Regional Differences In Attitudes Research Articles

Regional differences in deer hunter attitudes and opinions regarding quality deer management (QDM)

ABSTRACT Quality deer management (QDM) is the preeminent framework by which white-tailed deer are managed in the eastern USA. Historic differences surrounding the cultures, traditions, and regulations of deer hunting exist regionally between the Midwest and Southeast, yet no published study has investigated regional differences in attitudes and opinions of QDM among deer hunters. We surveyed 9,301 deer hunters across two Midwestern states (Missouri and Ohio) and two Southeastern states (Louisiana and South Carolina) and found that hunters across regions held similar motivations for deer hunting, as well as similar attitudes and opinions of strategies and expected outcomes of QDM. However, there existed several mismatches between the practices and ideology associated with QDM among Southeastern hunters. Southeastern hunters held greater support for greater antlered bag limits, protection of does, and supplemental feeding. We postulate that these mismatches are largely driven by regional differences in cultures, traditions, and regulations surrounding deer hunting.

Cannabis Legalization: Social Risk Assessment and Economic Forecast

Abstract The paper considers the problem of the economic feasibility of cannabis legalization in the Russian Federation. The paper also analyzes attitudes towards cannabis legalization among 584 residents (291 female and 293 male, 18.8 ± 1.4 for men, 18.3 ± 1.6 for women) from two different Russian regions (with the highest (Republic of Khakassia, Chelyabinsk Region, Moscow Region, Amur Region, and Saint-Petersburg) and lowest (Chukotka Autonomous District, Nenets Autonomous District, Chechen Republic, Arkhangelsk Region, and Orel Region) per capita drug use in the Russian Federation). All participants were interviewed via the Internet. In the first stage, a keyword analysis categorized articles into medical (48 %) and non-medical (52 %) cannabis use, revealing varied perspectives on its benefits and risks. The second stage surveyed Russian citizens, indicating regional differences in attitudes toward cannabis legalization based on per capita drug use. The third stage conducted a PEST analysis, highlighting economic consequences and offering recommendations. Practical implications include the need for targeted prevention programs, effective curriculum modules, and collaborative efforts to address the complex challenges associated with cannabis legalization. The study found that the public attitude towards the legalization of drugs for non-medical purposes is negative. In regions with the highest per capita soft drug use, the legalization of non-medical cannabis is unlikely to cause an increase in the level of usage. Teenagers living in regional centers tend to be more engaged in trying and using cannabis (11.9 %) compared to other cities (8.8 %, p ≤ 0.05) and rural areas, where the rate of cannabis use was the lowest (5.4 %, p ≤ 0.05). This research underscores the importance of tailored interventions and educational strategies to address diverse attitudes toward cannabis legalization. The findings contribute valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and health professionals, guiding the development of informed approaches to substance use prevention. The recommendations emphasize the necessity of proactive measures, such as outreach programs and collaborative efforts, to navigate the multifaceted implications of cannabis legalization and promote overall societal well-being.

School: a sad duty or an enriching necessity? Effects of long-term historical institutions on educational attitudes

ABSTRACT Attitudes towards education vary between regions and countries. These differences cannot be fully explained by socio-economic inequalities or direct inputs such as teachers or class size. The persistence of historical institutions is also an important issue. In this paper, regional differences in attitudes towards education are investigated in reference to events that took place in 19th century Polish territories when Poland was partitioned by Prussia, Russia, and Habsburg Austria and their educational systems were imposed. The results of the quantitative and qualitative research suggest that historical processes have created different attitudes towards education. In some regions, education is seen as a key for gaining general knowledge, yet in other parts of the country, it is seen as a tool for improving practical and technical skills.

Attitudes towards immigration at the regional level in Europe in times of crisis

At the aftermath of the 2008 financial and socio–economic crisis, there had been a boom of nationalist parties in Europe that included anti–immigration measures in their programs. In this study, we analyse the relationship between socioeconomic status and anti–immigrant sentiment at the regional level by using geographically weighted regression. In doing so we use data from the fist years of the financial crisis, when most of European countries were beginning to experience its consequences at an economic, social and political level. Our findings confirm the suitability of spatial analysis to explain regional differences in attitudes towards immigration. Although inter–country or macro–regional comparisons might be useful to explain anti–immigrant sentiments, the general validity of these large–scale geographic areas could be questioned when descending to a regional level. The information provided at the regional level might be useful to identify regions where policy makers should aim integration policies to reduce citizens’ negative attitudes towards immigrants.

Regionální rozdíly ve vnímání mezinárodní migrace studenty středních škol a jejich podmiňující faktory

In recent years Czech public discourse has been highlighting the belief that there are profound and ever-deepening cleavages within Czech society that also have a significant geographic dimension. One of the issues on which public opinion differs greatly in different regions is the perception of migrants and migration in general. The aim of this paper is therefore to evaluate the extent to which this perception indeed differs across regions, and what factors can explain the variation. For this purpose, a questionnaire survey was fielded among secondary-school students in three Czech cities, which proved the existence of significant regional differences in attitudes towards migration. However, these differences greatly depend on how the attitudes are measured - by far the most pronounced differences are found in the attitudes towards the refugees and immigrant groups associated with the recent wave of refugees, attitudes towards whom were three times more negative among students in the ZlĂ­n region than among students in Prague. These differences can only partly be explained by the different characteristics of the regions and students. By contrast, friendly contact with foreign nationals seems to be the most vital explanatory variable. The article also presents a model that illustrates the possible process by which individual factors may shape students' attitudes towards migration.

Regional differences in mental health stigma-Analysis of nationally representative data from the Health Survey for England, 2014.

BackgroundMental health stigma persists despite coordinated and widely-evaluated interventions. Socioeconomic, structural, and regional context may be important in shaping attitudes to mental illness, and response to stigma interventions. Regional differences in attitudes towards mental illness could be relevant for intervention, but have not been systematically explored. We evaluated regional variation in mental health stigma using nationally representative data from England, the Health Survey for England (HSE), from 2014.MethodsA previously derived scale for mental health-related attitudes with 2 factors (i. tolerance and support, ii. prejudice and exclusion), and overall attitudes, were outcomes. Weighted linear regressions estimated contribution of individual characteristics and region of residence to inter-individual variability in mental health-related attitudes.ResultsLondon and southern regions tended to have more negative mental health-related attitudes. These differences were not fully or consistently explained by individual sociodemographic characteristics, or personal familiarity with mental illness.ConclusionsStigma policies could require refinements based on geographic setting. Regions may be in particular need of stigma interventions, or be more resistant to them. Regional differences might be related to media coverage of mental illness, funding differences, service availability, or accessibility of educational opportunities. Greater geographic detail is necessary to examine reasons for regional variation in stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness, for example through multilevel analysis.

The monkey is not always a God: Attitudinal differences toward crop-raiding macaques and why it matters for conflict mitigation.

Attitudinal differences toward wildlife have important implications for conflict management and when the species in question have strong cultural and religious associations, conflict mitigation becomes a challenging endeavor. We investigated farmers' attitudes toward two different crop-raiding macaque species, the rhesus macaque in northern India, and the bonnet macaque in southern India. Apart from regional differences in attitudes, we also assessed temporal changes in attitude toward the rhesus macaque. We carried out household surveys using a semistructured questionnaire to collect data. Our findings reveal that respondents in southern and northern India differ significantly in their views regarding species sanctity and preference for mitigation options. Although people's perceptions of the rhesus macaques had changed over time in northern India, farmers were still unwilling to cause harm to the macaques. We discuss the underlying causes of these observed differences in attitude and their impact on the management of human-macaque conflict.

Eu Referendum in the UK: The Regional Dimension

Voters in the United Kingdom go to the polls on 23rd June to take part in a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union. Most commentators suggest that this is likely to be the most significant question put to the electorate for a generation. Latest polls at the time of writing suggest that the national vote could be very close. The polls also reveal regional differences in attitudes towards the EU across the UK. In this section of Regions, RSA members comment on the headline issues that appear to be influencing the public debate across the UK national territories and the regions of England.

Explaining temporal trends and regional variation in attitudes towards foreign workers: group conflict theory and Finland 1990–2013

This article explores a dynamic version of group conflict theory as an explanation for developments over time as well as regional differences in attitudes towards foreign workers in Finland in the period 1990–2013. In particular, it is argued that recent changes in potential for conflict are more likely to affect attitudes than are their levels. The results confirm this as it is both change in the rate of growth of the foreign population and possibly change in unemployment that tend to have an effect on attitudes, whereas the size of the foreign population and the level of unemployment do not. These change measures tend to have an effect at the national rather than the regional level. On the other hand, regional differences are not explained by any of the contextual variables tested. The data used at the individual level is a pooled data set (N=28,135) of 13 EVA Surveys on Finnish Values and Attitudes.

Corliss et al. Respond

The letter by Rice et al. provides further evidence that sexual-minority adolescents are at greater risk for homelessness than adolescents in general. To understand the scope of the problem nationally, we strongly urge surveillance mechanisms, such as the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), to collect standardized data on sexual orientation and homelessness. In addition to Massachusetts, a number of other state and regional YRBSSs collect sexual orientation data. Standardizing sexual orientation questions across surveys and increasing the number of surveys that collect these data will improve our ability to quantify the scope of the problem. Additionally, we suggest using a homeless question like the one in the Massachusetts YRBSS1 because it is based on the McKinney-Vento2 federal definition of homelessness (i.e., lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence) and provides detailed information on type of living situation and unaccompanied status. As Rice et al. note, there is great variation in homelessness by region. There are also regional differences in attitudes toward homosexuality and gender-role norms.3,4 Systematic data collection will allow us to examine how risk for homelessness in sexual-minority teens may vary by region and other sociodemographic characteristics such as race/ethnicity and gender. The 2005 Massachusetts YRBSS estimated that 4.2% of Massachusetts public high school students were homeless, yet only 0.6% of Massachusetts high school students were identified by schools as homeless during the 2004–2005 academic year.5 Health and social service professionals need to do a better job working with schools to identify homeless students and to link them with services to find stable housing, to assist them with their educational needs, and to support their health and well-being. In public health, these efforts are known as secondary (i.e., intervening early to end homelessness) and tertiary (i.e., providing services to those currently homeless such as temporary shelter, food, and other social and medical services) prevention efforts. Equally important are primary prevention efforts that focus on preventing homelessness in the first place. Efforts to identify effective primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies for sexual-minority youth at risk for homelessness are clearly needed. What strategies help families overcome challenges leading to sexual-minority teen homelessness? Are programs in schools and communities for homeless youth effective at reaching sexual minorities and addressing their specific needs? Because homeless sexual-minority teens are likely to be unaccompanied by their parents/guardians, does this influence their access to shelter-based and other services? Answers to these and other questions will help us eliminate the unconscionable sexual orientation disparities in youth homelessness.

Pride and Prejudice: Employment Discrimination against Openly Gay Men in the United States

This article presents the first large-scale audit study of discrimination against openly gay men in the United States. Pairs of fictitious résumés were sent in response to 1,769 job postings in seven states. One résumé in each pair was randomly assigned experience in a gay campus organization, and the other résumé was assigned a control organization. Two main findings have emerged. First, in some but not all states, there was significant discrimination against the fictitious applicants who appeared to be gay. This geographic variation in the level of discrimination appears to reflect regional differences in attitudes and antidiscrimination laws. Second, employers who emphasized the importance of stereotypically male heterosexual traits were particularly likely to discriminate against openly gay men. Beyond these particular findings, this study advances the audit literature more generally by covering multiple regions and by highlighting how audit techniques may be used to identify stereotypes that affect employment decisions in real labor markets.

Regional Differences in Mother-Adult-Child Relations: A Brief Report

In the past decade, there has been increasing interest in regional differences in attitudes and behaviors; however, little of this research has focused on families, particularly in later life. The goal of this article is to address two specific questions: (a) Does adult children's closeness and contact with mothers vary by region? and (b) Can traditionalism explain patterns of regionality? To address these questions, we used a subsample of adult children (aged 25-74) from the National Survey of Families and Households (Wave II) who were asked about contact and closeness with their mothers (aged 65 and older). Adult children residing in the South reported greater contact and closeness with mothers than those residing in other parts of the country. Traditionalism regarding gender ideology and religious involvement could not account for the greater contact and closeness observed among Southern respondents. Recent literature has demonstrated the persistence of a distinctive Southern culture; the present study contributes to this body of work by showing that intergenerational cohesion is also greater in the South than in other regions of the United States. These findings call for greater attention to regionality in future studies of intergenerational relations.

Landowner attitudes regarding wildlife management on private land in North Carolina

Early-successional habitats across the southeast United States have declined considerably in recent years amid rising human population growth and associated development. Recognizing the declining wildlife populations associated with early-successional habitats and the need for influence over habitat on private land, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission established the Cooperative Upland Habitat Restoration and Enhancement (CURE) Program in August 2000. The program targets private landowners in 3 select regions of the state (Upper Coastal Plain I, Upper Coastal Plain II, and Western Piedmont). Survey research was conducted in the 3 CURE Program areas to 1) evaluate demographic and landownership attributes of private landowners and associated land-use characteristics, 2) assess regional differences in landowner attitudes and behavior toward wildlife management on private land, 3) identify landowner attributes related to regional differences in attitude or behavior, and 4) evaluate how regional differences will impact future CURE Program guidelines. Landowner attitudes toward wildlife in North Carolina are closely linked to property use and reliance on land for direct economic income (i.e., agricultural production). Landowners who depended on their property for earned annual income were less likely to consider the aesthetic or intrinsic value of wildlife on their land than those who did not rely on their land for income. For some landowners, financial incentives alone appeared sufficient to encourage participation in the CURE Program. Other landowners were less interested in financial rewards. For these landowners, alternative forms of encouragement, such as partnerships with agencies and organizations, might be more effective. Understanding variability in landowner attitudes and behavior toward wildlife habitat is critical to the success of private-land wildlife habitat management programs. In North Carolina the success of the CURE Program will depend on tailoring the program to fit regional differences in landowner values, attitudes, and behavior.

Attitudes, knowledge, and practices of otolaryngologists treating patients infected with HIV

The AIDS epidemic has become one of the most important public health problems of this century. As the prevalence of HIV infection continues to rise, health care practitioners in all geographic regions can expect greater clinical exposure to patients infected with HIV. We conducted an anonymous survey of all practicing otolaryngologists in Ohio and California to investigate regional differences in attitudes, knowledge, and practices regarding the care of patients infected with HIV. We also examined the data with respect to year of completion of residency training to identify differences in attitudes or practices among otolaryngologists who trained in the era of AIDS (post-1982 graduates) in comparison with their predecessors (pre-1982 graduates). In comparison with Ohio otolaryngologists, California otolaryngologists reported more frequent clinical encounters with HIV-infected patients and displayed significantly better knowledge regarding the otolaryngologic aspects of HIV infection. Californians were more likely to support the right of an HIV-infected physician to maintain an unrestricted practice and would be less likely to disclose their HIV status to their patients and hospital if they were to become infected with HIV. Post-1982 graduates had more frequent encounters with HIV-infected patients than did pre-1982 graduates and demonstrated a better fund of knowledge. Although Californians were more likely than Ohioans to routinely double glove in surgery, the overall double gloving rate was low at 21%. Californians were no more likely than Ohioans to routinely use protective eyewear, water-impervious gowns, or indirect instrument-passing techniques in surgery. No differences were observed in prevalence of protective surgical precautions between pre-1982 and post-1982 graduates. The results of the survey indicate a need for broader acceptance and use of "universal" surgical precautions among otolaryngologists. (OTOLARYNGOL HEAD NECK SURG 1995;113:733-9.)

Regional Differences in Attitudes toward Corporal Punishment

Corporal punishment is deeply rooted in American culture. Strong legal and religious traditions in this country support the use of physical punishment of by both parents and school officials (Graziano & Kunce, 1992; Graziano & Namaste, 1990; Greven, 1990; Straus, 1991). Given this powerful normative endorsement, is hardly surprising that the use of corporal punishment by parents is virtually universal in American society. Recent studies have revealed that over 90% of parents have spanked their (Straus, 1983; Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980; Wauchope & Straus, 1990). Studies using convenience samples of college students have found that more than 90% report being spanked (Bryan & Freed, 1982; Graziano & Namaste, 1990). In the last several years, some observers have begun to question and challenge the value of well-intentioned spankings. It is becoming clearer that negative consequences, both short-and long-term, can result from ordinary (McCord, 1988; Straus, 1991). In a series of studies, Straus and his colleagues have linked physical punishment to substance abuse and criminal activity (Straus & Lauer, 1992), low economic achievement (Straus & Gimpel, 1992), and depression and thoughts of suicide (Straus, in press). Despite these negative outcomes, powerful cultural norms make attitudes toward corporal punishment slow to change. Individuals have developed a host of reasons, or myths, unsupported by the evidence, to justify the hitting of (Straus, 1992). Yet to what degree do individuals embrace the norm supporting corporal punishment, and what factors influence their attitudes? RESEARCH ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ATTITUDES The data indicate that the vast majority of Americans favor the physical punishment of children. In 1986, a National Opinion Research Center survey found that 84% of Americans either agreed or strongly agreed that it is sometimes necessary to discipline a child with a good, hard spanking (Straus, 1991). Adults' support of is not limited to young children. Older are also viewed as suitable targets for hitting. In the first National Family Violence Survey, Straus et al. (1980) found that between 70% and 77% of respondents believed that or slapping a 12-year-old child was at least somewhat necessary, normal, and good. Even well-educated professionals express support for the physical punishment of children. In a study of 619 Ohio family physicians and pediatricians, McCormick (1992) found that 67% favored giving a mild spanking. Seventy percent of family physicians agreed with corporal punishment, compared with 59% of pediatricians. Normative support for corporal punishment is established before most individuals become parents. In a study of 679 college freshmen, Graziano and Namaste (1990) found that approximately two-thirds (68.9%) felt that was an effective disciplinary procedure. Nearly half (45.1%) agreed that children need to be spanked to teach discipline. Further, over 80% of these students believed that parents should have the right to spank (94.9) and that they would spank their own (82.7%). Deley (1988) compared the experiences with and attitudes toward of American college students with college students in Sweden. (In 1979, Sweden enacted legislation prohibiting the use of physical punishment by parents. The law carries no penalty, as its primary purpose is to establish a cultural norm against spanking.) In addition to receiving corporal punishment more frequently than the Swedes, Americans were more likely to believe in than their Swedish counterparts--62.3% compared with 28.6% for males and 60.4% compared with 18.9 for females. Further, when asked if they would support a law, similar to the one in Sweden, that would prohibit parents from hitting at all, only 22.2% of American males and 30. …

A Survey of Attitudes Toward Tourism Growth in Rhode Island

A survey of Rhode Island households, businesses and town officials was conducted in 1982 in order to pravide background information for the first Governor's Conference on Tourism held in the state. The three objectives of the survey were to identify specific benefits and problems associated with tourism growth, to measure differences in attitudes held by the three groups sampled, and to identify regional differences in attitudes within the state. In order to accomplish the second and third objectives, a tourism attitude scale was developed.