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This explanatory sequential mixed methods study investigated the psychological effects of culturally-acceptable mourning clothes on the bereaved in the Ghanaian context. Different cultures have different funeral garbs that have strong psychological ramifications on the bereaved. These psychological effects have largely not been researched in Ghana. Therefore, the study assessed quantitative and qualitative data sets from descriptive surveys and descriptive phenomenology to identify the cultural norms inherent in mourning customs surrounding funeral clothes and their psychological effects on the bereaved. Also, data on coping strategies and mental health were gathered through quantitative surveys and psychological evaluations. The results show that cultural norms have significant psychological impacts on decisions on what to wear to mourn the dead. While some of the study participants enjoyed a sense of belonging and community, others faces stress-related peer pressure. To reduce negative psychological effects, coping techniques and support tactics were recommended. The research recommends educating people about the psychological effects of adhering to funeral clothing and cultural norms were described. This study contends that cultural influences and mourning customs including culturally-acceptable mourning clothes exert significant psychological effects on the bereaved and demand an informed decision-making and assistance for those who have experienced a loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the tenets of cultural mismatch theory using survey data from 518 high school students. Structural equation modeling examined how cultural norms influence relationships among student demographic characteristics, school location, and social, psychological, and academic outcomes. Students who identified as Black and those attending suburban schools reported greater endorsement of independent cultural norms that significantly predicted greater comfort in school, better psychological well-being, and higher aspirations for future educational attainment. Alternatively, students of color reported greater endorsement of interdependent cultural norms that were significantly associated with greater comfort in school and psychological well-being but no academic outcomes. Results point toward cultural norms as one unseen indicator that may influence classroom learning and achievement and contribute to equity issues in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The teacher's use of representations is a crucial aspect of instructional quality in mathematics education, given their pivotal role in facilitating mathematics learning. However, in our international research community, perspectives on what constitutes high-quality use of representations may vary. This cross-cultural study aims to explore whether the perspectives from Western literature, emphasizing the importance of explicit connections between symbolic and graphic representations, can be extended legitimately to the East Asian context. Using a situated approach, the study elicited norms of high-quality representation use from researchers in Germany and Taiwan. A total of 31 mathematics education professors from both countries evaluated the use of representations in three secondary mathematics classroom situations presented as text vignettes. The vignettes, designed by the German research team, each depicted a situation where from their perspective, a norm of high-quality representation use, specifically the explicit connection between symbolic and graphic representations, was violated. Qualitative analysis of the researchers' responses revealed that in each situation, at least half of the German researchers expected explicit connections between representations. Conversely, the majority of Taiwanese researchers only expected such connections in one situation, particularly when the graphic representation served as an independent learning objective rather than solely aiding conceptual understanding. These findings indicate easily unnoticed culture-specific differences regarding how a common aspect of instructional quality is expected to unfold in teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several studies have dealt with the use of derogatory terms on social media, only few compared the phenomenon across languages from a sociocultural aspect. This study used a mixed-method comparative analysis of 920 Arabic and English abusive tweets. The researchers used content analysis to annotate the tweets according to their type and severity. They also used qualitative thematic discourse analysis to interpret the linguistic themes. Furthermore, they used frequency analysis to statistically identify the most common targets and lexical items and to identify the sociolinguistic patterns behind them. The results reveal that Arabic tweets have higher frequencies of gender abusive terms, and they are more severe than the English ones. However, English showed greater reliance on vulgar terms because of cultural taboos. English communication was also dominated by implicit insults, while Arabic favored explicit offense in accordance with direct/indirect cultural values. Both languages used emojis intensively, but Arabic used more diverse registers within messages. Anonymity boosted prejudices for both languages. In conclusion, the difference in online toxicity between the languages is the result of linguistic differences and the cultural norms and the interaction between the two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although attention has been paid to return migration internationally, research studies on why Chinese overseas doctoral graduates return to China are few. A study that considers gendered motivations has yet to be found. Using a qualitative study with 31 Chinese overseas doctoral graduate returnees, this study examines factors influencing graduates' reasons for returning to China and how these relate to Chinese gender and gender role‐related cultural norms. Using the push‐pull theory and the concepts of gender (as an individual characteristic) and gender norms, the study shows that the reasons for return were gendered, with females motivated by family and emotional factors and males by economic and career benefits. The study identifies inequalities derived from traditional gender roles and cultural norms that persist in China. This has implications for state policy, higher education institutions and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Facilitating factors are potential factors that encourage the uptake of maternal health services, while limiting factors are those potential factors that limit women's access to maternal health services. Though cultural norms or values are significant factors that influence health-seeking behaviour, there is a limited exploration of the facilitating and limiting factors of these cultural norms and values on the use of maternal health services in primary health care facilities. Aim: To understand the facilitating and limiting factors of cultural values and norms that influence the use of maternal health services in primary healthcare facilities. Methods: The study was conducted in two primary healthcare facilities (rural and urban) using a focused ethnographic methodology described by Roper and Shapira. The study comprised 189 hours of observation of nine women from the third trimester to deliveries. Using purposive and snowballing techniques, data was collected through 21 in-depth interviews, two focus group discussions comprising 13 women, and field notes. All data was analyzed using the steps described by Roper and Shapira (Ethnography in nursing research, 2000). Results: Using the enabler and nurturer constructs of the relationships and the expectations domain of the PEN-3 cultural model, four themes were generated: 1, The attitude of healthcare workers and 2, Factors within primary healthcare facilities, which revealed both facilitating and limiting factors. The remaining themes, 3, The High cost of services, and 4, Contextual issues within communities revealed factors that limit access to facility care. Conclusion: Several facilitating and limiting factors of cultural norms and values significantly influence women's health-seeking behaviours and use of primary health facilities. Further studies are needed on approaches to harness these factors in providing holistic care tailored to communities' cultural needs. Additionally, reinvigoration and strengthening of primary health facilities in Nigeria is critical to promoting comprehensive care that could reduce maternal mortality and enhance maternal health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this research are analytical study of Kishwar Naheed's work, her feminine writings and find out her the ways of resistance in her poetry and writings and highlights her experiences as women writers engaged in creative and civic areas. Literature always remains a mode of expression. In the country Pakistan where women have to face a lot of problems due to patriarchal norms, traditions, values and social discrimination. Kishwar Naheed (1940), a known poetess of Pakistan highlight the miseries of women in Pakistan through literature. She is known for direct and bold writings. She celebrates equal human rights, Justice and freedom through her writings. The names of her work are mostly feminine. She dealt with official, social and political backlashes. Poetry, articles and writings have chosen by the researchers to apply the Qualitative research method to draw some results about the status and role of women in Pakistani Society. Literature is mirror of society in which we can see the face of people. Literature is also the alternate source of history. History is not only reflected through achieves but also through writings of the contemporary period. The writings and poetry of Kishwar Naheed challenge patriarchy, social injustice, gender inequality in Pakistan. These writing paved a way for social reforms. This research also suggest the impacts of Kishwar's writings in Pakistani society. Women became more conscious about their rights. Literary always paves a way for reforms and women get legal and constitutional rights in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The institutionalization of inequality represents an important research focus in various strands of the social sciences. Much theory has emerged within organizational studies and economic sociology, and within intersectionality research. However, there has, as yet been only limited work on the micro-processes by which institutions create and perpetuate inequality at the individual level. This article addresses this issue in terms of a new conceptual model that combines institutional theory on field conditions and Amartya Sen's capability approach. We describe how inequality is institutionalized in terms of the distribution of identity positions and opportunities at the individual level. Specifically, we suggest that the institutionalization of inequality is a product of various types of institutional belonging that leads to (cumulated) disadvantaged identity positions for the individual. Our work connects Senian theory on conversion factors, multiple identities, and opportunity with established organization theory on fields and institutionalization processes to offer news insights into how patterns of inequality persist and may change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unmet cultural norm of motherhood can constrain a woman's sense of social equality. Childlessness is often accompanied by social stigma and shame. The author identifies personal barriers within both patient and analyst that were unforeseen prior to the treatment process. The author implements reverie to open deeper aspects of her mind that allows further exploration into the patient's dreams. This interplay between analyst and patient evokes additional memories from the patient's earlier life. The paper is written in a lovely prose style that demonstrates the creative growth of the author while transforming the artistic pursuits of the patient. Both patient and analyst benefit from this mutual awareness of limitations towards new creative possibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to examine why harmful cultural practices or human rights violations seem to have persisted in African polities despite the existence of relevant national, regional, and international standard practices on human rights. Design/Method of Enquiry – The study adopted qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Qualitative methods were conducted through interviews involving 3 focus groups, 7 university professors, and 1 senior government official from the Ministry of Gender Equality. Other data sources were drawn from secondary information gathered from academic journals, books, and online publications. Quantitative data was used mainly for graphical illustrations as well as to justify the use of statistical information. The 3 countries under study (Namibia, Ethiopia, and Zambia) were selected because of their distinct historical trajectories. For instance, Ethiopia was never colonised by Western powers. Namibia was colonised by Germany and later, by the South African apartheid regime, while Zambia was colonised by Britain. In terms of population size, Ethiopia has around 123 million people; Namibia only has about 2.6 million people while Zambia has around 20 million people. These differences, i.e., the unique political histories and quirky demographic spread helped to gauge whether these dissimilarities provide any statistical significance on the overall study findings. Findings – The study finds that there is a complex relationship between laws governing human rights and traditional norms. However, this tension – far from being destructive – can in fact be beneficial to both universalists and culturalists by potentially generating new ideas that fortify global and local efforts to bring human rights to brighter existence. Crucially, the study notes that by snubbing the opposing views from traditionalists, the universalists -unwittingly- forecloses a vital imperative of knowledge exchange that could illuminate and bring about real transformation on the human rights discourse. The study reveals that sensitisation and constructive engagement with traditional actors is key to the attainment of universal human rights. Furthermore, the study discovers that there is no statistical significance on the net comparable results among the 3 countries studied. The study concludes that change or reform is best attained when such change is driven from within a given constellation. Originality/Value – The juxtaposes examined in this study helps the reader to see human rights in contextual terms. It is ironic, for instance, that vices such as gun culture, gangsterism, raping of women, abductions, aggravated robberies, and drug abuse seem to be a common feature in Western inclined (African) urban areas where universal human rights are preached and embraced, yet such heinous activities are virtually alien in traditional settings where the supposed 'harmful cultural norms' are practiced. Thanks to urban criminal activities – they have reinforced and legitimised the dyed-in-the-wool trademark defiance stance of traditionalists. So, by exposing this gap in human rights comprehension, this study helps the reader to grasp human rights with greater definition and drives Plato's point home on the dynamism of knowledge: that knowledge is an intersection of truth and belief, where knowledge cannot be claimed if something is true but not believed or believed but not true. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Career aspirations are a crucial aspect of future adult development for individuals of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. However, Black emerging adult men may face specific challenges and obstacles that can hinder the formation of career aspirations. Social and economic disadvantages, racism, and development in low-resourced constrained environments are known variables that impede a positive perception of their future career capabilities. Afrocentric theorists have proposed that African heritage identity and African thematic cultural norms such as religiosity and collectivism may promote educational and career aspirations in young Black men, but these assumptions have not been empirically verified. This study examined the relationships between African heritage identity, African-centered cultural norms, and career aspirations in a sample of 300 young Black men. Our findings revealed that participants who had a positive perception of their African heritage and embraced African thematic cultural norms of religiosity and collectivism reported higher educational and career aspirations. Implications for practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effect of traditional practices and cultural norms on entrepreneurship and business success in Bangladesh. Using a constructive survey questionnaire, data was collected from 172 businesspersons. Factor analysis and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The findings highlight that traditional family structures, gender roles, social hierarchies and traditional business networks significantly influence entrepreneurship in Bangladesh. These factors can either enable or hinder entrepreneurial activities, access to resources and funding, and decision-making processes. The study also identifies challenges faced by entrepreneurs because of traditional practices and cultural norms, such as limited resources for female entrepreneurs and barriers to fair competition. Based on the findings, implications are drawn for policy development, programming within educational institutions and entrepreneurial practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family business research across academic disciplines has increasingly considered the causes of "bad behavior" in family firms and its impact. A review of this literature is important because different emphases in different disciplines may obscure the nature of dysfunctional behaviors in family firms. After reviewing 160 studies from 64 journals, we propose family firm dysfunction is better understood by emphasizing the roles the family and the firm's external environment play because negative behavior often traces to family interactions predating firm engagement and to external pressures. We also present research questions to guide future studies on family firm dysfunction across disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistanis know that masculine attitudes inhibit emotions based on masculinity. Nationwide, women face work, education, and movement impediments. The patriarchal system limits women's autonomy, and sons' preference often hurts daughters financially and academically. The study aims to show youth and women's different forms of discrimination. It also investigates how social norms and cultural practices perpetuate gender inequity. Furthermore, the study examines how inequality affects women's status. The study uses interpretive, inductive qualitative research, and collected secondary data. Content analysis was used for data analysis, which guided the analysis of gender inequality themes and trends in Pakistani society. Pakistani gender discrimination affects both men and women, according to a study. Cultural norms, economic inequality, and biased practices hinder women's autonomy and education and employment opportunities. The impact on women's position is enormous, emphasizing the need for awareness, collaboration, and government action to reduce discrimination and empower women. The study examined gender imbalance in Pakistan, highlighting cultural context and offering solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's songs have an impact, on the wellbeing, personality development, communication skills and cognitive growth of preschool and elementary school children. They teach values, character education and positive behavior through creativity. This study aims to explore how Sinhala children's songs can be used as a medium to instill values. A purposive sampling method was used to select twelve songs for analysis. Each song underwent an examination to identify phrases and ideas related to ten fundamental values using discourse analysis. Through qualitative approach, the research focused on uncovering values embedded in the lyrics. The importance of these values was assessed based on their presence and influence on the theme and narrative. Application of Schwartz's Theory of Basic Human Values revealed a range of values within the selected songs that reflect experiences and perspectives influenced by cultural norms, family dynamics and societal expectations. The songs highlight concepts such as thoughtfulness, empathy, respect, education, tradition, relationships, personal growth, ethical reflection and cultural values such as benevolence and harmony with nature. Among this identified values benevolence emerges as the main theme in the songs symbolizing nurturing love and support. Conversely, power appears to be the least emphasized value in these songs, suggesting that they place an importance on relationships, empathy, personal growth and kindness. In a nut-shell, it is crystal clear that children's songs have the ability to impart values in children, aiding the overall development of a child's character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study delves into the intricate interplay of cultural norms, social networks, and unique challenges impacting female entrepreneurship in Mandan Village, Yunnan Province, China. Amidst evolving economic realities and entrenched traditional values, this research aims to unravel how these factors shape women's entrepreneurial endeavors in a rural context. The study's objectives are threefold: (1) to explore the influence of cultural norms on female entrepreneurship, (2) to investigate the role of social networks in supporting or challenging female entrepreneur, and (3) to identify the unique challenges and opportunities faced by female entrepreneurs in Mandan Village. Employing semi-structured interviews, field observations, and analysis of government documents, the study captures diverse perspectives from 3 village committee members, 6 local residents, 3 NGO representatives, and 3 female entrepreneurs, totaling is 15 individuals. Results uncover that conventional social standards altogether impact ladies' choices to become entrepreneurs and the kinds of organizations they lay out. Social networks are found to assume an essential part, offering fluctuating levels of assistance and assets. Female entrepreneurs face difficulties like adjusting business and family obligations, restricted admittance to resources, and exploring the digital gap. These experiences add to a nuanced comprehension of the variables influencing rural female entrepreneurship, offering important ramifications for policymakers, educators, and local area leaders. This research enriches the academic discourse on gender, culture, and entrepreneurship and underscores the importance of considering local contexts in fostering female economic empowerment and entrepreneurial choices in rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth stimulates fundamental changes in consumption patterns as consumers who get rich tend to spread their spending more evenly across a wider variety of goods and services. Comparing cross sectional spending patterns across rich and poor countries, we investigate how this diversification process enables more niche patterns of spending to emerge across the global population of consumers. We use entropy measures to quantify the dispersion of household spending across goods and study how it unfolds as GDP rises. Using a gravity model to study international differences in the relative order of income elasticities, i.e. expenditure hierarchies, we show how this diversification process on the national level is correlated with cultural norms, GDP and income inequality. We find that national expenditure hierarchies are relatively similar across countries among necessities, while they are increasingly unique among luxuries. We further consider how rising affluence tends to generate more niche consumption patterns by examining how rising income is positively correlated with demand heterogeneity and income inequality is negatively correlated with market depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the complexities surrounding cervical cancer prevention methods and hesitancy among conservative Muslim American women is crucial in addressing health disparities. This qualitative study aimed to delve into the religious, behavioral, and socio-cultural factors influencing Muslim women's decisions regarding cervical cancer screening (CC-S) and HPV vaccination (HPV-V) in Virginia, USA. Through interviews with 10 Muslim women residing in Virginia, qualitative data were collected as part of a mixed-method cross-sectional study conducted between August and September 2021. Findings revealed that participants had limited knowledge about cervical cancer, CC-S, and HPV-V, with notable themes emerging, such as cultural influences, misconceptions, language barriers, and challenges posed by the intricate US healthcare system. Future research should focus on exploring these barriers to mitigate the impact of cervical cancer within the Muslim population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many universities have adopted Administrative Withdrawal Policies that allow administrators to remove students from classes without the student's permission. These policies potentially protect students but also provide a means of artificially improving key funding metrics. This study uses Agency Theory to examine over 1,100 Division I, II, and III U.S. universities and compares the usage of Administrative Withdrawal Policies to state and federal funding. Results show Division II schools receiving less state funding have adopted these policies at a higher rate than Division II schools receiving more. Recommendations for future use of these policies is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is a large body of knowledge on the coming-out experience, only few studies examine the coming-out experience of Latino gay men in the United States and whether cultural norms in the Latino community influence the way fathers respond to their sons' disclosure of same-sex attraction. The author conducted a systematic review to identify studies that focused on the coming out experience of Latino gay men in the U.S. The author searched ProQuest, PsychINFO, and Social Work Abstracts, using search terms including LGBT, gay or homosexual, Latino or Hispanic, coming out or disclosure, father or parents, or family. Findings revealed that cultural norms influenced the coming out process for most Latino gay men in the studies, resulting in negative health outcomes. Limitations, as well as implications for practice and research were discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to reveal the essence of the mutual influence of social and cultural values and norms. The research methodology is based on the application of general scientific methods of system analysis, as well as the theory of social networks; to clarify the essence of the mutual influence of social and cultural values and norms, the method of logical reconstruction was used. The scientific novelty of the results obtained consists in a comprehensive analysis of the specifics of the manifestation of the mutual influence of social and cultural values and norms. Conclusions. The entire modern global socio-cultural space is built on the network principle, and society is dominated by various network structures, the spread of which is due to the development of digital technologies, the emergence of which, in turn, is due to the needs of society and people to overcome spaces and various restrictions in communication and obtaining information. At the same time, each network structure has its own cultural dimension. Social networks are characterised by accessibility, globality, the presence of feedback, which indicates their constructive potential in the modern socio-cultural space. It is emphasised that the influence of social networks on culture is obvious - social networks have changed not only how people interact with each other, build relationships, consume information and make decisions, but also determined the mutual influence of social networks and culture. It has been concluded that in modern society social networks are a mechanism for preserving and simultaneously transmitting cultural values and norms, as well as for consolidating, self-organising and cultural identification of social groups. Social networks are changing cultural values and norms, manifested in intercultural and international communication, the way people interact with each other; perceptions of oneself and one's relationships with others. At the same time, cultural values influence social networks, dictating to them the need to comply with certain social norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Help seeking for domestic violence is complex and multifaceted, and settling in a new country might make the help-seeking process more challenging and complicated. This study explored the barriers to seeking help for domestic violence, specifically experienced by Afghan women after settling in Australia. The study involved 21 semistructured interviews with newly arrived Afghan women. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed, and the data were analysed thematically. The barriers Afghan women experienced were embodied in cultural norms to stay in marital relationships, demands to preserve the family's reputation, personal circumstances, and women's experiences with, and perspectives on, available services. The findings suggest that policy and practice should recognise those barriers and respond to them in a culturally appropriate way. IMPLICATIONS Domestic violence services' procedures and processes should be developed based on an understanding of multiple layers of oppression and barriers to seeking help for migrant women. Service providers should apply an intersectional lens along with antioppressive perspectives to address barriers to domestic violence services women experience at different levels. Social workers in domestic violence services need relevant training to provide culturally appropriate services to migrant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Feminisation U describes the tendency of female labour force participation (FLFP) to first decline and then rise in the process of economic development. While the Feminisation U is often presented as a 'stylised fact' of development, empirical support for it is mixed. Here, we show that cultural norms inherited from ancestral plough use exert a moderating influence on the shape of the Feminisation U. Specifically, we find a significantly U-shaped path of FLFP only in countries whose ancestors employed a plough-based agricultural technology. The shape of the U-curve becomes progressively more muted as the share of a country's ancestors that practiced plough agriculture decreases. In countries with little or no legacy of historical plough use, the time path of FLFP is effectively flat. This pattern of results is robust to correcting for dynamic panel bias, instrumenting for per-capita income, and controlling for other potential effect modifiers. Our findings are compatible with a nuanced reading of the main theoretical models proposed in the literature to explain the Feminisation U. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the place of music in the lives of two women, mother and daughter, in the context of their socio-cultural environment. The study presented here addresses the role of social and cultural elements in determining the musical lives and musical identities of women in a minority group. The paper will explore this issue by presenting a case study of two women -- a mother and her daughter that are part of the Arab Christian minority in the north of Israel. Music has always played an important role in the lives of both women but there are differences in the way the two women treat music in their lives. The paper examines the social norms of the different generations of mother and daughter that are reflected in their musical lives. These social norms are explicitly linked to the status of these women in their community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the VUCA era, organizational resilience has become an important research topic in the management field. As the helmsman of an organization, the impact of leaders' personal mentality on organizational resilience cannot be ignored. Based on the survey data from 163 enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, this paper constructs and tests the relationship between leadership mindsets and organizational resilience. The results show that there is a positive correlation between leadership mindsets and organizational resilience. Cultural norms play a mediating role; innovative cultural norms play a mediating role between leaders' growth mindset and organizational resilience, and collaborative cultural norms play a mediating role between leaders' specified mindset and organizational resilience. In addition, supportive human resource practice plays a moderating role in the relationship between leadership mindsets and cultural norms. The research extends the research of leadership mindsets to the improvement of organizational resilience, and enhances the understanding and application of cultural norms and supportive human resources practices, providing scientific suggestions for the sustainable development of organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies suggest that formal institutions can effectively constrain corporate tax evasion and increase tax compliance, but little has been said about the role of informal institutions regarding tax compliance. This study empirically examines the long-term effect of Confucian cultural norms on corporate tax compliance using unique cultural and historical data from China. We find that the intergenerational transmission of the Confucian culture can significantly promote the tax compliance of modern firms, thereby effectively reducing tax evasion. Simultaneously, the compliance effect is more pronounced in informal firms, such as small-scale, non-listed, and local firms. In terms of mechanism analysis, the normative effect of the Confucian culture is a key mechanism for explaining variations in corporate tax compliance behaviors under different cultural norms. Overall, this study fills a gap in the research on how informal institutions regulate the behavior of firms to a certain extent, and at the same time supplements the existing literature on understanding the long-term effects of the Confucian culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Medicinal plant cultivation was examined in the context of cultural beliefs. • Plant cultivation acceptability is influenced by cultural mores and perceptions. • Plants that were 'allowed' to be cultivated tended not to be declining in the wild. • Many plants perceived to be declining in the wild are Least Concern on the Red List. • Important to integrate local socio-cultural norms/practices into cultivation schemes. Cultivation of medicinal plant species has been recommended as a conservation intervention to reduce the pressure on wild populations that are under threat of extirpation due to overexploitation, but there have been reports of resistance among some traditional healers and muthi traders to such initiatives. This resistance raises questions of whether there are cultural barriers to cultivation that go beyond the frequently cited concerns that cultivated plants lack 'strength' and are 'polluted' in some way. This study therefore aimed to examine medicinal plant cultivation in the context of beliefs and perceptions held by resource users towards plants that are considered culturally acceptable to cultivate, those that should not be cultivated, and plants that are perceived to be scarce and/or declining in availability, and to evaluate whether there are relationships between these factors. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview 42 traditional healers and 72 muthi traders sampled from one rural village, two townships and five traditional medicine markets between KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, South Africa. Participants named 185 plant ethnospecies during the investigation (corresponding to ±171 species), of which, according to cultural norms and ancestral guidance, 98 ethnospecies were allowed to be cultivated, 68 should not be cultivated, and 23 were cited as being both allowed and should not be cultivated. The cultural factors were not specified due to sacred traditions that knowledge holders were typically not at liberty to reveal and they are thus defined only broadly as 'beliefs' and 'norms'. There was a very weak, non-significant correlation between ethnospecies that are culturally acceptable to cultivate and those that are perceived to be declining in availability, hence plants that were most frequently cited as declining tended not to be cited as those that were allowed to be cultivated. There was also weak, but significant, correlation between ethnospecies that both traditional healers and muthi traders said they were allowed to cultivate. Furthermore, there was no correlation between plants that are allowed to be cultivated and those that should not be. Since traditional medicine practices encompass culture and the workings of ancestors, it is essential that traditional healers and muthi traders are included in cultivation initiatives to ensure that these interventions are culturally appropriate for the beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a paucity of research on HIV risk factors and risk reduction among African immigrants living in the US. This is despite the fact that the literature on HIV prevention and treatment continues to grow. We conducted a focused review to identify cultural factors contributing to the high incidence of HIV among African immigrants and best practices to increase engagement in HIV prevention services in this population. We conducted a search for empirical research published between 2009 and 2019, yielding 17 relevant studies with 16 unique samples. Inadequate knowledge about HIV transmission, low HIV risk perception, and stigma may be barriers to engaging in HIV prevention. Targeted interventions included bundled HIV testing, flexible scheduling, and involvement of community leaders in intervention planning and implementation. Implications for practice and directions for future research among this population are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Privacy law, as it regulates the nonconsensual disclosure of personal life, is instrumental to how reputation in human society becomes created, destroyed, and redistributed. In the contemporary Chinese society, as in elsewhere, privacy protection, and the lack thereof, have played an important role in the making of the 'haves' and 'have-nots' in the society's reputation landscape. This Article makes a systematic effort towards accounting for China's contemporary legal regime that regulates its public figure privacy problems. Through examining leading court cases and relevant regulatory practices, this Article demonstrates that the Chinese privacy regime in the twenty-first century, as embedded in the country's overall information regulation apparatus, differs in significant ways from the corresponding Western paradigms in terms of its operational structure, cultural logic, and political dynamics. Since the beginning of the post-Cultural Revolution era, China's status-based privacy regime has for the most time been highly protective of government officials until they become expelled from the official ranks. It is often laissez-faire with respect to the privacy of famous individuals outside of the government system, but with notable exceptions for those enjoying an exalted status in the realm of high culture. Furthermore, it can be conspicuously hostile towards grassroot figures who aspire for the limelight. The impact such public figure privacy regime may have had on China's reputation landscape is conceivably regressive. As this Article explains, underlying such regime is a lasting, albeit evolving, cultural tradition that tends to associate privacy protection with a hierarchical moral outlook. Notwithstanding the importance of culture, this Article further argues that China's privacy regulation must also be understood as embedded in the country's political context. As the status-based privacy regime produces disparate reputational consequences, it provides the state with a lever to incentivize and manage a diverse network of elites, whom the state considers as agents for upholding its political and moral authority and implementing its policy agenda. China's privacy regime in the new millennium may thus be understood as having stemmed from an intricate political process as the state strategically responds to rising challenges from increasingly powerful and competing market and social forces over the production of information, fame, and influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do cultural norms that allow individuals to choose their social relationships put them at risk for, or protect them from, loneliness? After all, more freedom to choose whom to relate to may promote that individuals can choose higher-quality relationships (which protects from loneliness), but it may also imply a higher risk of social isolation (which puts at risk for loneliness). We propose that the solution to this cultural loneliness paradox of choice is to distinguish whether more individual choice flows from cultural norms that provide more opportunities for new relationships (as implied by higher relational mobility; higher RMn), or from cultural norms that allow to leave established relationships (as implied by lower relational stability; lower RSn). Specifically, we suggest that more individual choice protects from loneliness when emerging from higher RMn (which allows to establish new higher-quality relationships), but puts at risk for loneliness when emerging from lower RSn (which increases the risk of social isolation by undermining the stability of established relationships). Findings from two cross-sectional survey studies in four European countries (Study 1: Finland, N = 237; Portugal, N = 261; Study 2: Poland, N = 242; Austria, N = 2 41) supported this line of thought: Higher RMn was consistently related to lower loneliness across all samples, and lower RSn was related to higher loneliness in two out of four samples (and either non-significantly related to higher loneliness or unrelated to it in the other two samples). We discuss the importance and implications of differentiating RMn and RSn to resolve the cultural loneliness paradox of choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are expected to self‐regulate their behaviour, even in emotionally charged situations. Yet, such expectations for self‐regulation, the degree to which compliance is expected, and the specific regulatory behaviours deemed desirable, vary by culture, age of child, and specific situation. In this study, 34 Chinese (17 females) and 39 U.S. (19 females) preschoolers were observed and compared in two socioemotionally challenging situations. Children's compliance to explicit and implicit rules, their regulatory behaviours, and the associations between regulatory behaviours and rule compliance were analysed across the two samples. U.S. children showed greater resistance to temptation and similar levels of repair of mishap as compared to Chinese children. In addition, Chinese children used more avoidance and self‐soothing strategies and fewer distractive strategies than U.S. children. The effectiveness of regulatory behaviours in predicting rule compliance varied by both task condition and cultural group. Object and self distractions were associated with lower rule compliance in the mishap task. Social distraction was positively predictive of U.S. children's rule compliance in the mishap task, but negatively associated with their compliance in the temptation task. Social distraction was unhelpful for Chinese children's compliance in both tasks. The complexities of cultural variations and dynamics in their relations to children's rule compliance and regulatory behaviours are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the contestation over human rights norms between Acholi traditional authorities and everyday realities on the one hand, and international peacebuilding actors on the other. Within this contestation, the focus is on women’s and children’s rights. When implementing human rights programmes, some international peacebuilding actors presented culture and rights as conflictual and attributed human rights violations to culture. This created tension between Acholi traditional authorities and everyday realities on the one hand, and international peacebuilding actors on the other. The paper argues that Acholi traditional authorities responded to the ‘assault’ on Acholi cultural values by presenting alternative narratives of human rights violations, to show that culture and rights overlap and are not conflictual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness is a common experience with major negative consequences for well-being. Although much research has examined protective and risk factors for loneliness, we know little about its cultural underpinnings. The few studies that exist seem paradoxical, suggesting that loneliness is higher in cultures where tighter and more demanding (i.e., more restrictive) cultural norms about social relationships decrease the risk of social isolation. At the same time, loneliness is lower among individuals who hold more restrictive norms or perceive such norms among others around them. We move beyond previous research by generating the culture-loneliness framework, suggesting that loneliness occurs across all levels of restrictiveness, but through different predominant types of isolation. More restrictive (i.e., more, tighter, or more demanding) norms about social relationships may better protect from physical isolation (i.e., a lack of social interaction or relationships) but increase the likelihood of emotional and perceived isolation (i.e., a lack of individually satisfying relationships or relationships that do not fulfill cultural ideals). We evaluate this framework by reviewing research at both the individual and the cultural levels, and discuss its theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menstrual hygiene is a topic that has long been shrouded in silence and stigma, but in India, it has emerged as an urgent public health concern that demands our immediate attention. The lack of access to proper menstrual hygiene management not only affects the well-being of millions of Indian women and girls but also has far-reaching consequences for their health, education, and overall quality of life.¹Menstruation is a naturally unfolding biological process that takes place in adolescent girls and women of reproductive age.² In a country as diverse as India, where cultural norms, traditions, and socioeconomic disparities vary widely,³ addressing menstrual hygiene requires a multifaceted, integrated approach. Here, we shed light on the critical aspects of this issue and the imperative need for a unified strategy to combat the menstrual hygiene crisis in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against women is a priority public health issue globally and women with mental illness are at double disadvantage. While social norms and beliefs play a critical role in influencing violence among women, limited or no research is available from India. To explore nurses and nursing students' views on social norms and beliefs that support Violence against women with mental illness. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among randomly selected registered nurses and nursing students (N = 209) using self-reported questionnaires. Majority of the participants confronted norms (76.7%) and situations that justify (67.7%) abuse among women with mental illness. Nurses reported more negative attitudes than nursing students with regard to norms and beliefs (t = − 2.714, p < 0.007) and justifiability of abuse (t = − 3.089, p < 0.002). The findings suggest suitable academic programs to extinguish the prevailing cultural beliefs that support abuse in women with mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against women is a priority public health issue. Women with mental illness are at a double disadvantage. While social norms and beliefs either support or confront violence against women, research is limited on this issue. A randomized controlled design was adopted for the present study. This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of module-based training in changing nurses' attitudes towards norms and beliefs that support violence against women in mental health care settings. In this study, 68 nurses were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group (34 in each group). After receiving the training program, the mean scores on norms and beliefs and justifiability of abuse scales were significantly higher in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The results confirmed the positive impact of the training program in changing nurses' attitudes. However, further studies are required to draw firm conclusions on the effectiveness of the training intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience refers to a set of personal qualities and abilities that allow an individual to confront challenges, risks, or traumatic experiences in an integrated manner and to thrive in the face of significant adversities. This cross-sectional study explores resilience, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and family norms with disclosure of mental health problems (FNAD) in a sample of 182 Filipino American women (FAW). Participants completed survey measures of resilience, PTSD, and FNAD and open-ended questions about beliefs and reasons for (not) disclosing mental health problems outside the family. Previous research found that the rates of psychological trauma and depression among FAW are higher than those in other Asian ethnic groups, which makes it necessary to investigate the protective characteristic of resilience among FAW. According to our results, foreign-born FAW had a significantly lower PTSD and greater resilience as compared to their US-born counterparts. A significant negative relationship between PTSD and resilience was observed only among foreign-born FAW. We also found a conditional moderating effect of FNAD on the negative relationship between resilience and PTSD. The results of our qualitative analysis of the participants' responses to the open-ended questions of the survey showed that FAW's family norms of nondisclosure are related to the cultural value of "saving face," a salient cultural construct among Asian family members. Results suggest that protective properties of resilience against PTSD are influenced by cultural factors, such as FNAD. Taken together, our findings underscore the importance of considering the impact of collectivistic cultural values (e.g., FNAD) in future research on resilience among Asian Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) takes several forms, such as physical and sexual violence, emotional and social abuse, threats and intimidation, and economic deprivation. For its prevalence and its harmful consequences, it has been defined as a salient public health issue. Studies about perpetrators have often focused on individual risk factors and changing attitudes during IPV treatment. However, literature on IPV underlines the need of more research from a social-ecological perspective, especially considering social and cultural influences. The present qualitative study aimed at extending past research on men attending IPV treatment, considering not only the individual experience, but also the role of social and cultural dimensions, such as gender stereotypes and mass media. Twenty-one authors of IPV—in treatment for at least 6 months—were interviewed. A thematic analysis was carried out and involved line-by-line coding with codes deriving from narratives. Three major themes emerged: the conception of violence and the influence of gender stereotypes; the process of change during treatment; and the social and cultural representation of perpetrators. Findings highlight the necessity of taking into account the social and cultural contexts in which IPV occurs and provide robust support for the adoption of an ecological approach to IPV. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we extend the research on lateness for meetings and appointments by taking a cultural norms perspective among South African (n = 76), Dutch (n = 86), and Pakistani (n = 83) respondents. Based upon the distinction between clock time and event time cultures, we examined time norms related to lateness. Pakistani respondents (from an event time culture) differed from the other two groups (from clock time cultures) in how they defined lateness to business meetings. Also, they found larger time intervals of lateness acceptable for appointments than the other two groups Based upon considerations related to power distance, we additionally tested whether not only clock or event time but also status would matter to lateness norms. In contrast to the South African and Pakistani respondents, Dutch respondents did not allow longer waiting times for people with higher status. We discuss our results in light of theoretical and practical implications and provide suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child labour is theorized to be influenced by social and cultural norms that legitimise child labour activities. While research has documented the nature of child labour, in terms of what activities children are engaged in as well as the impact it could have on children's development, not much is known about the pathways that lead to the normalisation of child labour. In this narrative qualitative study, we explored the pathways to normalising child labour among children in Ghana. The experiences of 18 children interviewed leads to an overall consideration of a case of passing the torch or breaking the cycle of intergenerational transmission of child labour. The study reported, continuing the family business, contributing to family income and reasonable earnings, as part of the debate for passing the torch. However, there is also room to break the potential for the intergenerational transmission of child labour which requires efforts from relevant stakeholders such as teachers, parents, and policy makers. With an understanding of how child labour may be legitimised, we can now move to develop programmes and interventions to de-legitimise child labour norms and contribute to positive outcomes for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Empathy is a construct that plays a role in cultural competences development. • Head-nodding is used by interlocutors to show empathy to a speaker. • Empathetic head-nodding increases as interlocutors trust each other. • Empathetic head-nodding increases in the role of group leader. • Empathetic head-nodding is affected by topic, distractions and cultural norms. The development of cultural competences between interlocutors with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds has become a particularly fruitful area of interest in the L2 arena. One area that has not gained much attention is the role empathy plays in the development of cultural competences. In this exploratory study, five students with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds volunteered to join a five-week class. As for empathetic behavioral markers, using vetted assessment procedures, we look at the frequency of head-nodding and consider various perspectives as to what the raw numbers are indicating. Our results suggest that empathetic head-nodding increases as interlocutors develop more trust with one another; it increases for individuals designated as leaders; it either increases or decreases based upon cultural norms; it decreases when there are distractions and also when interlocutors cannot relate to the topic being discussed. As this study acts as a stepping-stone, it is hoped that researchers who are interested in intercultural and L2 interaction as well as those who are concerned about how empathy is expressed, both in linguistic and paralinguistic ways, will not only find value in the present study but will augment and broaden the scope of its findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the 'organization of space' is said to be one of the defining characteristics of modern human behavior, the identification and documentation of such organization has proven to be elusive, especially as rendered in artifact patterning. Without directly comparing artifact patterns within multiple sites, there is no benchmark with which to conclude one site to be more or less 'organized' than another. We can objectively identify patterns within the distribution of archaeological materials, but the decision of whether that patterning constitutes as 'organized' is entirely subjective without a comparative model. In this paper, I present the results of a study in which the spatial distribution of artifacts within nine Middle and Upper Paleolithic sites in France are directly compared to one another, and discernible changes in patterning can be identified. The differences in spatial patterning between the Middle and Upper Paleolithic sites suggest that the organization of space likely became increasingly formalized into and throughout the Upper Paleolithic alongside other cultural norms of behavior. Though more sites are needed to thoroughly document this phenomenon, this study suggests that direct comparisons of spatial patterning have the potential to yield more objective results on the question of spatial organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gender relations in Himalayan farm management are influenced by men's out-migration. • Competing gender norms simultaneously enable and constrain women's social practices. • Women can decide on farm but are discouraged to engage in markets and public spheres. • Men have a role in all social spheres, but the female gender role is more restricted. • Caste, class, age influence women's ability to negotiate and alter local gender roles. Gender relations in Himalayan farm management are influenced by differentiated social expectations of men and women. How people negotiate their gender role space and how they relate to explicit and tacit gender norms, shape gendered patterns of decision-making in agriculture. In this case study from the Nepali Middle Hills I argue that there are two competing sets of cultural gender norms at work, in contrast to Sherry Ortner's classical theory of a gender hegemony, where she describes a hegemonic collection of cultural logics, meanings and practices related to gender. In this case, modern development ideas of women empowerment and gender equality currently challenge traditional gender norms, but there are also areas of conjunction between the two. Traditional gender norms constrain women's decision-making power to mostly within the household and farm. While men increasingly migrate for work, women take over more of the agricultural labor, and temporarily, all farm-management decisions. When both spouses stay at the farm they often decide together, contrary to common assumptions that men mostly decide in agriculture. However, cultural conflicts arise when women engage in social spheres outside the farm and household, such as in financial, public, or political matters. How people through social practice relate to competing gender norms, and to what extent they either feel caught in a cultural conflict or have a sufficiently strong social position to take advantage of the situation and alter local gender roles depends not on gender per se , but on other markers of social prestige such as caste/ethnicity, wealth, age, and marital status. Interactions between modern development norms and traditional gender norms inspire cultural change at the local scale, which has implications for women's participation in financial and market spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percentage of female population in our country is more than fifty percent, and the main cause of suppression against women is the joint family system in which the head of the family is the father of the husband instead of husband himself. Our society is dominated by men, and due to this a huge majority of the women in Pakistan are not able to take their own decisions, even to decide their own marriages. In this research paper we will look at the cultural barriers against women empowerment in our country. The sample data for this research paper has been taken from married women of District Jamshoro and the method used is purposive sampling. In this research we will explain the number of different factors for example environment of the family, family background, cultural norms, and approaches towards such norms, moderate attitude, and the dissatisfaction with the society. These factors have been the main causes of the dominance of the male in our society and culture. We also discuss the attitude towards women and subordinate treatment of the females in our society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We document the norms and practices of a "casual raiding guild" pursuing a balanced approach to World of Warcraft gaming under the banner "offline life matters." Confirming insights in the problematic online gaming literature, our ethnography reveals that some guild members experience gaming distress. However, this guild's normative culture helps its members better self-regulate and thus protect themselves from, among other things, their own impulses to over-play and thus compromise their offline lives. We suggest that cognitive anthropological "culture as socially transmitted knowledge" theories-combined with ethnographic methods-illuminate how socially learned gaming patterns shape online experiences. Our approach helps us refine theories judging socially motivated Internet activity as harmful. We affirm the potential for distress in these social gaming contexts, but we also show how a specific guild culture can minimize or even reverse such distress, in this case promoting experiences that strike a nice balance between thrill and comradery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than having a focus on performance and rational decisions, supply management studies need to emphasise the effects of managers' social relations to implement sustainability. These social relations can be explained by the micro-level analyses and shape managers' behaviours. Therefore, we explore in this paper whether and how local managers experience sustainability decisions through social capital theory. A qualitative research study involving clothing supply players operating in an emerging economy was developed that relied on semi-structured interviews and secondary data as data sources. Data were inductively analysed using NVivo software and organised into three categories: individuals, interrelationship and structure. The results show that the micro level of sustainability implementation is better explained when cognitive and relational capital are related to experience (e.g. awareness of sustainability scandals) and agency elements. However, structure capital as a component of the micro level triggered unexpected opportunistic behaviours (e.g. misconduct and naturalised child labour). This paper contributes to both theory and practice since it shows how micro-level decisions interfere in sustainability implementation based on (1) actions resulting from existing close relational ties and (2) the influence of the operating context. Unlike previous research, this paper is original by showing that a local supply can generate unexpected consequences, such as opportunistic behaviour camouflaged as cultural norms. • The micro-level analysis explains how to implement sustainability. • Relational ties can lead to unsustainable behaviours. • Operating context plays a key role towards sustainability implementation. • Opportunistic behaviours are camouflaged as cultural norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence in the field of child labour has identified social norms among the key antecedents. Social norms regulate actions of people within the social order. Where social norms are institutionalized and legitimized, people conform to them out of a sense of duty. It is argued that legitimate, deep-rooted, and institutionalized social norms are difficult to change. Yet, there have been some significant improvements in research suggesting that normative change programs can effectively shift deep-rooted social norms. In this study, we explored a pathway to change social norms that underpin child labour practices in four major hubs of cocoa and sea fishing. We employed a bottom-up practice research approach to co-design the study, and implemented it through narrative vignette interviews. Using vignette stimulus, we interviewed parents (n = 40), with 20 of them perceived to have engaged their children in child labour, and stakeholders in the communities (n = 10). Findings from the narrative interviews revealed norms on informal apprenticeship, inheriting family business, and hard work, among the core child labour norms. We unraveled the constitutive procedural norms that legitimize and justify the child labour norms in the communities. Based on this, a normative change framework has been designed and supported with suggested intervention programs to shift the social norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I study the effects of tax evasion on economic growth by focusing on the cultural aspects of tax compliance and their effect on the extensive margin of tax evasion. A cultural norm that determines the contemptibility of tax dodging practices links the past incidence of tax evasion with the tax payers' current incentives to conceal sources of income. This dynamic complementarity may lead to multiple equilibria in the evolution of tax evasion. Due to the latter's effect on capital accumulation, this multiplicity may lead economies in divergent development paths, as long as they differ in the initial magnitude of tax evasion. This happens even though economies may be, on the outset, identical in terms of capital stock and structural characteristics, including those that govern tax enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]