Trauma-informed professional development (PD) equips educators with the knowledge and skills to support students affected by trauma while fostering safe and inclusive school environments. However, the variability in trauma-informed PD design, delivery, and outcomes, as well as the inconsistent integration of culturally responsive, antiracist, and equitable (CARE) content, raises questions about its capacity to prevent and address trauma effectively. In this systematic narrative review, 24 peer-reviewed studies were synthesized to examine trauma-informed PD in U.S. K-12 schools and highlight the presence and depth of CARE content in each PD. The findings of this review indicate significant variability in trauma-informed PD characteristics and inconsistent integration of CARE content. These findings underscore the need for more standardized approaches to trauma-informed PD that embed CARE content comprehensively and address the systemic and cultural dimensions of trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Purpose This paper examines a puzzling pattern in cross-cultural entrepreneurship: Why do some risk-averse societies produce thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems while others do not? We propose that societal trust is the critical contingency explaining this variation. The study challenges the field assumption that cultural risk avoidance uniformly suppresses entrepreneurship, arguing instead that trust can neutralize risk aversion's negative effects through its influence on entrepreneurial beliefs about self-efficacy, fear of failure, perceived opportunities and status of entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach We analyze pooled cross-sectional data from 57 countries spanning 2010–2015, integrating measures from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), Global Preferences Survey (GPS), Heritage Foundation and World Bank (224 country-year observations). Using structural equation modeling with maximum likelihood estimation, we test direct effects of risk avoidance on entrepreneurial activity and indirect effects through four belief pathways: entrepreneurial self-efficacy, fear of failure, perceived opportunities and status of entrepreneurship. Moderated mediation analysis examines whether societal trust weakens these indirect effects. Robustness checks include alternative measures, lagged variables, different entrepreneurship types and reverse causality tests. Findings Risk avoidance significantly reduces entrepreneurial activity, with this relationship mediated by all four belief pathways. Perceived opportunities emerge as the strongest mediator, accounting for over three-quarters of the total effect. Crucially, societal trust moderates all four pathways, weakening risk aversion's negative indirect effects. The fear-of-failure pathway is particularly trust-sensitive, becoming statistically non-significant at high trust levels. These findings support the risk-trust paradox: equally risk-averse societies produce dramatically different entrepreneurial outcomes depending on trust levels, explaining why some risk-averse societies maintain thriving entrepreneurship while others struggle despite similar cultural orientations toward risk. Research limitations/implications The study relies on repeated cross-sectional panel data, limiting causal inference despite robustness checks with lagged variables. Our trust measure captures generalized interpersonal trust rather than institutional trust, and certain regions (Africa and the Middle East) remain underrepresented. Future research should examine how different forms of trust buffer against risk aversion and employ longitudinal designs to establish causality. For theory, our findings challenge the assumption that risk avoidance uniformly suppresses entrepreneurship, suggesting scholars should model cultural values as configurations rather than independent dimensions. The complete neutralization of the fear-of-failure pathway at high trust levels warrants further investigation into trust's relational mechanisms. Practical implications For policymakers in risk-averse, low-trust societies, trust-building initiatives may prove more effective than attempting to change deeply embedded risk orientations. Specific interventions include entrepreneur networks, mentorship programs, transparent regulations, supportive bankruptcy laws and second-chance programs that reduce failure stigma. For risk-averse, high-trust societies, efforts should focus on enhancing opportunity visibility through entrepreneurship education and publicizing entrepreneurial role models, given that perceived opportunities are the strongest mediator. Entrepreneurship educators in risk-averse contexts should emphasize failure-positive narratives, skill development that builds self-efficacy and exposure to diverse entrepreneurial paths that enhance opportunity recognition. Social implications The risk-trust paradox reveals that societies need not overcome cultural risk aversion to foster entrepreneurship; building trust offers an alternative path. This finding has equity implications: risk-averse societies are not inherently disadvantaged in developing entrepreneurial ecosystems if they invest in relational infrastructure. The complete neutralization of fear of failure at high levels of trust suggests that supportive communities can protect aspiring entrepreneurs from the social isolation and stigma that otherwise accompany entrepreneurial setbacks. Cultivating societal trust may thus democratize entrepreneurial opportunity by creating environments where individuals from risk-averse backgrounds can pursue ventures without facing compounded cultural and relational barriers. Originality/value This study introduces the risk-trust paradox, a previously unrecognized phenomenon whereby societal trust neutralizes risk aversion's negative effects on entrepreneurship. Unlike prior research treating cultural dimensions as independent predictors, we demonstrate that risk avoidance's effects are contingent on trust levels, challenging the field assumption that risk-averse cultures are inherently entrepreneurship-hostile. We specify the mechanisms through which trust buffers against risk aversion, revealing that fear of failure is uniquely trust-sensitive due to its relational nature. These findings reframe cross-cultural entrepreneurship research from classifying cultures as favorable or unfavorable toward examining how cultural configurations interact to shape entrepreneurial outcomes.

ABSTRACT Background Pregnancy is a critical period for safeguarding maternal and foetal health, often involving diagnostic and screening methods to detect risks early. These decisions impact not only the foetus (e.g. abortion) but also the mother (e.g. anxiety, depression), the partner (e.g. family conflict), and society. The prenatal period is especially complex due to the physical, psychological, and social changes it entails. This study aims to explore in depth the psychological and social experiences of women who were informed of a potential foetal anomaly during pregnancy but ultimately gave birth to healthy babies. Rather than focusing solely on the diagnostic process, the study sought to understand how women internally managed the uncertainty and emotional burden. Method This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and interviewed 18 women who were informed of a potential foetal anomaly but gave birth to healthy babies. A total of 151 pages of transcribed data were thematically analysed using Maxqda software. Findings Six themes emerged: confronting anomaly suspicion, the socio-psychological state of the pregnant woman, reactions from family and partner, process management, difficulties encountered, and emotions during childbirth. Participants reported significant emotional impact upon learning of a possible foetal anomaly, followed by socio-psychological challenges after the diagnosis. Conclusion The findings demonstrate that prenatal anomaly diagnoses affect women on multiple levels, transcending the clinical domain. Holistic prenatal care that acknowledges emotional, social, and cultural dimensions – alongside medical needs – is essential for supporting women during these experiences.

This study presents a systematic review (SR) of the author’s research on distance learning (DL) during the COVID 19 pandemic, published between 2020 and 2024. As an author bounded corpus, it offers an exceptionally comprehensive, multi dimensional examination of DL during the COVID 19 pandemic, spanning every major dimension of the teaching learning process, thus offering one of the most extensive individual research programs on this topic in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The corpus consists of 30 studies that document the educational crisis, responses, adaptations, and outcomes across Saudi schools and universities during the pandemic period. The studies were organized into nine thematic clusters: digital infrastructure, technology use, and platforms; teaching practices and instructional strategies; student engagement and preferences; children, family role, and home based learning; psychological, social, and cultural dimensions; exams, assessment, and academic performance; curriculum adaptation; teachers’ professional development; and the pandemic job market for graduates. Results revealed an interconnected system of challenges and innovations. Digital inequity was a major issue during the early months of the pandemic, though it was mitigated through community based solutions. Instructors rapidly diversified their pedagogical practices by integrating podcasts, YouTube videos, blogging, mobile audiobooks, online vocabulary tasks, virtual speaking activities, and redesigned practicum practices. Students’ engagement patterns reflected both creativity and strain: while many benefited from interactive and technology mediated tasks, others experienced low self efficacy, anxiety, and a strong preoccupation with exams and grades. Studies on children highlighted the central role of parents in monitoring and supporting home based learning, as well as the benefits and risks of iPad use among young learners. Psychologically, the corpus revealed widespread dissatisfaction, low motivation, and emotional fatigue among students, alongside the potential of positive psychology and intercultural exchanges to enhance resilience. Assessment practices underwent some changes, resulting in flexible exam formats and grade inflation, while curricular structures remained largely unchanged due to institutional constraints. Only one study examined DL after the pandemic, indicating the need for further research on long term shifts in digital learning. Overall, the review demonstrates that DL during COVID 19 was not a uniform experience but a complex ecosystem shaped by infrastructure, pedagogy, learner agency, family dynamics, institutional policy, and socio emotional factors.

With the advancement of internationalization and globalization, consumers can reach for entertainment product from different nation. However, some entertainment product may only be able to sell well in single nation, and sometime, some entertainment product that has a good response in several countries may have the opposite response in other countries. One factor that cause this situation to occur is the differences between different nations. This paper will focus on possible difference between several different nations and explore in what extent the cultural differences between different nation can influence the consumption decision for entertainment product. This paper will use methodology including Hofstede’s cultural dimension to explore the situation of several representative entertainment product in different nations and the deeper factor that cause this difference to occur.

Purpose This study investigates how national policies, community-based initiatives, and socio-cultural dynamics interact to shape sustainable career ecosystems for NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth in Thailand. Addressing Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth, it seeks to understand how structural, emotional, and cultural factors influence young people’s transitions from education to employment in an unequal and rapidly changing society. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative multi-site case study was conducted across three provinces, Chiang Rai, Ubon Ratchathani, and Samut Sakhon, representing diverse geographical and socio-economic contexts. The study drew on 30 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions with NEET youth, educators, and community stakeholders. Data were analysed thematically to identify cross-cutting patterns and contextual variations. Findings Four interrelated themes emerged: (1) fragmentation between policy design and local implementation; (2) emotional disengagement shaped by shame and invisibility; (3) culturally embedded decision-making influenced by familial obligation and kreng jai; and (4) the anchoring role of local institutions, such as กศน. centres, temples, and NGOs in rebuilding youth confidence and belonging. These findings reframe NEET status from individual apathy to systemic exclusion. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on three provincial cases and qualitative insights; future research could expand to mixed-method or longitudinal designs. The findings advance the concept of “sustainable career ecosystems” by integrating emotional and cultural dimensions often overlooked in policy frameworks. Practical implications Policymakers should decentralize implementation, strengthen emotional support within career programs, and institutionalize partnerships with community-based and non-formal learning providers to reach marginalized youth effectively. Social implications This research highlights how systems of exclusion, such as bureaucratic barriers, cultural misalignment, and emotional invisibility impact marginalized youth. It emphasizes the need to recognize NEET youth not as deficient, but as navigating relational and structural complexity. Socially, the study calls for a more compassionate and participatory model of youth development, one that values care, inclusion, and dignity. Strengthening local career ecosystems has the potential to reduce inequality, empower rural youth, and promote social cohesion by re-rooting education and employment systems within culturally meaningful relationships. Originality/value This paper contributes a culturally grounded model of sustainable career ecosystems for NEET youth, demonstrating how relational and affective dimensions can inform inclusive and context-sensitive career development policies in emerging economies.

ABSTRACT With the rise of the ‘urban escape’ trend, the cultural appeal of rural homestays has become a key factor influencing tourists’ behavioral intention. This study aims to investigate tourists’ revisit intention to rural homestays from a cultural perspective based on the flow theory and symbolic interaction theory, and 633 questionnaires were analyzed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). This study, focusing on young Chinese tourists, reveals that three cultural dimensions of rural homestays (folk culture, architectural culture, and host culture) not only directly enhance revisit intention but also exert partial mediation through experience value. Place identity positively moderates the impact of experience value on revisit intention while reinforcing its mediating role, demonstrating a moderated mediation effect. These findings systematically explain the synergistic mechanism among cultural elements, experience value, and place identity in shaping revisit intention, providing theoretical and practical insights for sustainable rural tourism development.

Rural territories characterised by dispersed settlement systems face mounting challenges related to demographic decline, economic fragility, ecological degradation, and the erosion of local knowledge systems. In this context, rural self-sufficiency has re-emerged as a strategic objective; yet it remains inadequately operationalised within spatial planning and territorial assessment practices. This paper proposes a bioregional framework for operationalising rural self-sufficiency in dispersed territories, integrating ecological, morphological, socio-productive, cultural, and governance dimensions across multiple spatial scales. The framework is structured around a tiered system of 108 indicators, hierarchised into priority, secondary, and aspirational levels, combined with a multi-scalar territorial reading articulated through five nested frames—ranging from municipal systems to local productive units. Rather than constituting a mere checklist for immediate quantitative evaluation, the indicator system functions as a structured diagnostic universe, enabling progressive operationalisation based on data availability and governance capacity. To bridge the gap between diagnosis and action, the framework introduces 34 strategic drivers and 28 spatial artefacts, conceived as reversible and context-sensitive interventions. The framework is demonstrated through the case of Arbo (Galicia, Spain), illustrating its capacity to structure territorial diagnosis and articulate coherent pathways from analytical interpretation to strategic spatial intervention. The proposed approach contributes a replicable methodological tool for bioregional and rural planning in dispersed settlement systems. The study contributes to advancing bioregional planning by demonstrating how extensive indicator universes can be rendered operational through selective tiering and multi-scalar deployment.

This study examines the English translation of corporate websites from new energy enterprises in China from an Eco-translatology perspective. This research analyzes how translators make adaptive selections at the linguistic, cultural, and communicative dimensions to achieve adaptation within the target-language ecological environment. The findings reveal that the translator employs translation methods and techniques such as addition, conversion, omission, reordering, syntactic restructuring and free translation at the linguistic, cultural and communicative dimensions to enhance readability, cultural resonance, and persuasive impact. These adaptations are not arbitrary but represent strategic choices aligned with the expectations of international audience. By prioritizing functional effectiveness over formal correspondence, the translations successfully project an image of innovation, reliability, and global competitiveness for China’s new energy companies.

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explored the meaning, process, and outcomes of collective mindfulness. Current mindfulness research and practice centers around individualist models of care, missing dimensions of religious communities and collectivist cultures. Nine mindfulness practitioners self-identifying with collectivist ethnic and cultural backgrounds participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Interviews explored participants’ experiences with individual and group mindfulness practices, cultural influences, and definitions of collective mindfulness. Data analysis employed an iterative, inductive thematic analysis approach that embodied the collectivist spirit of the study through collaborative team processes. The research team maintained monthly meetings throughout data collection and analysis phases, conducting formal constant comparison analysis followed by collective dialectic conversations to create and share themes. Three major themes emerged: (1) Collective mindfulness involves intentionally cultivating awareness with others for the sake of the group; (2) Mindfulness practice often reflects Western individualist values, while collective mindfulness both reflects and challenges these values depending on cultural norms; and (3) Collective mindfulness cultivates enhanced care for others, empathy, compassion, co-regulation of mood states, and desire to meet community needs. Findings suggest collective mindfulness may provide sacred corrections to individual collectivist models that align with social work values to promote communal well-being.

ABSTRACT Museums housing cultural artifacts have long faced restitution claims while these are only beginning to affect natural history museums. Conversely, the law on cultural property restitution does not reflect a such distinction. This article examines the puzzling disconnect between cultural museums and natural history museums regarding restitution, and the comprehensive legal framework that governs it. By developing a genealogy of today’s museum landscape that builds on Foucault’s The Order of Things and Discipline and Punish, the article understands museums as institutions that constitute and enforce a given structure of knowledge and permit exercising control over the material world. Either function is contingent on a historical period’s epistemic configuration, and changes therein are key to understanding why eclectic Renaissance collections, the famous Wunderkammern or cabinets of curiosities, disintegrated into disciplinary museums. Understanding the genealogy of museum diversification is essential for critically approaching and eventually overcoming the false dichotomy between natural history and cultural museums regarding restitution.

From the perspective of positive psychology, research on second language (L2) learner well-being has gradually expanded from the individual psychological level to the sociocultural dimension. However, empirical investigation into sociocultural well-being in the context of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)-assisted communicative oral language learning remains relatively limited. Drawing on Keyes’s (1998) theory of social well-being and Xu Jinfen’s (2025) model of foreign language learner well-being, this study surveyed 50 Chinese college students using a combination of questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews. The study explored the impact of GenAI-assisted communicative oral English learning on learners’ sociocultural well-being and its underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that, with GenAI support, learners’ overall sociocultural well-being was moderate to high, with scores on the cultural well-being dimensions consistently higher than those on the social well-being dimensions. Furthermore, GenAI primarily enhanced learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) and preliminary sense of social participation by reducing communicative risks, providing linguistic scaffolding, and strengthening their sense of expressive control. Finally, its promotion of cultural identity was more evident at the levels of expressive style and thinking patterns rather than constituting a shift in deeper cultural belonging. The study indicates that GenAI holds advantages in enhancing learners’ cultural well-being, yet its capacity to facilitate genuine social integration remains limited. The findings provide a socioculturally oriented theoretical basis and practical implications for integrating GenAI into oral English instruction.

Purpose: This study analyses the cultural identity mix present in a Chinese bank operating in South Africa to understand its impact on social structures and how structural consensus is achieved within multicultural organizational settings. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study approach was employed, guided by the interpretivism paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants working for a Chinese bank (Chinese and South African nationals). The Chinese bank chosen has been operating in South Africa for over five years. Data analysis followed Colaizzi's seven-step descriptive phenomenological method, supported by Atlasti software for data management. Findings: The study revealed that national culture significantly influences individual behavior even in host countries. South Africans displayed values emphasizing social interaction, transparency, and work-life balance, while Chinese participants prioritized hard work, respect for hierarchy, and goal achievement. The cultural identity mix resulted in learned behaviors and adaptive communication strategies, though conflict avoidance and perceived consensus characterized the social order. Practical implications: The research provides insights for multinational organizations, particularly Chinese banks operating in culturally diverse markets, on managing cultural differences, improving communication strategies, and fostering genuine consensus rather than mere accommodation. Social implications: The study contributes to understanding intercultural dynamics in the South African banking sector and offers theoretical insights into structural consensus theory and its application to multicultural organizational settings. Originality/value: This research addresses a gap in the literature regarding Chinese-South African cultural dynamics in the banking industry, providing empirical evidence of cultural identity mix phenomena and challenging some of Hofstede's cultural dimension assumptions at the individual level.

Control over molecular oxygen concentrations in cell cultures is vital for maintaining normal physiological functions and modelling pathological conditions. However, current approaches for measuring oxygen are often invasive or limited in their capability to assess oxygen distribution in large-volume 3D cell cultures beyond a few hundred microns in depth. In this work, we have developed an adaptable method utilizing multifocal optical projection microscopy and commercially available fluorescent microsensor beads. Fluorescent projection images of the beads were acquired while simultaneously measuring oxygen concentration with an optical fibre-based sensor. A Stern-Volmer calibration curve was then generated by depleting oxygen with sodium sulfite, allowing fluorescence intensity to be converted into oxygen concentration. The method was demonstrated to quantify oxygen concentrations at depths beyond typical 3D cell culture dimensions, up to 21 mm. Fibroblasts were cultured within agarose hydrogels at varying cell densities (200 000 to 700 000 cells per ml). The results revealed a significant decrease in oxygen concentration with increasing cell density and depth of the specimen, thus also highlighting the need for O2 measurements in 3D cell cultures. Here we demonstrated that our method is well suited for minimally invasive quantification of oxygen levels and gradients, especially in large-volume hydrogel-based 3D cell cultures.

Over the past decade, research on financial empowerment, self-efficacy, and cultural dimensions among working women has expanded significantly, yet existing reviews often focus on isolated aspects within these domains. This study takes a broader approach by mapping the intellectual structure of research on these topics, identifying influential authors, key research themes, and future research directions. Using bibliometric analysis with VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, a systematic review of Scopus-indexed studies from 2014 to 2024 was conducted, incorporating citation analysis, keyword analysis, cluster analysis, and three-field plot analysis. The findings highlight four major research clusters: financial literacy and empowerment, self-efficacy and financial behaviours, gender and cultural influences in financial decision-making, and post-COVID financial resilience. While early research emphasised financial literacy and gender disparities, recent studies increasingly explore the relationship between financial empowerment, self-efficacy, and cultural frameworks. The study identifies significant contributions from key authors/institutions and highlights emerging trends, underscoring the need for more cross-cultural comparisons and deeper integration of behavioural and cultural theories. As the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis in this field, this study provides valuable insights into the evolution of research on financial empowerment among working women and lays the groundwork for future studies exploring behavioural, cultural, and policy-driven aspects of financial well-being.

Film as a cultural product functions not only as entertainment but also as a representational practice that constructs and reproduces social meanings. Women from Rote Island (2023) portrays women's experiences within an indigenous cultural context, particularly in relation to power relations, the female body, and gender-based violence. This study aims to analyze the representation of women in the film and the meanings constructed through its system of signs. This research adopts a constructivist paradigm with a qualitative descriptive approach. The method used was Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis, focusing on denotative, connotative, cultural–affective meanings, and myth. The research data consist of twelve film scenes selected purposively based on their relevance to issues of women's representation and gender relations. The analysis examines visual and narrative signifiers presented in these scenes. The findings reveal that at the denotative level, the film represents women's everyday life in an indigenous community as ordinary and natural. However, at the connotative level, women are constructed as vulnerable and subordinate subjects, while men are represented as socially authoritative actors. Cultural and affective dimensions reinforce this construction through the depiction of shame, fear, and resignation attached to female characters. At the level of myth, patriarchy and customary law are naturalized as legitimate social orders, positioning the objectification and violence against women as acceptable social consequences. This study concludes that Women from Rote Island not only reflects social reality but also actively reproduces patriarchal ideology through symbolic and affective representational practices.

The prevalence of gestational diabetes has increased in parallel with risk factors such as obesity, a family history of diabetes, and advanced maternal age. Studies suggest that gestational diabetes may negatively affect breastfeeding outcomes. This systematic review aimed to investigate the relationship between gestational diabetes and breastfeeding, as well as the contributing factors influencing breastfeeding among affected women. Articles published up to January 2023, with an update through 2025, were included. A comprehensive search was conducted across databases including Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and others, using relevant keywords such as gestational diabetes, breastfeeding, blood sugar, misconception, cultural factors, and predisposing factors. Quantitative studies were assessed using the STROBE checklist, and qualitative studies were evaluated using the CASP tool. Key challenges identified include delayed onset of lactogenesis, misconceptions regarding diabetes transmission, and insufficient support. A total of 19 studies (16 quantitative and 3 qualitative) were included. Analysis revealed several trends: ten quantitative studies reported a reduction in exclusive breastfeeding duration; three indicated lower breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge; and three studies identified difficulties in breastfeeding initiation and continuation. Notably, three studies found similar breastfeeding continuation rates between mothers with gestational diabetes and healthy controls. Factors associated with reduced breastfeeding included maternal obesity, cesarean delivery, prematurity, advanced maternal age, racial disparities, insulin treatment, limited knowledge about complementary feeding, misconceptions about exclusive breastfeeding, and concerns over diabetes transmission through breast milk. Addressing breastfeeding barriers among mothers with gestational diabetes requires targeted education, social support, and attention to professional challenges. Additional barriers included insufficient organizational resources, lack of hospital policies supporting breastfeeding, inadequate post-discharge support, and poor coordination with other healthcare facilities. Strengthening post-discharge support and inter-facility collaboration is essential. Future longitudinal and qualitative research should integrate cultural and psychosocial dimensions into evidence-based practices.

Rapid urbanization has increased the challenges of providing adequate housing for low-income communities, particularly in Malaysia, where 85% of the population is expected to live in urban areas by 2040. Modern housing development often prioritizes on efficiency and cost, overlooking the cultural and social dimensions embedded in vernacular practices. This study aims to examine whether the spatial patterns in low-income urban housing in the Klang Valley demonstrate any interaction with vernacular knowledge, or whether they have been entirely shaped by modern ideas. Using diagrammatic analysis through the space syntax method, the study compares the floor plans of low-income urban housing and traditional vernacular houses in remote areas of Peninsular Malaysia. Justified Permeability Graph are used to identify patterns of integration and segregation concerning access, movement, and spatial hierarchy. The findings reveal that although modern housing responds to urban living needs, elements of vernacular spatial logic do remain. However, there are significant differences, particularly in the relationship between domestic spaces and external areas. Urban housing tends to exhibit a more individualistic character, as regulated by government policies. Conversely, vernacular houses show a stronger integration between interior and exterior spaces to foster closer community ties. This study highlights the importance of integrating local cultural values into urban housing design in order to create more inclusive, meaningful, and socially connected living environments.

Food culture is one of the identifying features of social life of any human being every day. The shared habits, rituals and beliefs around producing, procuring and consuming a wide variety of food types, textures and flavours shape how we feel and behave towards others. Food culture defines who we are, our identity and everyday values, and shapes social relationships. This helps us live in complex societies, where we form connections not only with family, but also with society at large and even far-away countries. However, food-related behaviours rarely leave traces in the fossil record, making the evolutionary origins of food culture difficult to reconstruct. Studies of non-human primates help clarify its evolution in the human lineage. Yet research on primate culture has focused largely on social learning and tool use, with relatively little attention given to the cultural dimensions of feeding behaviour. Here we propose that food culture may function as a mechanism of social bonding and social identity in primates, as it does in human groups. Drawing on the Social Brain Hypothesis, we suggest that shared dietary traditions—socially transmitted food preferences—may maintain cohesion in socially complex systems characterised by large groups, fission–fusion dynamics, and tolerant intergroup encounters. Behavioural similarity arising from shared food preferences may facilitate social bonding in complex social systems, providing an additional mechanism when tracking individual relationships becomes cognitively demanding. In humans, cultural behaviours such as food preferences are used to identify others as having the same identity or a different identity. This sense of social identity then affects how we treat others, with members displaying same cultural characteristics favoured over members where these characteristics are absent. This paper proposes that food culture may play a comparable role in primate social systems. We develop a conceptual framework to examine whether dietary traditions are present among primates, contribute to social complexity, influence tactical ranging decisions, and extend beyond feeding preferences to include traditions in vocalisations during feeding. This framework provides testable predictions for understanding how food culture may act as a socio-cognitive mechanism underpinning social bonding and the evolution of human food practices.

Traditional villages in ecologically fragile and multi-ethnic frontier regions are increasingly threatened by rapid urbanization and socio-economic transformation. Northwestern Yunnan, located in the longitudinal valleys of the Hengduan Mountains, represents a key cultural landscape of plateau agropastoral civilization and ethnic interaction, yet its spatial organization and clustering mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study develops a four-dimensional analytical framework integrating four dimensions—spatial morphology (village distribution patterns and density), geomorphological conditions (elevation, slope, and terrain features), cultural attributes (ethnic composition and historical-cultural corridors), and architectural typologies (dominant residential structure types) to examine 246 officially recognized traditional villages. Using GIS-based spatial statistics, kernel density estimation (KDE), spatial autocorrelation, and a hierarchical overlay model, the study identifies the spatial structure (distribution patterns and density gradients), environmental adaptability (relationships with elevation, slope, and hydrological conditions), and multidimensional clustering characteristics (integrated clustering intensity across four analytical dimensions) of settlements. The results reveal a highly uneven and a statistically significant clustered spatial pattern (R = 0.606, Moran’s I = 0.251, p < 0.05) characterized by a “two corridors–six clusters–multiple nodes” structure. Settlement distribution demonstrates strong coupling with mid-elevation plateau basins, river valley systems, and trade-cultural corridors shaped by the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Multidimensional integration further classifies villages into three typologies—comprehensive, specialized, and general clusters—reflecting different levels of coordination among spatial, environmental, cultural, and architectural dimensions. These findings reveal the spatial regularities and multidimensional clustering characteristics of officially recognized traditional villages in Northwestern Yunnan, and suggest that environmental setting, historical corridors, and cultural-architectural features jointly shape the current recognized heritage landscape. The proposed framework provides a context-sensitive basis for differentiated heritage conservation and rural management in mountainous multi-ethnic regions.