Cultural Expectations Research Articles

Motives of Parents Who Request the Catholic Sacraments of Initiation for Their Children

ABSTRACT Using attachment theory to interrogate findings, a single-case study investigated why parents present their children for the Sacraments of Initiation into the Catholic Church. Twelve parents from the Illawarra region, Australia, participated in the study. Robert K. Yin’s (Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods. 6th ed. Sage, 2018) analytic strategy resulted in two research questions (RQ), namely, why do parents present their children for Baptism and secondly, why do they continue with the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation despite having little to no Church contact during the in-between years? Five overarching themes were found for the first RQ, including non-religious incentive, focus on the child, struggle in understanding Baptism, future orientation and cultural expectation. The second RQ revealed four overarching themes, namely, child-focused apprehension, child-focused commitment, expenditure of time and priorities in a busy life. Emphasis on the child’s welfare was evident in all themes. Discussion focuses on the conflict between Church commitment and emphasis on the child’s well-being.

Exploring Factors Influencing Medical Trainees’ Specialty Choice: Insights from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in Jordan

Phenomenon: Choosing a medical specialty is a critical decision that significantly impacts medical students’ future career. Understanding the factors influencing this decision-making process is important for medical educators, policymakers, and healthcare providers to develop effective strategies that support and guide students in making informed decisions. Approach: We distributed an online self-administered questionnaire to clinical-year medical students (Years 4 to 6) and interns from all medical faculties in Jordan. The questionnaire gathered demographic information, specialty preferences, and factors influencing specialty decision-making. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Findings: 1805 participants completed the questionnaire (51.7% women). General surgery was the most preferred specialty among both genders, followed by internal medicine. Women significantly preferred family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and dermatology, whereas men significantly preferred urology, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, general surgery, and internal medicine. The factors that most strongly influenced respondents’ specialty preferences were the specialty’s perceived stress levels and working hours, whereas the least influential factors were the specialty’s perceived prestige and role models in the specialty. Women’s specialty preferences were significantly more influenced by their family than men’s. Men were substantially more influenced by specialties’ perceived action-orientation and stress levels than women. Insights: Gender significantly influences medical trainees’ specialty preferences in Jordan. Women tended to prefer specialties that provided greater work-life balance, such as family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and dermatology, while men were more drawn toward competitive and profitable surgical specialties like orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, and general surgery. Additionally, family had a stronger influence on women’s decisions, likely due to cultural and social expectations prioritizing marriage and family for women. Career counseling and mentorship programs are needed to provide guidance, support, and networking opportunities that can help women overcome barriers and biases that may hinder their career advancement.

The Pattern and Profile of Orofacial Clefts in Somaliland: A Review of 40 Consecutive Cleft Lip and Palate Surgical Camps.

Somaliland is an autonomously run country that is not internationally recognized. As such, it has been largely excluded by global health development programs despite being the world's fourth poorest country. The purpose of this study was to provide the first known description of the pattern and clinical profile of patients with cleft lip and palate from this nation. The authors performed a retrospective chart review on all patients who received cleft lip and palate repair by a single surgeon in 40 separate surgical camps at Edna Adan University Hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland, between 2011 and 2024. Information regarding patient age, sex, cleft etiology, surgical management, and home location was retrieved. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. A total of 767 patients (495 male, 64.5%) received 787 surgical procedures. The average age of primary surgery was 73.7 months. The most common chief complaint was left cleft lip with cleft palate (316, 41.2%). Males received primary surgery 19.2 months later than did females (73.7 and 54.6mo, respectively, P <0.001). Patients residing in Hargeisa received their initial procedure an average of 17.8 months younger than those who lived elsewhere in Somaliland (62.9 and 80.7mo, respectively, P =0.004). In this severely economically depressed region, patients received treatment at ages that lagged far beyond recommended guidelines. Our finding of earlier treatment for females than males is rare in the literature and likely relates to cultural sex expectations. Patients from rural locations were especially vulnerable to receiving delayed treatment. Further efforts to decrease the burden of craniofacial deformities in Somaliland should be pursued in earnest.

A qualitative study on Chinese primary school EFL teachers’ beliefs about incorporating intercultural competence into foreign language teaching

Intercultural competence has become one of the important goals of foreign language education. The potential and value of foreign language education on students' intercultural competence (IC) has been widely recognized by academia. Currently, most of the research on intercultural foreign language teachers in China focuses on university teachers, with little attention paid to primary school EFL teachers. However, the cultivation of IC is a staged and continuous process which cannot be achieved in one stroke. Therefore, it is necessary to include primary school EFL teachers in the study of IC cultivation. This paper presents data on Chinese primary school EFL teachers' beliefs about incorporating IC into foreign language teaching. Specifically, their understanding of culture, IC, and intercultural teaching practices are investigated through interviews. The interview transcriptions were analyzed using thematic analysis. The research found: 1. Chinese primary school EFL teachers generally hold an essentialist view of culture; 2. Teachers emphasize the attitudinal dimension of IC; however, they also exhibit a tendency to oversimplify IC or perceive it as a higher-order skill than language proficiency, hence deeming it unsuitable for cultivation at the primary school level; 3. Most cultural teaching practices are teacher-centered, focusing on background knowledge-style introduction. In general, teachers’ intercultural teaching practices align with their cultural outlook. At last, the study explores two suggestions for promoting intercultural foreign language teaching: 1. Supporting primary school EFL teachers in updating their language and culture concepts system; 2. Encouraging teachers to reflect on their daily teaching practices as a major opportunity to promote the development of intercultural foreign language teaching.

Revolutionary Teaching Approaches

Particular emphasis on the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) paradigm, this research aims to investigate the innovative teaching approaches used in Pakistan's educational system. Pakistan is encountering several obstacles to preparing its educational system for the 21st century's demands. As a result, there is a crucial need for innovative methods of instruction. To solve the inadequacies associated with conventional learning methods that rely on memory, transformative pedagogies emphasise student-centred modern ideas and practices. This research investigates the adoption of online learning environments (OBE) in Pakistani schools and its impact on learner participation, critical thinking, and adaptability. The document acknowledges both possibilities and problems, especially about incorporating technology. Some of the constraints include limited resources and cultural expectations. A methodology that utilises many methods, including interviews, observations, and document analysis, was used during an academic year to contribute to the results. The findings of the study indicate that there are a variety of ways in which OBE is implemented, that there is a positive connection between transformational pedagogies and learner engagement, and that there are disparate effects on students at various educational levels. Among the suggestions that have been made in light of the findings are establishing a uniform OBE framework, developing faculty, and including technology. The long-term impacts and the influence of technology and community participation will be the prime focus of study in the future. The findings of this study provide essential insights that may be used to develop a dynamic educational system in Pakistan that can accommodate the demanding requirements of the changing global scene.

Disasters and gender in Japanese anime films: Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name and Weathering with You

PurposeThis article focuses on the representations of natural hazards, disasters, gender roles and norms in Makoto Shinkai’s disaster-themed anime films Your Name (2016) and Weathering with You (2019).Design/methodology/approachThis article commences with a literature review on disasters, disaster films, gender in disasters and gender in disaster films; then, this article thoroughly investigates the portrayal of disasters and gender in the two films, drawing data from their narratives and plots.FindingsThis article finds that the two films’ depictions of disasters and gender adhere to the traditional patterns observed in Hollywood and Japanese disaster films. The natural hazards and disasters in the two films reflect real-world disasters that occurred in Japan’s recent decades, especially the 3.11 Tohoku earthquake in 2011. Traditional gender figures and prevalent heterosexual expectations in Japanese culture and society deeply influence the two films’ portrayal of gender roles and norms.Originality/valueNumerous academic works explored Hollywood disaster films, their representations of gender roles and norms in disaster themes. However, few focus on recent Japanese anime films such as Your Name and Weathering with You. This article aims to fill this gap.

Challenges of Targeting Business Ambitions with Safety Culture Outlook for Corporates

Challenges of Targeting Business Ambitions with Safety Culture Outlook for Corporates

Gendered cultural tightropes: bicultural Latinas navigating and negotiating familismo in American doctoral programmes

ABSTRACT Research underscores the ‘gender reversal’ in college enrolment and educational attainment that appears to favour women today. However, less is known about how Latinas navigate doctoral study demands and gendered cultural expectations within their ethnicity. We use Chicana/Latina Feminist Theory to explore how the ethnic cultural script of familismo intersects with the demands of doctoral study for bicultural Latina doctoral students of various generational and class levels. Drawing on 20 interviews with Latinas enrolled in American doctoral programmes, we find that they negotiate what we term gendered cultural tightropes as evinced by the importance of (1) Maintaining closeness amidst geographic separation; (2) Appraising parental consejos [nurturing advice] and; (3) Navigating familism within individualist values of the academy. We argue that these gendered cultural tightropes, imbued with the ideals of familismo, are placed upon them because of the social categories they inhabit and are independent of class and immigrant generational level.

Editorial: More Practical Gender Research is Needed in Higher Education Leadership and Management

This Editorial explores the challenges and barriers faced by women in leadership roles within higher education institutions using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. This Editorial investigates internal, external, and institutional obstacles hindering women's progression into leadership positions. Gender biases, socio-political traditions, cultural expectations, and institutional norms contribute to the under-representation of women in leadership roles. Additionally, internal factors such as lack of confidence and fear of failure further impede career advancement. Despite these challenges, the editorial highlights the pivotal role of women in shaping leadership standards and underscores the transformative impact of diverse leadership teams. The Editorial advocates for pragmatic scholarly approaches to considering achievement of equal opportunities for women in leadership, emphasising education, progressive workplace policies, mentorship programs, and cultural shifts. By embracing an approach nested in the macro-, meso-, and micro-level environments, a more holistic approach to research aimed at fostering innovative scholarly advancement is encouraged.

Inside the kaleidoscope: unravelling the "feeling different" experience of bicultural bilinguals.

This article explores the phenomenon of "feeling different" experienced by bicultural bilingual individuals when they switch between their two different languages. Available data suggests that this experience is genuine and holds substantive value, not merely anecdotal. While on one hand, such a feeling may stem from the fact that the two languages were acquired at different times in individuals' lives (with all that entails in terms of efficiency and empowerment in using the two languages), on the other hand, it seems to entail deeper differences linked to the differential activation of cultural values, behavioral patterns, and expectations when the two languages are used. Its manifestations seem to be influenced by a variety of factors beyond just language choice, including the context in which this choice is performed. Results of studies investigating the experience of feeling different also suggest that it can lead to a sense of exclusion, isolation or marginalization within one's own community. However, this experience more often yields positive outcomes, with individuals perceiving it as enriching and contributing positively to both their personal development and the broader societal fabric. Amid contemporary challenges related to immigration, the study of biculturalism and related psychological phenomena, such as the "feeling different" experience, becomes imperative, as it may provide insights into how individuals navigate the complexities linked to their cultural identities.

Is Bergen Unseasonal? On Europe’s Shifting Relation to Seasons

This article reflects on whether and how European communities’ cultural frameworks of seasons are coming to poorly correspond to the climatic conditions they experience, and the implications for how Europe adapts to climatic (and social and environmental) change. It starts from a colder- and drier-than-normal autumn and winter (2023/2024) in Bergen, Norway, and a local researcher’s investigation into why these climatically anomalous seasons were being culturally celebrated as ‘seasonal weather’. He compares studies into the Bergen population’s cultural expectations for weather conditions in each of the four seasons, with the statistical climatic record, and reveals a mismatch. He argues that the four-season framework prominent in Europe poorly describes or anticipates meteorology in Bergen, and that other frameworks could fit better. The article argues that seasonal frameworks continuously evolve with interlinked environmental and social change – from drivers such as climate change, landscape modification, social evolution, and globalization – so that seasonal mismatches are as much about how societies culturally re-conceive of seasons as about physical climate change for instance. This is important because the way European societies divide the year by seasonal expectations affects how they relate to the meteorological conditions they come to face each season.

"Today, I Say It's Mine!": Professional Identity Construction among Jewish and Arab School Counselors Coping with CSA Disclosure in Israel.

School counselors play a crucial role in preventing, disclosing, and intervening in child sexual abuse cases (CSA) and in maintaining safe and protected school environments. However, research on their experiences coping with CSA remains limited. The purpose of the present study was to describe and analyze the coping experiences of Israeli Jewish and Arab school counselors with CSA disclosure, particularly the consequences for their processes of professional identity construction (the ongoing process through which they develop and refine their sense of self in their profession). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 Israeli Jewish and Arab school counselors working in elementary schools (grades 1-6) with significant experience in coping with CSA. Two themes surfaced, reflecting the counselors' professional identity construction: (1) Counselors' professional identity transformation following encounters with CSA among their students; (2) Integrating professional knowledge, attitudes, and engagement behaviors into professional identity. The findings describe a trajectory of transformation and professional development among the counselors, beginning with defining and refining their professional roles and followed by the integration of professional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors into their professional routines. Arab counselors also highlighted specific sociocultural challenges within this process, relating to the gap between cultural values and role expectations. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Appearance and Social Inequalities: Physical Attractiveness as a Part of Occupation-Congruent Appearance

Appearance-based inequalities are gaining increasing interest in sociology. This article is the first to systematically examine the extent to which attractiveness is linked to culturally shared ideas of representatives of different occupations. We conceptualise these cultural expectations as ‘occupation-congruent appearance’. To understand the gendered dynamics between attractiveness and looking ‘congruent’, we analyse large-scale photograph data representing a heterogeneous group of different occupations ( n = 1411), including population-level ratings on those photographs ( n = 3456). We find that for both men and women, attractiveness is generally associated with an increase in perceived occupation-congruent appearance. However, this association is gendered, so the differences between occupational categories are greater for men than for women. Therefore, we argue that attractiveness can magnify appearance-based status differences, particularly among men. The research opens new perspectives to examine appearance and inequalities, not only from the perspective of looking attractive, but also through looking congruent.

Are women more risk-Averse than men regarding investment decision?

This paper emphasizes the significance of how gender influences the decision of an individual while taking investment decisions. It investigates the possible impact of gender on investment behavior, risk tolerance, and preferred investment avenues. Prior research has investigated of female investors having lower risk tolerance than men and tends to steer clear of high-risk investment options. The study made an effort to highlight the disparities between men's and women's investing options and risk tolerance. Differential gender-based investing patterns have been shaped by cultural expectations and traditional gender stereotypes. In several past literatures women have always been underestimated by researchers in the magnitude of investment decision making as several past papers have shown they have encountered various social stigma and that are the possible reasons which have a greater impact on their investment choices. According to research, women frequently have more risk-averse attitudes than men do when it comes to their financial activities. In our present research paper we clearly get a striking disparity in the investment options and a remarkably distinct tolerance level for risk aptitude for male and female investors.

Power Relations in Ekegusii Gendered Proverbs

Language acts as a primary vehicle for transmitting cultural norms, values, and expectations, as well as thought paradigms, from one generation to another. This is despite language choices in Ekegusii proverbs being loaded with culturally stereotypical language choices about gender. This study investigated how power discourses are employed in Ekegusii proverbs. The study applied Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) by Fairclough (1989, 1993 and 2001) and Van Dijk (2001). This research adopted a descriptive qualitative research design. The target population was eighty (80) ekegusii proverbs. Purposive sampling procedures were used to select eighty power-related proverbs. The study adopted the three-dimensional discourse framework as a method of data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that power relations are embedded in Ekegusii proverbs. The lexicalization and level of meaning of proverbs showed that these proverbs obtain their sexist and obscene connotations, which are construed as being laden with an impertinent reference that derogates womanhood. The study further revealed that linguistic features such as metaphors, negative syntactic structures, and vocabulary are used to enact power between genders. The study recommends that gendered proverbs be consciously improved to portray gender neutrality, equality and contemporariness.

Exploration of Dementia Help Seeking Behaviours Amongst UK South Asian Communities: A Systematic Review

In the UK, 25,000 people from ethnic minority background live with dementia. Although dementia associated risk factors are common amongst South Asians, they tend to present at services later and when in crisis. This review explores UK South Asian communities perception of dementia to understand factors impacting their decision to seek help. Search terms assisted by the PICO strategy were inputted into five databases and ten qualitative papers identified. Meta-ethnography methodological framework was implemented for analysis. Four overarching understandings were identified: unfamiliarity with dementia (related to carers initial interpretation of dementia symptoms as normal ageing), cultural expectations to provide care (influenced by communities believes), services not being able to meet cultural needs impacted carers from seeking help and protective factors (religion and community belonging appear to help carers manage their needs). Carers decisions to seek help from dementia services were often influenced by cultural norms and negative experiences of services. They, consequently, turned to alternative approaches to best suit meet their needs. Understanding South Asian’s carers dementia help seeking behaviour would help services adapt and cater appropriately for service users’ needs.

The Magic Word? Face-Work and the Functions of Please in Everyday Requests

Expressions of politeness such as please are prominent elements of interactional conduct that are explicitly targeted in early socialization and are subject to cultural expectations around socially desirable behavior. Yet their specific interactional functions remain poorly understood. Using conversation analysis supplemented with systematic coding, this study investigates when and where interactants use please in everyday requests. We find that please is rare, occurring in only 7 percent of request attempts. Interactants use please to manage face-threats when a request is ill fitted to its immediate interactional context. Within this, we identify two environments in which please prototypically occurs. First, please is used when the requestee has demonstrated unwillingness to comply. Second, please is used when the request is intrusive due to its incompatibility with the requestee’s engagement in a competing action trajectory. Our findings advance research on politeness and extend Goffman’s theory of face-work, with particular salience for scholarship on request behavior.

Intergenerational Ambivalence, Self-differentiation and Ethnic Identity: A Mixed-methods Study on Family Ethnic Socialization

Ethnic identity, profoundly influenced by familial factors, embodies multifaceted layers; yet, the intricate process of family ethnic socialization warrants deeper exploration. This study focuses on exploring the complexities of ethnic identity formation, specifically within the context of Yi adolescents. Employing a mixed-methods approach, it delves into family ethnic socialization dynamics among Yi adolescents. The research engaged 606 surveyed participants and conducted interviews with 188 individuals in focused group settings in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. Quantitative analysis revealed correlations between caregiver-adolescent relationships (CAR) and ethnic identity. Adolescents experiencing ambivalent, positive, or neutral CAR exhibited higher ethnic identity levels than those with negative CAR. Qualitative analysis highlighted two key themes. Firstly, families tended to acculturate love through traditional cultural expectations and socialization, demonstrated through unconscious integration of Yi culture and a focus on individual modernity within family values. Secondly, ethnic identity attainment was observed through self-differentiation, including reflexive awareness of Yi ethnicity, enrichment of Yi identity through peer interactions, and the connection of self-actualization with Yi prosperity. The findings emphasize the need for culturally sensitive support, particularly for social workers, to facilitate reflexive self-differentiation among ethnic minority adolescents during family ethnic socialization.

Incorporating Malay Communicative and Cultural Values in Discourse: An Analysis of Mahathir Mohamed’s Orations

The cultural values and beliefs of the Malaysian community play a substantial role in shaping their communication approach and strategies. This study was to investigate how Malay values and beliefs were incorporated in communication in one of the most effective speeches of Mahathir Mohamed as a prominent leader in the Southern East of Asia and how these values were employed to influence his audience. The thematic analysis was used to analyse the selected speech and identify key themes, ideas, and topics that reflected Malay communicative and cultural values including indirectness, politeness, and Islamic beliefs. The findings demonstrated a notable contrast between the way Mahathir communicates and the discourse of indirectness commonly associated with Malay discourse. They showed that Mahathir employed direct language and assertive communicative approach to convey his messages and to avoid confusing his audience. This departure from traditional norms suggests that Mahathir recognizes the importance of clarity and precision in persuasive communication, prioritizing audience comprehension over conformity to cultural expectations. While Mahathir is unlike Malays in terms of indirectness, he employed other Malay communicative values such as referring to Islam principles, rationality and emotionality. He incorporated rationality (akal budi) with emotion (hati budi) to work together to influence his audience.

The Negative Effects of Cultural Identity on Preschool Girls in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba Counties of Liberia

This paper probes into the multifaceted issues surrounding violence against women and challenges to girls' education in Liberia. Coomaraswamy's 2002 research underscored the role of cultural behaviors in family structures contributing significantly to violence against women. King and Winthrop's 2015 study explored factors such as poverty, gender norms, and cultural expectations, contributing to discussions on fair educational opportunities. Cunningham et al.'s 2023 research delved into gender disparities across economic, educational, healthcare, and political spheres, employing a women's empowerment perspective. Theoretical frameworks rooted in gender and social norm theories were employed to understand the impact of cultural identity on preschool girls' education in Liberia. The study focused on evaluating negative effects on preschool girls in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to create a supportive environment. Coomaraswamy's 2002 insistence on rejecting the use of cultural considerations to justify violence against girls resonates globally. The study also highlighted disparities in girls' primary school enrollment rates in the region compared to the global average, emphasizing the urgency of addressing educational inequalities. Overall, this paper contributes valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and communities, advocating for positive change in Liberia's educational landscape and women's empowerment.