Cultural Perspective Research Articles

Manifestations, social impact, and decay of conceptual beliefs: A cultural perspective.

Believing comprises multifaceted processes that integrate information from the outside world through meaning-making processes with personal relevance. Qualitative Review of the current literature in social cognitive neuroscience. Although believing develops rapidly outside an individual's conscious awareness, it results in the formation of beliefs that are stored in memory and play an important role in determining an individual's behavior. Primal beliefs reflect an individual's experience of objects and events, whereas conceptual beliefs are based on narratives that are held in social groups. Conceptual beliefs can be about autobiographical, political, religious, and other aspects of life and may be encouraged by participation in group rituals. We hypothesize that assertions of future gains and rewards that transcend but are inherent in these codices provide incentives to follow the norms and rules of social groups. The power of conceptual beliefs to provide cultural orientation is likely to fade when circumstances and evidence make it clear that what was asserted no longer applies.

The Impact of Brand Personality Congruence on Brand Loyalty in Social Media Interactions: A Cultural Difference Perspective

This paper examines the impact of brand personality congruence on brand loyalty in the context of social media interactions, with a focus on cultural differences. By analyzing the extent to which consumers’ perceptions of a brand’s personality align with their own self-concept, this study aims to understand how this congruence influences brand loyalty across different cultural settings. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to gather insights from social media users in various cultural contexts.

Cultural mechanisms linking mothers' familism values to externalizing behaviors among Midwest U.S. Latinx adolescents.

This study was designed to examine associations among parents' familism values, adolescents' cultural resources, and externalizing behavior among Latinx youth in the Midwestern United States. Participants were 267 Latinx adolescents (M age = 15.58 years; SD = 1.28 years; 45% girls; 82.8% Mexican American) and their mothers/mother figures who completed individually administered interviews comprised of standardized measures. Structural equation modeling was used to test several alternative mediational models in which youth ethnic identity and familism values served as potential cultural mechanisms linking parents' familism values to lower levels of youth externalizing behavior. Results showed that mothers' familism values were positively associated with youth ethnic identity which was positively associated with youth familism values; in turn, youth familism values were inversely associated with externalizing behavior. The findings did not differ by youth gender or nativity (U.S.-born vs. foreign-born youth). These findings provide support for cultural resilience perspectives by highlighting the protective role of ethnic identity and familism values among U.S. Latinx adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Navigating criminal justice cooperation: A French perspective on EU framework decisions

This article provides a nuanced exploration of the implications of EU criminal justice cooperation, particularly within French probation and judicial services. Focusing on EU Framework Decisions 2008/947/JAI and 2009/829/JAI, the article delves into their impact and adaptation in France, offering insights into challenges, adaptations, and practical considerations from the French standpoint. The article contextualises the implications of EU Framework Decisions by integrating valuable insights from the French probation and judicial services. Statistical data and case analyses illustrate practical challenges and applications within the French criminal justice landscape. The article highlights specific challenges faced within the French criminal justice system, such as prison overcrowding and the treatment of foreign nationals. It emphasises enhanced communication, trust, and collaboration among stakeholders within the European criminal justice system. Addressing the adaptation of EU Framework Decisions in France, the article navigates the complexities involved in aligning European law with national legislation and the delicate balance required to maintain sovereignty while embracing cooperative legal frameworks. The nuanced cultural perspectives permeating the French criminal justice landscape are examined to comprehensively understand the unique challenges and adaptations within the French context. The article also discusses the paradox between establishing European probation standards and the challenges in building trust among probation officers and stakeholders across European nations, offering potential strategies for improvement in European criminal justice cooperation. In conclusion, this article provides valuable insights into the complexities and challenges within European criminal law, offering directives for enhanced collaboration and effectiveness within the European legal landscape. It is a pivotal analysis contributing to informed discussions and policy decision-making within European criminal justice cooperation.

Meanings and perceptions of parenthood among transgender men who became pregnant before gender transition.

This qualitative study, with five participating interlocutors, sought to understand the senses and meanings of parenting among trans men who became pregnant before gender transition. Analysis was conducted in light of social theories of gender. The results demonstrated an experience of parenthood subject to a field of tensions and negotiations, as well as subjective production that oscillated between transgression and accommodation of the cultural perspective of their own experience. The forms of violence found to be practiced reiterated social vulnerabilities, exposed healthcare service weaknesses and produced harmful effects on transgender men who become pregnant before gender transition.

한국어 개념적 은유의 문화상대주의적 특성과 이에 따른 교육 방안

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the face threat posed by Korean metaphors from a cultural relativist perspective and present educational approaches accordingly.
 Methods To achieve research goal, a survey was conducted with a total of 124 participants, including 48 Koreans, 56 Americans, and 20 Chinese individuals, to compare and analyze their perceptions of face threat in Korean metaphors. According to the theory of the great chain of being, we classified Korean metaphorical expressions with a threat to dignity into categories of human, animal, organic, and inanimate objects. Using SPSS version 27, we analyzed the perceptions of respondents from three countries based on their familiarity, power distance, and sex.
 Results According to the analysis, respondents from the three countries generally felt little discomfort when using person-related metaphors. However, they experienced significant face threat when using metaphors related to inanimate objects and organic substances. On the other hand, Korean and Chinese respondents showed a greater awareness of the interpersonal closeness aspect in metaphor usage, while this tendency was less pronounced among American respondents.
 Conclusions Korean, Chinese, and American respondents demonstrate a simultaneous combination of universality and cultural relativism in their perception of face threat in metaphorical expressions, depending on the relationship between the metaphorical expression and the cultural context.

조선시대 설행된 여제(厲祭)의 제장 연구

The purpose of this study is to re-examine Yŏ-je(厲祭) by targeting Yŏdan( 厲壇) of the Hansungbu(漢城府, Hanyang area) during the Joseon Dynasty. Yo ̆-je is a ritual to appease Yo ̆-gui(厲鬼), who was considered to be the source of plague and disaster. Since space(空間) and symbols(象徵 物) were not carefully discussed in the existing studies, this study focuses on ritual space and ritual symbols. Therefore, this study attempts to clarify the cultural value of death inherent in Yŏ-gui, focusing on material culture. Joseon Dynasty attempted to build a new Yŏ-dan from the beginning of the dynasty. Yŏ-dan had begun to be built in the 15th century, but it was shaped according to the formality by etiquette in the 16th century. In Hanyang, ritual spaces were located outside the four gates. It can be divided into permanent and temporary space. The permanent Yŏ-dan was located in the Bukgyo(北郊) outside the ChanguiMoon(彰義門) and the temporary Yŏdan was located in Samgyo. Yŏ-dans of Hansungbu were built in the same form of Youngsungdan(靈星 壇). Yŏ-je was held in Yŏ-dan in Bukgyo after ceremony of Seonghwang(城 隍) to Yŏ-dan in Namgyo(南郊). Seonghwang is god of the other world, he places a role in bringing MusaGui(無祀鬼) together. As for the arrangement structure of the altar, memorial tablet of Songhwang was placed facing south, tablets of MusaGui were placed left and right of Seonghwang on the lower altar facing each other. The number of tablets of MusaGui was 12 in the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty under the influence of Ming, but it changed to 15 in king Sejong period. I guess that types of sorrow abnormal death reflected sense of value of the contemporary people were added. This study seeks to value Hansungbu's Yo ̆-je in that it has developed its thesis from the perspective of material culture. The purpose of this study is to re-examine Yŏ-jeby targeting Yŏ-danof

Reflecting and [Living]: Philosophy and Architecture of the Art and Performance of Talawang

This research examines Talawang shields, which have received little attention in scientific studies. Talawang shields are a cultural treasure for the Dayak people of Kalimantan, featuring intricate carvings, motifs, colours, and universes that blend art with local-global philosophical meanings. This is a qualitative research study that utilises previous studies as a secondary source of data. Additionally, the researchers provide evidence in the form of images of Talawang shields, which are considered an artistic luxury in Indonesia. The study also includes important interview results from credible sources with a cultural perspective to support the data. The results indicate that the Talawang shield serves as an art space for fashion and architecture, as well as a symbol of courage, responsibility, and loyalty. When presented to readers, observers, and art workers, the Talawang shield conveys multiple meanings.

Unraveling the Human Characters Represented in Dutch Water Proverbs: A Cultural Linguistic Perspective

This article investigates the human character represented in Dutch proverbs related to water. The research method used is a qualitative approach with a content analysis design. Data were collected from Dutch proverb dictionaries published in the Netherlands and Dutch-Indonesian dictionaries published in Indonesia. The data were analyzed using cultural linguistic theory with associative-conceptual analysis techniques. The research results showed that the proverb of water in the Dutch language represents human characters which are divided into positive and negative categories. The positive characters found describe people who are optimistic, quiet, willing to compromise, brave, and honest which are the wisdom found in Dutch society. The proverbs of water also reveal negative human characters such as people who like to insinuate, who are exaggerative, who like to look for other people’s mistakes, and who seek opportunities from the suffering of others. These human characters are the view of the Dutch in understanding the world and are used as a reflection of life with social goals as advice, morals, and teaching.

Beyond the Veil

This article critically analyzes the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam (CDHRI) and its relationship with the widely recognized Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which guarantees and protects human rights for all regardless of gender, social and economic situations. Adopted by 45 Islamic states in 1990, the CDHRI is often portrayed as complementing the UDHR but is rooted in Sharia Law, leading to tensions between universal and cultural relativist perspectives on human rights. By using Saudi Arabia and Indonesia as case studies to illustrate the various manners the Sharia Law is implemented, this paper illustrates how the law in these countries amplifies social, physical, and structural violence specifically against gender and religious minorities, namely Shia. This highlights the immense disparities between international human rights norms and state-centric patriarchal norms. Additionally, by analyzing the legal frameworks of these states, specifically the Aceh region in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia as a whole, this article emphasizes the complex interplay between universalistic ideals and cultural relativism, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of human rights in diverse cultural contexts.

Local wisdom-based tourism development and communication strategy in Sayang Heulang beach

Sayang Heulang Beach, a tourism destination on the southern coast of Garut Regency, holds a significant intangible cultural heritage encompassing the local wisdom of Mancagahar Village, Pameungpeuk Sub-District, and Garut in general. This research explored communication and promotional strategies for the development of Sayang Heulang Beach, using a qualitative approach based on its local wisdom. By conducting interviews with seven informants and validity data using the triangulation technique with Focus Group Discussion (FGD), the study revealed that the destination fulfilled the requirements of nature-based tourism, offering authenticity, uniqueness, locality, and an immersive cultural experience among the community. However, there were areas for improvement. The local wisdom from cultural, historical, and mythical perspectives was still in the exploration process, and budget limitations resulted in the absence of thorough target market identification. Moreover, communication messages and promotions did not address tourists' fundamental needs regarding functionality, symbolism, and memorable experiences.

Internationalisation of teaching, learning, and the curriculum in context: Emerging perspectives and new possibilities

The conceptualisation of internationalisation of the curriculum has evolved over the last 30 years. Simultaneously, its contextual foundation has also gradually shifted from being Euro-centric to encompass a broader landscape beyond the Western domain. Therefore, understanding of Internationalisation of the curriculum needs to include practices in these contexts. This special issue hence has invited researchers and practitioners in the field of higher education internationalisation to participate in this conversation. The focus of the discussion is on emerging and alternative understanding and practices of internationalising the curriculum which include incorporating local cultural values and perspectives in the curriculum. This Special Issue features articles that firmly situate the Internationalisation of teaching, learning, and the curriculum in their specific contexts and acknowledge the influence of important contextual factors on the motivations, processes, and outcomes of internationalisation. Closely associated with taking an inclusive lens in understanding internationalisation of the curriculum, we also discuss the inclusivity of communicating research in this field. Specifically, we discuss the challenges encountered by scholars working outside the English-speaking domain to communicate their research with English-speaking research communities. We hence call for support for international academics from the publication outlets. We hope that this Special Issue constitutes a step towards a more diverse and inclusive scholarship in the field of internationalisation in higher education.

Aspectos cognitivos y emocionales en la intención de compra en consumidores innovadores

The following research aims to deepen the understanding of the cognitive and emotional processes associated with purchase intention in consumers from Latin America. Considering the theory of systems of thought on one side and emotions on the other, the effects on purchase intention in consumers with different degrees of innovation are evaluated from a preliminary view. Using psychometric instruments validated in previous research on these topics, the study is applied to a sample of Chilean university students, with differences in sociodemographic variables, such as income levels and educational background. The results indicate relationships between systems of thought and the effects of emotions, both for hedonistic and utilitarian products, with significant differences according to gender, using partial correlations. This study attempts to be a contribution to improve the understandingof innovative consumer behavior in a Latin American context, from a cognitiveemotional perspective, as a first approach to the deepening of this type of processes, from a regional and cultural perspective.

Betty Shamieh’s The Black Eyed: An Arab-American Woman Playwright Inverts and Subverts Orientalism

Arab-American playwright Betty Shamieh emerged on the contemporary theatre scene in the early 2000s with an artistic voice and cultural perspective that broke new ground on the American stage. Her early plays were personal stories of family that studied the immigrant experience through the eyes of exclusively Arab-American characters. Shamieh’s writing shifted after the events of 9/11 and resulted in her writing “The Black Eyed”, a play that addresses the Middle East conflict through the stories of four Arab women. Shamieh’s play adjusts the lens through which audiences witness the Arab-American experience and confront their Orientalist tendencies. Her cultural investigation rides a razor’s edge of Orientalism; she positions herself as both “us” and “them” within the discourse as she flips the hegemonic power structure. In this essay I use a close reading informed by Edward Said’s theories to examine the ways in which Shamieh inverts and subverts a gendered use of Orientalism in “The Black Eyed’s” themes and characters, using established tropes like the harem, houris, martyrs, violence, and seduction to fuel her project.

A Snapshot of Ongoing Transculturalism in Britain: Refugee NGO Website Personal Narratives and Global Border Crossing—A Case Study

With a focus on refugees’ written personal narratives on refugee NGO websites, this paper examines ongoing transculturalism in Britain and its interplay with globalization and current international migration. Conceiving such personal narratives as cultural texts pertaining to refugee narratives as a broad genre that encompasses different storytelling modalities, those personal stories on refugee NGO websites are explored from a cultural studies perspective. CDA is employed as a methodology for this cultural studies-oriented piece. A qualitatively oriented case study is accordingly presented based on the detailed examination of an example of such written narratives on the website of one such refugee NGO in the UK so as to instantiate and contribute to disentangling the articulation of this characteristic form of ongoing transculturalism. Special emphasis is laid on the discursive construction of refugees’ transcultural identities in such narratives through their participation in those global border-crossing processes characteristic of the contemporary landscape.

A cultural theory perspective to service expectations in restaurants and food services

Purpose Prior research examining cultural effects on customer service expectations has primarily used more generic Western cultural theory on an aggregate scale or with only a single variable to draw conclusions on a customer’s underlying reasoning for buying a service. This study aims to focus on culturally distinct clusters within non-Western nations, specifically exploring within-cluster differences in service expectations within the Confucian Asia cluster. Design/methodology/approach This study developed a measurement model of Chinese cultural values and service expectations, consisting of a three and five-factor structure, respectively. Data from a sample of 351 diners were analysed using SmartPLS software. The data was compared with similar studies within the Confucian Asia cluster to understand the culture effect on service expectations and within-cluster variations. Findings The findings underscore the varying importance of cultural values in shaping customer service expectations, emphasizing their relative, rather than equal, significance. The study provides insights into potential within-group differences in customer service expectations within the same cultural cluster – without losing sight of the fundamental cultural heterogeneity of the Confucian culture. Practical implications Managers should leverage the distinct cultural values of their operating country to gain insights into diverse customer groups, predict their behaviours and meet their needs and expectations. Originality/value This study offers valuable insights to both service management scholars and practitioners by focusing on culturally distinct clusters of non-Western nations and exploring their effects on variation in service expectations within these clusters.

Saudi Phatic Communication in Translation: A Cultural and Linguistic Perspective

Adopting a functional approach to translation, this study dives deep into phatic communion expressions, categorizing them in relation to their direct translations in English and identifying culturally equivalent phrases in manual and machine translation. With a newly developed corpus of 157 Saudi Arabic phatic expressions, the study classifies them into eight categories, viz., greetings and rituals, politeness, inquiries about well-being, blessings and good wishes, small talk, acknowledgement and agreement, farewells and departure, and expressions of gratitude and appreciation. The corpus is created from five Arabic language films classified as popular choices on Netflix. The corpus is then translated by 21 final year English Language program students at Shaqra University, KSA, and by Google Translate (GT). Findings show that most frequently phatic expressions are used to express polite and warm introductions, maintaining courteous communication, and for cultural and religious dimensions. Findings also indicate that the Saudi students demonstrated a high degree of communicative translation of the Arabic phatic expressions into English whereas GT output was off the mark and even irrelevant in many instances, making a case for discouraging the use of GT in Saudi translation studies classrooms. The study concludes with pertinent recommendations offering insights that can be useful in fostering understanding and cultural sensitivity among non-Saudis interacting with Saudi individuals, making this study crucial for those in the fields of translation, intercultural communication, and linguistics.

Construction of Openness in the Context of Muhammadiyah Education: A Cultural Study Perspective

This research uses a cultural studies approach to describe the construction of openness in the context of Muhammadiyah education. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and document analysis through qualitative methods. The results show that openness in the Muhammadiyah educational environment involves accepting students from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds and practicing open dialogue and cooperation among all relevant parties. Additionally, this openness also includes acceptance of new ideas and values, recognition of differing perspectives, and the implementation of inclusive policies. This research aims to gain a deeper understanding of the development of openness in Muhammadiyah education from a cultural studies perspective and its impact in shaping an inclusive and responsive educational environment to cultural diversity.

THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND ATTRACTIVENESS ON INTEREST IN VISITING THE KAMPONG MELAYU TOURISM VILLAGE (BML) PONTIANAK CITY

The research purposes are to analyze the influence of social media marketing and attractiveness on interest in visiting the Kampong Melayu Tourism Village (BML) Pontianak City. The tourist city of Kampong Melayu Pontianak relies heavily on social media marketing to attract tourists there. Therefore, in this instance, social media's accessibility and technological advancements indirectly served as a route for promotion to pique the attention of travelers. The attraction is crucial in generating interest in visiting the Pontianak settlement of Kampong Melayu. This feature has emerged as one of the most important elements in creating a favorable and alluring image for visitors, which can also benefit the tourism sector. The form of this research is quantitative, data is extracted and classified based on percentages. The sample in this research is people who visit the Kampong Melayu Tourism Village (BML) Pontianak City. Data analysis in this study used SmartPLS 3.0. The research results show that social media marketing has a positive effect on interest in visiting with a p-value of 0.000 < 0.05 and attractiveness also has a positive effect on interest in visiting with a p-value of 0.000 < 0.05. Social media marketing influences visiting interest by 28.9%, while attractiveness by 56.6%. The ability of social media to facilitate the widespread dissemination of information—as well as its appeal from a cultural perspective, plays a role in attracting tourist interest.

Predicting User Preference for Innovative Features in Intelligent Connected Vehicles from a Cultural Perspective

The increasing level of intelligence in automobiles is driving a shift in the human–machine relationship. Users are paying more attention to the intelligent cabin and showing a tendency toward customization. As culture is considered to be an important factor in guiding user behavior and preference, this study innovatively incorporates cultural and human factors into the model to understand how individual cultural orientation influences user preference for innovative human-machine interaction (HMI) features. Firstly, this study considered five Hofstede cultural dimensions as potential impact factors and constructed a prediction model through the random forest algorithm so as to analyze the influence mechanism of culture. Subsequently, K-means clustering was used to classify the sample into three user groups and then predict their preferences for the innovative features in the intelligent cabin. The results showed that users with a higher power distance index preferred a sense of ceremony and show-off-related features such as ambient lighting and welcome mode, whereas users with high individualism were keen on a more open and personalized in-vehicle information system. Long-term orientation was found to be associated with features that help to improve efficiency, and users with a lower level of uncertainty avoidance and restraint were more likely to be attracted to new features and were also more willing to use entertainment-related features. The methodology developed in this study can be widely applied to people in different countries, thus effectively exploring the personal requirements of different individuals, guiding further user experience design and localization when breaking into a new market.