments in crisis (hostage) negotiations over time. Using a new method of examining cue-response patterns, the authors examined 25 crisis negotiations in which police negotiators interacted with perpetrators from low-context (LC) or high-context (HC) cultures. Compared with HC perpetrators, LC perpetrators were found to use more persuasive arguments, to reciprocate persuasive arguments in the second half of negotiations, and to respond to persuasive arguments in a compromising way. Further analyses found that LC perpetrators were more likely to communicate threats, especially in the first half of the negotiations, but that HC perpetrators were more likely to reciprocate them. The implications of these findings for our understanding of intercultural interaction are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).
Socio-cultural context, child development and beginning reading in Peru

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Cecilia Thorne

2005-06-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on the fact that many children in Peru are not able to read fluently when they finish elementary school. To analyze this shortcoming it presents an overview of the Peruvian context, the education system, the multilingual and the socio-cultural background and identifies the difficult conditions in which Peruvian children grow and its consequences in child development and beginning reading. The paper discusses different aspectsof developmental psychology and puts the accent on Bronfenbrenner's theory and the developmental approach to education. It offers, also, a review of several studies on reading in Peru. Finally it emphasizes the advantages of incorporating the ecological theory and the developmental approach to education
Garth Boomer Address 2017: Low SES Contexts and English

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Sawyer, Wayne

2017-01-01

In this essay, I focus on the role of teacher-research in developing intellectual engagement in the context of low SES school communities and English. When the OECD after each round of PISA results declares that 'the socioeconomic background of students and schools does appear to have a powerful influence on performance', the understatedness of…
The 15-M movement in its cultural context

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Luis Moreno-Caballud

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This essay is an exploration of the wide cultural context of the “indignados” or 15-M movement in the Spanish state. It starts by proposing that 15-M is one of the symptoms of a widespread erosion of the hegemonic “Culture of the transition”, which established a series of tacit agreements around the necessity of a vertical and expert society, based in the political parties system and financial capitalism. This erosion has been fostered by the emergence of the new digital technologies of communication, which have allowed the propagation of horizontal and empowering practices of cooperation. Instead of reproducing a public sphere traditionally ruled by the opinions of individual “experts”, people are using Internet for the creation of “knowledge communities” in which no one knows everything, but everyone shares what they know. Through this sharing cultures sometimes emerge projects in which communities are able of managing their resources in a sustainable way, by creating “commons”. 15-M showed its special sensibility towards forms of quotidian cooperation and common creation by trying to collectively manage the sustainability of common life in squares and camps. The movement should actually be understood, like the rest of the international “squares” movements that emerged in 2011, as a way of resisting the attempts of neoliberal elites at privatizing common wealth on a global scale.
Links between Adolescents' Relationships with Peers, Parents, and Their Values in Three Cultural Contexts

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Tamm, Anni; Kasearu, Kairi; Tulviste, Tiia; Trommsdorff, Gisela

2018-01-01

The study examined associations among adolescents' perceived mother-child and father-child relationship quality (intimacy, conflict, and admiration), perceived peer acceptance, and their values (individualism and collectivism) in a sample of 795 Estonian, German, and Russian 15-year-olds. Adolescents from the three cultural contexts differed in…
Education of children in Polish family in a context of forming health culture

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T.S. IERMAKOVA

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose - analysis of the approaches of family education in a Polish family in the direction of forming a culture of children's health. Material: The analysis of the publications of post-communist countries and Poland scientists. Used the results of a questionnaire on health culture. Results: It was found that healthsaving aspect of family education in Polish family plays a significant role in forming health culture. Highlighted in national traditions of family upbringing of a healthy child. It is noted that social support, as a result of active participation in the religious life, helps to better cope with the challenges of everyday life, reduces anxiety and excessive sadness, increases the feeling of well-being. There is a possibility in the Ukrainian family and the school to ensure the spiritual education of children, the right of parents to ensure the education and upbringing of their children in conformity with their own philosophical convictions. Considered necessary to strengthen the role of the family and school education of students in the context of building a culture of health. The main factors of a healthy lifestyle today's young people are: quality of food, measures to prevent stress, problems of environmental protection, sports, leisure. Conclusions: It is recommended to involve parents in various activities of the societies and volunteers of various organizations. Considered necessary to strengthen the role of the family and school education of students in the context of building a culture of health.
Addressing Cultural Contexts in the Management of Stress via Narrative and Mobile Technology.

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Lee, Matthew D; Kang, Xiao; Hanrahan, Nancy

2014-01-01

In developing applications for stress management and mental health, developers have largely ignored cultural context in design, opting instead to produce apps for a general audience. However, apps designed without a specific population in mind actually have limited reach. Generally stress trackers and socalled "therapists in your pocket", tend to be lost among a jungle of other generic apps that appeal only to the quantified self population and those already predisposed to help-seeking behavior. To reach a broader audience, designing for a specific population may have appeal. The AppHappy Project's Journey to the West is a mobile app being developed by a multidisciplinary group of students at the University of Pennsylvania. The objective is to promote better stress management and mental health among Asian international college students and facilitate their social integration with the general student population. With a prevalence of depression twice that of domestic college students, a reluctance to engage in help-seeking behavior due to stigma, and the challenge of cultural integration, creating interventions for this population requires a different approach to app-mediated therapy. Journey to the West packages bite-sized pieces of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques within the framework of a role-playing game. Every element of its design-from its characters to its art style, from its narrative to its mechanics to its approach to community features-is rooted in a culturally appropriate context. An avatar serves as a surrogate of self while experiencing externalized stressors. Each quest blends therapeutic elements into gameplay with the goal of building resilience towards stressful events.
Teaching about Refugees: Developing Culturally Responsive Educators in Contexts of Politicised Transnationalism

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Gagné, Antoinette; Schmidt, Clea; Markus, Paula

2017-01-01

This article addresses issues of teaching about refugees in initial teacher education and professional development for practicing teachers. We respond to the who, what, where, when, why and how of teaching about refugees and developing culturally responsive pedagogy in contexts of politicised transnationalism, where the wider politics around…
Children's Self-Regulation and School Achievement in Cultural Contexts: The Role of Maternal Restrictive Control

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Weis, Mirjam; Trommsdorff, Gisela; Muñoz, Lorena

2016-01-01

Self-regulation can be developed through parent-child interactions and has been related to developmental outcomes, e.g., such as educational achievement. This study examined cross-cultural differences and similarities in maternal restrictive control, self-regulation (i.e., behavior and emotion regulation) and school achievement and relations among these variables in Germany and Chile. Seventy-six German and 167 Chilean fourth graders, their mothers, and their teachers participated. Mothers and teachers rated children's behavior regulation with a subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Children reported their use of emotion regulation strategies on the Questionnaire for the Measurement of Stress and Coping. Mothers rated maternal restrictive control by answering the Parenting Practice Questionnaire. School achievement was assessed by grades for language and mathematics. Results showed higher behavior regulation of German children in comparison to Chilean children and a higher preference of restrictive parental control in Chilean mothers than in German mothers. Regression analyses revealed positive relations between children's behavior regulation and school achievement in Germany and in Chile. Further, in both cultural contexts, maternal restrictive control was related negatively to behavior regulation and positively to anger-oriented emotion regulation. In sum, the study showed the central function of behavior regulation for school achievement underlining negative relations of maternal restrictive control with children's self-regulation and school achievement in diverse cultural contexts. Culturally adapted interventions related to parenting practices to promote children's behavior regulation may assist in also promoting children's school achievement. PMID:27303318

Musical Education in the cultural industry context: fundaments to the pedagogue formation

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Monique Andries Nogueira

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The present article was based on the reflexions which came from the research in development about the possibilities of musical education in the context of the cultural industry, considering mainly a point of view which valorizes its ability to promote emancipation, using as reference the Adorno ́s idea of cultural formation. This investigation is focused in the relation between the teacher and the musical education, which has been officially declared mandatory through a Brazilian law and which has allowed the development of many different pedagogical proposals; most of them based on products worldwide spread by the cultural industry. This study presents, firstly, a brief scenario of the usual context at Rio de Janeiro ́s public schools, where this investigation takes place. It is also presented the requests to answer the needs of that brazilian law, considering the number of music teachers and the role of the pedagogues. Aiming to observe the real conditions of this pedagogue ́s formation/participation, this study presents the spaces destined to music subjects inside the Pegagogy Graduation Courses in the main four public universities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. In conclusion, it points some elements which can promote the development of a musical education proposal emancipating.
Cognition and Culture in Evolutionary Context.

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Colmenares, Fernando; Hernández-Lloreda, María Victoria

2017-01-09

In humans and other animals, the individuals' ability to adapt efficiently and effectively to the niches they have actively contributed to construct relies heavily on an evolved psychology which has been shaped by biological, social, and cultural processes over evolutionary time. As expected, although many of the behavioral and cognitive components of this evolved psychology are widely shared across species, many others are species-unique. Although many animal species are known to acquire group-specific traditions (or cultures) via social learning, human culture is unique in terms of its contents and characteristics (observable and unobservable products, cumulative effects, norm conformity, and norm enforcement) and of its cognitive underpinnings (imitation, instructed teaching, and language). Here we provide a brief overview of some of the issues that are currently tackled in the field. We also highlight some of the strengths of a biological, comparative, non-anthropocentric and evolutionarily grounded approach to the study of culture. The main contributions of this approach to the science of culture are its emphasis (a) on the integration of information on mechanisms, function, and evolution, and on mechanistic factors located at different levels of the biological hierarchy, and (b) on the search for general principles that account for commonalities and differences between species, both in the cultural products and in the processes of innovation, dissemination, and accumulation involved that operate during developmental and evolutionary timespans.
High-Affinity Low-Capacity and Low-Affinity High-Capacity N-Acetyl-2-Aminofluorene (AAF) Macromolecular Binding Sites Are Revealed During the Growth Cycle of Adult Rat Hepatocytes in Primary Culture.

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Koch, Katherine S; Moran, Tom; Shier, W Thomas; Leffert, Hyam L

2018-05-01

Long-term cultures of primary adult rat hepatocytes were used to study the effects of N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) on hepatocyte proliferation during the growth cycle; on the initiation of hepatocyte DNA synthesis in quiescent cultures; and, on hepatocyte DNA replication following the initiation of DNA synthesis. Scatchard analyses were used to identify the pharmacologic properties of radiolabeled AAF metabolite binding to hepatocyte macromolecules. Two classes of growth cycle-dependent AAF metabolite binding sites-a high-affinity low-capacity site (designated Site I) and a low-affinity high-capacity site (designated Site II)-associated with two spatially distinct classes of macromolecular targets, were revealed. Based upon radiolabeled AAF metabolite binding to purified hepatocyte genomic DNA or to DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids from isolated nuclei, Site IDAY 4 targets (KD[APPARENT] ≈ 2-4×10-6 M and BMAX[APPARENT] ≈ 6 pmol/106 cells/24 h) were consistent with genomic DNA; and with AAF metabolized by a nuclear cytochrome P450. Based upon radiolabeled AAF binding to total cellular lysates, Site IIDAY 4 targets (KD[APPARENT] ≈ 1.5×10-3 M and BMAX[APPARENT] ≈ 350 pmol/106 cells/24 h) were consistent with cytoplasmic proteins; and with AAF metabolized by cytoplasmic cytochrome P450s. DNA synthesis was not inhibited by concentrations of AAF that saturated DNA binding in the neighborhood of the Site I KD. Instead, hepatocyte DNA synthesis inhibition required higher concentrations of AAF approaching the Site II KD. These observations raise the possibility that carcinogenic DNA adducts derived from AAF metabolites form below concentrations of AAF that inhibit replicative and repair DNA synthesis.
Correlates and outcomes associated with aggression and victimization among elementary-school children in a low-income urban context

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Pouwels, J.L.; Cillessen, A.H.N.

2013-01-01

Previous research suggests that the prevalence of aggression is high among low-income urban youth who have to cope with a number of psychological stressors. Less is known about the early development and consequences of aggression and peer victimization prior to adolescence in these contexts. This
The cultural context of development: language as a means for thinking and problem-solving

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Azwihangwisi Muthivhi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The present study, located in the socio-cultural tradition of research in developmental psychology, uses experimental tasks, adapted from the groundbreaking Lurian study (Luria, 1979, 1976 to investigate South African children’s acquisition and development of thinking and concepts – involving classification and generalisation, and how these concepts are linked to the specific cultural context of their manifestation.The paper provides new ways of understanding possible causes of contemporary problems that children encounter during classroom learning by examining the developmental roots of the specific modes of thinking and concept development in their concrete learning and developmental settings and specific tradition of learning within their schooling.
Implementing the Health Promoting University approach in culturally different contexts: a systematic review.

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Suárez-Reyes, Mónica; Van den Broucke, Stephan

2016-03-01

Universities represent a valuable opportunity to promote health and well-being. Based on the setting approach, the Health Promoting Universities concept has been developed in different countries and contexts. However, the implementation process remains poorly documented. This systematic review aims to describe how universities have implemented the Health Promoting University concept in different cultural contexts. Pubmed, Medline, Lilacs and Scielo were searched for articles on Health Promoting Universities, published between 1995 and 2015. Studies detailing the implementation of a Health Promoting University approach were included. Selected articles were content analysed paying attention to: (a) the definition of a Health Promoting University; (b) priority areas of action; (c) items of work; (d) coordination of the project; (e) evaluation; and (f) adaptation to the cultural context. Twelve studies were identified for in-depth analysis. Of those, three were theoretical papers, and nine were intervention studies. The programmes described in the selected studies are mostly based on the guidelines of the Edmonton Charter. They incorporated the main areas of action and items of works proposed by the Health Promoting University framework. The implementation of healthy policies and incorporation of health promotion in the curriculum are remaining challenges. Strategies to facilitate adaptation to context include: stakeholder participation in planning and implementation, adaptation of educational material and analysis of needs. The review suggests that most of the universities work towards similar goals, relying on the Health Promoting University framework, yet that the way in which initiatives are implemented depends on the context. © The Author(s) 2015.
The Effect of Culture Type on the Length of Persian Proverbs Compared to their English Equivalents

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Amir Mohammadian

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The interrelation of culture and language is to the extent that many classifications of culture are based on linguistic factors. In this article, high and low context cultures division is assessed on English and Persian as they belong to different cultural types. Forty Persian proverbs are contrasted with their equivalents in English to investigate whether there is a difference in the number of word forms used in each. In order to avoid linguistic differences which are effective in enumerating word forms, the second lines in linguistic glosses provided for Persian proverbs including a one to one correspondence of each word in English are used to count word forms. Results show that 70 percent of the Persian proverbs in the data are longer than their English counterparts. This shows that relative length of proverbs can be a distinguishing factor reflecting cultural types. The results not only confirm the applicability of this cultural division in the field of proverbs, but also a matter of tendency rather than a dichotomy in belonging to a high or low context culture is proposed. At the end, there are suggestions for further relevant investigations.
Suitability of Local Resource Management Practices Based on Supernatural Enforcement Mechanisms in the Local Social-cultural Context

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Masatoshi Sasaoka

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Environmental anthropological studies on natural resource management have widely demonstrated and thematized local resource management practices based on the interactions between local people and supernatural agencies and their role in maintaining natural resources. In Indonesia, even though the legal status of local people's right to the forest and forest resources is still weak, the recent transition toward decentralization presents a growing opportunity for local people to collaborate with outsiders such as governmental agencies and environmental nongovernmental organizations in natural resource management. In such situations, in-depth understanding of the value of local resource management practices is needed to promote self-directed and effective resource management. Here, we focus on local forest resource management and its suitability in the local social-cultural context in central Seram, east Indonesia. Local resource management appears to be embedded in the wider social-cultural context of the local communities. However, few intensive case studies in Indonesia have addressed the relationship between the Indigenous resource management practices closely related to a people's belief in supernatural agents and the social-cultural context. We illustrate how the well-structured use of forest resources is established and maintained through these interactions. We then investigate how local resource management practices relate to the social-cultural and natural resources context of an upland community in central Seram and discuss the possible future applications for achieving conservation.
Low technology tissue culture materials for initiation and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Low technology tissue culture materials for initiation and multiplication of banana plants. ... African Crop Science Journal ... locally available macronutrients, micronutrients, sugar, equipment and facility reduced the cost of consumable material
"I felt sad and did not enjoy life": Cultural context and the associations between anhedonia, depressed mood, and momentary emotions.

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Chentsova-Dutton, Yulia E; Choi, Eunsoo; Ryder, Andrew G; Reyes, Jenny

2015-10-01

The meanings of "anhedonia" and "depressed mood," the cardinal emotional symptoms of major depression, may be shaped by cultural norms regarding pleasure and sadness. Thirty-two European Americans, 26 Hispanic Americans, 33 Asian Americans, and 20 Russian Americans provided reports of (a) depressive symptoms, (b) momentary emotions and pleasure, and (c) global subjective well-being. Momentary reports were collected over 10 days using handheld personal digital assistants. Reports of anhedonia were associated with heightened levels of momentary low arousal negative emotions (e.g., sadness), whereas reports of depressed mood were associated with dampened levels of momentary positive emotions (e.g., happiness). Symptoms of anhedonia and depressed mood interacted in their associations with momentary pleasure. In addition, the associations of anhedonia and depressed mood with positive emotions and life satisfaction differed across cultural groups. Specifically, these symptoms were associated with dampened positive emotions in the Asian American group only. Additionally, anhedonia was associated with dampened global life satisfaction in the European American group only. These results suggest that reports of anhedonia and depressed mood cannot be interpreted at face value as specific and culture-free indicators of emotional deficits. Instead, they appear to signal changes in the balance of positive and negative emotions, with the exact nature of these signals shaped at least in part by cultural context. This conclusion has important consequences for the clinical interpretation of depressive symptoms in multicultural societies. © The Author(s) 2015.
The cultural context of nondisclosure of alcohol-involved acquaintance rape among Asian American college women: a qualitative study.

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Koo, Kelly H; Nguyen, Hong V; Andrasik, Michele P; George, William H

2015-01-01

With high college enrollment and increasing alcohol use, Asian American (AA) college women may be at particular risk for experiencing alcohol-involved acquaintance rape. Although AA women have expressed the weakest intentions to report rape when compared to other ethnic groups, cultural factors influencing these intentions remain unexamined. Guided by grounded theory, 17 self-identified AA college women were interviewed about how the average AA college woman would respond to an alcohol-involved acquaintance rape. Despite awareness of benefits of disclosing rape, participants emphasized that nondisclosure would be the normative response. Three themes emerged from participants: institutional, sociocultural, and psychological contexts of nondisclosure. At an institutional level, nondisclosure referenced mental health and police services, which included Asian stereotypes and mistrust of police. Within a sociocultural context, rape nondisclosure focused on negative consequences on relationships with parents and, to a lesser extent, on friendships. Emotional avoidance and not labeling an acquaintance rape as rape were psychological strategies for rape nondisclosure. Participant's conceptualizations of mental and physical health concerns, specifically post-rape concerns, were framed within sociocultural/macrostructural contexts and may not match that of the more individualistic U.S. mainstream conceptualizations of health. Culturally sensitive rape education may be more effective in increasing rape prevention and support.
Maternal Sensitivity and Child Secure Base Use in Early Childhood: Studies in Different Cultural Contexts

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Posada, German; Trumbell, Jill; Noblega, Magaly; Plata, Sandra; Peña, Paola; Carbonell, Olga A.; Lu, Ting

2016-01-01

This study tested whether maternal sensitivity and child security are related during early childhood and whether such an association is found in different cultural and social contexts. Mother-child dyads (N = 237) from four different countries (Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States) were observed in naturalistic settings when children were…
Telemental Health Training, Team Building, and Workforce Development in Cultural Context: The Hawaii Experience.

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Alicata, Daniel; Schroepfer, Amanda; Unten, Tim; Agoha, Ruby; Helm, Susana; Fukuda, Michael; Ulrich, Daniel; Michels, Stanton

2016-04-01

The goal of the University of Hawaii (UH) child and adolescent psychiatry telemental health (TMH) program is to train child and adolescent psychiatry fellows to provide behavioral health services for the children of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands in the cultural context of their rural communities using interactive videoteleconferencing (IVTC). The training experience balances learning objectives with community service. Learning objectives include: Understanding mental health disparities in rural communities, leveraging community resources in ongoing treatment, providing culturally effective care, and improving health care access and delivery through TMH service research and evaluation. We describe the UH experience. Several UH faculty are experienced with IVTC technology. They are triple-board trained, are recognized for their research in program evaluation and mental health disparities, and are committed to serving Hawaii's rural communities. We demonstrate the role of TMH in linking children and their families living in rural communities with multiple mental health treatment providers. The service-learning curriculum and a unique collaboration with Mayo Clinic provide the opportunity to examine the role of TMH in global service, and training, education, and research. TMH provides direct services to patients and consultation on Hawaii Island and Maui County. The collaboration with the Mayo Clinic brings further consultation in complex diagnostics, pharmacogenomics, and cross-cultural psychiatry. A curriculum provides trainees experience with IVTC with the goal of potential recruitment to underserved rural communities. The TMH program at UH is unique in its team building and workforce development by joining multiple entities through IVTC and translating expertise from the Mayo Clinic to rural communities, and strengthening collaboration with local child and adolescent psychiatrists, and primary care and other mental health providers. The UH psychiatry program is a
Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Education in the Context of the Post-Non-Classical Science

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V. A. Ignatova

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the interrelations between society, education and culture. Using the comparative analysis of classical approaches to defining the above spheres, the author comes to conclusion that the nature of socio-cultural processes can be explored and described most consistently by applying comprehensive models of the post-non-classical science and considering civilization, education and culture in the context of the unified dynamic flow of socio-cultural genesis. The research investigates the dialectics of socio-cultural processes in the light of systematic synergetic approach, the advancing role of education in socio-cultural dynamics being revealed and substantiated. The author emphasizes its inevitably rising priority due to sustained development of civilization bringing about the new environmentally-oriented meta-culture.The obtained results can be used in pedagogic research methodology, designing and modeling the educational process, its content, technology and organization.
Context and Crossmodal Interactions: An ERP Study

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Beatriz R Sarmiento

2011-10-01

Full Text Available In a previous behavioural study, we reported that a particular context of stimulus congruency influenced audiovisual interactions. In particular, audiovisual interaction, measured in terms of congruency effect, was reduced when a high proportion of incongruent trials was presented. We argued that this modulation was due to changes in participants' control set as a function of the context of congruency, with greater control applied when most of the trials were incongruent. Since behavioural data do not allow to specify the level at which control was affecting audiovisual interaction, we conducted an event-related potentials (ERPs study to further investigate each context of audiovisual congruency. Participants performed an audiovisual congruency task, where the stimulus onset could be present on two different contexts mixed at random: a high proportion congruent context and a low proportion congruent context. The context manipulation was found to modulate brain ERPs related to perceptual and response selection processes, ie, the N2 and P3 components. The N2 amplitude was larger for the less common trials on both high and low congruent proportion contexts, while the P3 amplitude and latency were differentially modulated by incongruent trials on the two contexts.
Low Fluid Shear Culture of Staphylococcus Aureus Represses hfq Expression and Induces an Attachment-Independent Biofilm Phenotype

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Ott, C. Mark; Castro, S. L.; Nickerson, C. A.; Nelman-Gonzalez, M.

2011-01-01

Background: The opportunistic pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, experiences fluctuations in fluid shear during infection and colonization of a human host. Colonization frequently occurs at mucus membrane sites such as in the gastrointestinal tract where the bacterium may experience low levels of fluid shear. The response of S. aureus to low fluid shear remains unclear. Methods: S. aureus was cultured to stationary phase using Rotating-Wall Vessel (RWV) bioreactors which produce a physiologically relevant low fluid shear environment. The bacterial aggregates that developed in the RWV were evaluated by electron microscopy as well as for antibiotic resistance and other virulence-associated stressors. Genetic expression profiles for the low-shear cultured S. aureus were determined by microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR. Results: Planktonic S. aureus cultures in the low-shear environment formed aggregates completely encased in high amounts of extracellular polymeric substances. In addition, these aggregates demonstrated increased antibiotic resistance indicating attachment-independent biofilm formation. Carotenoid production in the low-shear cultured S. aureus was significantly decreased, and these cultures displayed an increased susceptibility to oxidative stress and killing by whole blood. The hfq gene, associated with low-shear growth in Gram negative organisms, was also found to be down-regulated in S. aureus. Conclusions: Collectively, this data suggests that S. aureus decreases virulence characteristics in favor of a biofilm-dwelling colonization phenotype in response to a low fluid shear environment. Furthermore, the identification of an Hfq response to low-shear culture in S. aureus, in addition to the previously reported responses in Gram negative organisms, strongly suggests an evolutionarily conserved response to mechanical stimuli among structurally diverse prokaryotes.
Food-related lifestyles in a cross-cultural context: Comparing Australia with Singapore, Britain, France and Denmark

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Reid, Mike; Li, Elton; Bruwer, Johan

2001-01-01

, to compare lifestyles across a number of different cultural contexts including Australia, Singapore, Britain, France and Denmark. The research represents the first stage in an on-going process of mapping movements in Australian consumer food-related lifestyles and linking these to global trends and changes....
Enhanced discrimination between threatening and safe contexts in high-anxious individuals

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Glotzbach-Schoon, Evelyn; Tadda, Regina; Andreatta, Marta; Tröger, Christian; Ewald, Heike; Grillon, Christian; Pauli, Paul; Mühlberger, Andreas

2014-01-01

Trait anxiety, a stable personality trait associated with increased fear responses to threat, is regarded as a risk factor for the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. Although the effect of trait anxiety has been examined with regard to explicit threat cues, little is known about the effect of trait anxiety on contextual threat learning. To assess this issue, extreme groups of low and high trait anxiety underwent a contextual fear conditioning protocol using virtual reality. Two virtual office rooms served as the conditioned contexts. One virtual office room (CXT+) was paired with unpredictable electrical stimuli. In the other virtual office room, no electrical stimuli were delivered (CXT−). High-anxious participants tended to show faster acquisition of startle potentiation in the CXT+ versus the CXT− than low-anxious participants. This enhanced contextual fear learning might function as a risk factor for anxiety disorders that are characterized by sustained anxiety. PMID:23384512
Construction of Context-Based Module: How OLED can be used as a Context in High School Chemistry Instruction

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Anugrah, I. R.; Mudzakir, A.; Sumarna, O.

2017-09-01

Teaching materials used in Indonesia generally just emphasize remembering skill so that the students’ science literacy is low. Innovation is needed to transform traditional teaching materials so that it can stimulate students’ science literacy, one of which is by context-based approach. This study focused on the construction of context-based module for high school using Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) topics. OLED was chosen because it is an up-to-date topic and relevant to real life. This study used Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER) to reconstruct science content structure about OLED through combining scientist’s perspectives with student’s preconceptions and national curriculum. Literature review of OLED includes its definition, components, characteristics and working principle. Student’s preconceptions about OLED are obtained through interviews. The result shows that student’s preconceptions have not been fully similar with the scientist’s perspective. One of the reasons is that some of the related Chemistry concepts are too complicated. Through curriculum analysis, Chemistry about OLED that are appropriate for high school are Bohr’s atomic theory, redox and organic chemistry including polymers and aromatics. The OLED context and its Chemistry concept were developed into context-based module by adapting science literacy-based learning. This module is expected to increase students’ science literacy performance.
Culture-sensitive neural substrates of human cognition: a transcultural neuroimaging approach.

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Han, Shihui; Northoff, Georg

2008-08-01

Our brains and minds are shaped by our experiences, which mainly occur in the context of the culture in which we develop and live. Although psychologists have provided abundant evidence for diversity of human cognition and behaviour across cultures, the question of whether the neural correlates of human cognition are also culture-dependent is often not considered by neuroscientists. However, recent transcultural neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that one's cultural background can influence the neural activity that underlies both high- and low-level cognitive functions. The findings provide a novel approach by which to distinguish culture-sensitive from culture-invariant neural mechanisms of human cognition.

Measurement Invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Student's Life Satisfaction Scale among Adolescents and Emerging Adults across 23 Cultural Contexts

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Abubakar, Amina; van de Vijver, Fons; Alonso-Arbiol, Itziar; He, Jia; Adams, Byron; Aldhafri, Said; Aydinli-Karakulak, Arzu; Arasa, Josephine; Boer, Diana; Celenk, Ozgur; Dimitrova, Radosveta; Ferreira, Maria Cristina; Fischer, Ronald; Mbebeb, Fomba Emmanuel; Frías, María Teresa; Fresno, Andrés; Gillath, Omri; Harb, Charles; Handani, Penny; Hapunda, Given; Kamble, Shanmukh; Kosic, Marianna; Looh, Joseph Lah; Mazrui, Lubna; Mendia, Rafael Emilio; Murugami, Margaret; Mason-Li, Mei; Pandia, Weny Savitry; Perdomo, Cristina; Schachner, Maja; Sim, Samantha; Spencer, Rosario; Suryani, Angela; Tair, Ergyul

2016-01-01

There is hardly any cross-cultural research on the measurement invariance of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scales (BMSLSS). The current article evaluates the measurement invariance of the BMSLSS across cultural contexts. This cross-sectional study sampled 7,739 adolescents and emerging adults in 23 countries. A multi-group…
Introduction: transnational lesbian cultures.

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Bauer, Heike; Mahn, Churnjeet

2014-01-01

This special issue examines the transnational shape and shaping of lesbian lives and cultures in and across China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It uses the expression "transnational lesbian cultures" to suggest that despite sometimes radically different sociopolitical and cultural contexts, the lived experiences of same-sex desire and their emotional attachments create particular affinities between women who love women, affinities that reach across the distinct cultural and social contexts that shape them. The articles brought together explore lesbian subcultures, film, graphic novels, music, and online intimacies. They show that as a cultural and political signifier and as an analytical tool, lesbian troubles and complicates contemporary sexual politics, not least by revealing some of the gendered structures that shape debates about sexuality in a range of critical, cultural and political contexts. While the individual pieces cover a wide range of issues and concerns-which are often highly specific to the historical, cultural, and political contexts they discuss-together they tell a story about contemporary transnational lesbian culture: one that is marked by intricate links between norms and their effects and shaped by the efforts to resist denial, discrimination, and sometimes even active persecution.
Nurses' work role in the context of gender and Chinese culture: an online forum study.

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Liu, Yi

2010-06-01

Nurses in Taiwan are seen as "angels in white." This image conveys that nurses are caring, kind, patient, and full of love. Another popular image of nurses is that of a candle, which implies that nurses bring light to others by sacrificing their "self." These images also reflect accurately the traditional role of women in the Chinese patriarchal society. Hence, gender and culture effects on nurses' perceptions of their work role cannot be ignored. The purpose of this article was to explore nurses' perceptions of their work role on the basis of the perspectives of Chinese gender role and culture. This study was conducted using a Web-based online forum for 4 weeks. Twenty nurses completed discussions of questions in four topic areas. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Three themes were identified: (a) gendered work, (b) low social status, and (c) tensions among nurses. Findings indicate that certain stereotypes regarding gender roles in Taiwanese society constrained the professional growth of nurses and nursing. The social status of nurses was found to be relatively low, and nurses were at a relatively high risk of developing powerless behaviors. Nursing leaders and administrators should understand the impact of gender and Chinese culture on nursing and pay attention to the situation of nurses to provide more gender-sensitive and positive work environments for nurses.
Confronting the meat paradox in different cultural contexts: Reactions among Chinese and French participants.

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Tian, Qirui; Hilton, Denis; Becker, Maja

2016-01-01

As a well-known source of nutrition and pleasure, meat plays an important role in most people's diet. However, awareness of the "meat paradox"-the association of liking to eat meat but not wanting to kill animals-often implies the experience of cognitive dissonance. In two studies, focusing on meat production and meat consumption respectively, we examined whether participants used reduction of willingness to eat meat and reduction of mind attribution to food animals as strategies to reduce cognitive dissonance from the meat paradox in the Chinese and French cultural contexts. Focusing on meat production (slaughtering of an animal to produce meat; Study 1, n = 520), participants reported lower willingness to eat beef in a condition that emphasized the slaughter of a cow compared to a condition that presented a diagram of a cow as meat. In addition, French but not Chinese participants attributed less mind to cows when the relation between meat and its animal origin was made salient. Focusing on meat consumption (the transformation of meat into food; Study 2, n = 518), participants reported lower willingness to eat beef and attributed less mind to cows in a condition that emphasized the animal origin of meat compared to a condition that presented a recipe. These results suggest that the use of different strategies to resolve cognitive dissonance from the meat paradox depends on different contexts of the meat-animal link as well as on cultural context. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Learning to Teach Elementary Science through Iterative Cycles of Enactment in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Contexts

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Bottoms, SueAnn I.; Ciechanowski, Kathryn M.; Hartman, Brian

2015-01-01

Iterative cycles of enactment embedded in culturally and linguistically diverse contexts provide rich opportunities for preservice teachers (PSTs) to enact core practices of science. This study is situated in the larger Families Involved in Sociocultural Teaching and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (FIESTAS) project, which weaves…
High Teas, High Collars and High Rise Buildings in a ‘High-Context’ Culture: The Semiotics of Japan’s Project of Modernity

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Nicolas Adam Cambridge

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article addresses a paradigm shift in Japanese society during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries – focusing on the encounters with Western culinary, sartorial and architectural practice experienced by a ‘high-context’ culture (Hall, 1976. The main discussion documents the differentiated reception of these changes – valorised by reformers for whom engaging with the outside world was key to their project of modernity, but treated with suspicion by members of the proletariat who feared for the purity of traditional Japanese values. The manner in which the resulting tensions were mediated through the print media and imagery of domestic visual culture is interrogated using a prism of semiotic analysis and the findings located within a contemporary context to suggest that Roland Barthes’ analytical approach to the country as an ‘empire of signs’ (Barthes, 1982 retains its original traction.
Cultural Tourism in the Urban Context: Museologic Routes – The cases of Aveiro and Ílhavo (Portugal

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Sara Vidal Maia

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This study identifies how crucial are the relationships between cultural resources and touristic attractions, passing through a journey of transmutation that meets two essential requirements: the need for cultural storytelling or information and the need of providing a unique experience to cultural consumers. One of the most successful products, in the relationship between tourism and culture, are museum routes. This ex-post facto study creates a whole cultural-touristic dynamic through museum routes and their planning in urban areas. We also try to encompass the museum activity of Aveiro and Ílhavo in order to protect and promote sociocultural and patrimonial resources. Our main goal consists on the integration of related areas such as tradition, heritage, art, costumes, crafts, ethnography and history by creating a stronger regional cultural touristic product, that we named “Route Museums, Memories and Stories in the Urban Context of Aveiro and Ílhavo”.
Epilepsy, culture, identity and well-being: a study of the social, cultural and environmental context of epilepsy in Cameroon.

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Allotey, Pascale; Reidpath, Daniel

2007-05-01

Epilepsy presents an identity of exclusion, which at multiple levels hinders the ability to engage with one's community. This article describes an exploratory, mixed methods study (N = 42) of the relationship between the social, cultural and environmental context and the experience of living with epilepsy in Cameroon. Participants were identified as 'epileptics', consequently restrictions placed on them reduced their ability to perform traditional roles, affected their social value and excluded them from their communities. Participants detail the effects of their reduced 'social value' and the challenges they face in attempts to be re-integrated as productive and functioning members of society.
Detection of Subtle Context-Dependent Model Inaccuracies in High-Dimensional Robot Domains.

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Mendoza, Juan Pablo; Simmons, Reid; Veloso, Manuela

2016-12-01

Autonomous robots often rely on models of their sensing and actions for intelligent decision making. However, when operating in unconstrained environments, the complexity of the world makes it infeasible to create models that are accurate in every situation. This article addresses the problem of using potentially large and high-dimensional sets of robot execution data to detect situations in which a robot model is inaccurate-that is, detecting context-dependent model inaccuracies in a high-dimensional context space. To find inaccuracies tractably, the robot conducts an informed search through low-dimensional projections of execution data to find parametric Regions of Inaccurate Modeling (RIMs). Empirical evidence from two robot domains shows that this approach significantly enhances the detection power of existing RIM-detection algorithms in high-dimensional spaces.
Prejudices in Cultural Contexts: Shared Stereotypes (Gender, Age) Versus Variable Stereotypes (Race, Ethnicity, Religion).

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Fiske, Susan T

2017-09-01

Some prejudices share cross-cultural patterns, but others are more variable and culture specific. Those sharing cross-cultural patterns (sexism, ageism) each combine societal status differences and intimate interdependence. For example, in stereotypes of sex and age, lower status groups-women and elders-gain stereotypic warmth (from their cooperative interdependence) but lose stereotypic competence (from their lower status); men and middle-aged adults show the opposite trade-off, stereotypically more competent than warm. Meta-analyses support these widespread ambivalent (mixed) stereotypes for gender and age across cultures. Social class stereotypes often share some similarities (cold but competent rich vs. warm but incompetent poor). These compensatory warmth versus competence stereotypes may function to manage common human dilemmas of interacting across societal and personal positions. However, other stereotypes are more variable and culture specific (ethnicity, race, religion). Case studies of specific race/ethnicities and religions reveal much more cultural variation in their stereotype content, supporting their being responses to particular cultural contexts, apparent accidents of history. To change stereotypes requires understanding their commonalities and differences, their origins and patterns across cultures.
About social and cultural aspects of human nature in the context of philosophical anthropology

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S. K. Kostiuchkov

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In the paper the approaches to sociocultural understanding of human nature in the context of philosophical anthropology, analyzes the essence of human nature contradictions inherent in the contradiction between biological and social components; author focuses attention on the concept of «identity» in the context of philosophical anthropology and characterization of the status of human life; put forward a reasoned statement that outlook, as the level of philosophical understanding of the world, combining both biological and social components of human nature. It is emphasized that universal principle transistorychnym public attitudes towards human life is the recognition of its absolute value in different dimensions religious, philosophical, scientific. The author notes that religious, especially biblical doctrine emphasizes the value of human life that flows from dignity of man, created in God’s image, a rational being who comes to Earth as, in a sense, a representative of God. The article stresses the urgency of a new philosophical paradigm as an important ideological guideline that requires perceive and understand the biological basis of man is not as indispensable, but neutral background of social life, but as a basis upon which and through which a person is transformed into a cultural and civilized being.
Adaptation of the three-dimensional wisdom scale (3D-WS) for the Korean cultural context.

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Kim, Seungyoun; Knight, Bob G

2014-10-23

ABSTRACT Background: Previous research on wisdom has suggested that wisdom is comprised of cognitive, reflective, and affective components and has developed and validated wisdom measures based on samples from Western countries. To apply the measurement to Eastern cultures, the present study revised an existing wisdom scale, the three-dimensional wisdom scale (3D-WS, Ardelt, 2003) for the Korean cultural context. Methods: Participants included 189 Korean heritage adults (age range 19-96) living in Los Angeles. We added a culturally specific factor of wisdom to the 3D-WS: Modesty and Unobtrusiveness (Yang, 2001), which captures an Eastern aspect of wisdom. The structure and psychometrics of the scale were tested. By latent cluster analysis, we determined acculturation subgroups and examined group differences in the means of factors in the revised wisdom scale (3D-WS-K). Results: Three factors, Cognitive Flexibility, Viewpoint Relativism, and Empathic Modesty were found using confirmatory factor analysis. Respondents with high biculturalism were higher on Viewpoint Relativism and lower on Empathic Modesty. Conclusion: This study discovered that a revised wisdom scale had a distinct factor structure and item content in a Korean heritage sample. We also found acculturation influences on the meaning of wisdom.
Teacher collaboration and curriculum construction: Political, cultural, and structural contexts

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Esterle, Rochelle Eda Penn

This longitudinal case study is the story of one high school's efforts to implement curriculum reform and the profound effect of local circumstances on reform ideologies. What began as a study of inter- and intradisciplinary collaborative science curriculum integration became the study of a systemic failure to modify cultural practices. Poritical, economic, and structural measures initiated to facilitate reform ultimately represent inherent conflicts of interest which undermine the reform effort. This research exposes obstacles that are deeply embedded within the school's governance, the beliefs and knowledge of teachers, and the culture of schools. The study site is both a new entity and a new concept: a specialized math/science high school located on a state university campus; the school recruits underrepresented students to become acclimated to university coursework and culture. To date, the school has maintained an exceptional record of college and university placements. The school is governed by a partnership representing the university, the corporate sector, and 11 surrounding K-12 school districts. Free from the regularities of a traditional high school, the school appears to be ideally situated for innovation. The principle innovations at this school relate to its organizational structure--heterogeneous student groupings, cooperative group work, curriculum integration, block scheduling, and concurrent university coursework. For teachers, grade level teams replace departments as the dominant unit for professional, curricular, and social interactions. Within teacher teams, collaboration centers around ongoing student problems and policies, subordinating academic content and significant interdisciplinary connections. Without active discipline-based departments and curricular leadership, however, this research finds an absence of academic direction and accountability.
The Major in Cultural Context: Choosing Liberal Arts in the Marshall Islands

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DeCoursey, C. A.; Krawczyk, Ewa B.

2017-01-01

Choosing a major is part of liberal arts (LA) education in American-accredited colleges across the world. In global second-language (L2) contexts, the choice of major is shaped by local cultural factors. This study of 192 undergraduates at an English-medium-of-instruction (EMI) college in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) used a survey,…
Unpacking religious affiliation: Exploring associations between Christian children's religious cultural context, God image, and self-esteem across development.

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Smith, Erin I; Crosby, Robert G

2017-03-01

In developmental research, religiousness is typically measured with omnibus affiliation or attendance variables that underspecify how the religious cultural contexts and experiences that affiliation represents influence developmental outcomes. This study explores associations between five aspects of a religious cultural context (family religiosity, religious schooling, church-based relationships with peers and adults, and view of God) in 844 seven- to 12-year-old Christian children to examine how they differentially predict self-esteem. Results of a structural equation model (SEM) analysis indicated that God image and peer church relationships directly predicted self-esteem, whereas God image mediated the influence of adult church relationships and family religious practices on self-esteem. A multiple group SEM analysis met the criterion for weak, but not strong, evidence that self-esteem is more related to younger children's adult church relationships but older children's peer church relationships. God image tended to be more related to younger children's family religious practices but older children's adult church relationships. Implications for developmental researchers and practitioners are discussed. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Religious affiliation is an omnibus variable representing multiple contexts of development. Self-esteem is an important outcome variable with different influences across development. Religious affiliation is associated with increased self-esteem. What does this study add? Children's experience in the contexts of religious affiliation influences development differently. It is not just affiliation, but specific religious contexts that influence children's self-esteem. The role of religious contexts in shaping children's self-esteem shifts across development. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.
Self-starvation in context: towards a culturally sensitive understanding of anorexia nervosa.

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Lee, S

1995-07-01

Extreme forms of self-starvation can be traced across time and place, and may be construed using a variety of explanatory models. Curiously, the prevailing biomedical definition of anorexia nervosa has assigned primacy to the exclusive use of 'fat phobia' by the affected subjects to justify their diminished food intake. This paper assembles evidence to show that this culturally constructed version of fat phobic anorexia nervosa has neglected the full metaphorical significance of self-starvation and, when applied in a cross-cultural context, may constitute a category fallacy. By delegitimizing other rationales for non-eating and thereby barring subjective expressions, this regnant interpretive strategy may obscure clinicians' understanding of patients' lived experience, and even jeopardize their treatment. Nonetheless, it is a relatively simple task to attune the extant diagnostic criteria to a polythetic approach which will avert cultural parochialism in psychiatric theory and practice. As a corollary of the archival and ethnocultural study of extreme self-starvation, there is, contrary to epistemological assumptions embedded in the biomedical culture of contemporary psychiatry, no 'core psychopathology' of anorexia nervosa.
Socioemotional Development in Cultural Context

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Chen, Xinyin, Ed.; Rubin, Kenneth H., Ed.

2011-01-01

Filling a significant gap in the literature, this book examines the impact of culture on the social behaviors, emotions, and relationships of children around the world. It also explores cultural differences in what is seen as adaptive or maladaptive development. Eminent scholars discuss major theoretical perspectives on culture and development and…
Gender and work-family conflict: testing the rational model and the gender role expectations model in the Spanish cultural context.

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Calvo-Salguero, Antonia; Martínez-de-Lecea, José-María Salinas; del Carmen Aguilar-Luzón, María

2012-01-01

Gutek, Searle, and Klepa (1991) proposed two models to explain the gender differences in work-family conflict: the rational model and the gender role expectations model. Both models have mostly been tested on American and Canadian samples, and have obtained partial support. Given the cultural differences between North American countries and Spain, we should question whether the two models are equally applicable to Spanish society or whether one of them captures Spanish men and women's experience of work-family conflict better than the other. So, the aim of this study is to test which of the models better explains the gender differences in work-family conflict in the Spanish cultural context (or if, indeed, the two models apply equally well). Given the typical cultural dimensions of Spanish society, we expected to find greater support for the gender role expectations model than for the rational model. However, the results obtained in this study indicated that, while the rational model can explain the gender differences that were found, the gender role expectations model cannot capture Spanish people's work-family conflict experiences. The results are interpreted in terms of cultural dimensions characteristic of the Spanish context.
Children’s Self-Regulation and School Achievement in Cultural Contexts: The Role of Maternal Restrictive Control

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Mirjam eWeis

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Self-regulation can be developed through parent-child interactions and has been related to developmental outcomes, e.g. such as educational achievement. This study examined cross-cultural differences and similarities in maternal restrictive control, self-regulation (i.e., behavior and emotion regulation and school achievement and relations among these variables in Germany and Chile. Seventy-six German and 167 Chilean fourth graders, their mothers, and their teachers participated. Mothers and teachers rated children’s behavior regulation with a subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Children reported their use of emotion regulation strategies on the Questionnaire for the Measurement of Stress and Coping. Mothers rated maternal restrictive control by answering the Parenting Practice Questionnaire. School achievement was assessed by grades for language and mathematics. Results showed higher behavior regulation of German children in comparison to Chilean children and a higher preference of restrictive parental control in Chilean mothers than in German mothers. Regression analyses revealed positive relations between children’s behavior regulation and school achievement in Germany and in Chile. Further, in both cultural contexts, maternal restrictive control was related negatively to behavior regulation and positively to anger-oriented emotion regulation. In sum, the study showed the central function of behavior regulation for school achievement underlining negative relations of maternal restrictive control with children’s self-regulation and school achievement in diverse cultural contexts. Culturally adapted interventions related to parenting practices to promote children’s behavior regulation may assist in also promoting children’s school achievement.
On "feeling right" in cultural contexts: how person-culture match affects self-esteem and subjective well-being.

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Fulmer, C Ashley; Gelfand, Michele J; Kruglanski, Arie W; Kim-Prieto, Chu; Diener, Ed; Pierro, Antonio; Higgins, E Tory

2010-11-01

Whether one is in one's native culture or abroad, one's personality can differ markedly from the personalities of the majority, thus failing to match the "cultural norm." Our studies examined how the interaction of individual- and cultural-level personality affects people's self-esteem and well-being. We propose a person-culture match hypothesis that predicts that when a person's personality matches the prevalent personalities of other people in a culture, culture functions as an important amplifier of the positive effect of personality on self-esteem and subjective well-being at the individual level. Across two studies, using data from more than 7,000 individuals from 28 societies, multilevel random-coefficient analyses showed that when a relation between a given personality trait and well-being or self-esteem exists at the individual level, the relation is stronger in cultures characterized by high levels of that personality dimension. Results were replicated across extraversion, promotion focus, and locomotive regulatory mode. Our research has practical implications for the well-being of both cultural natives and migrants.

High-Phosphorus, Low-Calcium Dietary Intakes and Bone Effects of Physical Training

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Zerath, Erik

2003-01-01

.... Diet inquiries showed changes in calcium and phosphorus intakes. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of physical activity on bone tissue in the context of high-phosphorus and low-calcium intakes. Sedentary (SED) and trained (TR...
Self and the other in the Confucian cultural context: Implications of China's higher education development for comparative studies

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Yang, Rui

2011-08-01

The central purpose of China's modern higher education has been to combine Chinese and Western elements at all levels including institutional arrangements, research methodologies, educational ideals and cultural spirit, a combination that brings together aspects of Chinese and Western philosophical heritages. This, however, has not been achieved. There is an urgent need for critical examination of the long-term consequences of grafting American academic practices onto a Chinese base. This article examines the tensions in the interactions in higher education between the traditional Chinese and the imposed Western modes of thinking. Borrowing a definition of the structure of culture, this paper reveals the various extents to which layers of Chinese higher education have achieved any degree of success. It finds that with a strong catch-up mentality, China's contemporary higher education policies are responsive to Western influences. These are however only applied as panic-stricken and expedient band-aid remedies, rather than as strategies based on systematic understanding of cultural contexts. Accordingly, Chinese universities are uncritical towards the European-American model and its variants. This article warns that without an infusion of traditional education values, universities in China risk losing touch with their cultural contexts in their quest for world-class status.
Temperament trait of sensory processing sensitivity moderates cultural differences in neural response.

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Aron, Arthur; Ketay, Sarah; Hedden, Trey; Aron, Elaine N; Rose Markus, Hazel; Gabrieli, John D E

2010-06-01

This study focused on a possible temperament-by-culture interaction. Specifically, it explored whether a basic temperament/personality trait (sensory processing sensitivity; SPS), perhaps having a genetic component, might moderate a previously established cultural difference in neural responses when making context-dependent vs context-independent judgments of simple visual stimuli. SPS has been hypothesized to underlie what has been called inhibitedness or reactivity in infants, introversion in adults, and reactivity or responsivness in diverse animal species. Some biologists view the trait as one of two innate strategies-observing carefully before acting vs being first to act. Thus the central characteristic of SPS is hypothesized to be a deep processing of information. Here, 10 European-Americans and 10 East Asians underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing simple visuospatial tasks emphasizing judgments that were either context independent (typically easier for Americans) or context dependent (typically easier for Asians). As reported elsewhere, each group exhibited greater activation for the culturally non-preferred task in frontal and parietal regions associated with greater effort in attention and working memory. However, further analyses, reported here for the first time, provided preliminary support for moderation by SPS. Consistent with the careful-processing theory, high-SPS individuals showed little cultural difference; low-SPS, strong culture differences.
Identifying the essential components of cultural competence in a Chinese nursing context: A qualitative study.

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Cai, Duanying; Kunaviktikul, Wipada; Klunklin, Areewan; Sripusanapan, Acharaporn; Avant, Patricia Kay

2017-06-01

This qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted to identify the essential components of cultural competence from the perspective of Chinese nurses. A purposive sample of 20 nurse experts, including senior clinical nurses, nurse administrators, and educators in transcultural nursing, was recruited. Using thematic analysis, four themes: awareness, attitudes, knowledge, and skills, with two subthemes for each, were identified. Notably, culture in China was understood in a broad way. The participants' responses focused upon demographic attributes, individuality, and efforts to facilitate quality care rather than on the cultural differences of ethnicity and race and developing the capacity to change discrimination or health disparities. A greater understanding of cultural competence in the Chinese nursing context, in which a dominant cultural group exists, is essential to facilitate the provision of culturally competent care to diverse populations. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
Assessing the Organizational Social Context (OSC) of child welfare systems: implications for research and practice.

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Glisson, Charles; Green, Philip; Williams, Nathaniel J

2012-09-01

The study: (1) provides the first assessment of the a priori measurement model and psychometric properties of the Organizational Social Context (OSC) measurement system in a US nationwide probability sample of child welfare systems; (2) illustrates the use of the OSC in constructing norm-based organizational culture and climate profiles for child welfare systems; and (3) estimates the association of child welfare system-level organizational culture and climate profiles with individual caseworker-level job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The study applies confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hierarchical linear models (HLM) analysis to a US nationwide sample of 1,740 caseworkers from 81 child welfare systems participating in the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Wellbeing (NSCAW II). The participating child welfare systems were selected using a national probability procedure reflecting the number of children served by child welfare systems nationwide. The a priori OSC measurement model is confirmed in this nationwide sample of child welfare systems. In addition, caseworker responses to the OSC scales generate acceptable to high scale reliabilities, moderate to high within-system agreement, and significant between-system differences. Caseworkers in the child welfare systems with the best organizational culture and climate profiles report higher levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Organizational climates characterized by high engagement and functionality, and organizational cultures characterized by low rigidity are associated with the most positive work attitudes. The OSC is the first valid and reliable measure of organizational culture and climate with US national norms for child welfare systems. The OSC provides a useful measure of Organizational Social Context for child welfare service improvement and implementation research efforts which include a focus on child welfare system culture and climate. Copyright © 2012
Age differences in cognitive performance: A study of cultural differences in Historical Context.

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Ojeda, Natalia; Aretouli, Eleni; Peña, Javier; Schretlen, David J

2016-03-01

Ethnicity and cultural experience can affect neuropsychological performance, but they are rarely assessed in historical context. Attention measures are considered strongly biologically determined and therefore potentially culture-fair. In this study, we assessed the cross-cultural equivalence of Spanish and English versions of the Trail Making Test (TMT; Reitan, 1958, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 8, 271-276) and the Brief Test of Attention (BTA; Schretlen et al., 1996, The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 10, 80-89) in two large samples of Americans (N = 203) and Spaniards (N = 213), divided into younger and older subgroups. The older Spaniards lived under Franco's political regime (1936-1975), whereas the Americans never experienced such repression. Overall, TMT performance was culture-sensitive, whereas BTA performance was not. However, when both groups were stratified by age, cultural differences in TMT performance were restricted to older participants, suggesting that historical experience across generations might have contributed to the observed differences in cognitive performance. Even such basic cognitive processes as attention, working memory, and resource sharing might be shaped to some degree by historical experiences that contribute to cultural differences. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Neuropsychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.
Deviance as Pedagogy: From Nondominant Cultural Capital to Deviantly Marked Cultural Repertoires

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Dixon-Román, Ezekiel J.

2014-01-01

Background/Context: Pierre Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital has been employed extensively in sociological, educational, and anthropological research. However, Bourdieu's conceptualization of cultural capital has often been misread to refer only to "high status" or dominant cultural norms and resources at the cost of…
[Identity of the resilient man in the context of ill with prostate cancer: a cultural perspective].

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Pinto, Bruna Knob; Muniz, Rosani Manfrin; Schwartz, Eda; Budó, Maria de Lourdes Denardin; Lange, Rita Maria HeckI Celmira

2014-01-01

The study aimed to understand the context of resilient man when ill with prostate cancer. This is an ethnographic case study conducted with two prostate cancer survival men with a high degree of resilience. The data was collected on their places, in 2012 April and May, using semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observation and ecomap. For the data analysis, it was built two units of meaning: "Identity of the resilient man: contextualizing the informants" and "The resilient man finding himself ill". It was noticed that the identity of being a resilient man, to these informants, was marked by historical and cultural difference which permeated their actions in the process of being ill with prostate cancer. It is important that nurses pay attention to the cultural aspects of human health, so that they can feel part of the healing process, becoming an active subject facing their own health.
Hot-spot analysis applied to the identification of potential high and low regulating, providing and cultural ecosystem services in Vilnius Region (Lithuania)

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Pereira, Paulo; Daniel, Depellegrin; Egarter-Vigl, Lukas; Cerda, Artemi; Estebaranz, Ferran; Misiune, Ieva

2017-04-01

Ecosystem services (ES) potential assessment is crucial for a correct territorial planning at different scales of analysis (Depellegrin et al., 2016). In urban and peri-urban areas, sprawl, grazing and unsustainable agriculture practices contributed to land degradation and de decrease of the quality and quantity of the services provided by these areas (Eldridge and Delgado-Baquerizo, 2017; Favretto et al., 2017). In order to understand the spatial pattern of these impacts, mapping ES potential is key to understand the areas that need to be restored and protected for an unsustainable use (Brevik et al., 2016; Egarter-Vigl et al., 2017; Pereira et al., 2017). Hot-spot analysis is a good method to identify clusters of areas with high and low capacity for ES capacity. This analysis is very useful to detect homogeneous areas, where ES have high or low quality. The objective of this work is to apply a hot-spot analysis to detect areas with high/low capacity for Regulating, Provision, Cultural and Total ES in Vilnius region. ES potential was carried out based on the matrix developed by Burkhard et al. (2009), which ranks ES capacity from 0= no capacity to 5=very high relevant capacity to a different land use type. The results showed that regulating, providing and cultural and total ES have a significant dispersed (low-clustered) pattern: Regulating (Z-score=-19.28, pInternational Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, 23, 441-455. Egarter-Vigl, L., Depellegrin, D., Pereira, P., De Groot, D., Tappeiner, U. (2017) Mapping the ecosystem service delivery chain: Capacity, flow, and demand pertaining to aesthetic experiences in mountain landscapes, Science of the Total Environment, 574, 442-436. Eldridge, D.J., Delgado-Baquerizo, M. (2017) Continental-scale impacts of livestock grazing on ecosystem supporting and regulating services. Land Degradation and Development. DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2668 Favretto, N., Lueding, E., Stringer, L., Dougill, A.J. (2017) Valuing
The Promise and Limitations of a College-Going Culture: Toward Cultures of Engaged Learning for Low-SES Latina/o Youth

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Athanases, Steven Z.; Achinstein, Betty; Curry, Marnie Willis; Ogawa, Rodney T.

2016-01-01

Background/Context: Literatures on college-going cultures offer patterns and lists of practices that promote schoolwide attention to college-going for nondominant youth, often with organization-level analyses of policies and procedures. Other literature identifies promising practices and challenges to conventional instruction, often examining…
Screening, management, and treatment of intimate partner violence among women in low-resource settings.

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Schwab-Reese, Laura M; Renner, Lynette M

2018-01-01

The prevention of intimate partner violence continues to be a high priority for health practitioners and researchers around the world. Screening practices and intervention efforts utilized within high- and/or middle-income areas may not translate effectively to low-resource areas due to differences in financial, social, and physical context. However, little is known about the evidence-base of intervention efforts in such areas. Using the Arksey and O'Malley framework for scoping reviews, the purpose of this review was to synthesize what is known about intimate partner violence screening, management, and treatment in low-resource areas. A total of 31 programs reported across 34 articles were included in this scoping review. The programs incorporated a range of intervention activities, including group-based education and skill-development combined with microfinance to screening and referral to community resources. Slightly less than half of the studies (n = 14) were randomized controlled trials or clustered randomized controlled trials. Many barriers were common across the programs, including limited financial support, lack of community support, and lack of coordination across programs. Despite considerable barriers related to the limited available resources, the literature base had many strengths, such as strong evaluation methodologies, inclusion of a theoretical or conceptual framework to guide the intervention, and community engagement before and during the intervention implementation. However, insufficient statistical power and barriers related to cultural differences or inadequate cultural sensitivity were also common. With a variety of barriers to program implementation noted within the articles, it is important for researchers and practitioners to consider the geographic, social, cultural, and economic contexts when implementing intimate partner violence programs in low-resource areas. Given the significant differences in context across low-resource areas
Culture, context and therapeutic processes: delivering a parent-child intervention in a remote Aboriginal community.

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Mares, Sarah; Robinson, Gary

2012-04-01

Little is written about the process of delivering mainstream, evidence-based therapeutic interventions for Aboriginal children and families in remote communities. Patterns of interaction between parents and children and expectations about parenting and professional roles and responsibilities vary across cultural contexts. This can be a challenging experience for professionals accustomed to work in urban settings. Language is only a part of cultural difference, and the outsider in a therapeutic group in an Aboriginal community is outside not only in language but also in access to community relationships and a place within those relationships. This paper uses examples from Let's Start, a therapeutic parent-child intervention to describe the impact of distance, culture and relationships in a remote Aboriginal community, on the therapeutic framework, group processes and relationships. Cultural and contextual factors influence communication, relationships and group processes in a therapeutic group program for children and parents in a remote Aboriginal community. Group leaders from within and from outside the community, are likely to have complementary skills. Cultural and contextual factors influence communication, relationships and group processes in a therapeutic group program for children and parents in a remote Aboriginal community. Group leaders from within and from outside the community, are likely to have complementary skills. Program adaptation, evaluation and staff training and support need to take these factors into account to ensure cultural accessibility without loss of therapeutic fidelity and efficacy.
Rising youth suicide and the changing cultural context in South Korea.

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Park, B C Ben; Soo Im, Jeong; Strother Ratcliff, Kathryn

2014-01-01

South Korean society faces a serious challenge in the increasing rates of youth suicidal behavior. There is a need both to gain a better understanding of the causes of this behavior and to develop strategies for responding to this critical public health issue. This article analyzes how psychological, sociopsychological, and subcultural factors influence suicidal proneness among Korean youth as well as makes suggestions for developing social policies that could reduce Korean youth suicidal behaviors. Correlation and multivariate regression analyses on suicide proneness and depression were employed using a sample of 172 South Korean youths (aged 18-24) selected from the 2009 General Social Survey collected through face-to-face interviews. Young people's suicidal proneness is associated with depression, a tolerant attitude toward suicide, strained family relations, living in rural areas, being female, and being closely related to survivors of suicide or potential suicides. The findings from this study reveal the significance of social and cultural factors as influences on recent youth suicidal behavior in Korea. The analysis suggests that the underlying risk factors of suicidal behavior are embedded in the changing social and cultural context of Korean society. Thus, suicide prevention efforts should involve more than merely treating any underlying psychiatric disorders.
Low calcium culture condition induces mesenchymal cell-like phenotype in normal human epidermal keratinocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takagi, Ryo; Yamato, Masayuki; Murakami, Daisuke; Sugiyama, Hiroaki; Okano, Teruo

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Normal human epidermal keratinocytes serially cultured under low calcium concentration were cytokeratin and vimentin double positive cells. → The human keratinocytes expressed some epithelial stem/progenitor cell makers, mesenchymal cell markers, and markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. → Mesenchymal cell-like phenotype in the keratinocytes was suppressed under high-calcium condition. -- Abstract: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important cellular phenomenon in organ developments, cancer invasions, and wound healing, and many types of transformed cell lines are used for investigating for molecular mechanisms of EMT. However, there are few reports for EMT in normal human epithelial cells, which are non-transformed or non-immortalized cells, in vitro. Therefore, normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) serially cultured in low-calcium concentration medium (LCM) were used for investigating relations between differentiation and proliferation and mesenchymal-like phenotype in the present study, since long-term cultivation of NHEK is achieved in LCM. Interestingly, NHEK serially cultured in LCM consisted essentially of cytokeratin-vimentin double positive cells (98%), although the NHEK exhibited differentiation under high-calcium culture condition with 3T3 feeder layer. The vimentin expression was suppressed under high-calcium condition. These results may indicate the importance of mesenchymal-like phenotype for serially cultivation of NHEK in vitro.
Physical inactivity, gender and culture in Arab countries: a systematic assessment of the literature.

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Sharara, Eman; Akik, Chaza; Ghattas, Hala; Makhlouf Obermeyer, Carla

2018-05-18

Physical inactivity is associated with excess weight and adverse health outcomes. We synthesize the evidence on physical inactivity and its social determinants in Arab countries, with special attention to gender and cultural context. We searched MEDLINE, Popline, and SSCI for articles published between 2000 and 2016, assessing the prevalence of physical inactivity and its social determinants. We also included national survey reports on physical activity, and searched for analyses of the social context of physical activity. We found 172 articles meeting inclusion criteria. Standardized data are available from surveys by the World Health Organization for almost all countries, but journal articles show great variability in definitions, measurements and methodology. Prevalence of inactivity among adults and children/adolescents is high across countries, and is higher among women. Some determinants of physical inactivity in the region (age, gender, low education) are shared with other regions, but specific aspects of the cultural context of the region seem particularly discouraging of physical activity. We draw on social science studies to gain insights into why this is so. Physical inactivity among Arab adults and children/adolescents is high. Studies using harmonized approaches, rigorous analytic techniques and a deeper examination of context are needed to design appropriate interventions.
A Cultural Approach to Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard

1998-01-01

The this article learning is discussed in relation to different understanding of culture. In particular the dialectics of 'Enlightenment' inthe Western culture are reflected , as well aslow- and high-context communication and learningin different types of culture. Finaaly the Weberian methodology...
Low cultural identification, low parental involvement and adverse peer influences as risk factors for delinquent behaviour among Filipino youth in Hawai'i.

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Guerrero, Anthony P S; Nishimura, Stephanie T; Chang, Janice Y; Ona, Celia; Cunanan, Vanessa L; Hishinuma, Earl S

2010-07-01

Among Filipino youth in Hawai'i, low Filipino cultural identification and low family support may be important risk factors for delinquency. To examine, in a sample of Filipino youth in Hawai'i, correlations between delinquent behaviour and the aforementioned - as well as other, potentially mediating - variables. A youth risk survey and Filipino Culture Scale were administered to Filipino students (N = 150) in Hawai'i. A parent risk survey was administered to available and consenting parents. Delinquent behaviour correlated positively with acculturative stress, low cultural identification and adverse peer influences; and negatively with total Filipino Culture Scale score. Structural equation modelling suggested that absent/ineffective adults and adverse peer influences might be more important variables compared to low self-esteem and less religiosity, linking low cultural identification to delinquent behaviour. Although further studies are warranted, to be effective, efforts to prevent delinquency by enhancing Filipino youths' cultural connectedness may also need to enhance family connectedness and address adverse peer influences.
Mobile Social Network in a Cultural Context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Jun

2010-01-01

, and mobile phone rumours, this study observes that mobile social networks are a way that Chinese people cultivate, maintain and strengthen their guanxi networks. Embedding the reliability of guanxi, the message spreading via mobile communication always enjoys high credibility, while mutual obligation...... of mobile social network in China therefore emanate not only from Information and Communication Technologies, but also from the socio-cultural source - guanxi - deeply rooted in Chinese society.......the chapter “Mobile Social Network in a Cultural Context” examines the guanxi-embedded mobile social network in China. By focusing on three concrete case studies with 56 in-depth interviews, including New Year text message greetings, mobile social networks for job allocations among migrant workers...
Adjusting policy to institutional, cultural and biophysical context conditions: The case of conservation banking in California

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Carsten Mann; James D. Absher

2013-01-01

This paper examines the political construction of a policy instrument for matching particular institutional, biophysical and cultural context conditions in a socialâecological system, using the case of conservation banking in California as an example. The guiding research question is: How is policy design negotiated between various actors on its way from early...
Darwinism in Context: An interdisciplinary, highly contextualized course on nature of science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kostas Kampourakis

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In this article, we describe a course, titled Darwinism in Context, which focuses on the social, cultural and scientific influences on the development of Darwin's theory. This was an interdisciplinary, highly contextualized nature of science course that aimed to help students learn about a core nature of science aspect: that there are historical, cultural and social influences on the practice and directions of science. For this purpose, the course was based on a well-documented historical case study: the development of Darwin's theory. The course consisted of five classes that focused on: (a Victorian society, (b the views and beliefs of scholars that had an impact on Darwin's thinking (historical influences, (c aspects of Darwin's personal and social life that influenced the publication of his theory (social influences, (d the reception of Darwin's theory and the relationship between religion and science (cultural influences and (e the relationship between science and literature. In all cases, teaching included presentations of the historical events but was mostly based on the analysis and discussion of excerpts from the respective original writings. During the classes only a few examples were presented; students were motivated to study further the original writings and identify some key concepts and ideas after the classes. It is concluded that this kind of highly contextualized nature of science instruction can provide students with a more authentic view of science.

Performance measurement of workplace change: in two different cultural contexts

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Chaiwat Riratanaphong

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, organisations must cope with the pressure of cost reduction and efficiency in order to succeed in a highly competitive business environment. However, drivers to improve social interaction and employee’s performance and as such to contribute to organisational goals and objectives make it necessary to be concerned with other performance criteria as well, such as effectiveness, flexibility, employee satisfaction, productivity and creativity. There is a growing need for performance management and performance measurement that not only covers all aspects of an organisation, but which can be applied to various situations in a changing internal and external environment. Performance measurement methods which include an integrated perspective of performance have become essential. In addition, it has been realised that corporate real estate can contribute to organisational performance (Nourse and Roulac, 1993, De Vries et al., 2008, Lindholm, 2008, Den Heijer, 2011, Jensen et al., 2012. For this reason, worldwide organisations started to implement new ways of working in a more open and flexible work environment. Although there are various objectives and drivers of workplace change, the common objectives are to reduce costs and to increase efficiency. The changing organisational and external contexts, such as the increasing demand for talented knowledge workers and changing work patterns, have led to the development of new offices that can promote social networks and interaction among employees. The new workplace does not only aim at achieving cost efficiency, but it should also support employee satisfaction and productivity. This PhD research focuses on both themes i.e. performance measurement of workplace change. The aim of this research is to provide a conceptual framework that visualises the impact of workplace change on employees’ responses to the new work environment and to present guidelines on performance measurement of workplace
Cultural Context In Process Of Mining Data From Social Media – Recommendations Based On Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Michalak

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Social media is nothing else than a modern communication channel that carry a lot of advantages, such as their reach or range. Social media has such a big power of its reach that a single post, tweet, or "broad" start to matter globally. With globalization, we have seen an increase in usage of social media everywhere. This means that communication is being conducted across the borders or different countries, continents or even cultures. It is an desirable effect, however the social media user across the world differs in respect to their culture and data shows that significant differences exist in a way people in the world social media. However, in order to be well prepared to dig in social media, the question should be post whether the cultural context affects the activity of users. If so, it is appropriate to prepare data filters to include some specific criteria. In first part authors apply the Cross - Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM in social media data to specify the process of data analysis. Second part focuses on recommendations about cultural context in mining social media.
Independence and Interdependence in Diverse Cultural Contexts.

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Killen, Melanie; Wainryb, Cecilia

2000-01-01

Argues that the individualistic-collectivistic dichotomy results in mislabeling both cultures and individuals. Discusses ways in which individualistic concerns with independence and collectivistic concerns with interdependence coexist in Western and non-Western cultures. Outlines a theoretical framework explaining the coexistence of diverse social…
Research on culture in psychology : Taking stock and looking forward

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poortinga, Y.H.

2013-01-01

Cross-cultural psychology, in both its culture-comparative and its cultural traditions, has been a highly successful enterprise; it has been instrumental in establishing context variation as an essential factor in the study of behavior and has led to a large volume of publications with culture as a
Barriers to medication adherence in asthma: the importance of culture and context.

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McQuaid, Elizabeth L

2018-03-23

Significant disparities exist in asthma outcomes. Racial and ethnic minorities have lower controller medication adherence, which may contribute to differences in asthma morbidity between minority and non-minority groups. The objective of this review is to identify individual, patient-provider communication, and systems issues that contribute to this pattern of medication underuse and to discuss potential strategies for intervention. Data were gathered from numerous sources, including reports of pharmacy and medical records, observational studies, and trials. Studies analyzed factors contributing to patterns of asthma medication adherence that differ by race and ethnicity. There is clear evidence of underuse of asthma controller medications among racial and ethnic minorities in prescription receipt, prescription initiation, and medication use once obtained. Individual factors such as medication beliefs and depressive symptoms play a role. Provider communication is also relevant, including limited discussion of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use, difficulties communicating with patients and caregivers with limited English proficiency (LEP), and implicit biases regarding cultural differences. Systems issues (e.g., insurance status, cost) and social context factors (e.g. exposure to violence) also present challenges. Culturally-informed strategies that capitalize on patient strengths and training providers in culturally-informed communication strategies hold promise as intervention approaches. Disparities in controller medication use are pervasive. Identifying the sources of these disparities is a critical step toward generating intervention approaches to enhance disease management among the groups that bear the greatest asthma burden. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.
After the pictures of others: pornography of death and cultural production in the digital context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eva Navarro Martínez

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper will analyze some aspects of the digital and Internet distribution and its later re-appropriation of, so called, “dramatic images”. Of all characteristics and concepts related to the web net and its possibilities, it will focus in three: simulacrum, access and democratization and re-appropriation and control. These characteristics of digital images will be analyzed in the frame of a topic: the pornography of death (of terror, war and violence. The study cases are some of the images resulting of the so-called “war on terror”- after 9/11 terrorist attacks. A first example is the film Fitna by Dutch politician Gert Wilders and the second one is the publication of images of tortures to Iraqi prisoners by USA soldiers in Abu Ghraib and their further appropriations for different purposes. Starting from these examples special attention will paid to the processes of becoming “cultural and artistic object” nowadays, analyzing the oppositions between “cultural subject and cultural object”, “private and public”, “we and they”, “life and death”, “art and spectacle” are (unresolved in our cultural context, mainly after Internet.
Importance of Sox2 in maintenance of cell proliferation and multipotency of mesenchymal stem cells in low-density culture.

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Yoon, D S; Kim, Y H; Jung, H S; Paik, S; Lee, J W

2011-10-01

This study has aimed to repopulate 'primitive' cells from late-passage mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) of poor multipotentiality and low cell proliferation rate, by simply altering plating density. Effects of low density culture compared t high density culture on late-passage bone marrow (BM)-derived MSCs and pluripotency markers of multipotentiality were investigated. Cell proliferation, gene expression, RNA interference and differentiation potential were assayed. We repopulated 'primitive' cells by replating late-passage MSCs at low density (17 cells/cm(2) ) regardless of donor age. Repopulated MSCs from low-density culture were smaller cells with spindle shaped morphology compared to MSCs from high-density culture. The latter had enhanced colony-forming ability, proliferation rate, and adipogenic and chondrogenic potential. Strong expression of osteogenic-related genes (Cbfa1, Dlx5, alkaline phosphatase and type Ι collagen) in late-passage MSCs was reduced by replating at low density, whereas expression of three pluripotency markers (Sox2, Nanog and Oct-4), Osterix and Msx2 reverted to levels of early-passage MSCs. Knockdown of Sox2 and Msx2 but not Nanog, using RNA interference, showed significant decrease in colony-forming ability. Specifically, knockdown of Sox2 significantly inhibited multipotentiality and cell proliferation. Our data suggest that plating density should be considered to be a critical factor for enrichment of 'primitive' cells from heterogeneous BM and that replicative senescence and multipotentiality of MSCs during in vitro expansion may be predominantly regulated through Sox2. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Knowledge translation in Uganda: a qualitative study of Ugandan midwives' and managers' perceived relevance of the sub-elements of the context cornerstone in the PARIHS framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergström, Anna; Peterson, Stefan; Namusoko, Sarah; Waiswa, Peter; Wallin, Lars

2012-12-03

A large proportion of the annual 3.3 million neonatal deaths could be averted if there was a high uptake of basic evidence-based practices. In order to overcome this 'know-do' gap, there is an urgent need for in-depth understanding of knowledge translation (KT). A major factor to consider in the successful translation of knowledge into practice is the influence of organizational context. A theoretical framework highlighting this process is Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS). However, research linked to this framework has almost exclusively been conducted in high-income countries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the perceived relevance of the sub-elements of the organizational context cornerstone of the PARIHS framework, and also whether other factors in the organizational context were perceived to influence KT in a specific low-income setting. This qualitative study was conducted in a district of Uganda, where focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted with midwives (n = 18) and managers (n = 5) within the catchment area of the general hospital. The interview guide was developed based on the context sub-elements in the PARIHS framework (receptive context, culture, leadership, and evaluation). Interviews were transcribed verbatim, followed by directed content analysis of the data. The sub-elements of organizational context in the PARIHS framework-i.e., receptive context, culture, leadership, and evaluation-also appear to be relevant in a low-income setting like Uganda, but there are additional factors to consider. Access to resources, commitment and informal payment, and community involvement were all perceived to play important roles for successful KT. In further development of the context assessment tool, assessing factors for successful implementation of evidence in low-income settings-resources, community involvement, and commitment and informal payment-should be considered for
High-Throughput Cancer Cell Sphere Formation for 3D Cell Culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yu-Chih; Yoon, Euisik

2017-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture is critical in studying cancer pathology and drug response. Though 3D cancer sphere culture can be performed in low-adherent dishes or well plates, the unregulated cell aggregation may skew the results. On contrary, microfluidic 3D culture can allow precise control of cell microenvironments, and provide higher throughput by orders of magnitude. In this chapter, we will look into engineering innovations in a microfluidic platform for high-throughput cancer cell sphere formation and review the implementation methods in detail.
Controlled Retrieval of Specific Context Information in Children and Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorsbach, Thomas C; Friehe, Mary J; Teten, Amy Fair; Reimer, Jason F; Armendarez, Joseph J

2015-01-01

This study adapted a procedure used by Luo and Craik (2009) to examine whether developmental differences exist in the ability to use controlled retrieval processes to access the contextual details of memory representations. Participants from 3 age groups (mean ages 9, 12, and 25 years) were presented with words in 3 study contexts: with a black-and-white picture, with a color picture, or alone without a picture. Six recognition tests were then presented that varied in the demands (high or low) placed on the retrieval of specific contextual information. Each test consisted of a mixture of words that were old targets from 1 study context, distractors (i.e., previously studied words from a different context), and completely new words. A high-specificity and a low-specificity test list was paired with each test question, with high and low specificity being determined by the nature of the distractors used in a test list. High-specificity tests contained words that were studied in similar contexts: old targets (e.g., words studied with black-and-white pictures) and distractors (e.g., words studied with color pictures). In contrast, low-specificity tests contained words that were studied in dissimilar contexts: old targets (e.g., words studied with black-and-white pictures) and distractors (e.g., words previously studied without a picture). Relative to low-specificity tests, the retrieval conditions of high-specificity tests were assumed to place greater demands on the controlled access of specific contextual information. Analysis of recollection scores revealed that age differences were present on high-but not low-specificity tests, with the performance of 9-year-olds disproportionately affected by the retrieval demands of high-specificity tests.
Reembedding Lean: The Japanese Cultural and Religious Context of a World Changing Management Concept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wittrock, Christian

2015-01-01

James Womack, Daniel Jones, and Daniel Roos rhetorically positioned the management concept “lean” for the business world in the early 1990s, claiming that lean would change the world for the better. In this article, I consider the management concept “lean,” its relation to Japanese history, culture......, Jones, and Ross that lean can be studied and implemented without regard to the context, I show how practices and attitudes considered central to lean have a long-standing history in Japan. They can be traced back to the Tokugawa period (1600–1868) and were salient in the trading houses of early modern...... Japan, in turn heavily inspired by Japanese religious thinking. Research in management fashion suggests that early success case discourse leads to disappointment and abandonment of management concepts later in their life course. Hence, I suggest that the claims of context independence ultimately have...
The smokescreen of culture: AIDS and the indigenous in Papua, Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Butt, Leslie; Numbery, Gerdha; Morin, Jake

2002-09-01

In health transition studies on AIDS, government activities typically have been accorded less importance than local cultural practices. Certain social and cultural values, theorists argue, prevent potentially at-risk individuals from taking effective precautions to prevent HIV infection during sexual intercourse. This paper shows how a focus on culture is inadequate to understanding the issue of risk when the AIDS epidemic occurs in a colonial context. A study conducted in 2001 in Papua (West Papua), eastern Indonesia, shows that ongoing colonial relationships between indigenous Papuans and in-migrant Indonesians create inequities in AIDS awareness. Rates of HIV infection in Papua are high, but indigenous Papuans have a low level of awareness. Drawing on a survey of condom use and the sex work industry, this paper shows that government values, and economic conditions, need to be scrutinized as closely as culture in order to provide effective AIDS prevention in Papua.
Chimpanzees copy dominant and knowledgeable individuals: implications for cultural diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kendal, Rachel; Hopper, Lydia M; Whiten, Andrew; Brosnan, Sarah F; Lambeth, Susan P; Schapiro, Steven J; Hoppitt, Will

2015-01-01

Evolutionary theory predicts that natural selection will fashion cognitive biases to guide when, and from whom, individuals acquire social information, but the precise nature of these biases, especially in ecologically valid group contexts, remains unknown. We exposed four captive groups of chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) to a novel extractive foraging device and, by fitting statistical models, isolated four simultaneously operating transmission biases. These include biases to copy (i) higher-ranking and (ii) expert individuals, and to copy others when (iii) uncertain or (iv) of low rank. High-ranking individuals were relatively un-strategic in their use of acquired knowledge, which, combined with the bias for others to observe them, may explain reports that high innovation rates (in juveniles and subordinates) do not generate a correspondingly high frequency of traditions in chimpanzees. Given the typically low rank of immigrants in chimpanzees, a 'copying dominants' bias may contribute to the observed maintenance of distinct cultural repertoires in neighboring communities despite sharing similar ecology and knowledgeable migrants. Thus, a copying dominants strategy may, as often proposed for conformist transmission, and perhaps in concert with it, restrict the accumulation of traditions within chimpanzee communities whilst maintaining cultural diversity.
Russian Pre-Service and Young In-Service Teachers’ Views on Cultural Dimensions of Russian Education: Power Distance

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Victoria Pogosian

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The article discusses Power Distance as one of the cultural dimensions of Russian education based on the perceptions and views of Russian pre-service and young in-service teachers. These views were elicited in the context of a 2 ECTS master’s degree course, “Cultural Dimensions of Education,” offered at Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia. The course includes Hofstede’s framework of cultural dimensions and the manifestation of these dimensions in educational settings, Hall’s cultural-factors theory (particularly high- and low- context cultures and monochronic versus polychronic cultures, but the research focuses on only one of the cultural dimensions, Hofstede’s Power Distance. The students’ reflections on their own experiences presented in writing as case studies and discussed with their peer students have been analyzed. Evidence has been gained that large Power Distance is a typical feature of Russian educational settings’ attitudes and relationships among all the actors—school administration, teachers, pupils, and their parents. The article discusses some of the cases presented and analyzed by the students and their arguments supporting their points of view.
The cultural context of patient's autonomy and doctor's duty: passive euthanasia and advance directives in Germany and Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Schicktanz, Silke; Raz, Aviad; Shalev, Carmel

2010-11-01

The moral discourse surrounding end-of-life (EoL) decisions is highly complex, and a comparison of Germany and Israel can highlight the impact of cultural factors. The comparison shows interesting differences in how patient's autonomy and doctor's duties are morally and legally related to each other with respect to the withholding and withdrawing of medical treatment in EoL situations. Taking the statements of two national expert ethics committees on EoL in Israel and Germany (and their legal outcome) as an example of this discourse, we describe the similarity of their recommendations and then focus on the differences, including the balancing of ethical principles, what is identified as a problem, what social role professionals play, and the influence of history and religion. The comparison seems to show that Israel is more restrictive in relation to Germany, in contrast with previous bioethical studies in the context of the moral and legal discourse regarding the beginning of life, in which Germany was characterized as far more restrictive. We reflect on the ambivalence of the cultural reasons for this difference and its expression in various dissenting views on passive euthanasia and advance directives, and conclude with a comment on the difficulty in classifying either stance as more or less restrictive.
Examining Cultural Intelligence and Cross-Cultural Negotiation Effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Groves, Kevin S.; Feyerherm, Ann; Gu, Minhua

2015-01-01

International negotiation failures are often linked to deficiencies in negotiator cross-cultural capabilities, including limited understanding of the cultures engaged in the transaction, an inability to communicate with persons from different cultural backgrounds, and limited behavioral flexibility to adapt to culturally unfamiliar contexts.…
Patterns of Internet Usage: Learning Sphere and the Socio-cultural Context

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Hossein Ebrahimabadi

2009-11-01

Full Text Available In addition to the curriculum and the learning targets, there are some other points –as “the culture of the real life”, “patterns of communication and virtual-life’s experiencing”, and generally “pattern of communication and internet usage”- should be considered in evaluating internet. Applying results of a survey on the impacts of both the web-based and the traditional educational methods on students’ learning and motivation, the present study explores the patterns of internet usage. Research method is experimental, using the t test for independent groups and analyzing multi-variable regression, and some points as the population, method of sampling and data gathering is explained in the article. Results show that there is a meaningful difference between the grades of the test group and the witness group; thus variable of “the internet usage” could predict changes in learning. In other words, supra-usage of internet would decrease learning and curriculum development. However, using internet for scientific and schooling would cause students to correlate their patterns of computer and internet usage. As results show, decline in entertaining usage of internet is related to the socio-cultural context, way and amount of participating in the web, and the quality of virtual learning sphere, rather than the interest or disinterest of the users.
A Scalable Context-Aware Objective Function (SCAOF) of Routing Protocol for Agricultural Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPAL).

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yibo; Chanet, Jean-Pierre; Hou, Kun-Mean; Shi, Hongling; de Sousa, Gil

2015-08-10

In recent years, IoT (Internet of Things) technologies have seen great advances, particularly, the IPv6 Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks (RPL), which provides a powerful and flexible routing framework that can be applied in a variety of application scenarios. In this context, as an important role of IoT, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) can utilize RPL to design efficient routing protocols for a specific application to increase the ubiquity of networks with resource-constrained WSN nodes that are low-cost and easy to deploy. In this article, our work starts with the description of Agricultural Low-power and Lossy Networks (A-LLNs) complying with the LLN framework, and to clarify the requirements of this application-oriented routing solution. After a brief review of existing optimization techniques for RPL, our contribution is dedicated to a Scalable Context-Aware Objective Function (SCAOF) that can adapt RPL to the environmental monitoring of A-LLNs, through combining energy-aware, reliability-aware, robustness-aware and resource-aware contexts according to the composite routing metrics approach. The correct behavior of this enhanced RPL version (RPAL) was verified by performance evaluations on both simulation and field tests. The obtained experimental results confirm that SCAOF can deliver the desired advantages on network lifetime extension, and high reliability and efficiency in different simulation scenarios and hardware testbeds.
A Scalable Context-Aware Objective Function (SCAOF of Routing Protocol for Agricultural Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPAL

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Yibo Chen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In recent years, IoT (Internet of Things technologies have seen great advances, particularly, the IPv6 Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks (RPL, which provides a powerful and flexible routing framework that can be applied in a variety of application scenarios. In this context, as an important role of IoT, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs can utilize RPL to design efficient routing protocols for a specific application to increase the ubiquity of networks with resource-constrained WSN nodes that are low-cost and easy to deploy. In this article, our work starts with the description of Agricultural Low-power and Lossy Networks (A-LLNs complying with the LLN framework, and to clarify the requirements of this application-oriented routing solution. After a brief review of existing optimization techniques for RPL, our contribution is dedicated to a Scalable Context-Aware Objective Function (SCAOF that can adapt RPL to the environmental monitoring of A-LLNs, through combining energy-aware, reliability-aware, robustness-aware and resource-aware contexts according to the composite routing metrics approach. The correct behavior of this enhanced RPL version (RPAL was verified by performance evaluations on both simulation and field tests. The obtained experimental results confirm that SCAOF can deliver the desired advantages on network lifetime extension, and high reliability and efficiency in different simulation scenarios and hardware testbeds.
Threshold Concepts and Culture-as-Meta-Context

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Nahavandi, Afsaneh

2016-01-01

This article explores the use of threshold concepts and their application to teaching culture. While there is clear recognition of the importance of preparing students to succeed in a global and multicultural world, the way we teach students about the importance and role of culture is often disjointed, narrowly focused, and does not always address…

Cultural differences in sensitivity to social context: detecting affective incongruity using the N400.

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Goto, Sharon G; Yee, Alicia; Lowenberg, Kelly; Lewis, Richard S

2013-01-01

East Asians and Asian-Americans tend to allocate relatively greater attention to background context compared to European Americans across a variety of cognitive and neural measures. We sought to extend these findings of cultural differences to affective stimuli using the N400, which has been shown to be sensitive to deep processing of affective information. The degree to which Asian-Americans and European Americans responded to semantic incongruity between emotionally expressive faces (i.e., smiling or frowning) and background affective scenes was measured. As predicted, Asian-Americans showed a greater N400 to incongruent trials than to congruent trials. In contrast, European Americans showed no difference in amplitude across the two conditions. Furthermore, greater affective N400 incongruity was associated with higher interdependent self-construals. These data suggest that Asian-Americans and those with interdependent self-construals process the relationship between perceived facial emotion and affective background context to a greater degree than European Americans and those with independent self-construals. Implications for neural and cognitive differences in everyday social interactions, and cultural differences in analytic and holistic thinking are discussed.
Cultural theory and risk perception: validity and utility explored in the French context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenot, J.; Bonnefous, S.; Mays, C.

1996-01-01

Explaining perceived risk can draw upon factors related to the person (e.g. demographics, personality, social/professional status, political orientation), or to the risk source (e.g. health impacts, economic effects). According to Cultural Theory risk perceptions are culturally biased. Wildavsky and Dake operationalised the Cultural Theory with questionnaire scales and found that resulting 'cultural profiles' best predict individual differences in risk perception. A French version of their questionnaire was inserted into a representative national risk opinion survey of May 1993; 1022 adults (age 18 and over) were interviewed. Major results are presented. The four cultural scales (hierarchy, egalitarianism, fatalism and individualism) show high correlations with political orientation as expected, but also with, for example, age, gender, income and education level. However, scale relationships to perception of risk situations (twenty, mainly technological) are not as strong as expected. Sjoeberg found similar results in Sweden. The utility of the existing operationalisation of Cultural Theory for risk perception analysis is discussed. (author)
Cultural theory and risk perception: validity and utility explored in the French context

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brenot, J.; Bonnefous, S.; Mays, C. [CEA Centre d`Etudes de Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92 (France). Inst. de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire

1996-12-31

Explaining perceived risk can draw upon factors related to the person (e.g. demographics, personality, social/professional status, political orientation), or to the risk source (e.g. health impacts, economic effects). According to Cultural Theory risk perceptions are culturally biased. Wildavsky and Dake operationalised the Cultural Theory with questionnaire scales and found that resulting `cultural profiles` best predict individual differences in risk perception. A French version of their questionnaire was inserted into a representative national risk opinion survey of May 1993; 1022 adults (age 18 and over) were interviewed. Major results are presented. The four cultural scales (hierarchy, egalitarianism, fatalism and individualism) show high correlations with political orientation as expected, but also with, for example, age, gender, income and education level. However, scale relationships to perception of risk situations (twenty, mainly technological) are not as strong as expected. Sjoeberg found similar results in Sweden. The utility of the existing operationalisation of Cultural Theory for risk perception analysis is discussed. (author).
Agriculture as an Upholder of Cultural Heritage? Conceptualizations and Value Judgements--A Norwegian Perspective in International Context

Science.gov (United States)

Daugstad, Karoline; Ronningen, Katrina; Skar, Birgitte

2006-01-01

The multifunctional role of agriculture as a producer of collective goods in addition to food and fibre, has been stressed within the context of negotiations on the liberalization of the world market for food (WTO) and in general in discussions concerning restructuring of the agricultural sector. One of these collective goods, cultural heritage,…
Organisational culture as a socio-economic phenomenon in the context of the modern management paradigm

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Shubin Aleksandr A.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The article studies cognitive component of the “organisational culture” category and marks our three groups of approaches to the aspect description of the studied category: aspects of the organisational culture formed by the control system; aspects of the organisational culture inherent in the controlled system; and universal aspects inherent in both control and controlled systems. The article provides the authors’ definition of the organisational culture as a complex element of the internal environment of the organisation that has certain phenomenological properties (synergy, dynamics, uniqueness, adaptability, mentality, hierarchy, aggregation, communicativeness and sociality; integrating spiritual, material, static and procedural elements with the aim of formation of a single management philosophy for ensuring external adaptation and efficient functioning of an enterprise. The article establishes the role and place of the organisational culture as a socio-economic phenomenon in the context of the modern management paradigm through specification of prerequisites of formation and development of the neo-classical concept of the organisational culture; features of the modern management paradigm; phenomenological properties of the culture; factors of influence upon the organisational culture and tendencies of development of the phenomenon of the national organisational culture.
Academic Globalization And Ice: Cross-Cultural Research And Transnational Education

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Marta Szabo White

2012-10-01

Full Text Available As the Lion said to the Man, "There are many statues of men slaying lions, but if only the lions were sculptors there might be quite a different set of statues." - Aesop Commensurate with Aesop's message of the sculptor matters, so does the communicator, the language and surprisingly, business context. The evolution from the experientially-based Cultureactive to the theoretically-based ICE, from first-generation to second-generation, this paper underscores the marriage of cross-cultural research and transnational education. Both Cultureactive and ICE serve at the pleasure of Globalization, and more importantly, Academic Globalization and Transnational Education. The impetus for this paper derives from two pivotal questions: Does one's professional lens create similarities more dominant than culture; and does English evoke responses significantly different from those of one's native language. ICE emerged from Cultureactive when validity and reliability research issues became noteworthy. Known as the ABC research team, Adair, Buchan and Chen [1] and [2] capitalized upon both Hall's low context/high context communication tool and Triandis' model of subjective culture to result in the theoretical underpinnings for ICE. This conceptual reconfiguration is also grounded in the works of Trompenaars, Holtgraves, Hampden-Turner, Thomas and Kilman, Yamagishi, and Bearden, Money and Nevins [3], [11], [20], [22] and [24]. ICE implementation strategies include the employment of Myers Briggs typologies. The contribution of this paper is the celebration of the first year of ICE [InterCultural Edge], and its far-reaching ramifications. Previous research streams have underscored global similarities and differences among cultures, and a previous paper [23] established that cross-professional rather than cross-cultural differences are more paramount in assessing communication differences. This study employs Cultureactive and the LMR model, noting that business
The Influence of Information Behaviour on Information Sharing across Cultural Boundaries in Development Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Hester W. J.

2009-01-01

Introduction: Sharing of information across cultural boundaries does not always live up to expectations. Information behaviour is an underlying factor, which can contribute to poor use or non-use of the information or information services at the disposal of indigenous people in a development context. Method: A literature study of information…
Quantitative and informatics tools for studying the effect of low dose radiation on tissue and cell culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parvin, B.; Yang, Q.; Fontenay, G.; Barcellos-Hoff, M.H.

2003-01-01

Full text: The challenge of the post-genomic era is functional genomics, i.e., understanding how the genome is expressed to produce myriad cell phenotypes. To use genomic information to understand the biology of complex organisms, one must understand the dynamics of phenotype generation and maintenance. A phenotype is the result of selective expression of the genome. In order to define cell 'phenomes,' one would track the kinetics and quantities of multiple constituent proteins, their cellular context and morphological features in large populations. Our aim is to extend the development of the BioSig imaging bioinformatics system for understanding how ionizing radiation alters tissue homeostasis and responses in cell culture experiments. Given several thousand antibodies and reagents for differentiating cell-specific protein components, biological heterogeneity, and other variables that affect cellular responses, there is a clear requirements for managing images and information about these images. Our focus is on the development of (1) quantitative methods for protein expression either in tissue or cell culture studies, (2) a adequate data model that couples quantitative results with the experimental variables, and (3) browsing and visualization tools that enable exploration of large scale image data in feature space in the context of biological heterogeneity. The framework provides the basis for studying the effect of low-dose radiation on the cellular microenvironment, inter-cell communication, and the underlying mechanisms. In turn, this information can then be used to more accurately predict more complex multicellular biological responses following exposure to different types of inhibitors. The BioSig informatics approach to microscopy and quantitative image analysis has been used to build a more detailed picture of the signaling that occurs between cells, as a result of an exogenous stimulus such as radiation, or as a consequence of endogenous programs leading
Mitochondrial oxidative stress contributes differently to rat pancreatic islet cell apoptosis and insulin secretory defects after prolonged culture in a low non-stimulating glucose concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Roma, L P; Pascal, S M; Duprez, J; Jonas, J-C

2012-08-01

Pancreatic beta cells chronically exposed to low glucose concentrations show signs of oxidative stress, loss of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and increased apoptosis. Our aim was to confirm the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress in rat islet cell apoptosis under these culture conditions and to evaluate whether its reduction similarly improves survival and GSIS. Apoptosis, oxidative stress-response gene mRNA expression and glucose-induced stimulation of mitochondrial metabolism, intracellular Ca(2+) concentration and insulin secretion were measured in male Wistar rat islets cultured for 1 week in RPMI medium containing 5-10 mmol/l glucose with or without manganese(III)tetrakis(4-benzoic acid)porphyrin (MnTBAP) or N-acetyl-L-: cysteine (NAC). Oxidative stress was measured in islet cell clusters cultured under similar conditions using cytosolic and mitochondrial redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein (roGFP1/mt-roGFP1). Prolonged culture in 5 vs 10 mmol/l glucose increased mt-roGFP1 (but not roGFP1) oxidation followed by beta cell apoptosis and loss of GSIS resulting from reduced insulin content, mitochondrial metabolism, Ca(2+) influx and Ca(2+)-induced secretion. Tolbutamide-induced, but not high K(+)-induced, Ca(2+) influx was also suppressed. Under these conditions, MnTBAP, but not NAC, triggered parallel ~50-70% reductions in mt-roGFP1 oxidation and beta cell apoptosis, but failed to protect against the loss of GSIS despite significant improvement in glucose-induced and tolbutamide-induced Ca(2+) influx. Mitochondrial oxidative stress contributes differently to rat pancreatic islet cell apoptosis and insulin secretory defects during culture in a low glucose concentration. Thus, targeting beta cell survival may not be sufficient to restore insulin secretion when beta cells suffer from prolonged mitochondrial oxidative stress, e.g. in the context of reduced glucose metabolism.
Influence and adjustment goals: sources of cultural differences in ideal affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Jeanne L; Miao, Felicity F; Seppala, Emma; Fung, Helene H; Yeung, Dannii Y

2007-06-01

Previous studies have found that in American culture high-arousal positive states (HAP) such as excitement are valued more and low-arousal positive states (LAP) such as calm are valued less than they are in Chinese culture. What specific factors account for these differences? The authors predicted that when people and cultures aimed to influence others (i.e., assert personal needs and change others' behaviors to meet those needs), they would value HAP more and LAP less than when they aimed to adjust to others (i.e., suppress personal needs and change their own behaviors to meet others' needs). They test these predictions in 1 survey and 3 experimental studies. The findings suggest that within and across American and Chinese contexts, differences in ideal affect are due to specific interpersonal goals. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.
Perspective Shifts and a Theoretical Model Relating to "Kaigaishijo" and "Kikokushijo," or Third Culture Kids in a Japanese Context

Science.gov (United States)

Fry, Rieko

2007-01-01

This article examines the various claims made about sojourn children known as kaigaishijo and kikokushijo, or third culture kids (TCKs) in a Japanese context. Their image has shifted from educationally disadvantaged to internationally minded children with bilingual and bicultural abilities who can thrive in the era of globalization. The article…
Autonomy, culture and healthcare

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riis, Anita Holm

2018-01-01

a Scandinavian and mostly a Danish context. A key point of the analysis indicates that a highly efficient health sector may entail an implicit duality: On the one hand, the therapist can relate pragmatically to the patient when engaging in cultural meetings. On the other hand, the therapist may be personally......This article aims to present a theoretical view of how cultural thinking and action in meetings between patient and therapist can be analyzed with special attention to raising awareness of underlying prejudices and preconceptions in such encounters. The examples in the article are all taken from...... challenged when cultural thinking leads to ethical dilemmas....
The cultural contagion of conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Gelfand, Michele; Shteynberg, Garriy; Lee, Tiane; Lun, Janetta; Lyons, Sarah; Bell, Chris; Chiao, Joan Y.; Bruss, C. Bayan; Al Dabbagh, May; Aycan, Zeynep; Abdel-Latif, Abdel-Hamid; Dagher, Munqith; Khashan, Hilal; Soomro, Nazar

2012-01-01

Anecdotal evidence abounds that conflicts between two individuals can spread across networks to involve a multitude of others. We advance a cultural transmission model of intergroup conflict where conflict contagion is seen as a consequence of universal human traits (ingroup preference, outgroup hostility; i.e. parochial altruism) which give their strongest expression in particular cultural contexts. Qualitative interviews conducted in the Middle East, USA and Canada suggest that parochial altruism processes vary across cultural groups and are most likely to occur in collectivistic cultural contexts that have high ingroup loyalty. Implications for future neuroscience and computational research needed to understand the emergence of intergroup conflict are discussed. PMID:22271785
The transferability of Western concepts to other cultures: validation of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire in a Saudi Arabic context.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmood, Syed Imran; Daim, Syed Abdul; Borleffs, Jan C C; Heijne-Penninga, Marjolein; Schönrock-Adema, Johanna

2015-04-01

The importance of medical education research in Saudi Arabia has been acknowledged increasingly and a lot of concepts used have been derived from the Western world. The question arises, however, whether Western concepts and questionnaires are transferable to societies with different cultures. The aim of this study was to investigate the instrument structure and the reliability of the Arabic version of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire-medium (ZKPQ-m). Three statistical methods with decreased amount of strictness were used to analyse our data: Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Procrustes rotation and Principal Component Analysis. Our outcomes did not confirm the original instrument structure. Instead, we found four interpretable components: Emotional Instability, Impulse-seeking, Activeness and Self-Control. However, the amount of explained variance was not very high and the internal consistencies ranged from unsatisfactory to only moderate. The data showed a high percentage of respondents agreeing with more than three items of the Infrequency scale, which may be attributable to the collectivistic culture in Saudi Arabia. We did not succeed in replicating the ZKPQ structure in the Arabic context. Social desirability, a common characteristic in collectivistic cultures, may have reduced the replicability of the internal structure of the ZKPQ-m. Different methods to measure concepts in collectivistic cultures may help to get round social desirability.
Ethical, social, and cultural issues related to clinical genetic testing and counseling in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Adrina; Darren, Benedict; Dimaras, Helen

2017-07-11

There has been little focus in the literature on how to build genetic testing and counseling services in low- and middle-income countries in a responsible, ethical, and culturally appropriate manner. It is unclear to what extent this area is being explored and what form further research should take. The proposed knowledge synthesis aims to fill this gap in knowledge and mine the existing data to determine the breadth of work in this area and identify ethical, social, and cultural issues that have emerged. An integrated knowledge translation approach will be undertaken by engaging knowledge users throughout the review to ensure relevance to their practice. Electronic databases encompassing various disciplines, such as healthcare, social sciences, and public health, will be searched. Studies that address clinical genetic testing and/or counseling and ethical, social, and/or cultural issues of these genetic services, and are performed in low- and middle-income countries as defined by World Bank will be considered for inclusion. Two independent reviewers will be involved in a two-stage literature screening process, data extraction, and quality appraisal. Studies included in the review will be analyzed by thematic analysis. A narrative synthesis guided by the social ecological model will be used to summarize findings. This systematic review will provide a foundation of evidence regarding ethical, social, and cultural issues related to clinical genetic testing and counseling in low- and middle-income countries. Using the social ecological model as a conceptual framework will facilitate the understanding of broader influences of the sociocultural context on an individual's experience with clinical genetic testing and counseling, thereby informing interdisciplinary sectors in future recommendations for practice and policy. PROSPERO CRD42016042894.
Understanding Grief within a Cultural Context

Science.gov (United States)

... the loved ones who are preparing for their loss. Culture and the meaning of death Every culture has ... and mourning practices of a person from another culture. Related Resources Coping With Grief Coping With Change After a Loss f t k e P Coping With Cancer ...
A Brief Analysis on Cross-cultural Communication Strategy of Chinese Films under the Context of Globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cao Zhiyong

2016-03-01

Full Text Available With the development of globalization waves, the cross-cultural communication becomes more and more common nowadays. Chinese films, as a kind of mass media and the carrier of ideology, must meet the challenge in the world with active attitudes and take part in cross-cultural communication worldwide extensively. The context of globalization is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for Chinese films and if Chinese films want to be successful in the process of cross-cultural communication, it must find out a conjoint point between globalization and location to implement dual-coding of them. With the objective of consensus but different for the cultural demands of cross-cultural communication, the communicational strategies in culture，subject，art and operation must extensively use for reference and boldly create to renew the situation of Chinese films．
Association of regional racial/cultural context and socioeconomic status with arthritis in the population: a multilevel analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cañizares, Mayilee; Power, J Denise; Perruccio, Anthony V; Badley, Elizabeth M

2008-03-15

To examine the extent to which differences in individual- and regional-level socioeconomic status and racial/cultural origin account for geographic variations in the prevalence of self-reported arthritis, and to determine whether regional characteristics modify the effect of individual characteristics associated with reporting arthritis. Analyses were based on the 2000-2001 Canadian Community Health Survey (>15 years, n = 127,513). Arthritis was self-reported as a long-term condition diagnosed by a health professional. A 2-level logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of reporting arthritis. Individual-level variables included age, sex, income, education, immigration status, racial/cultural origin, smoking, physical activity, and body mass index. Regional-level variables included the proportion of low-income families, low education, unemployment, recent immigrants, Aboriginals, and Asians. At the individual level, age, sex, low income, low education, Aboriginal origin, current smoking, and overweight/obesity were positively associated with reporting arthritis; recent immigration and Asian origin were negatively associated with reporting arthritis. At the regional level, percentages of low-income families and the Aboriginal population were independently associated with reporting arthritis. Regional income and racial/cultural origin moderated the effects of individual income and racial/cultural origin; low-income individuals residing in regions with a higher proportion of low-income families reported arthritis more than low-income individuals living in better-income regions. Both individual and regional factors were found to contribute to variations in the prevalence of arthritis, although significant unexplained variation remained. Further research is required to better understand the mechanisms that underlie these regional effects and to identify other contributing factors to the remaining variation.
Conceptualising the prevention of adverse obstetric outcomes among immigrants using the 'three delays' framework in a high-income context.

Science.gov (United States)

Binder, Pauline; Johnsdotter, Sara; Essén, Birgitta

2012-12-01

Women from high-mortality settings in sub-Saharan Africa can remain at risk for adverse maternal outcomes even after migrating to low-mortality settings. To conceptualise underlying socio-cultural factors, we assume a 'maternal migration effect' as pre-migration influences on pregnant women's post-migration care-seeking and consistent utilisation of available care. We apply the 'three delays' framework, developed for low-income African contexts, to a high-income western scenario, and aim to identify delay-causing influences on the pathway to optimal facility treatment. We also compare factors influencing the expectations of women and maternal health providers during care encounters. In 2005-2006, we interviewed 54 immigrant African women and 62 maternal providers in greater London, United Kingdom. Participants were recruited by snowball and purposive sampling. We used a hermeneutic, naturalistic study design to create a qualitative proxy for medical anthropology. Data were triangulated to the framework and to the national health system maternity care guidelines. This maintained the original three phases of (1) care-seeking, (2) facility accessibility, and (3) receipt of optimal care, but modified the framework for a migration context. Delays to reciprocal care encounters in Phase 3 result from Phase 1 factors of 'broken trust, which can be mutually held between women and providers. An additional factor is women's 'negative responses to future care', which include rationalisations made during non-emergency situations about future late-booking, low-adherence or refusal of treatment. The greatest potential for delay was found during the care encounter, suggesting that perceived Phase 1 factors have stronger influence on Phase 3 than in the original framework. Phase 2 'language discordance' can lead to a 'reliance on interpreter service', which can cause delays in Phase 3, when 'reciprocal incongruent language ability' is worsened by suboptimal interpreter systems
Agency, Context and Meaning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Folkmann, Mads Nygaard

2014-01-01

The paper is a meta-discursive contribution to the discussion of how design can be understood as a medium of meaning formation and questioning of meaning. Further, the paper builds on plea for the role of humanities in relation to formulate relevant questions in design through conceptualizing the...... of meaning formulation and cultural contexts and, by this, contest design. In reflecting the foundational ground of design in terms of its agency, contexts and meaning constituents, design and its questioning of meaning can be critically reframed.......The paper is a meta-discursive contribution to the discussion of how design can be understood as a medium of meaning formation and questioning of meaning. Further, the paper builds on plea for the role of humanities in relation to formulate relevant questions in design through conceptualizing...... history, 2) the question of context in and of design, i.e. which contexts give meaning to design; this question calls for interpretive models of cultural analysis of the circuit of design in acknowledging phases and aspects of production, mediation and consumption, and 3) the question of the meaning...

Cultural tourism in fragile institutional contexts: project for cultural routes in Tierra del Fuego

OpenAIRE

Garcés Feliu, Eugenio

2012-01-01

The following paper presents a project of Cultural Routes designed for the Chilean Tierra del Fuego, linked to promoting tourism and boosting the economy, through the development of a specific high standard tourism offer, linked to its natural and cultural heritage, with the purpose of capturing the potential income generation for Chile. The project had as main goal to enhance the competitiveness of the tourism sector of special interests in Tierra del Fuego, a key sector of South...
Culture of Peace and Musical Education in contexts of Cultural Diversity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastián Sánchez Fernández

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The cultural diversity of the world needs to education for the peace, working the values related to the Culture of Peace, like the respect, the justice, the equality, the tolerance and the interculturality. The fundamental aim of our research is to know and to value how the educational centers turn into the most suitable scenes to develop the education. For it we have realized a study in a center of Infantile and Primary Education of the Autonomous City of Melilla, the College Velázquez, with which we try to know the reality that is lived in the school centers of the city in the relative to the promotion of the Interculturality and the Culture of Peace between the pupils of different groups. We have used a qualitative methodology, which has allowed us to form a group of discussion with several teachers of different professional profiles. As more relevant result stands out than the music, in spite of the hourly restrictions that the legislation has established for this matter, it is one of the best resources to educate in values and to promote the Interculturality and the Culture of Peace.
Feeling close and doing well: the prevalence and motivational effects of interpersonally engaging emotions in Mexican and European American cultural contexts.

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Savani, Krishna; Alvarez, Ayme; Mesquita, Batja; Markus, Hazel Rose

2013-01-01

Two studies investigate whether interpersonally engaging emotions--those that bring the self closer to others (e.g., affection, shame)--are central to the model of self and relationships prevalent in Mexican cultural contexts. Study 1 demonstrated that compared to people in European American contexts, people in Mexican contexts were more likely to report experiencing interpersonally engaging emotions and less likely to report experiencing interpersonally disengaging emotions. Study 2 found that interpersonally engaging emotions had a substantial influence on performance motivation in Mexican contexts--Mexican participants solved more word search puzzles after recalling instances in which they experienced positive interpersonally engaging emotions, and fewer after recalling negative interpersonally disengaging emotions; in contrast, there were no differences by condition for European Americans. These findings significantly extend previous research by documenting the implications of relational concerns (e.g., simpatia, personalismo) for emotion and motivation in Mexican contexts, and are the first to demonstrate the motivational effects of interpersonally engaging emotions.
The supportive roles of religion and spirituality in end-of-life and palliative care of patients with cancer in a culturally diverse context: a literature review.

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López-Sierra, Héctor E; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Jesús

2015-03-01

This is a literature review of the supportive roles of religion and spirituality (R/S) in end-of-life (EoL) and palliative care of patients with cancer in a culturally diverse context. This review examines 26 noteworthy articles published between August 2013 and August 2014 from five well supported databases. Current evidence shows that R/S evokes in patients the sources to find the necessary inner strengths, which includes perspective thinking, rituals for transcending immediate physical condition and modalities of coping with their oncological illnesses. R/S are not a monolithically experience for they always manifest themselves in diverse cultural settings. As such, R/S provide the individual and their families with a practical context and social memory, which includes traditions and social family practices for maintaining meaning and well-being. Nonetheless, although various dimensions of R/S show a link between cancer risk factors and well being in cancer patients, more specific dimensions of R/S need to be studied taking into account the individuals' particular religious and cultural contexts, so that R/S variables within that context can provide a greater integrative structure for understanding and to move the field forward. Behavioral, cognitive and psychosocial scientists have taken a more in-depth look at the claims made in the past, suggesting that a relationship between R/S, cultural diversity and health exists. Case in point are the studies on EoL care, which have progressively considered the role of cultural, religion and spiritual diversity in the care of patients with oncological terminal illnesses. Beyond these facts, this review also shows that EoL supportive and palliative care providers could further enhance their practical interventions by being sensitive and supportive of cultural diversity. http://links.lww.com/COSPC/A10
Toward a more comprehensive analysis of the role of organizational culture in child sexual abuse in institutional contexts.

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Palmer, Donald; Feldman, Valerie

2017-12-01

This article draws on a report prepared for the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Palmer et al., 2016) to develop a more comprehensive analysis of the role that organizational culture plays in child sexual abuse in institutional contexts, where institutional contexts are taken to be formal organizations that include children among their members (referred to here as "youth-serving organizations"). We begin by integrating five strains of theory and research on organizational culture from organizational sociology and management theory into a unified framework for analysis. We then elaborate the main paths through which organizational culture can influence child sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations. We then use our unified analytic framework and our understanding of the main paths through which organizational culture can influence child sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations to analyze the role that organizational culture plays in the perpetration, detection, and response to child sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations. We selectively illustrate our analysis with case materials compiled by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and reports of child sexual abuse published in a variety of other sources. We conclude with a brief discussion of the policy implications of our analysis. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
A low-density culture method of cerebellar granule neurons with paracrine support applicable for the study of neuronal morphogenesis.

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Kubota, Kenta; Seno, Takeshi; Konishi, Yoshiyuki

2013-11-20

Cerebellar granule neuronal cultures have been used to study the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal functions, including neuronal morphogenesis. However, a limitation of this system is the difficulty to analyze isolated neurons because these are required to be maintained at a high density. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to develop a simple and cost-effective method for culturing low-density cerebellar granule neurons. Cerebellar granule cells at two different densities (low- and high-density) were co-cultivated in order for the low-density culture to be supported by the paracrine signals from the high-density culture. This method enabled morphology analysis of isolated cerebellar granule neurons without astrocytic feeder cultures or supplements such as B27. Using this method, we investigated the function of a polarity factor. Studies using hippocampal neurons suggested that glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is an essential regulator of neuronal polarity, and inhibition of GSK-3 results in the formation of multiple axons. Pharmacological inhibitors for GSK-3 (6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime and lithium chloride) did not cause the formation of multiple axons of cerebellar granule neurons but significantly reduced their length. Consistent results were obtained by introducing kinase-dead form of GSK-3 beta (K85A). These results indicated that GSK-3 is not directly involved in the control of neuronal polarity in cerebellar granule neurons. Overall, this study provides a simple method for culturing low-density cerebellar granule neurons and insights in to the neuronal-type dependent function of GSK-3 in neuronal morphogenesis. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A multilevel cross-cultural examination of role overload and organizational commitment: investigating the interactive effects of context.

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Fisher, David M

2014-07-01

Considering the influential nature of context, the current investigation examined whether the relationship between role overload and organizational commitment was affected by various contextual factors. Drawing on the occupational stress literature, structural empowerment and cooperative climate were examined as factors that would mitigate the negative effects of role overload on organizational commitment. In addition, national culture was examined to determine whether empowerment and cooperative climate had consistent moderating effects across cultures. The relationships among these variables were examined using hierarchical linear modeling in a sample of 6,264 employees working at a multinational organization in 337 different work locations across 18 countries. Results suggested that the negative effect of role overload on organizational commitment did not vary as a function of culture in the current sample, but empowerment and cooperative climate had a moderating influence on this relationship. Furthermore, a 3-way interaction was observed between the cultural variable of power distance, empowerment, and role overload in predicting organizational commitment, suggesting that factors that serve to mitigate the negative effects of role overload in one culture may be ineffectual in another. This 3-way interaction was observed regardless of whether Hofstede's (2001) cultural value indices were used or the cultural practice scores from the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) project (R. J. House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, & Gupta, 2004).
Cultural Narcissism and Education Reform

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Pajak, Edward F.

2011-01-01

Background/Context: Scholars have described American culture in recent decades as narcissistic, manifested by displays of self-absorption tantamount to a pathological syndrome that has reached epidemic proportions. An education reform movement that is highly critical of public schools, teachers, and students has simultaneously emerged, espousing a…
How Two Differing Portraits of Newton Can Teach Us about the Cultural Context of Science

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Tucci, Pasquale

2015-01-01

Like several scientists, Isaac Newton has been represented many times over many different periods, and portraits of Newton were often commissioned by the scientist himself. These portraits tell us a lot about the scientist, the artist and the cultural context. This article examines two very different portraits of Newton that were realized more…
Low-level percepts predict emotion concepts across modalities and cultures

OpenAIRE

Parkinson, Carolyn; Sievers, Beau; Wheatley, Thalia; Haslett, William; Walker, Trent

2017-01-01

Köhler (1929) first demonstrated that “hard” sounds (e.g., takete) are intuitively associated with spiky shapes, while “soft” sounds (e.g., maluma) are associated with rounded shapes. Here we replicate Köhler’s original shape–sound correspondence study using non-phonetic sounds in a population with little exposure to globalized culture. Further, we show that these low-level crossmodal correspondences predict judgments of emotional arousal. Together, these findings suggest that cross-cultural,...
Practicing Preventive Health: The Underlying Culture among Low-Income Rural Populations

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Murimi, Mary W.; Harpel, Tammy

2010-01-01

Context: Health disparities on the basis of geographic location, social economic factors and education levels are well documented. However, even when health care services are available, there is no guarantee that all persons will take preventive health measures. Understanding the cultural beliefs, practices, and lifestyle choices that determine…
THE IMPACT of CULTURE, LEADERSHIP, and POWER, on STAFF MOTIVATION in the CONTEXT of INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

OpenAIRE

Erciyes, Erdem

2017-01-01

This thesis investigates the impact of culture, leadership, and power, on staff motivation in selected international organizations (IOs), and develops a theoretical framework to assist with the practice of workforce motivation. The main research question is: “How can supervisors motivate their staff in the context of IOs?” Utilizing critical theory as a paradigm of inquiry, the study’s philosophical perspective leans heavily on “phenomenology”. Conducting this research led to the realization ...
Different Strokes for Different Folks? Contrasting Approaches to Cultural Adaptation of Parenting Interventions.

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Mejia, Anilena; Leijten, Patty; Lachman, Jamie M; Parra-Cardona, José Ruben

2017-08-01

Relevant achievements have been accomplished in prevention science with regard to disseminating efficacious parenting interventions among underserved populations. However, widespread disparities in availability of parenting services continue to negatively impact diverse populations in high-income countries (e.g., the USA) and low- and middle-income countries. As a result, a scholarly debate on cultural adaptation has evolved over the years. Specifically, some scholars have argued that in diverse cultural contexts, existing evidence-based parenting interventions should be delivered with strict fidelity to ensure effectiveness. Others have emphasized the need for cultural adaptations of interventions when disseminated among diverse populations. In this paper, we propose that discussions on cultural adaptation should be conceptualized as a "both-and," rather than an "either-or" process. To justify this stance, we describe three distinct parenting intervention projects to illustrate how cultural adaptation and efficacy of evidence-based interventions can be achieved using contrasting approaches and frameworks, depending on cultural preferences and available resources of local contexts. Further, we suggest the need to develop guidelines for consistent reporting of cultural adaptation procedures as a critical component of future investigations. This discussion is relevant for the broader public health field and prevention science.
Cultural context and school counseling: Cultural sensitivity to advocate for social justice

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Moshé Tatar

2008-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper the relevance of understanding the different meanings of culture in the counseling profession is presented. Two approaches to the concept of culture as they relate to counseling are suggested: the first approach stresses the organisational culture of the institution where the counselor works; the second —the multicultural approach— calls for the complex recognition of the variety of ethnic cultural backgrounds of those involved in the counseling situation. Professional practices are analysed as means for the reinforcement of present conditions or as ways for changing them. The concepts of empowerment of and advocacy for our clients are put forward as main components in the challenging new roles of the counseling profession. Implications for counselors are suggested.
Context Influences on the Subjective Experience of Aging: The Impact of Culture and Domains of Functioning.

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O'Brien, Erica L; Hess, Thomas M; Kornadt, Anna E; Rothermund, Klaus; Fung, Helene; Voss, Peggy

2017-08-01

Attitudes about aging influence how people feel about their aging and affect psychological and health outcomes in later life. Given cross-cultural variability in such attitudes, the subjective experience of aging (e.g., subjective age [SA]) may also vary, potentially accounting for culture-specific patterns of aging-related outcomes. Our study explored cultural variation in SA and its determinants. American (N = 569), Chinese (N = 492), and German (N = 827) adults aged 30-95 years completed a questionnaire that included instruments measuring basic demographic information, SA, beliefs about thresholds of old age, control over life changes, and age dependency of changes in eight different life domains (i.e., family, work). Analyses revealed consistency across cultures in the domain-specificity of SA, but differences in the amount of shared variance across domains (e.g., Chinese adults exhibited greater homogeneity across domains than did Americans and Germans). Cultural differences were also observed in levels of SA in some domains, which were attenuated by domain-specific beliefs (e.g., control). Interestingly, beliefs about aging accounted for more cultural variation in SA than did sociodemographic factors (e.g., education). Our results demonstrate that subjective perceptions of aging and everyday functioning may be best understood from a perspective focused on context (i.e., culture, life domain). Given its important relation to functioning, examination of cross-cultural differences in the subjective experience of aging may highlight factors that determine variations in aging-related outcomes that then could serve as targets of culture-specific interventions promoting well-being in later life. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
“What Cultural Policies?” Explicit and Implicit Cultural Policies in Lebanon

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Nadia von Maltzahn

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Cultural policies define a vision for culture, and provide frameworks for institutional practice to translate this vision on the ground. A 1981 study on Lebanese cultural policy reached the conclusion that one cannot speak of cultural policies in Lebanon if one refers to state laws, regulations and plans. However, if cultural policy was understood as the method of a state to give its citizens the space to develop themselves in a way that they could create culture, one could certainly speak of cultural policies in Lebanon (Abou Rizk. In cultural policy research, there is a distinction between explicit and implicit cultural policy (Ahearne. In this article, the concept of explicit and implicit cultural policy is applied to the case of Lebanon. The two terms are extended so that the former does not only include cultural policies designatedas such by the state, but also those created by civil society actors, and that the latter does not only include political strategies, but also practices that in the end determine cultural policies. Drawing on empirical research conducted in the context of a larger study on the role of cultural institutions in the public sphere, the power struggles between different actors involved in cultural policy making cultural policy defined in the Lebanese context, which in turn will be positioned within the regional context.
Ethnographies of pain: culture, context and complexity

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

This article briefly introduces and discusses the value of ethnographic research, particularly research hailing from the discipline of social and cultural anthropology. After an introduction to ethnography in general, key ethnographic studies of pain are described. These show that ethnography provides a set of techniques for data collection and analysis, as well as a way of thinking about pain as socially and culturally embedded. Modern ethnographic writing is far removed from the literature of the past that sometimes described stereotypes rather than process and complexity. Ethnography provides the chance to describe the complexity and nuance of culture, which serves to counter stereotypes. The article concludes with an example from pain research conducted in a clinical setting. Through the use of ethnographic techniques, the research study provided greater insight than other methods alone might have achieved. The article includes references for further reading should readers be interested in developing their engagement with ethnographic method and interpretation. PMID:26516554
AHP 37: ETHNICITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON THE NORTHEAST TIBETAN PLATEAU - SANCHUAN'S WEATHER MANAGEMENT RITUALS IN COMPARATIVE CONTEXT

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Gerald Roche

2015-06-01

Full Text Available What is the relationship between ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity? This paper is part of a broader project to investigate this question in the context of a region of supposed ethno-cultural rupture – the Sino-Tibetan Frontier. My investigations of ethnicity, culture, and language in this region (Roche 2011, 2014, 2015, Roche and Lcag mo tshe ring 2013, Roche and Stuart 2015 have focused on a population referred to as the Monguor or Tu. My work also aims to contribute to broader trends in the study of Tibet and ethnic minorities in China that look at the complex relations between ethnicity and diversity (Jinba Tenzin 2013, Chao 2012, Merriam 2012, Hayes 2014. My research has been inspired by Barth's (1969 critique of the 'Herderian trinity' of community, culture, and identity (Wimmer 2013. In contrast to the Romantic notion of bounded communities professing a common identity based on shared culture, Barth suggested that the landscape of cultural difference is frequently divided arbitrarily, with ethnic boundaries often placed between culturally similar groups. He therefore advises placing emphasis on boundary marking and maintenance over the 'cultural stuff' contained within ethnic bounds. Within this 'boundary paradigm', "Researchers would no longer study 'the culture' of ethnic group A or B, but rather how the ethnic boundary between A and B was inscribed onto a landscape of continuous cultural transitions" (Wimmer 2013:22-23. ...
Low and High Mathematics Achievement in Japanese, Chinese, and American Elementary-School Children.

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Uttal, David H.; And Others

1988-01-01

First and fifth grade students who scored high or low on a mathematics test were tested for intellectual ability and reading achievement. Students and their mothers were interviewed. Results indicated that factors associated with levels of achievement in mathematics operate in a similar fashion across three cultures that differ greatly in their…
Non-kin ties as a source of support in Europe: understanding the role of cultural context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Conkova, N. (Nina); T. Fokkema (Tineke); P.A. Dykstra (Pearl)

2017-01-01

textabstractThe ‘crowding-out’ and the ‘decline of the family’ hypotheses are the fundamental theoretical notions underlying the literature on cross-country differences in informal support. In this study, we expand upon these notions to develop and test the premise that cultural context shapes

Personality disorders in Asians: summary, and a call for cultural research.

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Ryder, Andrew G; Sun, Jiahong; Dere, Jessica; Fung, Kenneth

2014-02-01

Epidemiological studies show relatively low rates of personality disorder (PD) in Asian-origin samples, but these low rates may result from a lack of understanding about what constitutes PD in Asian cultural contexts. Research on etiology, assessment, and treatment has rarely been extended to incorporate ways in which culture might shape PDs in general, let alone among Asians in particular. PDs did not officially change in DSM-5, but an alternative dimensional system may help link the Asian PD literature to non-clinical personality research. Personality and culture are deeply intertwined, and the research literature on Asian PDs - and on PDs more generally - would benefit greatly from more research unpacking the cultural mechanisms of variation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Temporal context memory in high-functioning autism.

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Gras-Vincendon, Agnès; Mottron, Laurent; Salamé, Pierre; Bursztejn, Claude; Danion, Jean-Marie

2007-11-01

Episodic memory, i.e. memory for specific episodes situated in space and time, seems impaired in individuals with autism. According to weak central coherence theory, individuals with autism have general difficulty connecting contextual and item information which then impairs their capacity to memorize information in context. This study investigated temporal context memory for visual information in individuals with autism. Eighteen adolescents and adults with high-functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger syndrome (AS) and age- and IQ-matched typically developing participants were tested using a recency judgement task. The performance of the autistic group did not differ from that of the control group, nor did the performance between the AS and HFA groups. We conclude that autism in high-functioning individuals does not impair temporal context memory as assessed on this task. We suggest that individuals with autism are as efficient on this task as typically developing subjects because contextual memory performance here involves more automatic than organizational processing.
Cultural relativity in perceiving emotion from vocalizations.

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Gendron, Maria; Roberson, Debi; van der Vyver, Jacoba Marieta; Barrett, Lisa Feldman

2014-04-01

A central question in the study of human behavior is whether certain emotions, such as anger, fear, and sadness, are recognized in nonverbal cues across cultures. We predicted and found that in a concept-free experimental task, participants from an isolated cultural context (the Himba ethnic group from northwestern Namibia) did not freely label Western vocalizations with expected emotion terms. Responses indicate that Himba participants perceived more basic affective properties of valence (positivity or negativity) and to some extent arousal (high or low activation). In a second, concept-embedded task, we manipulated whether the target and foil on a given trial matched in both valence and arousal, neither valence nor arousal, valence only, or arousal only. Himba participants achieved above-chance accuracy only when foils differed from targets in valence only. Our results indicate that the voice can reliably convey affective meaning across cultures, but that perceptions of emotion from the voice are culturally variable.
Impression management within the Zulu culture: Exploring tactics in the work context

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Debrah Mtshelwane

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Impression management tactics are utilised differently by people depending on the situation and the others around them. Research purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the impression management tactics Zulu people display when they want to impress people in a work context. Motivation for this study: Organisations are competing for talented employees and people who contribute to the return on investment for the organisation. Individuals display impression tactics to influence the perceptions of others in the workplace, especially pertaining to performance appraisals and promotional opportunities. Research approach, design and method: The social constructivism paradigm was employed in conducting this study, following a phenomenological approach. The research sample consisted of 30 Zulu-speaking individuals from various organisations who were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The researcher used thematic analysis to analyse the data. Main findings: The main findings in this study included impression management tactics that are used by Zulu people when attempting to impress people in the work context. The findings were divided into different categories (colleagues and supervisor. Conscientiousness,interpersonal amiability, openness and relational action are the themes that were reported as the most common impression management features people display at their workplace with colleagues. Themes that were reported when impressing a supervisor include conscientiousness,integrity, relational action and skilfulness. Practical/managerial implications: This study provides organisations with knowledge on the impression management tactics utilised by isiZulu employees. The nature of this information enables management to not misinterpret the use of certain tactics and will lead to more understanding and resilience by organisations and colleagues when working with isiZulu individuals. Contribution/value-add: This study
The Impact of National Culture on the Organizational Culture

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ALICIA FLORENCIA URTEAGA

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The relationships between national culture and organizational culture were analysed in 16 Argentinean companies. Sample was integrated by 429 employees (292 male, and 184 female, mean age 35 years old. Subjects completed, in their own work places, a socio-demographic questionnaire,a scale of national culture, and a scale of organizational practices. Results indicated that organizations adopt practices that, on average, reflect the cultural values of their country of origin. Multiple regression analysis showedthat Argentinean national companies are characterized by practices closely associated with collectivism, high power distance, and high uncertainty avoidance. In contrast, Argentinean privatized companies adopted practices most linked to individualism, low power distance, low uncertainty avoidance,low paternalism, and low fatalism. The results are discussed in light of its strengths and weaknesses, and a new agenda for future research is suggested.
Retrospective anаlysis dance Bojko in the Carpathian region in the context of Ukrainian choreographic cultur

OpenAIRE

Kvetsko Olga Yaroslavivna

2017-01-01

In the article the characteristics Boyko dance in the context of Ukrainian folk stage dance. The main trends of Boyko dance as part of the study of Ukrainian dance in general and peculiarities of choreographic traditions Boyko. Outlined role in shaping the folk dance choreography Boyko culture in Ivano-Frankivsk region. The analysis of the scientific coverage Boyko dance. Determined stylistic features choreographic culture Boyko. The actual problem is the synthesis of art experiences enrich U...
Can everyone become highly intelligent? Cultural differences in and societal consequences of beliefs about the universal potential for intelligence.

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Rattan, Aneeta; Savani, Krishna; Naidu, N V R; Dweck, Carol S

2012-11-01

We identify a novel dimension of people's beliefs about intelligence: beliefs about the potential to become highly intelligent. Studies 1-3 found that in U.S. American contexts, people tend to believe that only some people have the potential to become highly intelligent. In contrast, in South Asian Indian contexts, people tend to believe that most people have the potential to become highly intelligent. To examine the implications of these beliefs, Studies 4-6 measured and manipulated Americans' beliefs about the potential for intelligence and found that the belief that everyone can become highly intelligent predicted increased support for policies that distribute resources more equally across advantaged and disadvantaged social groups. These findings suggest that the belief that only some people have the potential to become highly intelligent is a culturally shaped belief, and one that can lead people to oppose policies aimed at redressing social inequality. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.
Ethics and patient education: health literacy and cultural dilemmas.

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Marks, Ray

2009-07-01

This article discusses health literacy and cultural factors that have implications for the ethical practice of health education. It specifically focuses on recent data that speaks to the challenges in carrying out patient education from the perspective of comprehension and equitable distribution of health-related information across diverse cultures and communities. It discusses strategies for reducing the negative impact of low health literacy among diverse groups and the importance of acknowledging this pervasive problem in the context of ensuring equity in the optimal delivery of health promotion messages.
Generative Contexts: Generating value between community and educational settings

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Dan Lyles

2016-12-01

Full Text Available As educators and researchers, the authors of this paper participated, at different points in time, in a National Science Foundation funded research program to place culturally responsive education into generative justice frameworks. We discovered that the mechanisms to create generative contexts—contexts where value can possibly be returned to the community where the people generating that value live and work—in-school, after-school, and not-school were not uniform and required individual attention and care. One can think of generative contexts as the educational preconditions for generative justice. We aim to show how generative contexts are crucial to understanding a larger theory of generative justice. To do this we provide three examples of generative contexts. First is a generative context in-school, where a technology teacher brought a community hairstylist into her classroom to help teach computer programming through cornrow braiding; a skill relevant to her African American students. Next is a generative context after-school where a student demonstrates soldering skills that she learned from family members. The third is a not-school “E-Waste to Makerspace” workshop where students created garden-technology designs for low-income communities.
Out of Context: Thinking Cultural Studies Diasporically

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Grant Farred

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This essay on cultural studies and the African Diaspora argues for a rethinking of cultural studies in two critical ways: firstly, that cultural studies, from its founding institutional and conceptual moment, cannot but be thought diasporically; and, secondly, that cultural studies be thought ‘out of’, or, against, context—that is, cultural studies is most revealing in its political and literary articulation when it is not read, as many of its advocates claim, contextually. This essay offers a broad critique of cultural studies and the (African diaspora but derives its most cogent and creative argument from its ability to read together the work of two diasporic authors, deracinated South African and Australian writers, J. M. Coetzee and David Malouf.
Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine

2015-01-01

The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. - Highlights: • Recycled fin explants outgrow cells bearing stable mesenchymal traits. • Cell production and quality is enhanced in the recycled explant culture system. • Fresh fin primary culture is highly variable and loose epithelial traits over time
Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine, E-mail: catherine.labbe@rennes.inra.fr

2015-07-01

The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. - Highlights: • Recycled fin explants outgrow cells bearing stable mesenchymal traits. • Cell production and quality is enhanced in the recycled explant culture system. • Fresh fin primary culture is highly variable and loose epithelial traits over time.
Low cost options for tissue culture technology in developing countries. Proceedings of a technical meeting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-02-01

Tissue culture technology is used for the production of doubled haploids, cryopreservation, propagating new plant varieties, conserving rare and endangered plants, difficult-to-propagate plants, and to produce secondary metabolites and transgenic plants. The production of high quality planting material of crop plants and fruit trees, propagated from vegetative parts, has created new opportunities in global trading, benefited growers, farmers, and nursery owners, and improved rural employment. However, there are still major opportunities to produce and distribute high quality planting material, e.g. crops like banana, date palm, cassava, pineapple, plantain, potato, sugarcane, sweet potato, yams, ornamentals, fruit and forest trees. The main advantage of tissue culture technology lies in the production of high quality and uniform planting material that can be multiplied on a year-round basis under disease-free conditions anywhere irrespective of the season and weather. However, the technology is capital, labor and energy intensive. Although, labor is cheap in many developing countries, the resources of trained personnel and equipment are often not readily available. In addition, energy, particularly electricity, and clean water are costly. The energy requirements for tissue culture technology depend on day temperature, day-length and relative humidity, and they have to be controlled during the process of propagation. Individual plant species also differ in their growth requirements. Hence, it is necessary to have low cost options for weaning, hardening of micropropagated plants and finally growing them in the field. This publication describes options for reducing costs to establish and operate tissue culture facilities and primarily focus on plant micropropagation. It includes papers on the basics of tissue culture technology, low cost options for the design of laboratories, use of culture media and containers, energy and labor saving, integration and adoption of
Low cost options for tissue culture technology in developing countries. Proceedings of a technical meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-02-01

Tissue culture technology is used for the production of doubled haploids, cryopreservation, propagating new plant varieties, conserving rare and endangered plants, difficult-to-propagate plants, and to produce secondary metabolites and transgenic plants. The production of high quality planting material of crop plants and fruit trees, propagated from vegetative parts, has created new opportunities in global trading, benefited growers, farmers, and nursery owners, and improved rural employment. However, there are still major opportunities to produce and distribute high quality planting material, e.g. crops like banana, date palm, cassava, pineapple, plantain, potato, sugarcane, sweet potato, yams, ornamentals, fruit and forest trees. The main advantage of tissue culture technology lies in the production of high quality and uniform planting material that can be multiplied on a year-round basis under disease-free conditions anywhere irrespective of the season and weather. However, the technology is capital, labor and energy intensive. Although, labor is cheap in many developing countries, the resources of trained personnel and equipment are often not readily available. In addition, energy, particularly electricity, and clean water are costly. The energy requirements for tissue culture technology depend on day temperature, day-length and relative humidity, and they have to be controlled during the process of propagation. Individual plant species also differ in their growth requirements. Hence, it is necessary to have low cost options for weaning, hardening of micropropagated plants and finally growing them in the field. This publication describes options for reducing costs to establish and operate tissue culture facilities and primarily focus on plant micropropagation. It includes papers on the basics of tissue culture technology, low cost options for the design of laboratories, use of culture media and containers, energy and labor saving, integration and adoption of
The influence of culture on human resource management processes and practices: The propositions for Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogićević-Milikić Biljana

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to address the influence of national culture on HRM practices and processes in order to draw conclusions for Serbian HR practitioners, multinational corporations operating in Serbia, and any other country or organizational context that has similar cultural characteristics. To achieve this we first review the relevant literature to identify the interdependencies between Hofstede's cultural dimensions and HRM practices and processes. On the basis of recognized relationships we put forward 11 propositions about likely appropriate HRM practices (such as job analysis, recruitment and selection, human resource planning and career management for the Serbian cultural context, characterized by high Uncertainty Avoidance, high Power Distance, Collectivism and Femininity.
The cultural context of patient’s autonomy and doctor’s duty: passive euthanasia and advance directives in Germany and Israel

Science.gov (United States)

Raz, Aviad; Shalev, Carmel

2010-01-01

The moral discourse surrounding end-of-life (EoL) decisions is highly complex, and a comparison of Germany and Israel can highlight the impact of cultural factors. The comparison shows interesting differences in how patient’s autonomy and doctor’s duties are morally and legally related to each other with respect to the withholding and withdrawing of medical treatment in EoL situations. Taking the statements of two national expert ethics committees on EoL in Israel and Germany (and their legal outcome) as an example of this discourse, we describe the similarity of their recommendations and then focus on the differences, including the balancing of ethical principles, what is identified as a problem, what social role professionals play, and the influence of history and religion. The comparison seems to show that Israel is more restrictive in relation to Germany, in contrast with previous bioethical studies in the context of the moral and legal discourse regarding the beginning of life, in which Germany was characterized as far more restrictive. We reflect on the ambivalence of the cultural reasons for this difference and its expression in various dissenting views on passive euthanasia and advance directives, and conclude with a comment on the difficulty in classifying either stance as more or less restrictive. PMID:20680469
Hierarchical cultural values predict success and mortality in high-stakes teams

Science.gov (United States)

Anicich, Eric M.; Swaab, Roderick I.; Galinsky, Adam D.

2015-01-01

Functional accounts of hierarchy propose that hierarchy increases group coordination and reduces conflict. In contrast, dysfunctional accounts claim that hierarchy impairs performance by preventing low-ranking team members from voicing their potentially valuable perspectives and insights. The current research presents evidence for both the functional and dysfunctional accounts of hierarchy within the same dataset. Specifically, we offer empirical evidence that hierarchical cultural values affect the outcomes of teams in high-stakes environments through group processes. Experimental data from a sample of expert mountain climbers from 27 countries confirmed that climbers expect that a hierarchical culture leads to improved team coordination among climbing teams, but impaired psychological safety and information sharing compared with an egalitarian culture. An archival analysis of 30,625 Himalayan mountain climbers from 56 countries on 5,104 expeditions found that hierarchy both elevated and killed in the Himalayas: Expeditions from more hierarchical countries had more climbers reach the summit, but also more climbers die along the way. Importantly, we established the role of group processes by showing that these effects occurred only for group, but not solo, expeditions. These findings were robust to controlling for environmental factors, risk preferences, expedition-level characteristics, country-level characteristics, and other cultural values. Overall, this research demonstrates that endorsing cultural values related to hierarchy can simultaneously improve and undermine group performance. PMID:25605883
Cultural Tourism In Fragile Institutional Contexts Project For Cultural Routes In Tierra Del Fuego

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenio Garcés Feliú

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The following paper presents a project of Cultural Routes designed for the Chilean Tierra del Fuego, linked to promoting tourism and boosting the economy, through the development of a specific high standard tourism offer, linked to its natural and cultural heritage, with the purpose of capturing the potential income generation for Chile. The project had as main goal to enhance the competitiveness of the tourism sector of special interests in Tierra del Fuego, a key sector of Southern Patagonia, through the dissemination and transfer of technologies and knowledge, acquired in over 10 years of research and projects, onto the territory and local agents. These Cultural Routes build an innovative offer, capable of structuring the diverse touristic resources and strengthening the basis for the development of a new stage of national and international tourism market, located on the southern extreme of Chile and America.
Beyond cultural values? Cultural leadership ideals and entrepreneurship

OpenAIRE

Stephan, Ute; Pathak, Saurav

2016-01-01

This paper offers a fresh perspective on national culture and entrepreneurship research. It explores the role of Culturally-endorsed implicit Leadership Theories (CLTs) – i.e., the cultural expectations about outstanding, ideal leadership – on individual entrepreneurship. Developing arguments based on culture-entrepreneurship fit, we predict that charismatic and self-protective CLTs positively affect entrepreneurship. They provide a context that enables entrepreneurs to be co-operative in ord...
FINANCING CULTURE INSTITUTIONS IN EUROPEAN CONTEXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cezar Corneliu MANDA

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The paper, on the coordinates of the analysis of the problematic of financing culture institutions within the European Union member states, performs a comparative analysis focused on the financing mechanism available to the cultural sector, created both at the level of the public, and of the private sector. For the comparative analysis, the paper selected several EU member states, grouped on four geographical areas (North, South, East and Center. The analysis performed in the paper emphasized that most EU member states make significant efforts to finance the cultural sector, but the effects of the economic crisis have had a negative impact on this financing, causing, from this perspective, a gap between the states in the north and center of the EU, on the one hand, and the states in the south and east of the EU, on the other hand and outlining a cultural Europe with two peripheries.

Culture-bound syndromes in migratory contexts: the case of Bolivian immigrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Roldán-Chicano, María Teresa; Fernández-Rufete, José; Hueso-Montoro, César; García-López, María Del Mar; Rodríguez-Tello, Javier; Flores-Bienert, María Dolores

2017-07-10

to describe the culture-bound syndromes maintained by Bolivian immigrants in the new migratory context and analyze the care processes of these health problems. qualitative research with an ethnographic methodological approach. Sample: 27 Bolivian immigrants. In-depth interviews and participatory observation were the strategies used for data collection. Data were classified and categorized into logical schemes manually and using the ATLAS-ti program v.5. susto, "wayras", amartelo, pasmo de sol, pasmo de luna and pasmo de sereno are some of the folk illnesses that affect the Bolivian immigrants and that they have to treat in the new migratory context. in the new environment, the group under study preserves culture-bound syndromes that are common in their country of origin. The care strategies used for these health problems are adapted to the resources of the new context and based on interactions with the domestic environment, biomedicine and traditional medicine. It was observed the need for the health professionals to realize that the efficacy of certain therapies occurs within the scope of cultural beliefs and not in that of the scientific evidence. descrever as síndromes vinculadas à cultura mantidas pelos imigrantes bolivianos no novo contexto migratório e analisar os processos de cuidado para esses problemas de saúde. projeto de pesquisa de natureza qualitativa e com abordagem metodológica etnográfica. Amostra: 27 imigrantes bolivianos. As estratégias para a coleta de dados foram as entrevistas em profundidade e a observação participativa. Os dados foram classificados e categorizados em esquemas lógicos manualmente e por meio do programa ATLAS-ti v.5. o susto, os "wayras", o amartelo (tristeza), o pasmo de sol, o pasmo de lua e o pasmo de sereno são algumas das síndromes de caráter popular que acometem os imigrantes bolivianos, e que eles tratam no novo contexto migratório. no novo ambiente, as síndromes vinculadas à cultura, comuns em seu pa
Addressing culture and context in humanitarian response: preparing desk reviews to inform mental health and psychosocial support.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, M Claire; Jordans, Mark J D; Kohrt, Brandon A; Ventevogel, Peter; Kirmayer, Laurence J; Hassan, Ghayda; Chiumento, Anna; van Ommeren, Mark; Tol, Wietse A

2017-01-01

Delivery of effective mental health and psychosocial support programs requires knowledge of existing health systems and socio-cultural context. To respond rapidly to humanitarian emergencies, international organizations often seek to design programs according to international guidelines and mobilize external human resources to manage and deliver programs. Familiarizing international humanitarian practitioners with local culture and contextualizing programs is essential to minimize risk of harm, maximize benefit, and optimize efficient use of resources. Timely literature reviews on traditional health practices, cultural beliefs and attitudes toward mental health and illness, local health care systems and previous experiences with humanitarian interventions can provide international practitioners with crucial background information to improve their capacity to work efficiently and with maximum benefit. In this paper, we draw on experience implementing desk review guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency (2012) in four diverse humanitarian crises (earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal; forced displacement among Syrians and Congolese). We discuss critical parameters for the design and implementation of desk reviews, and discuss current challenges and future directions to improve mental health care and psychosocial support in humanitarian emergencies.
Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish.

Science.gov (United States)

Chenais, Nathalie; Lareyre, Jean-Jacques; Le Bail, Pierre-Yves; Labbe, Catherine

2015-07-01

The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Clastogenic effects in human lymphocytes exposed to low and high dose rate X-ray irradiation and vitamin C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konopacka, M; Rogolinski, J.

2011-01-01

In the present work we investigated the ability of vitamin C to modulate clastogenic effects induced in cultured human lymphocytes by X-irradiation delivered at either high (1 Gy/min) or low dose rate (0.24 Gy/min). Biological effects of the irradiation were estimated by cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay including the analysis of the frequency of micronuclei (MN) and apoptotic cells as well as calculation of nuclear division index (NDI). The numbers of micronucleated binucleate lymphocytes (MN-CBL) were 24.85 ± 2.67% and 32.56 ± 3.17% in cultures exposed to X-rays (2 Gy) delivered at low and high dose rates, respectively. Addition of vitamin C (1-20 μg/ml) to the medium of cultures irradiated with the low dose rate reduced the frequency of micronucleated lymphocytes with multiple MN in a concentration-dependent manner. Lymphocytes exposed to the high dose rate radiation showed a U-shape response: low concentration of vitamin C significantly reduced the number of MN, whereas high concentration influenced the radiation-induced total number of micronucleated cells insignificantly, although it increased the number of cells with multiple MN. Addition of vitamin C significantly reduced the fraction of apoptotic cells, irrespective of the X-ray dose rate. These results indicate that radiation dose rate is an important exposure factor, not only in terms of biological cell response to irradiation, but also with respect to the modulating effects of antioxidants. (authors)
How does context influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? Evidence from the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Kok, Maryse C; Kane, Sumit S; Tulloch, Olivia; Ormel, Hermen; Theobald, Sally; Dieleman, Marjolein; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; Broerse, Jacqueline E W; de Koning, Korrie A M

2015-03-07

Community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly recognized as an integral component of the health workforce needed to achieve public health goals in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Many factors intersect to influence CHW performance. A systematic review with a narrative analysis was conducted to identify contextual factors influencing performance of CHWs. We searched six databases for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies that included CHWs working in promotional, preventive or curative primary health care services in LMICs. We differentiated CHW performance outcome measures at two levels: CHW level and end-user level. Ninety-four studies met the inclusion criteria and were double read to extract data relevant to the context of CHW programmes. Thematic coding was conducted and evidence on five main categories of contextual factors influencing CHW performance was synthesized. Few studies had the influence of contextual factors on CHW performance as their primary research focus. Contextual factors related to community (most prominently), economy, environment, and health system policy and practice were found to influence CHW performance. Socio-cultural factors (including gender norms and values and disease related stigma), safety and security and education and knowledge level of the target group were community factors that influenced CHW performance. Existence of a CHW policy, human resource policy legislation related to CHWs and political commitment were found to be influencing factors within the health system policy context. Health system practice factors included health service functionality, human resources provisions, level of decision-making, costs of health services, and the governance and coordination structure. All contextual factors can interact to shape CHW performance and affect the performance of CHW interventions or programmes. Research on CHW programmes often does not capture or explicitly discuss the context in which CHW
The importance of context dependency for understanding the effects of low flow events on fish

Science.gov (United States)

Walters, Annika W.

2014-01-01

The natural hydrology of streams and rivers has been extensively altered by dam construction, water diversion, and climate change. An increased frequency of low-flow events will affect fish by changing habitat availability, resource availability, and reproductive cues. I reviewed the literature to characterize the approaches taken to assess low-flow events and fish, the main effects of low-flow events on fish, and the associated mechanistic drivers. Most studies are focused on temperate streams and are comparative in nature. Decreased stream flow is associated with decreased survival, growth, and abundance of fish populations and shifts in community composition, but effects are variable. This variability in effects is probably caused by context dependence. I propose 3 main sources of context dependence that drive the variation in fish responses to low-flow events: attributes of the low-flow event, attributes of the habitat, and attributes of the fish. Awareness of these sources of context dependence can help managers interpret and explain data, predict vulnerability of fish communities, and prioritize appropriate management actions.
Culture growth of testate amoebae under different silicon concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wanner, Manfred; Seidl-Lampa, Barbara; Höhn, Axel; Puppe, Daniel; Meisterfeld, Ralf; Sommer, Michael

2016-10-01

Testate amoebae with self-secreted siliceous shell platelets ("idiosomes") play an important role in terrestrial silicon (Si) cycles. In this context, Si-dependent culture growth dynamics of idiosomic testate amoebae are of interest. Clonal cultures of idiosomic testate amoebae were analyzed under three different Si concentrations: low (50μmolL -1 ), moderate/site-specific (150μmolL -1 ) and high Si supply (500μmolL -1 ). Food (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was provided in surplus. (i) Shell size of four different clones of idiosomic testate amoebae either decreased (Trinema galeata, Euglypha filifera cf.), increased (E. rotunda cf.), or did not change (E. rotunda) under the lowest Si concentration (50μmolSiL -1 ). (ii) Culture growth of idiosomic Euglypha rotunda was dependent on Si concentration. The more Si available in the culture medium, the earlier the entry into exponential growth phase. (iii) Culture growth of idiosomic Euglypha rotunda was dependent on origin of inoculum. Amoebae previously cultured under a moderate Si concentration revealed highest sustainability in consecutive cultures. Amoebae derived from cultures with high Si concentrations showed rapid culture growth which finished early in consecutive cultures. (iv) Si (diluted in the culture medium) was absorbed by amoebae and fixed in the amoeba shells resulting in decreased Si concentrations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Impact of mixed Torulaspora delbrueckii-Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture on high-sugar fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bely, Marina; Stoeckle, Philippe; Masneuf-Pomarède, Isabelle; Dubourdieu, Denis

2008-03-20

Conventional wine yeasts produce high concentrations of volatile acidity, mainly acetic acid, during high-sugar fermentation. This alcoholic fermentation by-product is highly detrimental to wine quality and, in some cases, levels may even exceed legal limits. In this study, a non-conventional species, Torulaspora delbrueckii, was used, in pure cultures and mixed with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, to ferment botrytized musts. Fermentation rate, biomass growth, and the formation of volatile acidity, acetaldehyde, and glycerol were considered. This study demonstrated that T. delbrueckii, often described as a low acetic producer under standard conditions, retained this quality even in a high-sugar medium. Unlike S. cerevisiae, this species did not respond to the hyper-osmotic medium by increasing acetic production as soon as it is inoculated into the must. Nevertheless, this yeast produced low ethanol and biomass yields, and the fermentation was sluggish. As a result, T. delbrueckii fermentations do not reach the required ethanol content (14%vol.), although this species can survive at this concentration. A mixed culture of T. delbrueckii and S. cerevisiae was the best combination for improving the analytical profile of sweet wine, particularly volatile acidity and acetaldehyde production. A mixed T. delbrueckii/S. cerevisiae culture at a 20:1 ratio produced 53% less in volatile acidity and 60% less acetaldehyde than a pure culture of S. cerevisiae. Inoculating S. cerevisiae after 5 days' fermentation by T. delbrueckii had less effect on volatile acidity and acetaldehyde production and resulted in stuck fermentation. These results contribute to a better understanding of the behaviour of non-Saccharomyces and their potential application in wine industry.
Early social cognition in three cultural contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Callaghan, Tara; Moll, Henrike; Rakoczy, Hannes; Warneken, Felix; Liszkowski, Ulf; Behne, Tanya; Tomasello, Michael

2011-08-01

The influence of culture on cognitive development is well established for school age and older children. But almost nothing is known about how different parenting and socialization practices in different cultures affect infants' and young children's earliest emerging cognitive and social-cognitive skills. In the current monograph, we report a series of eight studies in which we systematically assessed the social-cognitive skills of 1- to 3-year-old children in three diverse cultural settings. One group of children was from a Western, middle-class cultural setting in rural Canada and the other two groups were from traditional, small-scale cultural settings in rural Peru and India.In a first group of studies, we assessed 1-year-old children's most basic social-cognitive skills for understanding the intentions and attention of others: imitation, helping, gaze following, and communicative pointing.Children's performance in these tasks was mostly similar across cultural settings. In a second group of studies, we assessed 1-year-old children's skills in participating in interactive episodes of collaboration and joint attention.Again in these studies the general finding was one of cross-cultural similarity. In a final pair of studies, we assessed 2- to 3-year-old children's skills within two symbolic systems (pretense and pictorial). Here we found that the Canadian children who had much more experience with such symbols showed skills at an earlier age.Our overall conclusion is that young children in all cultural settings get sufficient amounts of the right kinds of social experience to develop their most basic social-cognitive skills for interacting with others and participating in culture at around the same age. In contrast, children's acquisition of more culturally specific skills for use in practices involving artifacts and symbols is more dependent on specific learning experiences.
Experiencing Global Culture in Vatel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kampf, Constance Elizabeth; Broillet, Alexandra; John, Claudette

2015-01-01

To explore the meaning of “global culture” in a professional communication context, this paper explores the “unsettled” global culture of Vatel, a private business school educating students from nearly 50 different countries for the hospitality industry. This paper explores the role of knowledge...... management in understanding global culture, arguing that the notion of “unsettled” cultures demonstrates how ideologies function in global settings and draw on national “settled” cultural resources. In unpacking different aspects of Vatel's culture this paper questions assumptions built into cultural frames...... of reference by offering a global culture frame, drawing on cultural resources from country based “settled” cultural contexts, and reflects on how global cultural contexts can benefit from a knowledge management approach to this dynamic between “settled” cultural contexts and “unsettled” cultural ideologies...
Characterization of in vitro chlamydial cultures in low-oxygen atmospheres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juul, Nicolai Stefan; Jensen, Helene; Hvid, Malene

2007-01-01

To mimic in vivo conditions during chlamydial infections, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar D and Chlamydia pneumoniae CWL029 were cultured in low-oxygen atmospheres containing 4% O(2), with parallel controls cultured in atmospheric air. Both were enriched with 5% CO(2). The results showed a dramatic...
[Cultural detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. in food--potentials and limitations of diagnostic tools in the context of official food control].

Science.gov (United States)

Messelhäusser, Ute; Thärigen, Diana; Fella, Christiane; Schreiner, Hermann; Busch, Ulrich; Höller, Christiane

2015-01-01

Thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. rank among the most important foodborne pathogens in Germany. Therefore a necessity for rapid and routinely useable detection methods exists also in the area of food microbiology. A reliable, cultura qualitative, but also quantitative detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. pose a challenge, at least concerning special food matrices, especially because in the context of official food control the cultural detection of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. is needed. This was the reason, why different cultural detection methods, beside the standard procedure of ISO 10272:2006, in combination with molecular and immunological screening methods were tested at the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL) during the last years for the use in routine diagnostic using different food matrices of animal and plant origin. The results of the comparative studies showed clearly that no enrichment broth tested gave completely satisfactory results for an only culture-based detection the combination with a screening method is therefore recommended for a rapid and reliable detection. But in this case the user should take into account that the sensitivity of such molecular and immunological methods is normally so high that in some cases, depending on the food matrix and processing step, the isolation of the pathogen would not be possible in samples, which were positive in the screening methods.
Rules of engagement: predictors of Black Caribbean immigrants' engagement with African American culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Nancy; Watson, Natalie N; Wang, Zhenni; Case, Andrew D; Hunter, Carla D

2013-10-01

The cultural context in the United States is racialized and influences Black Caribbean immigrants' acculturation processes, but what role it plays in Black Caribbean immigrants' acculturation into specific facets of American society (e.g., African American culture) has been understudied in the field of psychology. The present study extends research on Black Caribbean immigrants' acculturative process by assessing how this group's experience of the racial context (racial public regard, ethnic public regard, and cultural race-related stress) influences its engagement in African American culture (i.e., adoption of values and behavioral involvement). Data were collected from 93 Black participants of Caribbean descent, ranging in age from 13 to 45 and analyzed using a stepwise hierarchical regression. The findings highlighted that when Black Caribbean-descended participants perceived that the public held a favorable view of their racial group they were more likely to engage in African American culture. In contrast, when participants perceived that the public held a favorable view of their ethnic group (e.g., Haitian) they were less likely to engage in African American culture. Furthermore, among participants experiencing low levels of cultural race-related stress, the associations between racial public regard and engagement with African American culture were amplified. However, for participants experiencing high cultural race-related stress, their engagement in African American culture did not change as a function of racial public regard. These findings may suggest that, for Black Caribbean immigrants, the experience of the racial context influences strategies that serve to preserve or bolster their overall social status and psychological well-being in the United States. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.
DEVELOPING PISA-LIKE MATHEMATICS TASK WITH INDONESIA NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AS CONTEXT TO ASSESS STUDENTS MATHEMATICAL LITERACY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wuli Oktiningrum

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is produce a set of PISA-like mathematics task with Indonesia natural and cultural heritage as context which are valid, practical, to assess students’ mathematics literacy. This is design research using type of development research with formative evaluation. A total of 20 students of SMP Negeri 1 Palembang. Beside, 10 experts were involved in this research to assess the feasibility of prototyping in terms of content, context and language. Walk through, documentation, questionnaire, test result, and interviews are way to collect the data. This research produced a PISA-like math task is as many 12 category of content, context, and process valid, practical and has potential effect. The validity came empirical evaluation of validation and reliability testing during small group. From the field test, we conclude that the tasks also potentially effect to the students’ mathematical literacy in activating the indicators of each Fundamental Mathematical Capabilities.
Good is not good enough: the culture of low expectations and the leader's challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerfoot, Karlene M

2009-01-01

When people believe that what they do is "good enough," excellence will never occur. As the demand for better health care escalates every year, achieving a ranking of very good doesn't count because it leaves many disenfranchised staff, errors, and dissatisfied patients. A leader can not be successful unless the culture of low expectations is eliminated. If there isn't a sense of caring, serving, and being an exemplar of the change, the leader won't succeed in moving the culture. When there is a sense of ownership and commitment to the mission and to patients, the culture of low expectations cannot exist.
Understanding the interplay of carbon and nitrogen supply for ectoines production and metabolic overflow in high density cultures of Chromohalobacter salexigens.

Science.gov (United States)

Salar-García, María J; Bernal, Vicente; Pastor, José M; Salvador, Manuel; Argandoña, Montserrat; Nieto, Joaquín J; Vargas, Carmen; Cánovas, Manuel

2017-02-08

The halophilic bacterium Chromohalobacter salexigens has been proposed as promising cell factory for the production of the compatible solutes ectoine and hydroxyectoine. This bacterium has evolved metabolic adaptations to efficiently grow under high salt concentrations by accumulating ectoines as compatible solutes. However, metabolic overflow, which is a major drawback for the efficient conversion of biological feedstocks, occurs as a result of metabolic unbalances during growth and ectoines production. Optimal production of ectoines is conditioned by the interplay of carbon and nitrogen metabolisms. In this work, we set out to determine how nitrogen supply affects the production of ectoines. Chromohalobacter salexigens was challenged to grow in media with unbalanced carbon/nitrogen ratio. In C. salexigens, overflow metabolism and ectoines production are a function of medium composition. At low ammonium conditions, the growth rate decreased importantly, up to 80%. Shifts in overflow metabolism were observed when changing the C/N ratio in the culture medium. 13 C-NMR analysis of ectoines labelling revealed a high metabolic rigidity, with almost constant flux ratios in all conditions assayed. Unbalanced C/N ratio led to pyruvate accumulation, especially upon N-limitation. Analysis of an ect - mutant demonstrated the link between metabolic overflow and ectoine biosynthesis. Under non ectoine synthesizing conditions, glucose uptake and metabolic overflow decreased importantly. Finally, in fed-batch cultures, biomass yield was affected by the feeding scheme chosen. High growth (up to 42.4 g L -1 ) and volumetric ectoine yields (up to 4.21 g L -1 ) were obtained by minimizing metabolite overflow and nutrient accumulation in high density cultures in a low nitrogen fed-batch culture. Moreover, the yield coefficient calculated for the transformation of glucose into biomass was 30% higher in fed-batch than in the batch culture, demonstrating that the metabolic
Learning in Cultural Context: Developing Destinies

Science.gov (United States)

Rogoff, Barbara

2012-01-01

Over more than three decades spent researching cultural aspects of how children learn, the author has had the opportunity to learn about how individuals and cultural communities change and continue. During her research on children's learning by observing and "pitching in" in a Mayan community in Guatemala, the author learned a great deal…
Did cultural and artistic education in the Netherlands increase student participation in high cultural events?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Damen, M.-L.; van Klaveren, C.

2010-01-01

This study examines whether Cultural and Artistic Education that was implemented by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in 1999 caused students to participate more in high cultural events. A unique feature of the intervention was that students were free to choose the type of
Prediction and Cross-Situational Consistency of Daily Behavior across Cultures: Testing Trait and Cultural Psychology Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Church, A. Timothy; Katigbak, Marcia S.; Reyes, Jose Alberto S.; Salanga, Maria Guadalupe C.; Miramontes, Lilia A.; Adams, Nerissa B.

2008-01-01

Trait and cultural psychology perspectives on the cross-situational consistency of behavior, and the predictive validity of traits, were tested in a daily process study in the United States (N = 68), an individualistic culture, and the Philippines (N = 80), a collectivistic culture. Participants completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and a measure of self-monitoring, then reported their daily behaviors and associated situational contexts for approximately 30 days. Consistent with trait perspectives, the Big Five traits predicted daily behaviors in both cultures, and relative (interindividual) consistency was observed across many, although not all, situational contexts. The frequency of various Big Five behaviors varied across relevant situational contexts in both cultures and, consistent with cultural psychology perspectives, there was a tendency for Filipinos to exhibit greater situational variability than Americans. Self-monitoring showed some ability to account for individual differences in situational variability in the American sample, but not the Filipino sample. PMID:22146866
The Role of Cultural Context in Continuing Vocational Training: A Study on Auto Repairmen in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Akbas, Oktay

2011-01-01

This study analysed how auto repairmen working in micro-enterprises undertake continuing vocational training in relation to cultural context. The study was conducted in Kirikkale, a city in central Anatolia in Turkey. To this end, the descriptive research technique of structured interview was used. Interviews with 33 auto repairmen were recorded…

Did Cultural and Artistic Education in the Netherlands increase Student Participation in High Cultural Events?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Damen, Marie Louise; Van Klaveren, Chris

2013-01-01

This study examines whether Cultural and Artistic Education in the Netherlands caused students to participate more in high cultural events. A unique feature of the intervention was that students were free to choose the type of cultural event they participated in. So the intervention relied on the
Food-related lifestyles in a cross-cultural context: Comparing Australia with Singapore, Britain, France and Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reid, Mike; Li, Elton; Bruwer, Johan

2001-01-01

is inextricably linked to values and the processes by which people seek to achieve their values through various modes of expression, including food. This research therefore employs the Food-Related Lifestyles (FRL) instrument developed by Grunert et al. (1993), which is rooted in the personal values concept......, to compare lifestyles across a number of different cultural contexts including Australia, Singapore, Britain, France and Denmark. The research represents the first stage in an on-going process of mapping movements in Australian consumer food-related lifestyles and linking these to global trends and changes....
Smuggling Authentic Learning into the School Context: Transitioning from an Innovative Elementary to a Conventional High School

Science.gov (United States)

DePalma, Renee; Matusov, Eugene; Smith, Mark

2009-01-01

Context: What Varenne and McDermott described as "conventional schooling" is characterized by underlying values of competition and credentialism implicit in an unconscious, cultural framework for U.S. institutional schooling. Schools that define themselves in opposition to this cultural heritage consider themselves innovative schools and…
Cultural mismatch and the education of Aboriginal youths: the interplay of cultural identities and teacher ratings.

Science.gov (United States)

Fryberg, Stephanie A; Troop-Gordon, Wendy; D'Arrisso, Alexandra; Flores, Heidi; Ponizovskiy, Vladimir; Ranney, John D; Mandour, Tarek; Tootoosis, Curtis; Robinson, Sandy; Russo, Natalie; Burack, Jacob A

2013-01-01

In response to the enduring "deficit" approach to the educational attainment of Aboriginal students in North America, we hypothesized that academic underperformance is related to a cultural mismatch between Aboriginal students' cultural background, which emphasizes connectedness and interdependence, and the mainstream White model of education, which focuses on independence and assertiveness. The participants included virtually all the secondary students (N = 115) in the Naskapi community of Kawawachikamach, Quebec, Canada. We obtained self-reports of identification with Aboriginal and White culture, teacher reports of assertiveness, and official grades. We found that high identification with either Aboriginal or White culture was related to higher grades, regardless of whether the students were perceived as assertive by their teacher. Conversely, at low levels of cultural identification toward Aboriginal or White culture, being perceived as low in assertiveness by one's teacher predicted lower grades. This suggests that both high cultural identification and assertiveness can contribute to enhancing the educational outcomes of Aboriginal students, but that Aboriginal students with low levels of both cultural identification and assertiveness are at particular risk as they are mismatched with the culture of mainstream schools and do not benefit from the protective effects of identity. The relationships among identity, cultural values, and academic performance point to the need to reject the notion of an inherent deficit in education among Aboriginal youths in favor of a different framework in which success can be attained when alternative ways of being are fostered and nurtured in schools.
Cultural Repercussions: Extending Our Knowledge about How Values of Trust and Confidence Influence Tax Structures within Europe

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Hanna Lierse

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Within a unified Europe that is heading towards ever more harmonization,it is interesting to examine why there exists such diversity in tax regimesamong its countries. Is it possible that some of the decisions pertaining totaxation are based on latent cultural aspects? This study, set in a purelyEuropean context, seeks to analyze tax variations within Europe through thelens of cultural variations. Specifically, how trust, confidence and equalitymatter with regard to tax revenues and tax progressivity. Within this regard,we achieved strong results linking trust and confidence to higher tax revenuesand higher tax progressivity. That is, where trust among societal membersis low and confidence in public institutions is low, regimes opt for low taxrevenues and lenient tax rates. It is argued that where mistrust is high, theissue of income distribution between societal members is likely to stay withinthe private or individual sphere. Conversely, countries with high trust amongsocietal members exhibit higher levels of income distribution by delegatingmore responsibility to public institutions, reflected in higher tax revenues andmore progressive tax structures.
Cultural diversity, democracy and the prospects of cosmopolitanism: a theory of cultural encounters.

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Delanty, Gerard

2011-12-01

The most appropriate way of theorizing cultural diversity is to situate it in the context of a broader relational theory of culture in which the key dynamic is cultural encounters. The relational conception of culture places the emphasis on the relations between social actors and the processes by which some of these relations generate enduring cultural regularities and forms. This has important implications for political community and in particular for cosmopolitanism. It is in relationships that cultural phenomena are generated and become the basis of different kinds of political community. The paper outlines a typology of six kinds of cultural encounters and discusses four major cultural trends that variously emerge from these encounters. This approach with its emphasis on cultural encounters is the broad sociological context in which questions about cultural change and the prospects of cosmopolitanism should be discussed. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2011.
Culturally appropriate organization of water and sewerage projects built through public private partnerships.

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Jessica A Kaminsky

Full Text Available This paper contributes to the pursuit of socially sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure for all people by discovering statistically robust relationships between Hofstede's dimensions of cross-cultural comparison and the choice of contract award types, project type, and primary revenue sources. This analysis, which represents 973 projects distributed across 24 low- and middle-income nations, uses a World Bank dataset describing high capital cost water and sewerage projects funded through private investment. The results show that cultural dimensions explain variation in the choice of contract award types, project type, and primary revenue sources. These results provide empirical evidence that strategies for water and sewerage project organization are not culturally neutral. The data show, for example, that highly individualistic contexts are more likely to select competitive contract award types and to depend on user fees to provide the primary project revenue stream post-construction. By selecting more locally appropriate ways to organize projects, project stakeholders will be better able to pursue the construction of socially sustainable water and sewerage infrastructure.
Culturally appropriate organization of water and sewerage projects built through public private partnerships.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaminsky, Jessica A

2017-01-01

This paper contributes to the pursuit of socially sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure for all people by discovering statistically robust relationships between Hofstede's dimensions of cross-cultural comparison and the choice of contract award types, project type, and primary revenue sources. This analysis, which represents 973 projects distributed across 24 low- and middle-income nations, uses a World Bank dataset describing high capital cost water and sewerage projects funded through private investment. The results show that cultural dimensions explain variation in the choice of contract award types, project type, and primary revenue sources. These results provide empirical evidence that strategies for water and sewerage project organization are not culturally neutral. The data show, for example, that highly individualistic contexts are more likely to select competitive contract award types and to depend on user fees to provide the primary project revenue stream post-construction. By selecting more locally appropriate ways to organize projects, project stakeholders will be better able to pursue the construction of socially sustainable water and sewerage infrastructure.
Words in a cultural context* | Kavanagh | Lexikos

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper concludes by considering the implications for lexicographers developing dictionaries in multicultural South Africa. Keywords: communication, cross-cultural communication, cultural information, culture, curriculum, dictionaries for special purposes, dictionary, dictionary design, encyclopedia, encyclopedic ...
Knowledge Worker Mobility in Context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wright, Mike; Tartari, Valentina; Huang, Kenneth G.

2018-01-01

on advancing our understanding of KWM in context, pushing the boundaries of theory and methods by developing a framework focusing on five main contextual dimensions: organizational context and roles, geographical and spatial context, social context and teams, institutional and cultural norms, and temporal...
Culture and problem-solving: Congruency between the cultural mindset of individualism versus collectivism and problem type.

Science.gov (United States)

Arieli, Sharon; Sagiv, Lilach

2018-06-01

This research investigates how the cultural mindset influences problem-solving. Drawing on the notion that cultural mindset influences the cognitive process individuals bring to bear at the moment of judgment, we propose that the congruency between the cultural mindset (individualistic vs. collectivistic) and problem type (rule-based vs. context-based) affects success in problem-solving. In 7 studies we incorporated the traditional approach to studying the impact of culture (i.e., comparing cultural groups) with contemporary approaches viewing cultural differences in a more dynamic and malleable manner. We first show that members of an individualistic group (Jewish Americans) perform better on rule-based problems, whereas members of collectivistic groups (ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arabs from Israel) perform better on context-based problems (Study 1). We then study Arabs in Israel using language (Arabic vs. Hebrew) to prime their collectivistic versus individualistic mindsets (Study 2). As hypothesized, among biculturals (those who internalize both cultures) Arabic facilitated solving context-based problems, whereas Hebrew facilitated solving rule-based problems. We follow up with 5 experiments priming the cultural mindset of individualism versus collectivism, employing various manifestations of the cultural dimension: focusing on the individual versus the collective (Studies 3, 6, and 7); experiencing independence versus interdependence (Study 4); and directing attention to objects versus the context (Studies 5a-b). Finally, we took a meta-analytic approach, showing that the effects found in Studies 3-6 are robust across priming tasks, problems, and samples. Taken together, the differences between cultural groups (Studies 1-2) were recreated when the individualistic/collectivistic cultural mindset was primed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Quality Indicators for Family Support Services and Their Relationship to Organizational Social Context

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Olin, S. Serene; Williams, Nate; Pollock, Michele; Armusewicz, Kelsey; Kutash, Krista; Glisson, Charles; Hoagwood, Kimberly E.

2013-01-01

Quality measurement is an important component of healthcare reform. The relationship of quality indicators (QIs) for parent-delivered family support services to organizational social contexts known to improve quality is unexamined. This study employs data collected from 21 child mental health programs that deliver team-based family support services. Performance on two levels of QIs —those targeting the program and staff -- were significantly associated with organizational social context profiles and dimensions. High quality program policies are associated with positive organizational cultures and engaging climates. Inappropriate staff practices are associated with resistant cultures. Implications for organizational strategies to improve service quality are discussed. PMID:23709286
The development of the specialism of emergency medicine: media and cultural influences.

Science.gov (United States)

Timmons, Stephen; Nairn, Stuart

2015-01-01

In this article we analyse, via a critical review of the literature, the development of a relatively new medical specialism in the United Kingdom, that of emergency medicine. Despite the high media profile of emergency care, it is a low-status specialism within UK medicine. The creation of a specialist College in 2008 means that, symbolically, recognition as a full specialism has now been achieved. In this article, we will show, using a sociology of professions approach, how emergency medicine defined itself as a specialism, and sought to carve out a distinctive jurisdiction. While, in the context of the UK National Health Service, the state was clearly an important factor in the development of this profession, we wish to develop the analysis further than is usual in the sociology of professions. We will analyse the wider cultural context for the development of this specialism, which has benefited from its high profile in the media, through both fictional and documentary sources. © The Author(s) 2014.
Culture and psychiatric diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis-Fernández, Roberto; Aggarwal, Neil Krishan

2013-01-01

Since the publication of DSM-IV in 1994, neurobiologists and anthropologists have criticized the rigidity of its diagnostic criteria that appear to exclude whole classes of alternate illness presentations, as well as the lack of attention in contemporary psychiatric nosology to the role of contextual factors in the emergence and characteristics of psychopathology. Experts in culture and mental health have responded to these criticisms by revising the very process of diagnosis for DSM-5. Specifically, the DSM-5 Cultural Issues Subgroup has recommended that concepts of culture be included more prominently in several areas: an introductory chapter on Cultural Aspects of Psychiatric Diagnosis - composed of a conceptual introduction, a revised Outline for Cultural Formulation, a Cultural Formulation Interview that operationalizes this Outline, and a glossary on cultural concepts of distress - as well as material directly related to culture that is incorporated into the description of each disorder. This chapter surveys these recommendations to demonstrate how culture and context interact with psychiatric diagnosis at multiple levels. A greater appreciation of the interplay between culture, context, and biology can help clinicians improve diagnostic and treatment planning. Copyright © 2013 APA*
Does cultural context make a difference to women's experiences of maternity care? A qualitative study comparing the perspectives of breast-feeding women of Bangladeshi origin and health practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

McFadden, Alison; Renfrew, Mary J; Atkin, Karl

2013-12-01

Maternity services struggle to provide culturally appropriate care that meets the needs of women from diverse populations. Problems include simplistic understandings of ethnicity and the role of culture in women's lives, and stereotypes held by health practitioners. To explore the extent to which cultural context makes a difference to experiences of breast-feeding support for women of Bangladeshi origin and to consider the implications for the provision of culturally appropriate care. The study comprised individual interviews with 23 women of Bangladeshi origin and four health service managers, and focus group discussions with 28 health practitioners between February and December 2008. Participants were recruited from four localities in northern England. Women's rich descriptions of various facets of their identities were in contrast to practitioners' representations of women of Bangladeshi origin as homogenous. Practitioners did not recognize when the needs of women of Bangladeshi origin were similar to those of the majority white population, or where cultural context made a difference to their experiences of breast-feeding and breast-feeding support. Some practitioners used cultural stereotypes which, combined with organizational constraints, resulted in services not meeting many of the women's needs. Implications for education, policy and practice include the need for training of health practitioners to work with diverse populations, implementing evidence-based practice and providing an organizational context which supports practitioners to respond to diversity without using cultural stereotypes. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
COMMUNITY INTERVENTION IN THE UNIVERSITY CONTEXT TO RAISE THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF FAMILIES

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Norma Amalia Rodríguez-Barrera

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The modern university has the mission of training of competent professionals, able to preserve, develop and promote the strengthening of cultural development of students and the community through academic, research and social work practice processes. This paper aims to present the results of Community action in the university context Career Early Childhood Education, to raise the cultural development of families. The intervention was designed according to three basic processes: planning, implementation, evaluation and control, and to ensure, as previous steps, the study programs of disciplines and subjects of the race, for determining the didactic treatment of the required content Community intervention from academic, scientific and practical work; of the main needs of the community and preparing students for the fulfillment of the tasks. The research was conducted with the application of a quasi-experiment Teaching and the use of theoretical, empirical (interview, observation, document analysis and for the collection and statistical data processing methods. The comparison of results between the experimental and control groups before and after application of the Community intervention allowed to check their effectiveness from raising the cultural development of families in the experimental group, in the motivational-regulative dimensions, cognitive, attitudinal and communication. The essential differences in the results of each dimension not only differ significantly between the groups, but all of them is able to distinguish very well the cultural development of families applied after the intervention actions.
'Deep is the well of the past': Reconsidering the origins of the Exodus motif in its cultural context

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Raik Heckl

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The article shows, that the stories of the Patriarchs as well as the Exodus-story are allochthonous traditions of origin. We find comparable stories in the neighboring cultures of Israel. Egypt as origin of human culture was of utmost importance in the Levant. Herodotus reports a myth of origin of the Phoenicians which is of particular interest in this respect. As far as it can be seen there are affinities between this tradition and the Exodus motif from the Hebrew Bible. This raises the question if we should read the Biblical traditions as part of the comprehensive cultural context of the Levant.
Student Motivation in Low-Stakes Assessment Contexts: An Exploratory Analysis in Engineering Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Musekamp, Frank; Pearce, Jacob

2016-01-01

The goal of this paper is to examine the relationship of student motivation and achievement in low-stakes assessment contexts. Using Pearson product-moment correlations and hierarchical linear regression modelling to analyse data on 794 tertiary students who undertook a low-stakes engineering mechanics assessment (along with the questionnaire of…
Color Visions from the Past in Science Teaching within a Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) Context

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Kolokouri, Eleni; Plakitsi, Katerina

2012-01-01

This study uses history of science in teaching natural sciences from the early grades. The theoretical framework used is Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), which is a theory with expanding applications in different fields of science. The didactical scenario, in which history of science is used in a CHAT context, refers to Newton's…
High reward makes items easier to remember, but harder to bind to a new temporal context

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Christopher R Madan

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Learning through reward is central to adaptive behaviour. Indeed, items are remembered better if they are experienced while participants expect a reward, and people can deliberately prioritize memory for high- over low-valued items. Do memory advantages for high-valued items only emerge after deliberate prioritization in encoding? Or, do reward-based memory enhancements also apply to unrewarded memory tests and to implicit memory? First, we tested for a high-value memory advantage in unrewarded implicit and explicit tests (Exp 1. Participants first learned high or low reward values of 36 words, followed by unrewarded lexical decision and free recall tests. High-value words were judged faster in lexical decision, and more often recalled in free recall. These two memory advantages for high-value words were negatively correlated suggesting at least two mechanisms by which reward value can influence later item-memorability. The ease at which the values were originally acquired explained the negative correlation: People who learned values earlier showed reward effects in implicit memory while people who learned values later showed reward effects in explicit memory. We then asked whether a high-value advantage would persist if trained items were linked to a new context (Exps 2a,b. Following the same value training as in Exp 1, participants learned lists composed of previously trained words mixed with new words, each followed by free recall. Thus, participants had to retrieve words only from the most recent list, irrespective of their values. High- and low-value words were recalled equally, but low-value words were recalled earlier than high-value words and high-value words were more often intruded (proactive interference. Thus, the high-value advantage holds for implicit and explicit memory, but comes with a side effect: High-value items are more difficult to relearn in a new context. Similar to emotional arousal, reward value can both enhance and

ABOUT WELFARE IN CULTURAL CONTEXT

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Angelica-Nicoleta NECULĂESEI

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This article aims to briefly analyze the research efforts on measuring welfare indices in terms of cultural relativism. It presents the limitations of GDP and some of the proposed alternatives over time, to understand the wideness and interest in this topic, but also the consequences of imposing a certain type of indicators to reflect the progress and welfare of a country. To provide a coherent overview on the proposed subject, the approach starts with the presentation of general acceptation of the welfare concept. Further, the literature review reveals many concerns about the welfare and progress, but also the difficulties associated with this effort. Critical comments generally reflect the need to consider the culture factor in the debate on welfare.
Fostering Creativity in the Classroom for High Ability Students: Context Does Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Liang See; Lee, Shu Shing; Ponnusamy, Letchmi Devi; Koh, Elizabeth Ruilin; Tan, Keith Chiu Kian

2016-01-01

Researchers have argued for the importance of the classroom context in developing students' creative potential. However, the emphasis on a performative learning culture in the classroom does not favour creativity. Thus, how creative potential can be realised as one of the educational goals in the classrooms remains a key question. This study…
Morality, Culture and the Dialogic Self: Taking Cultural Pluralism Seriously

Science.gov (United States)

Haste, Helen; Abrahams, Salie

2008-01-01

This paper explores moral reasoning within the framework of contemporary cultural theory, in which moral functioning is action mediated by tools (such as socially available discourses) within a social and cultural context. This cultural model of a "dialogic moral self" challenges many of the assumptions inherent in the individualistic Kantian…
Replicating a study of collaborative use of mobile phones for photo sharing in a different cultural context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandoval, Carolina; Montero, Camila; Jokela, Tero

2014-01-01

In this paper, we replicate a study of collaborative mobile phone use to share personal photos in groups of collocated people. The replication study was conducted in a different cultural context to check the generalizability of the findings from the original study in terms of the proposed...
Family and Cultural Influences on Low-Income Latino Children's Adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago, Catherine DeCarlo; Wadsworth, Martha E.

2011-01-01

This study examined family and cultural influences on adjustment among 90 low-income Latino middle school children (46% girls; average age = 11.38, SD = 0.66) and their primary caregivers (93% female; average age = 36.12, SD = 6.13). All participants identified as Hispanic/Latino, with 75% of families identifying as Mexican-origin Latino, and 77%…
A cross-cultural content-analytic comparison of the hookup culture in U.S. and Dutch teen girl magazines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Joshi, S.P.; Peter, J.; Valkenburg, P.M.

2014-01-01

This quantitative content analysis investigated the hookup culture in U.S. and Dutch teen girl magazines. Using Hofstede's cultural dimension of masculinity/femininity, the hookup culture (i.e., the relational context of sex, emotional context of sex, specific sexual activities, and contraceptives)
The role of culture in health literacy and chronic disease screening and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Susan J; Huebner, Cristina; Armin, Julie; Orzech, Kathryn; Orzech, Katherine; Vivian, James

2009-12-01

Cultural and language differences and socioeconomic status interact with and contribute to low health literacy, defined as the inability to understand or act on medical/therapeutic instructions. Health literacy is increasingly recognized as an important factor in patient compliance, cancer screening utilization, and chronic disease outcomes. Commendable efforts have been initiated by the American Medical Association and other organizations to address low health literacy among patients. Less work has been done, however, to place health literacy in the broader context of socioeconomic and cultural differences among patients and providers that hinder communication and compliance. This review examines cultural influences on health literacy, cancer screening and chronic disease outcomes. We argue that cultural beliefs around health and illness contribute to an individual's ability to understand and act on a health care provider's instructions. This paper proposes key aspects of the intersection between health literacy and culturally varying beliefs about health which merit further exploration.
Research on Culture in Psychology: Taking Stock and Looking Forward

OpenAIRE

Poortinga,Ype H.

2013-01-01

Cross-cultural psychology, in both its culture-comparative and its cultural traditions, has been a highly successful enterprise; it has been instrumental in establishing context variation as an essential factor in the study of behavior and has led to a large volume of publications with culture as a key term. At the same time, the question arises whether the further accumulation of findings of often small differences between groups will continue to be a worthwhile pursuit, or whether it is tim...
Parasite fauna of wild and cultured dusky-grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834 from Ubatuba, Southeastern Brazil

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K Roumbedakis

Full Text Available This study aimed at identifying and quantifying the parasites of wild and cultured dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus. During a year and thereby all four seasons, 20 wild and 20 cultured groupers were examined for the presence of parasites, except in the last season, in which 19 wild and 20 cultured fish were examined, totalling 159 groupers analysed from Ubatuba, southeastern Brazil. Prevalence, mean intensity of infection, mean abundance and mean relative dominance were calculated. Five species of parasites were identified in fish from both origins: Pseudorhabdosynochus beverleyburtonae (Monogenea, Neobenedenia melleni (Monogenea, Pseudempleurosoma sp. (Monogenea, Helicometrina nimia (Digenea and larvae of Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda. The prevalence of ectoparasites, in most cases, was higher than endoparasites. The most abundant parasite was the monogenea Pseudorhabdosynochus beverleyburtonae in both wild and cultured fish, along all seasons. Neobenedenia melleni was observed in wild and cultured fish in all seasons, with a gradual increase in the number of parasites from the coldest to the hottest seasons, with the highest prevalence and mean intensity in the summer. Helicometrina nimia was found in all seasons in both wild and cultured fish, except for summer, where its presence was detected only in wild fish. Pseudempleurosoma sp. and larvae of Contracaecum sp. showed low prevalence occurring in wild and cultured fish in the autumn and spring, respectively. This study revealed high intensities of potentially pathogenic parasites that could favour disease outbreaks in culture conditions.
Parasite fauna of wild and cultured dusky-grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) from Ubatuba, southeastern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Roumbedakis, K; Marchiori, N C; Paseto, Á; Gonçalves, E L T; Luque, J L; Cepeda, P B; Sanches, E G; Martins, M L

2013-11-01

This study aimed at identifying and quantifying the parasites of wild and cultured dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus. During a year and thereby all four seasons, 20 wild and 20 cultured groupers were examined for the presence of parasites, except in the last season, in which 19 wild and 20 cultured fish were examined, totalling 159 groupers analysed from Ubatuba, southeastern Brazil. Prevalence, mean intensity of infection, mean abundance and mean relative dominance were calculated. Five species of parasites were identified in fish from both origins: Pseudorhabdosynochus beverleyburtonae (Monogenea), Neobenedenia melleni (Monogenea), Pseudempleurosoma sp. (Monogenea), Helicometrina nimia (Digenea) and larvae of Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda). The prevalence of ectoparasites, in most cases, was higher than endoparasites. The most abundant parasite was the monogenea Pseudorhabdosynochus beverleyburtonae in both wild and cultured fish, along all seasons. Neobenedenia melleni was observed in wild and cultured fish in all seasons, with a gradual increase in the number of parasites from the coldest to the hottest seasons, with the highest prevalence and mean intensity in the summer. Helicometrina nimia was found in all seasons in both wild and cultured fish, except for summer, where its presence was detected only in wild fish. Pseudempleurosoma sp. and larvae of Contracaecum sp. showed low prevalence occurring in wild and cultured fish in the autumn and spring, respectively. This study revealed high intensities of potentially pathogenic parasites that could favour disease outbreaks in culture conditions.
Discourses of Anti-corruption in Mexico. Culture of Corruption or Corruption of Culture?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Coronado

2008-02-01

Full Text Available In the context of global capitalism the so-called developing countries are considered ‘commodities’ in offer in the global economy as emerging markets or for foreign investment. Countries need to show they are potentially highly competitive with low risk. The value of country characteristics is set by globalised managerial discourses, based on postcolonial ideologies that rate cultures and societies in terms of linear notions of progress and civilisation. Cultures and behaviours are judged positively or negatively according to the position countries supposedly have in the evolution of world society. In this framework one element that countries need to eradicate or reduce in order to be seen as ‘attractive’ is corruption. Towards this aim international and national government and non-government organisations have put in place anti-corruption campaigns. In communications with the general public, these schemes represent actors and acts of corruption through discursive strategies that characterize world cultures and their links with corruption in terms of postcolonial ideologies. In this paper I focus on the implications of the metaphor ‘culture of corruption’ for rating countries, questioning its effectiveness in anti-corruption campaigns. I argue that anti-corruption instruments based on postcolonial ideologies corrupt representations of national cultures and peoples behaviours, instead of targeting local and global sectors that gain from institutionalised corruption. Through the analysis of anti-corruption cultural texts publicly available in Mexico I illustrate how the ideological misrepresentation of corruption fails its stated aim, to transform a ‘culture of corruption’ into a ‘culture of legality’.
Linguistic and cultural factors in the readability of mathematics texts: the Whorfian hypothesis revisited with evidence from the South African context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prins, E.D.; Ulijn, J.M.

1998-01-01

South Africa is a country of many languages and cultures. Education is mostly in English which implies that about 80% of all secondary school students are second language learners. Currently many mathematical problems are posed in real-life contexts. This not only introduces more language in
Cultures of High-frequency Trading

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lange, Ann-Christina; Lenglet, Marc; Seyfert, Robert

2016-01-01

As part of ongoing work to lay a foundation for social studies of high-frequency trading (HFT), this paper introduces the culture(s) of HFT as a sociological problem relating to knowledge and practice. HFT is often discussed as a purely technological development, where all that matters is the speed...... of allocating, processing and transmitting data. Indeed, the speed at which trades are executed and data transmitted is accelerating, and it is fair to say that algorithms are now the primary interacting agents operating in the financial markets. However, we contend that HFT is first and foremost a cultural...
Counternarrative and antenarrative inquiry in two cross-cultural contexts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boje, David M.; Svane, Marita Susanna; Gergerich, Erika

2016-01-01

stereotypical representations of race, class, and gender, and offer theory and methodology resources for a more meaningful understanding of homeless life and cultures. The second case explores narrative-counternarrative and antenarrative inquiry into a cross-cultural merger between two companies. Both cases...
Suggestions for English Culture Teaching in High School

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Cai Hongjuan

2016-01-01

With the implementation of the new High School English Curriculum Standards, more and more people have realized the importance of English culture teaching. To realize the goals of English teaching, teachers should cultivate students' culture awareness and develop their intercultural communicative competence. But in the actual teaching, culture teaching did not get real implementation. So the author puts forwards some suggestions for English culture teaching in high school.
Glucose uptake and growth of glucose-limited chemostat cultures of Aspergillus niger and a disruptant lacking MstA, a high-affinity glucose transporter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Thomas R; vanKuyk, Patricia A; Poulsen, Bjarne R

2007-01-01

This is a study of high-affinity glucose uptake in Aspergillus niger and the effect of disruption of a high-affinity monosaccharide-transporter gene, mstA. The substrate saturation constant (K(s)) of a reference strain was about 15 microM in glucose-limited chemostat culture. Disruption of mst......-affinity uptake system of A. niger. The mstA disruptant and a reference strain were cultivated in glucose-limited chemostat cultures at low, intermediate and high dilution rate (D=0.07 h(-1), 0.14 h(-1) and 0.20 h(-1)). Mycelium harvested from steady-state cultures was subjected to glucose uptake assays...
Culture and attention: evidence from brain and behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Ketay, Sarah; Aron, Arthur; Hedden, Trey

2009-01-01

Research has demonstrated that our experiences, including the culture in which we are raised, shape how we attend to and perceive the world. Behavioral studies have found that individuals raised in Western cultures tend toward analytic processing and prefer tasks emphasizing independent contexts rather than tasks emphasizing interdependent contexts. The opposite is true for individuals raised in East Asian cultures, who tend toward holistic processing and prefer tasks emphasizing interdependent contexts. Recently, cognitive neuroscientists have extended these behavioral findings to examine the brain activity of individuals from different cultures during the performance of cognitive tasks. Results from these initial studies indicate that culture may shape how the brain processes even very abstract stimuli and may influence the features of the environment to which individuals attend. The present chapter reviews evidence that culture influences attention and related systems, which, in turn, impact other cognitive and social processes and their neural correlates.
Investigation of the effects of the social power and social distance on the realization of apology between Jordanian and English cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bilal Ayed Al-Khaza'leh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The current study investigated the influence of context-external variables; social power (High, Equal and Low and social distance (Familiar and Unfamiliar on the perception of Jordanian and English speech act of apology. Discourse Completion Test (DCT and Scaled Response Questionnaire (SRQ were used to elicit data from three groups: 40 Jordanian L2 speakers in Malaysia, 40 Jordanian non-English speakers in Malaysia and 40 English native speakers from British Council in Jordan. The three groups of respondents were asked to assess four context-internal variables i.e. the severity of the offence, the possibility of the offender apology, the difficulty of the apology by the offender and the likelihood of apology acceptance by the offended party. Results of the study were accomplished using one way ANOVA and Tukey HSD post hoc statistical tests. The findings revealed that Jordanians have high sensitivity toward hierarchical power and social distance more than English native speakers. Moreover, results revealed that there are negative sociopragmatic transfers from L1 to L2 by JL2Ss based on their four-context internal variables perception. Findings could be used to increase the cultural awareness toward some similarities and differences between both cultures
Addressing Cultural Aspects of Organisations in High Risk Industries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gisquet, Elsa; Jeffroy, Francois; LEVY, Emmanuelle

2017-01-01

The concept of Safety Culture is a key element of many initiatives aimed at improving the safety of nuclear facilities. In particular, the IAEA has focused its development strategy on taking into account human and organisational factors. In this context, the IRSN has mainly devoted its evaluations and research to theoretical lines arising from ergonomics and the sociology of organisations. Although this orientation has helped to formulate documented assessments, it is necessary to better take into account cultural aspects, because some of these contribute to risk management. They can, for example, be an important part of provisions to promote cooperation between different professions (maintenance and operation, operation and decommissioning, operation and research, etc.), between project organisation and daily organisation (outage management, change implementation, dismantling work sites, etc.), between companies (relations between customers and service providers). The IRSN thus conducted a study aimed at defining guidelines for the use of the 'culture' and 'safety culture' concepts in safety assessments of nuclear facilities. First, the contributions and limitations of the safety culture concept are identified, leading as a second stage to a review of the main works on culture that have been conducted in anthropology, sociology, management science and ergonomics. These studies show that taking into account cultural aspects can give access to phenomena that are difficult to deal with using other organisation analytical frameworks. On this basis, four analysis plans were defined, which provide a breakdown of the overall 'culture' topic: organisational cultures, professional cultures, social cultures and relations, and national cultures. In the fourth part of the document, these analysis plans are used to revisit safety assessments performed in the past. In doing so, the relationship between cultural aspects and safety are specified and
Culture, demographics, and critical care issues: an overview.

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Núñez, Germán R

2003-10-01

The population dynamic and the immigration trends in the United States continue to challenge health care professionals who each day must serve an increasingly diverse population. Today's physicians must not only have a solid background in medical sciences but they must also have knowledge of how culture, race, and ethnicity impact how patients view and accept traditional Western practices. Whether doctors and patients are close in the "context spectrum" will often determine their ability to communicate beyond the spoken language. According to a report of the American Medical Association, by the year 2000, out of a total 812,770 physicians, only 2.5% were Black, 3.5% Hispanic, and 8.9% Asian. Only a fraction of a percent was American Native/Alaskan Native. Therefore, the majority of the physicians are Caucasian, and it could be assumed that they would likely be accustomed to high-context communication styles. The gross of the demographic changes and population increases in the United States during the past 10 years can be attributed to immigration from regions of the world where low-context communication styles are prevalent. Such differences between physicians and patients can create difficult, tense situations in an already charged atmosphere as can be that of a critical care unit.

Does cultural context make a difference to women’s experiences of maternity care? A qualitative study comparing the perspectives of breast‐feeding women of Bangladeshi origin and health practitioners

Science.gov (United States)

McFadden, Alison; Renfrew, Mary J; Atkin, Karl

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Maternity services struggle to provide culturally appropriate care that meets the needs of women from diverse populations. Problems include simplistic understandings of ethnicity and the role of culture in women’s lives, and stereotypes held by health practitioners. Objective To explore the extent to which cultural context makes a difference to experiences of breast‐feeding support for women of Bangladeshi origin and to consider the implications for the provision of culturally appropriate care. Methods The study comprised individual interviews with 23 women of Bangladeshi origin and four health service managers, and focus group discussions with 28 health practitioners between February and December 2008. Participants were recruited from four localities in northern England. Results Women’s rich descriptions of various facets of their identities were in contrast to practitioners’ representations of women of Bangladeshi origin as homogenous. Practitioners did not recognize when the needs of women of Bangladeshi origin were similar to those of the majority white population, or where cultural context made a difference to their experiences of breast‐feeding and breast‐feeding support. Some practitioners used cultural stereotypes which, combined with organizational constraints, resulted in services not meeting many of the women’s needs. Conclusions Implications for education, policy and practice include the need for training of health practitioners to work with diverse populations, implementing evidence‐based practice and providing an organizational context which supports practitioners to respond to diversity without using cultural stereotypes. PMID:22429489
Synovial fluid multiplex PCR is superior to culture for detection of low-virulent pathogens causing periprosthetic joint infection.

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Morgenstern, Christian; Cabric, Sabrina; Perka, Carsten; Trampuz, Andrej; Renz, Nora

2018-02-01

Analysis of joint aspirate is the standard preoperative investigation for diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). We compared the diagnostic performance of culture and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of synovial fluid for diagnosis of PJI. Patients in whom aspiration of the prosthetic hip or knee joint was performed before revision arthroplasty were prospectively included. The performance of synovial fluid culture and multiplex PCR was compared by McNemar's chi-squared test. A total of 142 patients were included, 82 with knee and 60 with hip prosthesis. PJI was diagnosed in 77 patients (54%) and aseptic failure in 65 patients (46%). The sensitivity of synovial fluid culture and PCR was 52% and 60%, respectively, showing concordant results in 116 patients (82%). In patients with PJI, PCR missed 6 high-virulent pathogens (S. aureus, streptococci, E. faecalis, E. coli) which grew in synovial fluid culture, whereas synovial fluid culture missed 12 pathogens detected by multiplex PCR, predominantly low-virulent pathogens (Cutibacterium acnes and coagulase-negative staphylococci). In patients with aseptic failure, PCR detected 6 low-virulent organisms (predominantly C. acnes). While the overall performance of synovial fluid PCR was comparable to culture, PCR was superior for detection of low-virulent bacteria such as Cutibacterium spp. and coagulase-negative staphylococci. In addition, synovial fluid culture required several days for growth, whereas multiplex PCR provided results within 5hours in an automated manner. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Are NCLB's Measures, Incentives, and Improvement Strategies the Right Ones for the Nation's Low-Performing High Schools?

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Balfanz, Robert; Legters, Nettie; West, Thomas C.; Weber, Lisa M.

2007-01-01

This article examines the extent to which adequate yearly progress (AYP) is a valid and reliable indicator of improvement in low-performing high schools. For a random subsample of 202 high schools, the authors investigate the school characteristics and the federal and state policy contexts that influence their AYP status. Logistic regression…
Postnatal depression, maternal-infant bonding and social support: a cross-cultural comparison of Nigerian and British mothers.

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Afolabi, Oladayo; Bunce, Louise; Lusher, Joanne; Banbury, Samantha

2017-07-04

The high prevalence of Post-Natal Depression (PND) in low and lower-middle income countries of Africa raises questions about the functionality of the abundant informal support accessed in the enmeshed family structure. This study examined the interaction between social support, parity and culture in the development of PND and maternal-infant bonding (MIB) among Nigerian, British and Nigerian Immigrant mothers in the UK. Participants (N = 124) were recruited from the UK and Nigeria via local support groups for mothers, websites offering motherhood-related content and social media. Questionnaires including the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire and Norbeck's Social Support Questionnaire were uploaded onto SurveyMonkey®. Findings revealed significant cultural differences in PND and social support. Multiple regression analyses revealed that PND, social support and culture could predict MIB, with PND being the only significant independent predictor. Our findings highlight the importance that cultural factors play in the development of PND and the establishment of MIB in the context of culturally attuned healthcare services.
Words in a Cultural Context*

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2000-07-05

Jul 5, 2000 ... tudes. This paper examines the case for dictionaries to carry cultural as well as lexical ..... 1 784 pp) is a monolingual French dictionary and encyclopedia combined. ... the food they eat, and events that have shaped their lives.
Roles of guilt and culture in normative influence: testing moderated mediation in the anti-secondhand smoking context.

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Lee, Hyegyu; Paek, Hye-Jin

2014-01-01

This study simultaneously explored direct, indirect, and joint effects of types of norm messages, guilt, and culture on smokers' behavioral intentions in the anti-secondhand smoking context. An online study among 310 smoking students in an individualistic (United States) and a collectivistic (Korea) country indicated that (1) norm messages had no conditional indirect effects on behavioral intention, (2) guilt arousal had a strong and direct impact on behavioral intention, and (3) guilt arousal and its impact on behavioral intention were stronger among Korean smokers than among US smokers.
Autonomy and relatedness in psychopathology and treatment: a cross-cultural formulation.

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Sato, T

2001-02-01

A cross-cultural view of psychopathology is proposed, contending that there are two basic systems of self-organization. These two systems of self-organization, labeled autonomy and relatedness, are essential to a person's well-being regardless of the culture or society to which the person belongs. The degree of autonomy and relatedness required to maintain mental health in a specific society is affected by cultural mores. People in collectivistic (primarily non-Western) cultures require high levels of relatedness and moderate levels of autonomy to maintain mental health. People in individualistic (primarily Western) cultures require high levels of autonomy and moderate levels of relatedness to maintain mental health. This view, based on a review of past work in various areas of psychology, is discussed in the context of various forms of psychotherapy existing in individualistic and collectivistic cultures.
Evaluating mobile learning practice. Towards a framework for analysis of user-generated contexts with reference to the socio-cultural ecology of mobile learning

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Judith Seipold

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Against the conceptual and theoretical background of a socio-culturally orientated approach to mobile learning (Pachler, Bachmair and Cook, 2010, this paper examines the evaluation of user-generated contexts by referring to an example from the use of mobile phones in schools. We discuss how mobile device-related, user- generated contexts around structures, agency and cultural practices might be brought into a fruitful relationship with institution-based learning. And, we provide categories for evaluating the use of mobile devices to generate meaning from and with fragmented and discontinuous media and modes at the interface of learning in formal, institutionalised and informal, self-directed settings. The evaluation criteria build on the framework of a socio-cultural ecology of mobile learning developed by the London Mobile Learning Group.
Improving titer while maintaining quality of final formulated drug substance via optimization of CHO cell culture conditions in low-iron chemically defined media.

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Xu, Jianlin; Rehmann, Matthew S; Xu, Xuankuo; Huang, Chao; Tian, Jun; Qian, Nan-Xin; Li, Zheng Jian

2018-04-01

During biopharmaceutical process development, it is important to improve titer to reduce drug manufacturing costs and to deliver comparable quality attributes of therapeutic proteins, which helps to ensure patient safety and efficacy. We previously reported that relative high-iron concentrations in media increased titer, but caused unacceptable coloration of a fusion protein during early-phase process development. Ultimately, the fusion protein with acceptable color was manufactured using low-iron media, but the titer decreased significantly in the low-iron process. Here, long-term passaging in low-iron media is shown to significantly improve titer while maintaining acceptable coloration during late-phase process development. However, the long-term passaging also caused a change in the protein charge variant profile by significantly increasing basic variants. Thus, we systematically studied the effect of media components, seed culture conditions, and downstream processing on productivity and quality attributes. We found that removing β-glycerol phosphate (BGP) from basal media reduced basic variants without affecting titer. Our goals for late-phase process development, improving titer and matching quality attributes to the early-phase process, were thus achieved by prolonging seed culture age and removing BGP. This process was also successfully scaled up in 500-L bioreactors. In addition, we demonstrated that higher concentrations of reactive oxygen species were present in the high-iron Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures compared to that in the low-iron cultures, suggesting a possible mechanism for the drug substance coloration caused by high-iron media. Finally, hypotheses for the mechanisms of titer improvement by both high-iron and long-term culture are discussed.
Emotional Encoding Context Leads to Memory Bias in Individuals with High Anxiety.

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Lee, Christopher; Fernandes, Myra A

2017-12-27

We investigated whether anxious individuals, who adopt an inherently negative mindset, demonstrate a particularly salient memory bias for words tainted by negative contexts. To this end, sequentially presented target words, overlayed onto negative or neutral pictures, were studied in separate blocks (within-subjects) using a deep or shallow encoding instruction (between-subjects). Following study, in Test 1, participants completed separate recognition test blocks for the words overlayed onto the negative and the neutral contexts. Following this, in Test 2, participants completed a recognition test for the foils from each Test 1 block. We found a significant three-way interaction on Test 2, such that individuals with high anxiety who initially studied target words using a shallow encoding instruction, demonstrated significantly elevated memory for foils that were contained within the negative Test 1 block. Results show that during retrieval (Test 1), participants re-entered the mode of processing (negative or neutral) engaged at encoding, tainting the encoding of foils with that same mode of processing. The findings suggest that individuals with high relative to low anxiety, adopt a particularly salient negative retrieval mode, and this creates a downstream bias in encoding and subsequent retrieval of otherwise neutral information.
Deconstructing Career Myths and Cultural Stereotypes in a Context of Low Resourced Township Communities

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Albien, Anouk J.; Naidoo, Anthony V.

2017-01-01

The current research presents the voices of black adolescents struggling to emerge from the shadow of the Apartheid legacy, focusing on the career beliefs that are perpetuated in low socio-economic communities and negatively influence career opportunities. Inaccurate information can result in career myths, which can have a negative impact on…
Stepfamilies: The Intersection of Culture, Context, and Biology.

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Bray, James

1999-01-01

Discusses five areas concerning Heatherington et al.'s study: nature and nurture issues; deviance versus normative behavior in stepfamilies; context and meaning in different types of families; intersecting developmental trajectories; and gender differences. (JPB)
Weaving Action Learning into the Fabric of Manufacturing: The Impact of Humble Inquiry and Structured Reflection in a Cross-Cultural Context

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Luckman, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

This account of practice examines the implementation of and reactions to action learning through the Lean methodology in a unique, cross-cultural context. I review my time spent as a Lean coach; engaging with, training, and using action learning with employees in a garment manufacturing facility located in Bali, Indonesia. This research addresses…
Studying Legal Cultures and Encounters?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Hanne

2015-01-01

This article discusses the cultural and other turns in relation to legal culture and situates Western legal culture in context. It deals with concepts and their relations to trends and fashions and introduces methodological reflections such as use of interdisciplinary methods, personal experience...
A New Understanding of Ankara Music within the Context of Global Cultural Flow

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Ömer Can Satır

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to consider a new understanding of the complex and multilayered structure of Ankara music, which is situated between tradition and modernity and has become an important form of popular culture in the region, in the context of local and global relationships.. The theoretical framework of the study is based on Appadurai’s “global cultural flow” model. The ethnoscape, finanscape, mediascape, technoscape and ideoscape of Ankara music is examined in accordance with this approach to reveal the dynamics that make this music different. In the light of these findings, it is concluded that the ethnoscape of Ankara music is based on a broad demographic coalition that has created an independent music industry with a finanscape depending on production, distribution and consumption. While this type of music is represented through a network-based social structure, it gains legitimacy outside its bounds within the media environment. The “Ankara” genre and its quest for authenticity described in this work reveal the ideoscape of the new Ankara music.
Cross-cultural adaptation of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2 for the Brazilian context

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Viviane Vedovato Silva-Rocha

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To present the process of cross-cultural adaptation of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2 for the Brazilian context. Method The following stages were used: translation into Brazilian Portuguese by independent translators, elaboration of a synthesis version, back-translation, evaluation by experts and pretest with target population. Results All the stages of cross-cultural adaptation were completed, and in the majority of items evaluated, good concordance between experts was obtained (≥ 80%. Suggested adjustments were compiled into the consensus version by the two authors, with the resulting material being considered adequate in the pretest (and thus no further changes were needed. Termed as “Escala de Ansiedade Esportiva-2,” the final version was considered by the main author of the original scale as an official version in Brazilian Portuguese. Conclusions In view of the fulfilment of all steps suggested for the cross-cultural adaptation process, the SAS-2 is now available in Brazilian Portuguese to be tested for its psychometric qualities.
Ex vivo electroporation of retinal cells: a novel, high efficiency method for functional studies in primary retinal cultures.

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Vergara, M Natalia; Gutierrez, Christian; O'Brien, David R; Canto-Soler, M Valeria

2013-04-01

Primary retinal cultures constitute valuable tools not only for basic research on retinal cell development and physiology, but also for the identification of factors or drugs that promote cell survival and differentiation. In order to take full advantage of the benefits of this system it is imperative to develop efficient and reliable techniques for the manipulation of gene expression. However, achieving appropriate transfection efficiencies in these cultures has remained challenging. The purpose of this work was to develop and optimize a technique that would allow the transfection of chick retinal cells with high efficiency and reproducibility for multiple applications. We developed an ex vivo electroporation method applied to dissociated retinal cell cultures that offers a significant improvement over other currently available transfection techniques, increasing efficiency by five-fold. In this method, eyes were enucleated, devoid of RPE, and electroporated with GFP-encoding plasmids using custom-made electrodes. Electroporated retinas were then dissociated into single cells and plated in low density conditions, to be analyzed after 4 days of incubation. Parameters such as voltage and number of electric pulses, as well as plasmid concentration and developmental stage of the animal were optimized for efficiency. The characteristics of the cultures were assessed by morphology and immunocytochemistry, and cell viability was determined by ethidium homodimer staining. Cell imaging and counting was performed using an automated high-throughput system. This procedure resulted in transfection efficiencies in the order of 22-25% of cultured cells, encompassing both photoreceptors and non-photoreceptor neurons, and without affecting normal cell survival and differentiation. Finally, the feasibility of the technique for cell-autonomous studies of gene function in a biologically relevant context was tested by carrying out gain and loss-of-function experiments for the
Multiculturalism in the European Context: Attainments and Disagreements

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Snježana Gregurović

2016-12-01

labour market participation, high levels of segregation and a high crime rate among immigrants. Koopmans (2010 argues that in the countries with a generous welfare state, multiculturalism may not be beneficial for all immigrants because it can lead to dependence on the welfare-state support and consequently to the increase of social and economic marginalization (Koopmans, 2010: 2. Multiculturalist policies in the European context have failed as indicated by unsatisfactory integration results. The policies in the Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium, for example, have allowed migrants to survive on the welfare support without their inclusion in the labour market. It affected their economically disadvantageous position and further marginalisation. At the end of the paper the normative reasons for preserving cultural and ethnic diversity are questioned. What if traditional values and preserving culture are not of crucial importance for a “good life” as multicultural theorists claim, but are also brought into question? As Barry (2006: 78 pointed out, birth or belonging to a particular ethnic group did not oblige anyone to be a guardian of their "ancestral culture." Finally, it should be noted that immigrants are not a homogenous group as Parekh (2008 pointed out. They differ among themselves with regard to the level of education, lifestyles, ethnic and/or religious affiliation, social capital, etc. In studying and making immigrant integration policies it should be kept in mind.
Human Behavior Analysis by Means of Multimodal Context Mining

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Oresti Banos

2016-08-01

Full Text Available There is sufficient evidence proving the impact that negative lifestyle choices have on people’s health and wellness. Changing unhealthy behaviours requires raising people’s self-awareness and also providing healthcare experts with a thorough and continuous description of the user’s conduct. Several monitoring techniques have been proposed in the past to track users’ behaviour; however, these approaches are either subjective and prone to misreporting, such as questionnaires, or only focus on a specific component of context, such as activity counters. This work presents an innovative multimodal context mining framework to inspect and infer human behaviour in a more holistic fashion. The proposed approach extends beyond the state-of-the-art, since it not only explores a sole type of context, but also combines diverse levels of context in an integral manner. Namely, low-level contexts, including activities, emotions and locations, are identified from heterogeneous sensory data through machine learning techniques. Low-level contexts are combined using ontological mechanisms to derive a more abstract representation of the user’s context, here referred to as high-level context. An initial implementation of the proposed framework supporting real-time context identification is also presented. The developed system is evaluated for various realistic scenarios making use of a novel multimodal context open dataset and data on-the-go, demonstrating prominent context-aware capabilities at both low and high levels.
Predictive Value of Social Skills in Living Together at Primary School. Analysis in a Cultural Diversity Context

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Herrera Torres, Lucía; Bravo Antonio, Iván

2012-01-01

Coexistence at school stands out as one of the main goals in today's education (Carretero, 2008; Ortega, 2007). The aim of this study developed within a cultural diversity context is to identify the specific dimensions of social skills through which the different elements favouring or hindering coexistence at school can be predicted. A total of…

Examining Korean and Korean American older adults' perceived acceptability of home-based monitoring technologies in the context of culture.

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Chung, Jane; Thompson, Hilaire J; Joe, Jonathan; Hall, Amanda; Demiris, George

2017-01-01

Despite the increasing use of home-based monitoring technologies by older adults, few studies have examined older adults' acceptance of these technologies, especially among people from diverse cultural groups. The purpose of this study was to explore Korean and Korean American older adults' attitudes toward and perceptions of home-based monitoring technologies in a cultural context. A qualitative analysis of focus groups and individual interviews using inductive coding methods and a constant comparative approach for emerging themes was conducted. Several cultural factors that determine the acceptability of home-based monitoring technologies were identified. Most notably, the necessity of living alone due to loosened filial tradition and immigration was a main motivator for adopting these technologies for both Korean and Korean Americans. The level of satisfaction with the health care system or therapeutic interaction affected participants' perceived need for technologies. Compared with the Korean American group, Korean older adults regarded the government's role as more important in increasing adoption and use of new technologies. Contextual factors need to be considered when explaining perceptions of home-based monitoring technologies among older adults from various ethnic groups and developing diffusion strategies according to end users' attitudes, experiences, and cultural backgrounds.
Cultured Construction: Global Evidence of the Impact of National Values on Piped-to-Premises Water Infrastructure Development.

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Kaminsky, Jessica A

2016-07-19

In 2016, the global community undertook the Sustainable Development Goals. One of these goals seeks to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all people by the year 2030. In support of this undertaking, this paper seeks to discover the cultural work done by piped water infrastructure across 33 nations with developed and developing economies that have experienced change in the percentage of population served by piped-to-premises water infrastructure at the national level of analysis. To do so, I regressed the 1990-2012 change in piped-to-premises water infrastructure coverage against Hofstede's cultural dimensions, controlling for per capita GDP, the 1990 baseline level of coverage, percent urban population, overall 1990-2012 change in improved sanitation (all technologies), and per capita freshwater resources. Separate analyses were carried out for the urban, rural, and aggregate national contexts. Hofstede's dimensions provide a measure of cross-cultural difference; high or low scores are not in any way intended to represent better or worse but rather serve as a quantitative way to compare aggregate preferences for ways of being and doing. High scores in the cultural dimensions of Power Distance, Individualism-Collectivism, and Uncertainty Avoidance explain increased access to piped-to-premises water infrastructure in the rural context. Higher Power Distance and Uncertainty Avoidance scores are also statistically significant for increased coverage in the urban and national aggregate contexts. These results indicate that, as presently conceived, piped-to-premises water infrastructure fits best with spatial contexts that prefer hierarchy and centralized control. Furthermore, water infrastructure is understood to reduce uncertainty regarding the provision of individually valued benefits. The results of this analysis identify global trends that enable engineers and policy makers to design and manage more culturally appropriate
Parental Strategies in Contrasting Cultural Settings: Families in Mexico and "El Norte."

Science.gov (United States)

Reese, Leslie

2002-01-01

Compared the child-rearing practices and values of low-income Mexican immigrants raising their children in the United States with those of their siblings raising children in Mexico, discussing family accommodation within the ecocultural niche, variation in ecocultural contexts, effects of immigration, cultural change of different types, and…
Culture and Negotiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bülow, Anne Marie; Kumar, Rajesh

2011-01-01

The literature on cross-cultural negotiation has expanded considerably over the past few decades, but the findings are often ambiguous and sometimes even contradictory. This introduction highlights the critical areas where objections are commonly raised about the relevance of national culture......, the applicability of typologies that treat cultures as static, and the problem of ambiguous terminology. It may not be surprising that studies contradict each other given the ambiguity of the national cultural construct and variations in the context of the negotiating situations that are studied. The articles...... in this issue contribute to deepening our understanding about cross-cultural negotiation processes....
The importance of socio-cultural context for understanding students' meaning making in the study of genetics

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Furberg, Anniken; Arnseth, Hans Christian

2009-03-01

In this rejoinder to Ann Kindfield and Grady Venville's comments on our article "Reconsidering conceptual change from a socio-cultural perspective: Analyzing students' meaning making in genetics in collaborative learning activities," we elaborate on some of the critical issues they raise. Their comments make apparent some of the crucial differences between a socio-cultural and a socio-cognitive approach towards conceptual change. We have selected some issues that are addressed, either implicitly or explicitly, in their comments. The main issues discussed are talk and interaction as data, the significance of context in interaction studies, the feasibility of generic claims in small-scale interaction studies, and the difference between studying students' understanding of science concepts as opposed to studying the construction of meaning.
Establishing a Formal Cross-Cultural Mentoring Organization and Program: A Case Study of International Student Mentor Association in a Higher Education Context

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Kim, Sewon; Egan, Toby

2011-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to offer potential insight regarding formal cross-cultural mentoring organization and program development in higher education contexts and beyond, by elaborating regarding the founding and programmatic efforts of an International Student Mentor Association (ISMA) at a large university in North America.…
Comparison of Gratitude across Context Variations: A Generic Analysis of Dissertation Acknowledgements Written by Taiwanese Authors in EFL and ESL Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenhsien Yang

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Research on generic structures of acknowledgements in dissertations has gradually drawn attention in various contexts. However, there is relatively scant research on the ways in which acknowledgements are written by authors with mutually similar cultural backgrounds but in two different academic environments and language contexts. To fill this gap, this study compared 60 PhD dissertation acknowledgements written by Taiwanese postgraduates in Taiwan, an EFL context, with another 60 written by Taiwanese scholars who obtained their doctorates in the United States, an ESL context. The focus was on the generic structures and linguistic features of the writing styles of the two groups. The study aimed to investigate whether divergences existed in the two different academic and language settings, but with the writers sharing the same cultural and language background. If such divergences did exist, the likely causes would be explored. The results revealed that firstly, the participants in both contexts generally followed a three-tier structure when writing their dissertation acknowledgements, namely, reflecting, thanking, and announcing moves. However, academic conventions, institutional preferences and the language context, together with socio-cultural factors, affected their construction of moves/steps and their choice of linguistic elements. It was found that the rhetorical language in both corpora was relatively direct, emotional and precise.
Culture and Consumer Behavior: The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Cultural Factors.

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Shavitt, Sharon; Cho, Hyewon

2016-04-01

We examine the influence of culture on consumer behavior with a particular focus on horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism. Cultures vary in their propensity to emphasize hierarchy, a distinction captured by examining horizontal/vertical cultural orientations or contexts. These cultural factors pattern personal values and goals, power concepts, and normative expectations applied to the exercise of power. We review implications for how consumers respond to brands in the marketplace, service providers, and each others' needs.
Concern for another’s distress in toddlers at high and low genetic risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Campbell, Susan B.; Leezenbaum, Nina B.; Schmidt, Emily N.; Day, Taylor N.; Brownell, Celia A.

2016-01-01

We examined concern for others in 22-month-old toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and low risk typically-developing toddlers with older siblings. Responses to a crying infant and an adult social partner who pretended to hurt her finger were coded. Children with a later diagnosis of ASD showed limited empathic concern in either context compared to low risk toddlers. High risk toddlers without a later diagnosis fell between the ASD and low risk groups. During the crying baby probe the low risk and high risk toddlers without a diagnosis engaged their parent more often than the toddlers with ASD. Low levels of empathic concern and engagement with parents may signal emerging ASD in toddlerhood. PMID:26093390
DEVELOPING PISA-LIKE MATHEMATICS TASK WITH INDONESIA NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AS CONTEXT TO ASSESS STUDENTS MATHEMATICAL LITERACY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wuli Oktiningrum

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is produce a set of PISA-like mathematics task with Indonesia natural and cultural heritage as context which are valid, practical, to assess students’ mathematics literacy. This is design research using type of development research with formative evaluation. A total of 20 students of SMP Negeri 1 Palembang. Beside, 10 experts were involved in this research to assess the feasibility of prototyping in terms of content, context and language. Walk through, documentation, questionnaire, test result, and interviews are way to collect the data. This research produced a PISA-like math task is as many 12 category of content, context, and process valid, practical and has potential effect. The validity came empirical evaluation of validation and reliability testing during small group. From the field test, we conclude that the tasks also potentially effect to the students’ mathematical literacy in activating the indicators of each Fundamental Mathematical Capabilities.Keywords: development research, PISA task, mathematics literacy, fundamental mathematical capabilities DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.7.1.2812.1-8
Early Social Cognition in Three Cultural Contexts

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Callaghan, Tara; Moll, Henrike; Rakoczy, Hannes; Warneken, Felix; Liszkowski, Ulf; Behne, Tanya; Tomasello, Michael

2011-01-01

The influence of culture on cognitive development is well established for school age and older children. But almost nothing is known about how different parenting and socialization practices in different cultures affect infants' and young children's earliest emerging cognitive and social-cognitive skills. In the current monograph, we report a…
Beyond the 'new cross-cultural psychiatry': cultural biology, discursive psychology and the ironies of globalization.

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Kirmayer, Laurence J

2006-03-01

The 'new cross-cultural psychiatry' heralded by Kleinman in 1977 promised a revitalized tradition that gave due respect to cultural difference and did not export psychiatric theories that were themselves culture bound. In the ensuing years, the view of culture within anthropology has continued to change, along with our understanding of the relationship of biological processes to cultural diversity, and the global political economic contexts in which mental health care is delivered. This article considers the implications of these new notions of culture, biology and the context of practice for theory in cultural psychiatry. The future of cultural psychiatry lies in advancing a broad perspective that: (a) is inherently multidisciplinary (involving psychiatric epidemiology, medical anthropology and sociology, cognitive science and social psychology), breaking down the nature/culture dichotomy with an integrative view of culture as a core feature of human biology, while remaining alert to cultural constructions of biological theory; (b) attends to psychological processes but understands these as not exclusively located within the individual but as including discursive processes that are fundamentally social; and (c) critically examines the interaction of both local and global systems of knowledge and power. Globalization has brought with it many ironies for cultural psychiatry: Transnational migrations have resulted in cultural hybridization at the same time as ethnicity has become more salient; the call for evidence-based medicine has been used to limit the impact of cultural research; and cultural psychiatry itself has been co-opted by pharmaceutical companies to inform marketing campaigns to promote conventional treatments for new populations. Cultural psychiatry must address these ironies to develop the self-critical awareness and flexibility needed to deliver humane care in shifting contexts.
Managing culture in IJVs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dao, Li

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to extend a cultural sense-making perspective to the context of international joint ventures. The dominant literature on cultural issues in this inter-firm setting has been criticized for relying on a narrow view of culture mainly as a country-level construct. The pap...... through individual sense-making and mutual learning and adjustment as key to the process of cultural negotiation.......The purpose of this paper is to extend a cultural sense-making perspective to the context of international joint ventures. The dominant literature on cultural issues in this inter-firm setting has been criticized for relying on a narrow view of culture mainly as a country-level construct. The paper...... argues that dynamic aspects of culture as enacted by key individual actors and constructed in a given context are far more relevant and critical for the joint venture’s managerial process. With evidence from four Danish – Vietnamese joint ventures, the paper proposes a way of managing culture in IJVs...
Fostering Creativity in the Classroom for High Ability Students: Context Does Matter

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Liang See Tan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Researchers have argued for the importance of the classroom context in developing students’ creative potential. However, the emphasis on a performative learning culture in the classroom does not favour creativity. Thus, how creative potential can be realised as one of the educational goals in the classrooms remains a key question. This study measured creativity across three secondary schools using the Wallach-Kogan Creative Thinking Test (WKCT. A total of 283 students enrolled in the Express programme and 290 students enrolled in the Integrated Programme (IP volunteered in the study. The same cohort of students took the 38-item WKCT twice; once at the beginning of Secondary One and then at the end of Secondary Three. Four aspects of creativity, namely fluency, flexibility, unusualness, and uniqueness, were investigated. Our analyses showed that (i IP students showed a greater increase in scores over time when compared to Express students; (ii when Programme and PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination were used to predict creativity scores in a multiple regression, the predictive power of Programme increased from Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 while that of PSLE decreased; and (iii flexibility scores were more resistant to change than fluency scores. These findings suggest that the classroom context matters and that the removal of high-stakes examination can provide room for the development of creative potential.
Internships, Workfare, and the Cultural Industries: A British Perspective

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David Lee

2015-09-01

Full Text Available While media work has long been characterized as being structurally dependent on internships, “work experience,” and other forms of free labour (Banks 2007; Hesmondhalgh and Baker 2010, the recent shift towards internships has served to normalize what has become known as the media industries “dirty little secret” (Silver 2005. This article contextualizes internship culture within the British cultural industries against a wider political and social frame. Internships and other modes of “apprenticeship” across the British economy reflect a continuation and transformation of national workfare policies, which seek to avert inflationary pressures by coercing people to work or risk losing their welfare benefits. Internship culture has been highly pronounced in the cultural industries and other attractive white-collar sectors such as law and finance (Perlin 2012. Yet, the provision of internships to young people in previously unimaginable contexts such as fast food, retail, and other low-pay service sectors represents a significant shift in policy, compounded by increasingly draconian demands on young people to comply in order to receive state benefits. Discursively, unpaid media work is now seen as an opportunity for the lucky few, rather than a mode of exploitation servicing corporate gain. This has particular relevance for battles over equality and exploitation which have been fought in these sectors, which this discursive shift makes appear increasingly archaic.
East Asian adolescents' ethnic identity development and cultural integration: A qualitative investigation.

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Yoon, Eunju; Adams, Kristen; Clawson, Angela; Chang, Hanna; Surya, Shruti; Jérémie-Brink, Gihane

2017-01-01

Drawing on the current conceptualization of acculturation/enculturation as bilinear, multidimensional processes proceeding in interaction with surrounding contexts, this study examined ethnic identity development and cultural integration of 13 adolescents from East Asian immigrant families. Five domains emerged via the Consensual Qualitative Research method: ethnic/cultural identity and socialization; bicultural living; racial context-racism and stereotypes; family context-parental expectation; and peer context-friendship/dating. Overall, the participants experienced a cultural split and discontinuity between the 2 worlds of home and ethnic community versus school and society in general. They received strong ethnic socialization messages from family and ethnic community. Although most participants experienced hurtful racial discrimination, they used passive coping (e.g., dismiss, minimize, defend perpetrators). The model minority stereotype was prevalent and deeply engrained in many aspects of their lives including ethnic identity development, cultural socialization messages from mainstream society, discrimination experiences, and academic/occupational demands imposed by self, parents, peers, and society. Although they appreciated parents' high expectations of academic/occupational success, they felt pressured and desired to have space and independence. Friendship/dating patterns reflected ethnic identity development as well as contextual influence. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
Inclusion of people with psychosocial disability in low and middle income contexts: a practice review

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Helen Lea Fernandes

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Much of the literature about mental illness in low and middle income countries (LMICs focuses on prevalence rates, the treatment gap, and scaling up access to medical expertise and treatment. As a cause and consequence of this, global mental health programs have focused heavily on service delivery without due exploration of how programs fit into a broader picture of culture and community. There is a need for research which highlights approaches to broader inclusion, considering historical, cultural, social, and economic life contexts and recognises the community as a determinant of mental health—in prevention, recovery, resilience, and support of holistic wellness.The purpose of this practice review is to explore the experiences of three local organisations working with people with psychosocial disability living in LMICs: Afghanistan, India, and Nepal. All three organisations have a wealth of experience in implementing mental health programs, and the review brings together evidence of this experience from interviews, reports, and evaluations. Learnings from these organisations highlight both successful approaches to strengthening inclusion, and the challenges faced by people with psychosocial disability, their families and communities.The findings can largely be summarised in two categories, although both are very much intertwined: first, a broad advocacy, public health, and policy approach to inclusion; and second, more local, community-based initiatives. The evidence draws attention to the need to acknowledge the complexities surrounding mental health and inclusion, such as additional stigmatisation due to multidimensional poverty, gender inequality, security issues, natural disasters, and additional stressors associated with access. Organisational experiences also highlight the need to work with communities’ strengths to increase capacity around inclusion and to apply community development approaches where space is created for communities
Academic stratospheres-cum-underworlds: When highs and lows of publication cultures meet

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stöckelová, Tereza; Vostal, Filip

2017-01-01

Roč. 69, č. 5 (2017), s. 516-528 ISSN 2050-3806 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-16452S; GA ČR(CZ) GJ16-18371Y Institutional support: RVO:68378025 ; RVO:67985955 Keywords : predatory publishing * publication cultures * Web of Science * Elsevier * publishing oligopoly Subject RIV: AO - Sociology, Demography; AO - Sociology, Demography (FLU-F) OBOR OECD: Sociology; Sociology (FLU-F) Impact factor: 1.514, year: 2016
A double-reprocessing high-level disinfection protocol does not eliminate positive cultures from the elevators of duodenoscopes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rex, Douglas K; Sieber, Marnie; Lehman, Glen A; Webb, Douglas; Schmitt, Bryan; Kressel, Amy Beth; Bang, Ji Young; Easler, Jeffery; McHenry, Lee; El-Hajj, Ihab; Fogel, Evan; Watkins, James; Sherman, Stuart

2017-12-13

Background and study aim Duodenoscopes have been the source of serious infection, despite correct performance of high-level disinfection (HLD). This study aimed to observe the impact of performing HLD twice on the rate of positive cultures from duodenoscope elevators. Methods We performed double HLD (DHLD; i. e. complete manual cleaning followed by automated reprocessing, with the entire process repeated) and then randomly cultured the elevators of our duodenoscopes on about 30 % of occasions. Results DHLD was associated with positive elevator cultures for any microorganism in 9.4 % of cases, with a 0.8 % rate of known pathogens (627 cultures) between May 2015 and February 2016. After February 2016, and in association with changing the precleaning fluid, as well as use of a new FDA-recommended cleaning brush, the rate of positive cultures for any microorganism after DHLD was 4.8 % and 0.2 % for known pathogens (420 cultures). In a third phase, characterized by a change in personnel performing DHLD and retirement of a duodenoscope with a high rate of positive cultures, the rate of positive cultures for any microorganism was 4.9 % (783 cultures) and the rate of positive culture for known pathogens was 0.3 %. To our knowledge, no duodenoscope transmission of infection occurred during the study interval. Conclusions DHLD resulted in a low rate of positive cultures for known pathogens and for organisms of low pathogenic potential, but did not eliminate these, from duodenoscope elevators. Additional improvements in HLD protocols and/or duodenoscope design are needed. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
Suicidal behavior and attitudes in Slovak and Turkish high school students: a cross-cultural investigation.

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Eskin, Mehmet; Palova, Eva; Krokavcova, Martina

2014-01-01

Suicidal behavior and its variation across social contexts are of importance for the science of suicidology. Due to its special character controlled experimental studies on suicide are ruled out for ethical reasons. Cross-cultural studies may throw light on the etiology of both suicidal behavior and its cross-cultural variation. The present study compared suicidal behavior and attitudes in 423 Slovak and 541 Turkish high school students by means of a self-report questionnaire. The two groups reported similar percentages (Slovak = 36.4%; Turkish = 33.8%) of lifetime, past 12-months or current suicidal ideation but significantly more Turkish (12.2%) than Slovak (4.8%) students reported lifetime or past 12-months suicide attempts. Slovak adolescents displayed more liberal and permissive attitudes toward suicide, while those of Turkish adolescents were more rejecting. Turkish students rated themselves to be more religious and hence they believed to a greater extent that suicidal persons would be punished in a life after death than their Slovak peers. However, attitudes of Turkish students toward an imagined suicidal close friend were more accepting than the attitudes of Slovak students. Comparison of suicidal and nonsuicidal students revealed that those reporting suicidal ideation or attempts were more accepting of suicide and viewed suicide as a solution to a greater extent than the nonsuicidal ones. The results from this study suggest that cultural factors play a role in suicidal behavior, attitudes and reactions in a predicted direction.

Low-Intensity Agricultural Landscapes in Transylvania Support High Butterfly Diversity: Implications for Conservation

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Loos, Jacqueline; Dorresteijn, Ine; Hanspach, Jan; Fust, Pascal; Rakosy, László; Fischer, Joern

2014-01-01

European farmland biodiversity is declining due to land use changes towards agricultural intensification or abandonment. Some Eastern European farming systems have sustained traditional forms of use, resulting in high levels of biodiversity. However, global markets and international policies now imply rapid and major changes to these systems. To effectively protect farmland biodiversity, understanding landscape features which underpin species diversity is crucial. Focusing on butterflies, we addressed this question for a cultural-historic landscape in Southern Transylvania, Romania. Following a natural experiment, we randomly selected 120 survey sites in farmland, 60 each in grassland and arable land. We surveyed butterfly species richness and abundance by walking transects with four repeats in summer 2012. We analysed species composition using Detrended Correspondence Analysis. We modelled species richness, richness of functional groups, and abundance of selected species in response to topography, woody vegetation cover and heterogeneity at three spatial scales, using generalised linear mixed effects models. Species composition widely overlapped in grassland and arable land. Composition changed along gradients of heterogeneity at local and context scales, and of woody vegetation cover at context and landscape scales. The effect of local heterogeneity on species richness was positive in arable land, but negative in grassland. Plant species richness, and structural and topographic conditions at multiple scales explained species richness, richness of functional groups and species abundances. Our study revealed high conservation value of both grassland and arable land in low-intensity Eastern European farmland. Besides grassland, also heterogeneous arable land provides important habitat for butterflies. While butterfly diversity in arable land benefits from heterogeneity by small-scale structures, grasslands should be protected from fragmentation to provide
THz Tube Waveguides With Low Loss, Low Dispersion, and High Bandwidth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bao, Hualong; Nielsen, Kristian; Bang, Ole

2014-01-01

We propose, model and experimentally characterize a novel class of terahertz hollow-core tube waveguides with high-loss cladding material, resulting in propagation with low loss, low dispersion, and high useful bandwidth.......We propose, model and experimentally characterize a novel class of terahertz hollow-core tube waveguides with high-loss cladding material, resulting in propagation with low loss, low dispersion, and high useful bandwidth....
The social context of trust relations

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Kojić Milena

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the widest sense, this paper focuses on the problematization (and operationalization of the concept of trust and its social context, with a special emphasis on its multiple meanings, the ways of establishing trust, as well as its functions. After pointing to the various definitions of trust that highlight its cognitive, behavioral, and relational groundings, we proceed to examine the aspects of 'social embeddedness' of trust. In this context, we highlight the structural aspect of trust relations, their institutional embeddedness, mediation through cultural meanings, as well as the wider context of social circumstances and limitations. We place a special emphasis on the concept of 'trust culture', its morphogenesis and functions, as well as the significance of trust culture in the context of diminishing the social uncertainty that arises in the situations when trust is demonstrated. Finally, we point to the social functions of trust on the macro level, the functional substitutes for trust, as well as the relationship between trust and social capital.
Emotional Encoding Context Leads to Memory Bias in Individuals with High Anxiety

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Christopher Lee

2017-12-01

Full Text Available We investigated whether anxious individuals, who adopt an inherently negative mindset, demonstrate a particularly salient memory bias for words tainted by negative contexts. To this end, sequentially presented target words, overlayed onto negative or neutral pictures, were studied in separate blocks (within-subjects using a deep or shallow encoding instruction (between-subjects. Following study, in Test 1, participants completed separate recognition test blocks for the words overlayed onto the negative and the neutral contexts. Following this, in Test 2, participants completed a recognition test for the foils from each Test 1 block. We found a significant three-way interaction on Test 2, such that individuals with high anxiety who initially studied target words using a shallow encoding instruction, demonstrated significantly elevated memory for foils that were contained within the negative Test 1 block. Results show that during retrieval (Test 1, participants re-entered the mode of processing (negative or neutral engaged at encoding, tainting the encoding of foils with that same mode of processing. The findings suggest that individuals with high relative to low anxiety, adopt a particularly salient negative retrieval mode, and this creates a downstream bias in encoding and subsequent retrieval of otherwise neutral information.
Microbial communities in low permeability, high pH uranium mine tailings: characterization and potential effects.

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Bondici, V F; Lawrence, J R; Khan, N H; Hill, J E; Yergeau, E; Wolfaardt, G M; Warner, J; Korber, D R

2013-06-01

To describe the diversity and metabolic potential of microbial communities in uranium mine tailings characterized by high pH, high metal concentration and low permeability. To assess microbial diversity and their potential to influence the geochemistry of uranium mine tailings using aerobic and anaerobic culture-based methods, in conjunction with next generation sequencing and clone library sequencing targeting two universal bacterial markers (the 16S rRNA and cpn60 genes). Growth assays revealed that 69% of the 59 distinct culturable isolates evaluated were multiple-metal resistant, with 15% exhibiting dual-metal hypertolerance. There was a moderately positive correlation coefficient (R = 0·43, P tailings depth was shown to influence bacterial community composition, with the difference in the microbial diversity of the upper (0-20 m) and middle (20-40 m) tailings zones being highly significant (P tailings zone being significant (P tailings environment, along with their demonstrated capacity for transforming metal elements, suggests that these organisms have the potential to influence the long-term geochemistry of the tailings. This study is the first investigation of the diversity and functional potential of micro-organisms present in low permeability, high pH uranium mine tailings. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
Cultures of Learning in Effective High Schools

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Tichnor-Wagner, Ariel; Harrison, Christopher; Cohen-Vogel, Lora

2016-01-01

Purpose: Research indicates that a culture of learning is a key factor in building high schools that foster academic achievement in all students. Yet less is known about which elements of a culture of learning differentiate schools with higher levels of academic performance. To fill this gap, this comparative case study examined the cultures of…
Facility for gamma irradiations of cultured cells at low dose rates: design, physical characteristics and functioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esposito, Giuseppe; Anello, Pasquale; Pecchia, Ilaria; Tabocchini, Maria Antonella; Campa, Alessandro

2016-01-01

We describe a low dose/dose rate gamma irradiation facility (called LIBIS) for in vitro biological systems, for the exposure, inside a CO_2 cell culture incubator, of cells at a dose rate ranging from few μGy/h to some tens of mGy/h. Three different "1"3"7Cs sources are used, depending on the desired dose rate. The sample is irradiated with a gamma ray beam with a dose rate uniformity of at least 92% and a percentage of primary 662 keV photons greater than 80%. LIBIS complies with high safety standards. - Highlights: • A gamma irradiation facility for chronic exposures of cells was set up at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. • The dose rate uniformity and the percentage of primary 662 keV photons on the sample are greater than 92% and 80%, respectively. • The GEANT4 code was used to design the facility. • Good agreement between simulation and experimental dose rate measurements has been obtained. • The facility will allow to safely investigate different issues about low dose rate effects on cultured cells.
Towards a Rational Kingdom in Africa: Knowledge, Critical Rationality and Development in a Twenty-First Century African Cultural Context

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Lawrence Ogbo Ugwuanyi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper seeks to locate the kind of knowledge that is relevant for African development in the twenty-first century African cultural context and to propose the paradigm for achieving such knowledge. To do this, it advances the view that the concept of twenty-first century in an African context must be located with the colonial and post-colonial challenges of the African world and applied to serve the African demand. Anchored on this position, the paper outlines and critiques the wrong assumption on which modern state project was anchored in post-colonial Africa and its development dividend to suggest that this is an outcome of a wrong knowledge design that is foundational to the state project and which the project did not address. It proposes a shift in the knowledge paradigm in Africa and suggests critical self-consciousness as a more desirable knowledge design for Africa. It applies the term ‘rational kingdom’ (defined as a community of reason marked by critical conceptual self-awareness driven by innovation and constructivism to suggest this paradigm. ‘Innovation’ is meant as the application of reason with an enlarged capacity to anticipate and address problems with fresh options and ‘constructivism’ is meant as the disposition to sustain innovation by advancing an alternative but more reliable worldview that can meet the exigencies of modernity in an African cultural context. The paper then proceeds to outline the nature of the rational kingdom and its anticipated gains and outcomes. It applies the method of inductive reasoning to advance its position. To do this it invokes selected but crucial areas of African life to locate how the developmental demands of these aspects of life suggest a critical turn in African rationality.
Context influences on the relationship between views of aging and subjective age: The moderating role of culture and domain of functioning.

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Hess, Thomas M; O'Brien, Erica L; Voss, Peggy; Kornadt, Anna E; Rothermund, Klaus; Fung, Helene H; Popham, Lauren E

2017-08-01

Subjective age has been shown to reliably predict a variety of psychological and physical health outcomes, yet our understanding of its determinants is still quite limited. Using data from the Aging as Future project, the authors examined the degree to which views of aging influence subjective age and how this influence varies across cultures and domains of everyday functioning. Using data from 1,877 adults aged from 30 to 95 years of age collected in China, Germany, and the United States, they assessed how general attitudes about aging and perceptions of oneself as an older adult influenced subjective age estimates in 8 different domains of functioning. More positive attitudes about aging were associated with older subjective ages, whereas more positive views of self in old age were associated with younger subjective age. It is hypothesized that these effects are reflective of social-comparison processes and self-protective mechanisms. These influences varied considerably over contexts, with views of aging having a greater impact in domains associated with stronger negative stereotypes of aging (e.g., health) compared to those with more positive ones (e.g., family). Culture also moderated the impact of aging views in terms of the strength of prediction, direction of effect, and age of greatest influence, presumably due to cultural differences in the salience and strength of aging-related belief systems across contexts. The results illustrate the contextual sensitivity of subjective age and highlight the role played by an individual's views of old age-both in general and regarding oneself-in determining their own experience of aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
Culture Media and Individual Hosts Affect the Recovery of Culturable Bacterial Diversity from Amphibian Skin.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Daniel; Walke, Jenifer B; Gajewski, Zachary; Becker, Matthew H; Swartwout, Meredith C; Belden, Lisa K

2017-01-01

One current challenge in microbial ecology is elucidating the functional roles of the large diversity of free-living and host-associated bacteria identified by culture-independent molecular methods. Importantly, the characterization of this immense bacterial diversity will likely require merging data from culture-independent approaches with work on bacterial isolates in culture. Amphibian skin bacterial communities have become a recent focus of work in host-associated microbial systems due to the potential role of these skin bacteria in host defense against the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which is associated with global amphibian population declines and extinctions. As there is evidence that some skin bacteria may inhibit growth of Bd and prevent infection in some cases, there is interest in using these bacteria as probiotic therapy for conservation of at-risk amphibians. In this study, we used skin swabs from American toads ( Anaxyrus americanus ) to: (1) assess the diversity and community structure of culturable amphibian skin bacteria grown on high and low nutrient culture media, (2) determine which culture media recover the highest proportion of the total skin bacterial community of individual toads relative to culture-independent data, and (3) assess whether the plated communities from the distinct media types vary in their ability to inhibit Bd growth in in-vitro assays. Overall, we found that culture media with low nutrient concentrations facilitated the growth of more diverse bacterial taxa and grew distinct communities relative to media with higher nutrient concentrations. Use of low nutrient media also resulted in culturing proportionally more of the bacterial diversity on individual toads relative to the overall community defined using culture-independent methods. However, while there were differences in diversity among media types, the variation among individual hosts was greater than variation among media types, suggesting
Impact of national context and culture on curriculum change: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; Muijtjens, Arno M M; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2013-08-01

Earlier studies suggested national culture to be a potential barrier to curriculum reform in medical schools. In particular, Hofstede's cultural dimension 'uncertainty avoidance' had a significant negative relationship with the implementation rate of integrated curricula. However, some schools succeeded to adopt curriculum changes despite their country's strong uncertainty avoidance. This raised the question: 'How did those schools overcome the barrier of uncertainty avoidance?' Austria offered the combination of a high uncertainty avoidance score and integrated curricula in all its medical schools. Twenty-seven key change agents in four medical universities were interviewed and transcripts analysed using thematic cross-case analysis. Initially, strict national laws and limited autonomy of schools inhibited innovation and fostered an 'excuse culture': 'It's not our fault. It is the ministry's'. A new law increasing university autonomy stimulated reforms. However, just this law would have been insufficient as many faculty still sought to avoid change. A strong need for change, supportive and continuous leadership, and visionary change agents were also deemed essential. In societies with strong uncertainty avoidance strict legislation may enforce resistance to curriculum change. In those countries opposition by faculty can be overcome if national legislation encourages change, provided additional internal factors support the change process.
Komunikasi Bisnis Lintas Budaya Sekretaris Pada Atasan (Studi Pada Alila Hotel Solo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunita Budi Rahayu Silintowe

2016-12-01

Full Text Available There are barriers in communication occurs on secretary at Alila Hotel Solo. Some of obstacles that arise are caused by some leaders or coworkers at Alila Hotel Solo are expatriates or even people in Indonesia who have different cultural backgrounds. There is a culture that affects the way everyone in conveying the message, so that there is a difference in perception between secretary and boss or other colleagues. In this study will be seen from two different viewpoints culture is low context and high context culture. This type of research is qualitative. Data collection techniques is using observation and interview methods to collect the data needed to accurately. The result show that low context and high context culture culture in cross-cultural business communication is not applied exclusively in the process of business communication at Alila Hotel Solo. Hambatan-hambatan dalam berkomunikasi terjadi pada sekretaris di Alila Hotel Solo. Beberapa hambatan yang muncul disebabkan oleh beberapa pimpinan atau rekan kerja di Alila Hotel Solo adalah expatriate atau bahkan orang Indonesia yang memiliki latar belakang budaya berbeda. Budaya mempengaruhi cara setiap orang dalam menyampaikan pesan, sehingga terdapat perbedaan persepsi antara sekretaris dengan atasan atau rekan kerja yang lain. Dalam penelitian ini akan dilihat dari dua sudut pandang yang berbeda yaitu low context culture dan high context culture. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian kualitatif. Teknik pengambilan data adalah dengan menggunakan metode observasi dan metode wawancara untuk mengumpulkan data-data yang diperlukan secara akurat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa low context culture dan high context culture dalam komunikasi bisnis lintas budaya tidak diterapkan secara eksklusif dalam proses komunikasi bisnis di Alila Hotel Solo.
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CORPORATE CULTURE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF TALENTS’ ATTRACTING AND RETAINING

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Andrii Karpenko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to highlight such concepts as high corporate, description of the motivational complex for building a highly effective culture, consideration of international practice in building a highly effective corporate culture, and report on the changes in corporate culture in the Ukrainian IT company. Methodology. The general scientific methods of cognition of economic phenomena and processes in their continuous development and interrelation are used in the work: logical analysis, methods of scientific abstraction, induction, deduction, optimization, grouping. Results. The main research in the field of motivating employees and building a corporate culture is systematized, the analysis of these exercises and methods is carried out, and the data received by scientists are practically confirmed. Practical implications. Practical application of obtained results is possible both on the scale of Ukraine and around the world. Building a highly effective corporate culture on the basis of a motivational complex (game, goal, self-realization, psychological and economic pressures and inertia is extremely effective and fairly simple to apply. Value/originality. The results for the main five elements of the motive complex allow companies to test employees, involve them in the formation and development of a highly effective corporate culture.
Learner Cultures and Corporate Cultural Differences in E-Learning Behaviors in the IT Business

Science.gov (United States)

Swierczek, Fredric William; Bechter, Clemens; Chankiew, Jeerawan

2012-01-01

Corporate cultural values have a major influence on learning. For learning to be effective it must be adapted to the cultural context in which it takes place. E-learning neither eliminates cultural differences nor is it culture free. This study focuses on two major Indian IT companies with different Corporate Cultures sharing the same expected…
Validating a Culturally-Sensitive Social Competence Training Programme for Adolescents with ASD in a Chinese Context: An Initial Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Raymond Won Shing; Leung, Cecilia Nga Wing; Ng, Denise Ching Yiu; Yau, Sania Sau Wai

2018-01-01

Previous studies on social skills training on ASD were done almost exclusively in the West with children as the main subjects. Demonstrations of the applicability of social interventions in different cultures and age groups are warranted. The current study outlined the development and preliminary evaluation of a CBT-context-based social competence…
Evaluation of medicinal plants and colloidal silver efficiency against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection in Litopenaeus vannamei cultured at low salinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales-Covarrubias, María Soledad; García-Aguilar, Noemí; Bolan-Mejía, María Del; Puello-Cruz, Ana Carmela

2016-11-22

In shrimp aquaculture, reduction in the use of synthetic antibiotics is a priority due to the high incidence of resistant bacteria (Vibrio) in the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. An increasing number of studies show bactericidal activity of natural treatments in aquaculture. The effectiveness of neem (Azadirachta indica) and oregano (Lippia berlandieri) aqueous extracts and colloidal silver against V. parahaemolyticus were evaluated in low salinity shrimp culture. Results show that aqueous extracts of oregano and neem each present a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 62.50 mg ml-1 and inhibitory halos of 12.0 to 19.0 mm. Colloidal silver gave a MIC of 2 mg ml-1, and the inhibitory halos were found to be between 11.8 and 18.8 mm, depending on treatment concentrations. An in vivo challenge test was conducted on white shrimp postlarvae cultured at low salinity (5 practical salinity units, PSU), and a significant increase (p colloidal silver 90%), when compared to the control (0%) in the challenge test. However, no significant differences were observed between treatments, suggesting that they all act as alternative bactericidal source agents against V. parahaemolyticus infections for L. vannamei postlarvae when cultured at 5 PSU.
Cultural context in marketing communication on international market

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Dominika Hirsch

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The goal of this article is to show in what way cultural factors can determine decisions in international marketing. Particular attention is devoted to the decisions associated with marketing communication, that is, the way in which cultural factors influence our preferences concerning the style of communication and what two basic styles are distinguished within intercultural communication. On the basis of particular examples it will be shown on the one hand in what ways these styles are visible in various forms of marketing messages coming from various countries. On the other hand it will also be shown in what way these messages reflect (very often unwittingly the culture and the system of values of an organization of the place were the messages originated. Before we start discussing the above-mentioned issues, the basic assumptions of the cultural marketing, as well as the term of culture, its models and dimensions will be presented.
Cultural Education and the Voluntary Provision of Cultural Goods: An Experimental Study

OpenAIRE

Massimo Finocchiaro Castro

2004-01-01

We study the effect that the possibility of investing in cultural education has on the voluntary contributions to a cultural good. This is done in a two-stage public-good experiment. We also provide treatments with different context in order to control for a possible framing effect. Our results show the absence of an effect of cultural education on the contributions to the cultural good and a slight increase in the allocations of subjectsÂendowments to the cultural good when the cultural cont...
Culture éducative, culture méthodologique et apprenants d'une langue-culture lointaine

OpenAIRE

サガズ, ミシェル; Sagaz, Michel

2016-01-01

It has long been recognized that we cannot separate culture and language (cultural and linguistic dimensions) when speaking of teaching and learning foreign languages. But, in this context, it seems that the notion of culture is related, exclusively or largely, to the culture which is linked to the language being studied by students (arts, popular culture, everyday life culture, etc.). This article highlights the fact that other aspects of culture should be taken into account in the intercult...
Reflections on "doing" cultural geography - "being" a cultural geographer in the Netherlands : "being" a cultural geographer in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hoven, B.

2011-01-01

In this article, I explore Dutch social geography in the context of "the cultural turn". In so doing, I extensively draw on writing from the Anglo-American context which somewhat complicates the matter. Barnett (1998) implied that the "cultural turn" is not a "coherent and singular process" (379)

Schooling in western culture promotes context-free processing.

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Ventura, Paulo; Pattamadilok, Chotiga; Fernandes, Tânia; Klein, Olivier; Morais, José; Kolinsky, Régine

2008-06-01

Culture has been shown to influence the way people apprehend their physical environment. Cognitive orientation is more holistic in East Asian cultures, which emphasize relationships and connectedness among objects in the field, than in Western cultures, which are more prone to focus exclusively on the object and its attributes. We investigated whether, beyond, or in conjunction with culture, literacy and/or schooling may also have an influence on this cognitive orientation. Using the Framed-Line Test both in Portugal and in Thailand, we compared literate schooled adults with two groups of unschooled adults: one of illiterates and one of ex-illiterates. As in former studies on Western people, Portuguese-schooled literates were more accurate in the absolute task than in the relative task. In contrast, Portuguese illiterates and ex-illiterates were more accurate in the relative task than in the absolute task. Such an effect of schooling was not observed in the Thai groups, all of whom performed better on the relative task. Thus, the capacity to abstract from contextual information does not stem only from passive exposure to the culture or the physical environment of Western countries. Western schooling, as part of or in addition to culture, is a crucial factor.
Research on improvement strategies of elite culture, mass culture and the comprehensive quality of undergraduates

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Wang, Hongling

2011-10-01

This article, placed the comprehensive quality improvement of undergraduates under the background of elite culture and mass culture, analyzed the influences and challenges brought by elite culture and mass culture on the undergraduate education from multiple perspectives of philosophy, ethics, economics, education, sociology and etc. and combing some foreign developed countries' experiences proposed the principles should be insisted by high schools in the context of elite culture and mass culture. With the development of times, undergraduate education should also constantly develop into new historical starting points and thoroughly reform the undergraduate education from content to essence, perception to format with a globalized horizon, so as to be able to reflect the time characteristics and better promote the overall development of undergraduates. Exactly based on such a view, this article, on the premise of full recognition that the flourishing and development of elite culture and mass culture has promoted China into a multicultural situation, proposed the principles for university moral education, such as education should promote the integration of undergraduate multi-values, sticking to the integration of unary guidance with diverse development, insisting on seeking common points while reserving differences and harmony but with differences, and etc.
High School Religious Context and Reports of Same-Sex Attraction and Sexual Identity in Young Adulthood

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Wilkinson, Lindsey; Pearson, Jennifer

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study are to understand the association between high school religious context in adolescence and the reporting of same-sex attraction and sexual identity in young adulthood and how these associations vary by gender. Previous studies have considered how high school contexts shape the well-being of sexual minority youth, yet…
Good is not good enough: the culture of low expectations and the leader's challenge.

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Kerfoot, Karlene M

2010-01-01

There are many examples of health care organizations that have morphed from the culture of low expectation to the culture of excellence. Ethically, to not drive to excellence means that we are settling from knowingly allowing harm to happen on our watch. The leader's obligation is to create that sonic boom that Black and Gregersen (2008) describe to break up the old mind maps, to create the movement, and to finish the cultural change in spite of change fatigue and other factors that could sabotage the process. Only then can the effective leader sleep well at night knowing that the infrastructure is being created that will provide a culture of excellence and safety for patients and their families. And it is being created on his/her watch.
Cultural Studies and Sociology of Culture in Germany: Relations and Interrelations

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Udo Göttlich

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Over the last three decades, attitudes towards cultural studies in Germany have developed within contexts of contact and conflict with a variety of disciplines, e.g. ethnology, anthropology, sociology, as well as the sociology of culture, liter-ary studies and Kulturwissenschaft(en. On the one hand there is a strong academ-ic interest in how cultural studies perceives and analyzes media culture, popular culture and everyday life. On the other hand boundaries with humanities and so-cial science remain, which leads to criticism and conflicts with cultural studies and its achievements.I will discuss some of the problems concerning the perception and reception of cultural studies among representatives of Kulturwissenschaft(en and sociology of culture. Furthermore I will draw on the role of cultural studies in thematizing cul-tural change and conflicts, and its ability to do so in a way that shows the im-portance of culture and politics.
Context of culture: Critique of the primitive mind

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Božilović Nikola

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The author of this paper has the intention to reach the new meaning and sense of the primitive mentality by analyzing it in early social communities. He also wants to point out the possible reflections of the spirit and consciousness of our ancestors on us, here and now. The first part of the paper is dedicated to a critical deliberation on anthropological conflicts which have arisen concerning the reasoning power of the so-called primitives. The crucial question lies in the following: Is the difference between the “primitive” and the “civilized” mentality fundamental or is it possible only to a certain degree. The author takes the notion of primitive mentality through time and points to the medieval understandings, which are occupied by teratological themes, then to the renaissance comprehension, which relies on the first experiential observations, and, finally, to the enlightenment ideas of exotic peoples out of which the myth of “the good savage” is born. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries introduce the notions of “people’s character” and “national spirit”. The opinions are polarized, on the one hand of ethnocentrism, carried by the prejudice of people and ethnic groups and, on the other hand, of cultural relativism, based on the understanding and appreciation of cultural differences. In the end, the author also recognizes the modern primitive man, one who is not ready to deal with the challenges of his age. The modern primitive recalls the spirits of the past, the surviving and anachronic models of behavior, unaware of the fact that these are the same models that he has ascribed to “savages”. However, while such thinking and acting was justified by the cultural level at which our ancestors had lived, the mental frame of the contemporary primitives is significantly in contrast with the high level of civilization development.
FEMALE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT: AN INTERNATIONAL ANALYSIS

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David Urbano Pulido

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this article we analyse the socio-cultural factors that influence the likelihood of women becoming social entrepreneurs, using institutional economics. Binary logistic regression has been applied as the statistical method to test the hypotheses proposed, using data (40 countries and 56,875 individuals from the World Value Survey (WVS and the World Bank (WB. The main findings of the study reaffirm the relevance of socio-cultural factors to social entrepreneurship. Particularly, we have found that altruistic attitudes and being a member of a social organization are the most relevant socio-cultural factors for social female entrepreneurship.
Integrated economic and experimental framework for screening of primary recovery technologies for high cell density CHO cultures.

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Popova, Daria; Stonier, Adam; Pain, David; Titchener-Hooker, Nigel J; Farid, Suzanne S

2016-07-01

Increases in mammalian cell culture titres and densities have placed significant demands on primary recovery operation performance. This article presents a methodology which aims to screen rapidly and evaluate primary recovery technologies for their scope for technically feasible and cost-effective operation in the context of high cell density mammalian cell cultures. It was applied to assess the performance of current (centrifugation and depth filtration options) and alternative (tangential flow filtration (TFF)) primary recovery strategies. Cell culture test materials (CCTM) were generated to simulate the most demanding cell culture conditions selected as a screening challenge for the technologies. The performance of these technology options was assessed using lab scale and ultra scale-down (USD) mimics requiring 25-110mL volumes for centrifugation and depth filtration and TFF screening experiments respectively. A centrifugation and depth filtration combination as well as both of the alternative technologies met the performance selection criteria. A detailed process economics evaluation was carried out at three scales of manufacturing (2,000L, 10,000L, 20,000L), where alternative primary recovery options were shown to potentially provide a more cost-effective primary recovery process in the future. This assessment process and the study results can aid technology selection to identify the most effective option for a specific scenario. © 2016 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATION IN THE CONTEXT OF CULTURE MEDIA

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Maria S. Petrushkevych

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The aim of the work is to determine the features of media culture that bind it with mass culture and mass communications and have the most significant effect on the general principles of the religious mass communication. In addition, the objective is to identify the skills system and traits of mass human that are necessary for using media culture. Methodology. The methodological basis is related to structuring, analytical analysis and synthesis of media features; highlighting phenomena that illustrate modern communicative situation; characteristics of media trends influence for the specific functioning of religious communication. Scientific novelty. Main part of the work is devoted to the analysis of the progressive media culture, mass-media and their main features, design of religious communication in this culture. Media gradually form the appearance of religious communication quietly, especially the mass one, they adapt the modern religious discourse to rates of transfer and perception of information. Modern believer gets a lot of different kinds of religious information, on any subject, any explanation of the religious question, with respect to any religion. Such volume of religious information and the speed with which a person receives it, does not usually make it religious or spiritually advanced, but only informed. Spiritual perfection and religious development, religious communication is possible only when the customer is aware of media culture and way of seeing the ultimate goal of such communications using the Mass Media. So far these mechanisms are perfectly designed in traditional religious communication. Phenomena, that reflects the dramatic changes in the communicative environment are: mediatization of body and mind, the new practice of processing / reading information, the phenomenon of simultaneous perception of a large number of information channels – similar or different. Features of media culture that connect it with
Who's in Charge? Leadership and Culture in Extended Service Contexts

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Close, Paul; Wainwright, Jonathan

2010-01-01

This paper examines the importance of understanding different organisational and professional cultures for leaders in extended service settings. It begins with a critical review of key concepts and debates in the organisational culture literature and then shows how different professional groups (education, health and social services) have adopted…
From Learning Cultures to Educational Cultures: Values and Judgements in Educational Research and Educational Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Biesta, Gert

2011-01-01

This article outlines a new approach to the study of learning and the improvement of education. The approach consists of two elements: a theory of learning cultures and a cultural theory of learning. Learning cultures are different from learning contexts or learning environments in that they are to be understood as the social practices through…
Business Performance in the Context of Corporate Culture

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Haršányová, Petra; Vaňová, Jaromíra; Čambál, Miloš

2016-06-01

Corporate culture is defined as a set of ideas, attitudes, values and behaviour patterns, which are generally accepted and preferred in a company. Company performance is the company's ability to achieve the best results through an evaluation of its assumptions. The article is focused on identifying factors in corporate culture, which changes can increase working satisfaction of employees through targeted shaping of corporate culture, which is ultimately reflected in the performance of the company as a whole.
Managing two cultural identities: the malleability of bicultural identity integration as a function of induced global or local processing.

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Mok, Aurelia; Morris, Michael W

2012-02-01

Increasingly, individuals identify with two or more cultures. Prior research has found the degree to which individuals chronically integrate these identities (bicultural identity integration; BII) moderates responses to cultural cues: High BII individuals assimilate (adopting biases that are congruent with norms of the cued culture), whereas low BII individuals contrast (adopting biases that are incongruent with these norms). The authors propose BII can also be a psychological state and modulated by shifts in processing styles. In four experiments, the authors induced a global or local processing style using physical posture (Experiment 1) and cognitive manipulations (Experiments 2-4) and found that BII is enhanced in contexts facilitating a more global processing style (i.e., smiling, high-level construal, and similarity focus). The authors also found that contrastive responses to cultural cues are diminished when BII is situationally enhanced. Implications for research on processing style, identity integration, and performance in culture-based situations are discussed.
High-yield secretion of recombinant proteins expressed in tobacco cell culture with a designer glycopeptide tag: Process development.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ningning; Gonzalez, Maria; Savary, Brett; Xu, Jianfeng

2016-03-01

Low-yield protein production remains the most significant economic hurdle with plant cell culture technology. Fusions of recombinant proteins with hydroxyproline-O-glycosylated designer glycopeptide tags have consistently boosted secreted protein yields. This prompted us to study the process development of this technology aiming to achieve productivity levels necessary for commercial viability. We used a tobacco BY-2 cell culture expressing EGFP as fusion with a glycopeptide tag comprised of 32 repeat of "Ser-Pro" dipeptide, or (SP)32 , to study cell growth and protein secretion, culture scale-up, and establishment of perfusion cultures for continuous production. The BY-2 cells accumulated low levels of cell biomass (~7.5 g DW/L) in Schenk & Hildebrandt medium, but secreted high yields of (SP)32 -tagged EGFP (125 mg/L). Protein productivity of the cell culture has been stable for 6.0 years. The BY-2 cells cultured in a 5-L bioreactor similarly produced high secreted protein yield at 131 mg/L. Successful operation of a cell perfusion culture for 30 days was achieved under the perfusion rate of 0.25 and 0.5 day(-1) , generating a protein volumetric productivity of 17.6 and 28.9 mg/day/L, respectively. This research demonstrates the great potential of the designer glycopeptide technology for use in commercial production of valuable proteins with plant cell cultures. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Cell viability, reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, and necrosis in myoblast cultures exposed to low-level infrared laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexsandra da Silva Neto Trajano, Larissa; da Silva, Camila Luna; de Carvalho, Simone Nunes; Cortez, Erika; Mencalha, André Luiz; de Souza da Fonseca, Adenilson; Stumbo, Ana Carolina

2016-07-01

Low-level infrared laser is considered safe and effective for treatment of muscle injuries. However, the mechanism involved on beneficial effects of laser therapy are not understood. The aim was to evaluate cell viability, reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, and necrosis in myoblast cultures exposed to low-level infrared laser at therapeutic fluences. C2C12 myoblast cultures at different (2 and 10 %) fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentrations were exposed to low-level infrared laser (808 nm, 100 mW) at different fluences (10, 35, and 70 J/cm(2)) and evaluated after 24, 48, and 72 h. Cell viability was evaluated by WST-1 assay; reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, and necrosis were evaluated by flow cytometry. Cell viability was decreased atthe lowest FBS concentration. Laser exposure increased the cell viability in myoblast cultures at 2 % FBS after 48 and 72 h, but no significant increase in ROS was observed. Apoptosis was decreased at the higher fluence and necrosis was increased at lower fluence in myoblast cultures after 24 h of laser exposure at 2 % FBS. No laser-induced alterations were obtained at 10 % FBS. Results show that level of reactive oxygen species is not altered, at least to those evaluated in this study, but low-level infrared laser exposure affects cell viability, apoptosis, and necrosis in myoblast cultures depending on laser fluence and physiologic conditions of cells.
The Ultimate Cookbook for Cultural Managers : Social Security in International Context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D. Molenaar (Dick)

2017-01-01

markdownabstractActivities of artists are rarely limited to their own country. Nowadays artists (and other cultural professionals) are very mobile and easily accept a job offer or an activity abroad. All these situations show a vibrant and highly mobile sector that is not defined by borders.
Culturally sanctioned suicide: Euthanasia, seppuku, and terrorist martyrdom

Science.gov (United States)

Pierre, Joseph M

2015-01-01

Suicide is one of the greatest concerns in psychiatric practice, with considerable efforts devoted to prevention. The psychiatric view of suicide tends to equate it with depression or other forms of mental illness. However, some forms of suicide occur independently of mental illness and within a framework of cultural sanctioning such that they aren’t regarded as suicide at all. Despite persistent taboos against suicide, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the context of terminal illness is increasingly accepted as a way to preserve autonomy and dignity in the West. Seppuku, the ancient samurai ritual of suicide by self-stabbing, was long considered an honorable act of self-resolve such that despite the removal of cultural sanctioning, the rate of suicide in Japan remains high with suicide masquerading as seppuku still carried out both there and abroad. Suicide as an act of murder and terrorism is a practice currently popular with Islamic militants who regard it as martyrdom in the context of war. The absence of mental illness and the presence of cultural sanctioning do not mean that suicide should not be prevented. Culturally sanctioned suicide must be understood in terms of the specific motivations that underlie the choice of death over life. Efforts to prevent culturally sanctioned suicide must focus on alternatives to achieve similar ends and must ultimately be implemented within cultures to remove the sanctioning of self-destructive acts. PMID:25815251
Multicontext Diversity: The critical dimension of diversity that can attract students and help them thrive

Science.gov (United States)

Weissmann, G. S.; Ibarra, R.; Howland-Davis, M.

2017-12-01

Diversity programs on college campuses have expanded over the past several decades, bringing a broad range of students to academia; however, these programs have not resulted in diversification of faculty or PhD students. Current diversity programs generally focus on two dimensions of diversity: (1) structural diversity, which aims to bring in students from underrepresented groups to college campuses through scholarships, admissions policies, and targeted marketing; and (2) multicultural diversity, which uses programs designed to give students from underrepresented groups homes on campus and programs designed to study cultural aspects of different groups. Though these programs are important, something else must be controlling the lack of minority participation in STEM at advanced levels. We posit that a third dimension of diversity, context diversity, is lacking in university education, especially in STEM fields, and without accessing this form of diversity, programs will never benefit from the broader diversity of society. Context diversity results through application of Multicontext theory, which both explains and predicts the inclusion of exclusion of people within an institutional culture. It describes how different cultures approach understanding the world around them. This "cultural ways of knowing and doing" has been described using a binary system, consisting of "Low Context" and "High Context" cultures. Ibarra (2001) described how a spectrum exists between these end members, and thus individuals brought up in different cultures will understand the world from somewhere along this context diversity spectrum. Academic culture tends to fall on the low context side of the spectrum. Thus, students (and faculty) who come from cultures that tend toward the high context side of the spectrum often feel excluded from the academic setting, especially in STEM fields which tend to be strongly low context in nature. A high percentage of students from underrepresented
The impact of socio-cultural context on young people's condom use: evidence from two Pacific Island countries.

Science.gov (United States)

McMillan, Karen; Worth, Heather

2011-03-01

Young people are a key group for HIV prevention in the Pacific region where levels of STIs are high and condom use is low. During 2008, 62 in-depth interviews were conducted with people aged between 18 and 25 years in Tonga and Vanuatu. The research was aimed at understanding factors impacting on young peoples' condom use in two Pacific Island nations. The data show a marked disjuncture between attitudes and practice with regard to condoms. This paper discusses factors underpinning that inconsistency and directs attention to the effect of social and cultural influences on young people's condom use. The authors conclude that individual-level approaches to improving rates of condom use will be inadequate unless they are informed by an understanding of the role of identity, culture and tradition in young peoples' decisions around condom use. The findings also underline the need for country-specific approaches to condom promotion efforts in the Pacific.
A indústria cultural lida pela cultura erudita: tomadas de posição e ideologia * Culture industry read by high culture: positions and ideology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MARIA LUÍSA CARNEIRO FUMANERI

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Resumo: Muitos intelectuais têm discutido o problema da compreensão da cultura de massa como uma forma de alienação. Desde a "Dialética do esclarecimento" de Adorno e Horkheimer, tende-se a entender cultura de massa em oposição à alta cultura. Este artigo tenta mostrar como uma compreensão menos estanque do fenômeno poderia ajudar a ver o problema como ele aparece hoje. Se “cultura de massa” e “alta cultura” parecem, em muitos aspectos, inextricavelmente confundidas atualmente, este trabalho baseia-se na teoria sociológica, a fim de esclarecer as posições dos agentes no campo de produção erudita.Palavras-chave: Cultura de massa – Alta cultura – Indústria cultural. Abstract: Many intellectuals have been discussing the problem of understanding mass culture as a way to alienation. Since Adorno and Horkheimer´s "Dialectic of Enlightenment", we tend to understand mass culture in opposition to high culture. This article tries to show how a less tight understanding of the phenomena could help us to look at the problem as it appears today. If mass culture and high culture seem, in many ways, inextricably mixed these days, this work relies on some sociological works, in order to enlighten the agents’ positions within the cultural field.Keywords: Mass culture – High culture – Culture industry.

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