Cultural Schemas Research Articles

Family Socioeconomic Status in Adolescence and Gender Identification in Emerging Adulthood

This study contributes to research exploring social factors shaping gender identification. Informed by structural symbolic interactionism, social identity theory, and Levitt’s psychosocial theory of gender, we explore how a key aspect of external social structure—adolescent family socioeconomic status—is associated with gender identification in emerging adulthood. We examine whether correlates of family socioeconomic status, including adolescent family and educational experiences and friend and high school characteristics, are associated with a cisgender, binary transgender, nonbinary, or gender unsure identification. Using data from High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), we find a positive association between adolescent family socioeconomic status and a nonbinary gender identification. Analyses indicate that educational and family experiences account for the largest percentage of the association between adolescent family socioeconomic status and nonbinary gender identification, potentially representing higher SES youths’ heightened access to middle- and upper-class cultural schemas and resources.

A workflow for analyzing cultural schemas in texts

ABSTRACT Concept class analysis (CoCA) is a method for recovering cultural schemas in texts using a combination of word embedding and community detection models. Like survey-based forms of schematic class analysis (SCA), however, interpreting results can be difficult. Some of these interpretive difficulties are applicable across types of SCA, while others are unique to CoCA. In this paper, we propose a complete workflow for interpreting and analyzing CoCA output. We use the case of social identity schemas in a collection of over 13,000 U.S. political blog posts to outline a number of interpretive and analytical strategies and a robustness check to make sense of the cultural schemas recovered from texts.

“You can't really turn it off”: The police “sixth sense” as cultural schema

AbstractA variety of concepts in the policing literature denote a so‐called “sixth sense” that police officers claim to possess. “Intuition,” “suspicion,” or “common sense” all specify a tacit knowledge said to heighten an officer's sensitivity to danger and potential suspects. This paper argues this type of knowledge exemplifies the application of “cultural schema” (DiMaggio, 1997): a shared knowledge structure that allows people to respond to environmental stimuli in ways that render their lives more predictable. We combine two case studies—one in Canada, the other in the Netherlands—which include ethnographic field notes and 199 interviews with police officers, to reconsider the police sixth sense in light of theoretical and empirical advances in cultural sociology and cognition research. This paper further discusses the benefit of studying this sixth sense itself as a form of cultural knowledge—that is, as “police culture”—to improve our understanding of cultural resources most or least compatible with emerging police reforms.

Cultural–Cognitive Study of Selected Death-Oriented Personal Names in Igbo

Working chiefly within the tenets of Cultural Linguistics (CL), this study examines the cultural and cognitive motivations that underlie selected death-oriented personal names among the Igbo of South-eastern Nigeria. Based on the cultural linguistic perspective, the analytical tool for the study is shaped by insights from cultural schemas, cultural categories and cultural metaphors as signifiers of ideation and social meaning. The cultural frames enable the language user to have a better understanding of the cultural and cognitive motivations that underlie the conceptualization of names and naming among the Igbo. Much has been done on the structure and sociological forms of Igbo personal names and their meanings, but only a few studies have been undertaken on the names that express the notions of death and dying in Igbo. More importantly, no previous study has used insights from Cultural Linguistics (CL) or the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) to explain the motivations for the preponderance of death-oriented names among the Igbo people. Thus, this study specifically aims to address the lacuna. The study reveals that the Igbo, like most African and other human societies, recognize and accept the inevitability of death. Consequently, they use language in diverse forms and contexts to express their perceptions of the horrors and pains associated with the inevitability of death. Songs, proverbs and ritual practices are some of the verbal and social semiotic forms through which the Igbo express their knowledge of and attitude toward death and dying. However, names and naming are the most vivid cultural cognitive patterns by which the Igbo show their understanding of the nature of death and dying and their psychological effects on the living. Constrained by space and scope, this study identified and classified six major death-oriented names among the Igbo, as follows: names that depict the overwhelming power of death; names that make an appeal to death; names that depict death as wicked/evil/terror; names that depict death as no respecter of wealth/social class; names that challenge/mock the assumed power of death; and names that depict death as an insensitive entity. Thus, the above frames constitute the major paradigms by which the Igbo express their knowledge of and attitudes toward death and dying.

World Englishes and Cultural Linguistics: Theory and research

AbstractThis article explores the evolution of Cultural Linguistics, its fusion with Cognitive Linguistics and Cognitive Sociolinguistics, and its application to the study of world Englishes, emphasising the cultural dimension of language and cognition. It investigates key theoretical concepts in Cultural Linguistics such as cultural categories, schemas, conceptualisations, keywords, models and scenarios as essential analytical tools for examining the interplay between thought, language and culture. Using examples from English varieties in sub‐Saharan Africa, Great Britain, Ireland, India and Hong Kong, this article demonstrates how these conceptual phenomena interact at increasing levels of conceptual complexity. The discussion also distinguishes conceptual metaphor (and metonymy) from the somewhat problematic concept of ‘cultural metaphor’, previously used in some cultural‐linguistic approaches to world Englishes. Finally, the article delves into Conceptual Blending Theory as a possible extension of Cultural Linguistics that synthesises diverse cultural knowledge to interpret culture‐specific expressions in contemporary multilingual settings.

Translation of Cultural Conceptualizations in War Literature: A Study of Cultural Schemas and Categories in Translation of Iran–Iraq War Literature

Translation of cultural conceptualizations in the war literature seems to be an overlooked area of research both in Translation Studies and cultural studies dealing with war. In this study, we employed the framework of Cultural Linguistics at the heart of which lies the notion of cultural cognition to analyse translation of cultural schemas and categories in four books selected from the genre of Iran–Iraq war literature. The analysis indicated that typical translation techniques might lead to a change of cultural identity and may not be able to adequately transfer cultural conceptualizations. Therefore, ‘thick translation’ is suggested as a better way of translating them. This study can have implications for the theory and practice of translation and for those studying war from a cultural vantage point.

Cultural conceptualisations and spatial cognition in Ghanaian English

AbstractKantian philosophy describes space as a universal cognitive primitive because all humans contend with attributes of space as they navigate their environments and communicate the location of things or their location in relation to the location of things. These spatial conceptualisations are encoded in human language and their grammars as either prepositions or postpositions, where different cultures and languages conceptualise space differently because of their different environments. It also means that linguistic terms about spatial relations, such as prepositions, contain not only linguistic information but also conceptual information as well as cultural schemas. This paper explores the variations in the use of prepositions in Ghanaian English and argues that such variations, which may contribute to marking off the variety of English spoken in Ghana as a distinct variety, may be motivated by the cultural conceptualisations of relational terms in the primary language(s)/culture(s) of the speakers of Ghanaian English.

Food metaphors and humour in Nigerian online interaction

AbstractThis article explores the complementary role of Cultural Linguistics in making up for the inadequacies of linguistics‐oriented theories of humour in unpacking culturally embedded meanings in humorous discourse. On the basis of purposively sampled internet memes, it analyses different types of cultural presuppositions in some food metaphors that netizens in Nigerian online interaction appropriate to negotiate gender and class identities, which reflect inherent beliefs, shared values and communicative practices in the Nigerian world. It applies Sharifian’s categorisation of the analytical tools of Cultural Linguistics―cultural schemas, cultural categories and cultural metaphors. The article concludes that mental spaces and conceptual blending are instrumental in forging a holistic conceptual approach, which can account for not only the linguistic but also cultural and discursive meanings of humour as an essentially social and interactional phenomenon.

Applying Galperin model to teacher professional development: A qualitative case study of a peer coaching program

AbstractThe present study is an attempt to apply Galperin spiral model to implement and analyze a peer coaching program. To do so, six teachers (three coaches and three protégés), who attended a 3‐month peer coaching program in which protégés received help from their more experienced peers (coaches), completed narrative frames about the program and participated in individual semistructured interviews. After the transcription of the interviews, the thematic analysis was conducted on the gathered data. The results of the study revealed that although there are evidential obstacles to doing the program including inter alia, cultural schema, teacher financial well‐being and discontinuity of it, the employed model could provide additional aid and critical look for implementing peer coaching programs in educational contexts. Teachers and teacher educators can benefit from the findings by applying the proposed model in peer coaching programs.

The effect of augmented reality-based serious game on traditional pattern learning

ABSTRACT Traditional pattern teaching is an important part of the art curriculum, but the pattern are complex and difficult to learn. While schema theory focuses on the integration, understanding and construction process of knowledge, AR technology can provide a three-dimensional and dynamic display of patterns, which has been used in teaching in recent years.Therefore, this study uses schema theory to guide the design of AR serious games and conducts experiments in a university. We selected a total of 120 students for the experiment to test AR serious games and common serious games respectively.The results indicated that both common serious games and AR serious games guided by cognitive schema had good teaching effects, while AR serious games more significantly reduce the cognitive load of students. For comprehension questions, the teaching effect of AR serious games is more significant, but for literacy questions, the difference in learning effect between them is not significant. In addition, AR serious games are more helpful for long-term memory and for understanding of complex traditional art forms such as bone schema and cultural schema. These are inspirational for art education.

Morphological Analysis Of Hybrid Compounds In Urdu Afsanas (Short Stories)

One of the significant morphological processes in a language is the way separate lexemes combine to form compound words. This process gives birth to Hybrid compound. Hybrid compounds are the compounds which are formed by the combination of one word from the source and one from the target language. As Pakistan and India have been British colonies and English still holds elite status in these regions, Urdu and Hindi have a large number of lexis which borrowed from English. The paper aims at analyzing the existence and nature of hybrid compounds in Urdu Language resulting from borrowing English words. A qualitative study was carried out by researchers and the selected corpus from Urdu short stories of Saadat Hussain Manto, Intazar Hussain, Shafeeq-ur-Rahman, Patras Bukhari, and Nimrah Ahmed was used to explore hybrid compounds in Urdu Literature. Fifty compound words were identified out of which 20 Hybrid compounds were observed. Partial borrowing was observed in short stories which provides evidence of hybrid compounding. Endocentric attributive, coordinative and subordinative and Exocentric attributive and subordinative compounds were observed and analyzed. Semantic transparency has been detected in all endocentric compounds where semantic opacity appears in exocentric compounds with some cultural schema at work.

Women have no honour of their own

Abstract This article presents a corpus-based Cultural-Linguistic study of the usage of the word honour in Pakistani and Indian Englishes, addressing underlying cultural conceptualizations of the notion of honor. Honor emerges as a complex cultural model which involves several cultural schemas, cultural categories and other cultural conceptualizations, in which women are cast as responsible protectors and upholders of the honor of men, families, and communities, their bodies being the very locus of men’s honor. The study is based on a relatively simple qualitative and quantitative analysis of two specialized corpora representing discourse on honor and related phenomena in Pakistani and Indian Englishes.

Cultural Texts, a Key to Communicative Competence in Third and Fourth Forms Secondary School in Goma

Purpose: The work at hand examines the effects of cultural texts, integrated in the language teaching and learning, on students’ communicative competence in third and fourth forms secondary school. It has been noticed that some teachers of English do not yet distinguish a literary (cultural) text from a scientific or technical one precisely while determining pedagogic purposes.
 Methodology: To gather data in this research, an experimental study was conducted in third and fourth forms secondary school in Goma.
 Findings: The overall findings have revealed that cultural texts influence both reading comprehension, retelling and interpretation skills, a real gateway to communicative competence enhancement. In other words, this study brings a new vision to the practice of communicative activities as currently carried out in Goma secondary schools. 
 Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: It arises English teachers’ concern not only for the message expressed by the text, but also for the exploitation of students’ cultural values and schemata to heighten their communicative competence.

Understanding facilitators for assertiveness among college students in India – a qualitative study

Assertiveness is the ability to be honest with one’s beliefs and interests while not denying the rights of others and includes behaviours like sharing one’s opinions, questioning ideas, being able to refuse request of others and firmly expressing one’s emotions without manipulation. Majority of Indians fall behind in being assertive due to various cultural factors and schemas they hold towards self and others. Since assertiveness impacts both the professional and social aspects of young adults, it is important to cultivate this behavior to take on the challenges faced. This study aimed to understand the factors which led to the development of assertive behaviour in college students despite the obstacles possessed. A qualitative descriptive design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 college students from different parts of India who scored high on the Rathus Assertiveness Scale. The major themes which emerged were - facilitators for assertiveness, benefits of being assertive, obstacles to assertiveness, ways of performing assertive behaviour, and sex-based differences in assertiveness in the responses received and manner of being assertive. These findings can be implemented in assertiveness and communication skills training.

Poeme Elecroniqe fusion concept of nationalism in “Feel the Sounds of Kenya”

This study sought to find out Poeme Elecroniqe fusion concept of nationalism in "Feel the Sounds of Kenya". Edgar Varese, a French composer, is hailed as the pioneer of electronic music with his signature Poeme Eletronique composition, which was performed in 1958 in Brussels. Attributes of similitude with Edgar Varese's Poeme Electronique style have come to identify certain African contemporary music idioms. Transcending conventional sonic boundaries that have long defined the Kenyan music space, the piece "Feel the Sounds of Kenya” by CeeRoo exemplifies this innovative fusion concept of electronic elements with social-cultural schemas akin to the Kenyan nationhood, a blend of native nuances with technological progress. Using the content analysis method, the researcher analyses Poeme Electronique concepts in ‘Feel the Sounds of Kenya’ with the aim of establishing the intersection between artistry and technology within the broader discourse of nationalism while propagating national consciousness. This is achieved by using Sofia’s model approach to examine CeeRoo’s ‘Feel the Sounds of Kenya’ on both descriptive and conceptual analysis levels. From the analysis, it is clear that CeeRoo’s “Feel the Sounds of Kenya” exemplifies a perfect union of definitive cultural nuances with electronic music in a space that has long been defined by conventional musical schemas. This information provides a model of how music composers, listeners and performers in Kenya can use normative cultural schemas to augment the conventional musical parlance, grammar and vocabulary. The researcher recommends a contextual-conscious approach for music making, practice and education in Kenya for relevance.

Cultural schemas and folk-belief: an insight into the belief in worshiping the Mother Goddess in Vietnam

Religious belief, as noted by scholars like Émile Durkheim (1858–1917), Max Weber (1864–1920), Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), and William James (1842–1910), reflects shared values, shapes human conduct, and provides spiritual strength. Furthermore, it is considered a template that expresses the basic spiritual needs and aspirations of human life, containing many cultural values and characteristics of the thinking of ethnic communities. Moreover, people perceive everything by schemas formed in memory. In this study, the authors chose the subject of the belief in worshiping the Mother Goddess—one of the most popular and ancient beliefs in Vietnam and inscribed by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. Employing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys, linguistic materials, and field research, the study explores how Vietnamese cultural beliefs shape perception, behavior, and lifestyle. Therefore, understanding and analyzing the characteristics of the beliefs in worshiping the Mother Goddess through the lens of Cultural Linguistics can present the actual spiritual experiences of Vietnamese people. From this unique perspective, the process of perceiving the world has meaning to the language and behavior of a community culture.

‘The Work That Reconnects’: a groupwork methodology for enhancing adaptive responses to the climate and ecological crisis

Abstract The dominant economic, political and sociocultural system is leading the Earth towards climate and ecological breakdown (IPCC, 2023) as well as causing adverse mental, physical and social health consequences (Eisenberg-Guyot and Prins, 2022). To address these inter-related crises there is an urgent need for cultural evolution to life-sustaining ways of living and organising human life (Brooks et al., 2018). This requires concurrent psychological and ideological shifts and psychological contexts of support, in which people can explore their relationship with, and response to, the planetary predicament and the roles they would like to play in its transformation. The Work That Reconnects (WTR) (Macy and Brown, 2014) is a groupwork methodology developed to address this need. It consists of a set of philosophical and psychological teachings and experiential practices drawn from deep ecology, living systems thinking, Buddhism, and indigenous, spiritual and other wisdom traditions. It originated outside the field of CBT and psychotherapy, within activist movements, within which it is an increasingly well-known methodology for psychological support. The WTR has many characteristics which align with cognitive behavioural approaches with regard to processes, techniques and mechanisms of change. The WTR has, as yet, received minimal scientific research attention. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of the methodology within the cognitive behavioural field, introducing philosophies, concepts, and techniques that may be of utility to CBT practitioners and stimulate research and evaluation of a methodology with potential to address psychological needs at this time. Key learning aims (1) To learn about a groupwork methodology, the Work That Reconnects (WTR), for developing adaptive resilience, motivation, agency and wellbeing when facing concerns about the world. (2) To learn about the four stages of the spiral of practices of the Work That Reconnects: gratitude, honouring our pain for the world, seeing with new and ancient eyes, and going forth. (3) To understand the key concepts of the model including cultural schemas such as ‘the three stories of our time’ and application of living systems thinking to create cognitive and behavioural shifts towards adaptive action. (4) To explore the parallels with cognitive behavioural approaches, review the evidence base, highlight the need for further research, and outline areas for investigation. (5) To suggest ways in which the WTR can inform individual therapy for climate and ecological concerns.

The Translation Strategies of Ancient Official Titles in Biography of Wang Guowei from the Perspective of Cultural Schema

Please refer to the URL that includes this article for the abstract.

Representation of women in English and Persian proverbs

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the portrayal of women in English and Persian proverbs using the multidisciplinary field of Cultural Linguistics as an alternative to critical discourse analysis. Utilizing a corpus analysis approach for Cultural Linguistics (Jensen 2017), 124 English and 186 Persian proverbs representing the theme of ‘woman’ were compared and contrasted cross-culturally. Results of grounded-theory driven analysis revealed: (a) while various cultural schemata and cultural metaphors reflecting both dark and bright sides of women in proverbs were unveiled, only one cultural category in Persian proverbs with no similar instance in English proverbs was revealed; and (b) in some English and Persian proverbs, interpreting cultural schemas predicates upon eliciting and understanding the cultural metaphors hidden in the proverbs. The results are discussed with reference to the potentiality of Cultural Linguistics as an analytical framework for paremiology that can provide an in-depth interpretation of proverbs as a culturally-loaded discourse.

Does Trauma Have a Race?

Abstract The task of theorizing and “curing” psychological trauma posed an unprecedented challenge to Western medicine during World War I. In this article, I analyze linguistic and thematic patterns across influential French medical journal publications (1914–1919) to elucidate the dominant medical model of psychological trauma in white men. My approach highlights the centrality of la volonté (“willpower”), historically a critical aspect of Western masculinity, to experts’ conceptualization of trauma itself. I expand this analysis to consider key differences between the model of trauma in white men and the so-called “facsimiles of pathology” in North African soldiers. This comparative analysis illuminates a larger cultural schema of the healthy (white, masculine) self as discrete, sovereign, impermeable, and “justified” in its occupation of colonial spaces.