Asian Cultures Research Articles

A cross-cultural examination of temporal orientation through everyday language onsocial media.

Past research has shown that culture can form and shape our temporal orientation-the relative emphasis on the past, present, or future. However, there are mixed findings on how temporal orientations vary between North American and East Asian cultures due to the limitations of survey methodology and sampling. In this study, we applied an inductive approach and leveraged big data and natural language processing between two popular social media platforms-Twitter and Weibo-to assess the similarities and differences in temporal orientation in the United States of America and China, respectively. We first established predictive models from annotation data and used them to classify a larger set of English Twitter sentences (NTW = 1,549,136) and a larger set of Chinese Weibo sentences (NWB = 95,181) into four temporal catetories-past, future, atemporal present, and temporal present. Results show that there is no significant difference between Twitter and Weibo on past or future orientations; the large temporal orientation difference between North Americans and Chinese derives from their different prevailing focus on atemporal (e.g., facts, ideas) present (Twitter) or temporal present (e.g., the "here" and "now") (Weibo). Our findings contribute to the debate on cultural differences in temporal orientations with new perspectives following a new methodological approach. The study's implications call for a reevaluation of how temporal orientation is measured in cross-cultural studies, emphasizing the use of large-scale language data and acknowledging the atemporal present category. Understanding temporal orientations can guide effective cross-cultural communication strategies to tailor approaches for different audience based on temporal orientations, enhancing intercultural understanding and engagement.

Associations between olfactory reference disorder and social phobia - results of an internet-based study.

Despite the similar clinical features of Olfactory Reference Disorder (ORD) and Social Phobia (SP), or studies showing elevated comorbidity of the two disorders, and the conceptualization of ORD as a form of SP in the East Asian culture, to our knowledge, the relationship between ORD and SP has not been investigated. This study examined the association of ORD according to the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and SP in 225 German university / college students who completed self-ratings with regard to socio-demographic data and symptoms of SP and ORD within an anonymous internet-based survey. Symptoms of SP were assessed with the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). Symptoms of ORD according to the ICD-11 were assessed with the Olfactory Reference Disorder Questionnaire (ORDQ), developed for this study. In our sample, 86.6% of the participants who met the self-rated features for ORD also met the self-rated criteria for current SP. ORD severity scores were significantly related to SP. Participants with and without self-reported ORD differed significantly in their SP total scores. SP severity was also significantly correlated with poorer insight of ORD-related beliefs, greater ORD-related avoidance of intimate relationships and higher levels of shame and fear of rejection due to body odor. These preliminary findings indicate that ORD could be closely related to SP and highlight the need for future research on the relationship of ORD and SP in order to gain a better understanding of the development, maintenance, treatment and classification of ORD.

Perceived Stress and Self-Prescribing Behavior: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study among Specialized Residency Training in Indonesia

Introduction: Challenges in specialist medical education in Indonesia can increase stress, but the expression of stress may be hampered or appear as physical complaints. The behavior of self-prescribing medication often occurs among specialist medical education participants to deal with stress-related complaints. This study aims to analyze the relationship between stress and self-prescribing behavior among specialist medical education participants in Indonesia.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 39 respondents who completed an anonymous online survey. The perceived stress scale (PSS-10) was used to measure stress levels, and questions about medication self-prescribing behavior were asked. Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between PSS scores and self-prescribing behavior.
 Results: Most respondents (74.4%) had PSS scores higher than age and gender norms. Antibiotics were the most frequently self-prescribed medication (92.3%). No association was found between demographic characteristics, total PSS score, and self-prescribing behavior.
 Conclusion: The high level of stress in specialist medical education participants may not be directly correlated with self-prescribing behavior. This may be related to Asian culture where psychological distress tends to manifest as somatic complaints.

The Role of Social Media in Shaping Fertility Intentions Among Young Women in East Asian Cultures

This study investigates the influence of social media on the fertility intentions of young women in East Asian societies. It focuses on how various aspects of social media, including exposure to images of children, sharing of personal parenting experiences, and discussions around early childhood education, shape women’s thoughts and decisions about having children. The paper identifies a significant impact of social media in either encouraging or deterring young women from pursuing motherhood, highlighting the platform's role in conveying both positive and negative aspects of parenting.A key finding of the research is the dual nature of social media: while it offers a sense of community and support, it also imposes pressures and sets unrealistic standards, especially regarding motherhood and family life. The study further explores the growing influence of individualistic and feminist viewpoints within social media narratives, examining how they interact with cultural norms to affect fertility choices among young women. This research offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and healthcare providers, suggesting the need for more supportive and realistic approaches to family planning and maternal health in the context of a digitally connected world.

Scythian–Sarmatian art as part of the cultural landscape of Crimea

The subject of the study is Scythian–Sarmatian art in the cultural landscape of Crimea, expressed in sculpture, monumental and decorative arts. The object of the study is the Crimean artifacts of the Scythian–Sarmatian culture (details of jewelry, weapons, sculpture, vase painting) in comparison with similar objects from other regions of settlement of the Scythian–Sarmatian nomadic peoples. The author pays special attention to the identification of the main distinctive features of the Scythian and Sarmatian culture, which is complicated by how much mixed culture develops in the Northern Black Sea region and transformations of the animal style of the Scythian–Sarmatian culture in the Crimean diaspora associated with the influence of ancient culture and Near Asian civilizations. The use of the animal style as part of all subsequent styles, including the Crimean Art Nouveau, which is a reflection of the synthesis of cultures of the multiethnic cultural landscape of Crimea, is also traced. The article uses the method of historicism in retrospect of Scythian–Sarmatian art in the cultural landscape of the Crimea, the comparative method in the comparative analysis of artifacts of the Crimea and the entire territory of Scythia, the method of stylistic analysis in the decorative and applied arts of the Crimea. The main conclusions of the study are: 1. The Crimean cultural landscape is diverse due to the historical polyethnicity of the region, associated with its geographical location and a unique natural complex, which has become a place of numerous ethnic migrations throughout history. This is also connected with the appearance of the Scythian–Sarmatian culture in the Crimea in the ancient era, which left a significant mark on the peninsula. 2. The characteristic features of the Scythian – Sarmatian animal style are simplification of form, linearity and geometrization, which harmoniously fits into the classical anthropomorphic proportions in sculpture, wall painting, vase painting of ancient art. The constructive expediency, conciseness and harmony inherent in the Scythian–Sarmatian animal style through the prism of ancient art became the reason for the global introduction into subsequent architectural and artistic styles, up to the present time. 3. The Scythian–Sarmatian art in the Crimean cultural landscape is unique in that it embodies the original style of the Scythian–Sarmatian people.

Queer Asian American Belonging and Narrative in Everything Everywhere All At Once (Kwan & Scheinert, 2022) and Sewing Patches Through Performance (D’Lo, 2021)

This paper aims to outline how ethnicity and sexuality intersect for second-generation queer Asian Americans. I delineate three difficulties that second-generation queer Asian Americans may face in the process of coming out and reckoning their own identity: 1. The influence of traditional Asian cultures on queer attitudes of parents, 2. Acculturation complicating communication between parent and child, and 3. The intersection of being queer and ethnic at the same time in a heteronormative, white society. Within this framework, I will conduct a comparative critique of how the movie Everything Everywhere All At Once and the essay Sewing Patches Through Performance portray the conflict and resolution between a first-generation Asian immigrant and their queer child. These two works showcase the importance of understanding the unique space that queer Asians occupy in extending support toward them and the significance of personal narratives in shaping queer lives.

The potential cutaneous benefits of edible bird's nest.

Edible bird's nest (EBN) is composed of the solidified saliva of swiftlet birds. EBN has been extremely popular in Asian culture for centuries. They are often consumed as a delicacy in the form of bird's nest soup and are believed to have numerous skin benefits. In light of EBN's growing popularity and significant cultural importance, we aimprovide a comprehensive review of EBN's potential dermatologic benefits and role in photoaging, anti-inflammation, wound healing, skin barrier enhancement, and skin whitening. While in vitro, in vivo, and preliminary clinical trial results are promising, there is a need for future human clinical research to further validate these findings and establish EBN's efficacy and safety for dermatologic applications.

ANALISIS SINEMATIK DAN NARASI VISUAL FILM ANIMASI “RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON”

Raya and the Last Dragon is an animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios with the storyline of Raya's adventures as the main character in an imaginary country called Kumandra. This animated film has a cultural style and local identity that is identical to Southeast Asian culture, including Indonesian culture. It is these cultural identities and symbols that encourage this research. Through a descriptive analysis method, the meaning of symbols or cultural identities contained in the visual and cinematic narratives of the animated film Raya and the Last Dragon will be explained based on studies using Roland Barthes' semiotic theory. The results obtained from the analysis using two stages of significance, namely the first level of denotational meaning and the second level of connotative meaning, are the messages contained in several excerpts in each scene of the animated film which show the meaning of Southeast Asian cultural symbols, as well as what is visible from the behavior of each character, as well as the visual and cinematic narrative that greatly influences the animated film.

Exploring Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) Host Decision-Making in Hospitality Provision

Due to the kinship ties existing between hosts and guests, any visiting friends and relatives (VFR) host is likely to experience elevated levels of stress in preparing for such encounters because of the desire to deliver a good experience to their guests. As such, existing literature has sought to unpack VFR hosting behavior and practices, albeit mostly from an Anglo-Saxon perspective. However, little is known about the influence of East Asian cultures and gendered perspectives of VFR hosting behavior and practices, which is underrepresented within extant literature. From a sample of 91 Taiwanese hosts based in Brisbane, Australia, this research suggests that accommodation considerations are a main factor to Taiwanese VFR hosts in Australia, and that first-time VFR tourists also warrant heightened hosting efforts. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how East Asian and gendered lenses of VFR hosting behavior manifests, positions these individuals as potential destination ambassadors, and strategically launch post-COVID-19 tourism recovery.

Impact of Body Dissatisfaction, Self-Objectification, and Internalization of Media Ideals on Appearance Anxiety in Males

The current study aimed to ascertain the relation amongst body dissatisfaction, self-objectification, and internalization of media ideals on appearance anxiety in males. The study followed quantitative correlational survey research design and through purposive convenient sampling, the data from 334 males, age ranging from 18-25 (M= 20.9 SD= 1.80) was collected from different areas of Karachi, Pakistan. The scales used for the collection of data were Appearance Anxiety Scale – Brief Version, Internalization subscale from SATAQ – III, Male Body Dissatisfaction Scale and Self –Objectification Scale. The findings revealed through Pearson’s Correlation test were that there is a significant weak correlation between Body Dissatisfaction and Appearance Anxiety in males (r=.20, p < 0.01), followed by weak significant correlation between Self-Objectification and Appearance Anxiety in males (r=.15, p < 0.0.1) and a similar, however highest correlation was found between Internalization of Media Ideals and Appearance Anxiety in males (r=.20, p < 0.01). According to the results the relationship between Self-Objectification and Appearance Anxiety in males is weak, withonly 1.8% of the variance in Appearance Anxiety being explained by Self- Objectification. The relationship between Body Dissatisfaction and Appearance Anxiety in males is also weak, with only 3.6% of the variance in Appearance Anxiety being explained by Body Dissatisfaction. The relationship between Internalization of Media Ideals and Self-Objectification in males is stronger, with 12.2% of the variance in Self-Objectification being explained by Internalization of Media Ideals. The findings can help understand the predictors of appearance anxiety in male population in Asian cultures.

Nonverbal cues to deception: insights from a mock crime scenario in a Chinese sample.

Nonverbal behaviors could play a crucial role in detecting deception, yet existing studies on deception cues have largely centered on Western populations, predominantly university students, thus neglecting the influence of cultural and sample diversity. To address this gap, our study explored deception cues within an Asian cultural setting, utilizing a mock crime paradigm. Our sample comprised Chinese participants, including both men and women with various socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Our findings revealed that compared to truth tellers, liars exhibited heightened emotions and an increased cognitive load. Furthermore, liars showed a higher frequency of self-adaptors and a longer duration of gaze aversion. Our findings contribute to a more profound understanding of deception cues within Asian culture and have implications for practical fields such as criminal interrogation.

Health state utilities associated with weight loss: preferences of people with type 2 diabetes and obesity in Japan

Aims Health state utilities associated with weight change are needed for cost-utility analyses (CUAs) examining the value of treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity. Previous studies have estimated the utility benefits associated with various amounts of weight reduction in the US and Europe, but preferences for weight change in Asian cultures may differ from these published values. The purpose of this study was to estimate utilities associated with reductions in body weight based on preferences of individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity in Japan. Methods Health state vignettes represented type 2 diabetes with respondents’ own current weight and weight reductions of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%, 15%, and 20%. Utilities were elicited in time trade-off interviews with a sample of respondents in Japan with type 2 diabetes and body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 (the cutoff for obesity in Japan). Results Analyses were conducted with data from 138 respondents (84.8% male; mean age = 58.0 years; mean BMI = 29.4 kg/m2) from all eight regions of Japan. Utility gains gradually increased with rising percentage of weight reductions ranging from 2.5% to 15%. Weight reductions of 2.5% to 15% resulted in utility increases of 0.013 to 0.048. The health state representing a 20% weight reduction yielded a wide range of preferences (mean utility increase of 0.044). Equations are recommended for estimating utility change based on any percentage of weight reduction (up to 20%) in Japanese people with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Limitations This study was conducted in a sample with limited representation of patients with BMI >35 kg/m2 (n = 13) and relatively few women (n = 21). Conclusion Results may be used to provide inputs for CUAs examining the value of treatments that are associated with weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity in Japan.

Taking it Like a Man! Reactions of Male Employees to Sexual Harassment in Workplaces

This study investigates how heterosexual working males respond to sexual harassment they encounter at work in an Asian patriarchal culture that prescribes strict gender roles for men and women and supports heterosexual hegemonic masculinity. Using a qualitative research methodology, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 19 men who identified themselves as heterosexual. The findings indicate how the participants have responded to their experiences of sexual harassment, primarily through passivity and avoidance. In addition, on rare occasions, they have also engaged in resistance and reluctant acquiescence. These responses are largely shaped by cultural scripts and ideologies about masculinity and heterosexuality. By acting passively, the participants appear to attempt to preserve and conform to the gendered status quo, protect the perpetrators, avoid rocking the boat and prevent the tables from being turned on them. All in all, the reactions of males to sexual harassment demonstrate how masculinity is actively constructed and maintained in work settings. These findings, therefore, expand and contribute to the broader research area of sexual harassment of heterosexual men in general and, more specifically, to their reactions to sexual harassment in a cultural context that is rarely explored.

Evaluating past emotions in changing facial expressions: The role of current emotions and culture.

Facial expressions in daily life typically change from one emotional state to another. To understand how people process emotions, it is important to know not only how current facial expressions are interpreted but also recent past expressions. While researchers have recently focused on perceptions of current expressions, little is known about how past expressions are gauged and about cultural differences in this process. The present research investigated whether and how evaluations of past facial expressions are influenced by subsequent expressions, and whether this process varies across East Asian and Western cultures. Specifically, Chinese and Canadian participants judged the degree of positivity/negativity of past expressions after viewing expressions that changed from past emotions-low-intensity smiles (Experiment 1), high-intensity smiles (Experiment 2), and anger (Experiment 3)-to current positive or negative emotions (collected between 2019 and 2020). All three experiments consistently found an assimilation effect, whereby past expressions were rated more positively when the current expression was positive than when the current expression was negative. Moreover, this assimilation effect was consistently greater in Chinese than in Canadian participants. Together, these findings suggest that the interpretation of past facial expressions assimilates toward the valence of subsequent expressions and that the impact of this temporal emotional context is more pronounced in Eastern relative to Western cultures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Cross-cultural comparison of the influence of skin-color change on facial impressions.

Skin color is one of the colors we are most frequently exposed to. It contains information, such as ethnic group and health status, and numerous studies have demonstrated the influence of various facial attributes on the formation of impressions. However, no research has specifically explored the repercussions of treating changes in skin color as a singular variable. We cross-culturally examined skin color changes along with the red-yellow axis and how they influence facial impressions across six face shapes from three types of ethnicities. A 7-point scale was used for evaluation, and the observers evaluated the impression of face images according to the following six evaluation items: healthiness, preference, brightness, whiteness, transparency, and skin tone. The observers were divided into the following four groups: Japan, China, Thailand, and the Caucasus. Differences in the evaluation and association of skin color with various traits emerged between cultures. For instance, East Asian cultures associated positive attributes with reddish skin colors, whereas Caucasians often linked positive traits with yellowish skin colors. These cultural disparities emphasize the dynamic interplay between culture and perception in assessing facial impressions.

EFL Learners’ Strategies of Coping with Online Language Learning Difficulties During COVID-19

Since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic early in 2020, English language learners could no longer learn from faceto-face interactions and had to adapt to online lessons. This paper reports a study that investigated their learning strategies during their online sessions. To achieve the objective, a survey was conducted with 257 university students who were taking an English course as a compulsory subject. Several questions in a questionnaire were designed to elicit their cognitive, affective, sociocultural, and interactive strategies. The findings showed that taking notes, attending recorded lectures, quietly observing online interactions, doing the assignments, chatting with their classmates, and utilizing internet-based lessons were the most prominent strategies. Their seemingly passive attitude seems to stem from the Asian culture in which they were raised. A reliable internet connection was seen as vital for their learning, playing games, and watching movies, which were the ways to relieve stress and boredom while studying at home. Chatting with classmates could give them a sense of community which probably helped them relieve stress and boredom. Overall, the paper offers insights into how EFL learners coped with difficult learning circumstances. Some suggestions for English teachers that are related to the enhancement of online teaching are then proposed based on these findings.

A Comparative Study on Civic Consciousness between Pre-service Teachers in Thailand and Korea

The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the civic consciousness of pre-service teachers in Thailand and Korea to understand the educational culture of each country and to obtain implications for teacher education. As a result, the following results were obtained. First, Thai pre-service teachers considered the advantages of Thailand's education system providing good educational opportunities, and Korea is gaining the effects of good education. The disadvantages were Thailand's unchanging conservative education system and excessive learning, and Korea's entrance exam-oriented education system and simple teaching methods. According to the opinions of prospective teachers, both countries should make efforts to utilize the advantages and improve the disadvantages. Second, in terms of perception of the government and law, Korean pre-service teachers are more obedient to the government's authority than Thai pre-service teachers, and are also obedient to adults, teachers, and parents. On the other hand, Thai pre-service teachers thought that the judicial system was more fair than Korean pre-service teachers. In the case of Korea, the conservative and progressive regimes change frequently, so the results are likely to vary at each point of investigation. This is thought to be the same for Thailand. Third, when it comes to Asian traditional culture and identity, Thai and Korean pre-service teachers showed an attitude of empathy, and Korean pre-service teachers generally emphasized relatively higher morality and mental maturity as citizens. Fourth, when it comes to public services, Korean pre-service teachers were more critical of politicians' morality, corruption of co-authored services, and connectionism than Thai pre-service teachers. Considering the impact of teachers on students' attitudes and behaviors as democratic citizens, it is expected that the two countries will have many implications for the direction of teacher education in relation to democratic civic education if they expand the scope of investigation.

অসাম্প্রদায়িক বাংলাদেশ প্রতিষ্ঠায় সুফি ভাবধারার প্রভাব

The Sufi Saints played an important role to preach Islam in Bangladesh as well as South Asia. There are a lot of evidences about Shahaba (Companions of Prophet Sm.) came South Asia and Bangladesh for spreading Islam in the 7th Century. Next Centuries, hundreds of Sufis and their followers came for preaching Islam and spread over across the South Asia. Their excellent characteristics, strong morality, devotion, deep sense of humanity and serve to the poor people attracted non-Muslim people of this region. Generosity, equality and rich Islamic culture inspired local people to embrace new religion Islam. Interaction of South Asian Culture and Islamic Culture made a new dimension of Culture and Ethics in the Society. In Indian Society, Caste System of the Hindu, oppress to Subaltern people and humiliating abolished gradually. Even though, Reform movement of Hinduism and eradicate aristocracy system of the Hindu Society has started to free from Islamic influence. Education system opened for all during the Sultanate period in India. A new dimension of society and culture make amicable relations between the Hindu and Muslim of South Asia as well as Bangladesh. This Religious co-existing and harmony made South Asia a new mentality which called Communal Harmony. Non-Sectarian ideology inspired Muslim rulers to govern their territory. The Sufism and Sufi saints helped the rulers to make communal Harmony in the society. Communal harmony and social consistency were the vital roles of Muslim era in South Asia. In Nineteenth Century, rise of Sufi Saint and spiritual leader Mowlana Sayed Ahamed Ullah Mizbhandari (k.) (1826—1906) influenced society vividly. His philosophy and Mizbhandari Tariqa Played an important role in the Politics, Society and Culture of Bangladesh. Specially seven Ushal system, Mizbhandari mystic songs and no- Communal ideology inspired all sorts of peoples like the Hindu and Muslim. This research paper examines the influence of the Mizbhandari and other Sufi Tariqa in preaching Islam, Politics, Society and Culture of Bangladesh and South Asia. It also assesses any role of Sufism and Sufis thought to make non- Communal and moderate Bangladesh.

Introduction for Proceedings of a Panel Discussion on an Alternative Name of Physical Education in the East Asian Cultural Sphere

Introduction for Proceedings of a Panel Discussion on an Alternative Name of Physical Education in the East Asian Cultural Sphere

Efficacy of the Pedagogical, Cultural, and Advocacy Programming at Purdue University Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center

Efficacy of the Pedagogical, Cultural, and Advocacy Programming at Purdue University Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center