Identical Shape Research Articles

The Burden Mothers Bear: Using the Health Belief Model to Understand How U.S. Mothers’ Intersectional Identities Shape Health Decision-Making During COVID-19

ABSTRACT The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people of color and the burden placed on mothers created a need to better understand how mothers of color made health decisions for their families and communicated these decisions with others during the pandemic. This study investigated how this populations’ intersectional identities played a role in their health decision-making processes and overall experiences during COVID-19. Using the health belief model as a sensitizing concept, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with mothers of color across the United States about their lived experiences during the pandemic. Our findings suggest a need for health communicators to address the overburdening of mothers of color during crises, with special attention to self-efficacy messages that aim to reduce this burden and recognizing the role that intersectional identities play in the health decision-making process.

Non-invasive in-situ monitoring of deep etching processes using terahertz metasurfaces

This study presents an in-situ and non-invasive process control and monitoring (PCM) method for deep silicon etching, leveraging terahertz metasurfaces. The technique addresses the challenges for monitoring deep and high aspect ratio etching processes, which are prevalent in semiconductor microfabrication. By incorporating metasurfaces with identical geometric shapes and sizes as crucial components of targeted devices, the method enables accurate monitoring of the etching depth in the process. Continuous shifts of terahertz reflection spectra provide information on etching depth, while abrupt change in the curves highlights the etching endpoint, preventing over-etching. For the commonly used comb-finger structure, numerical simulations demonstrate a strong linear relationship between etching depth and terahertz resonant wavelengths (nonlinearity < 1%) and an abrupt resonant frequency change (> 0.6 THz) at the endpoint. Experimental validations confirm the accuracy of the PCM method, with an etching depth estimation error below 2 µm. This approach enhances the precision of PCM in microfabrication, offering the potential for widespread applications in the production of micromechanical sensors, actuators, and other microelectronic devices.

Integrating professional and religious identities: implications for career success and workplace dynamics in China

ABSTRACT This study explores how Chinese Buddhist business owners navigate the intersection of their professional and religious identities and how this shapes their perceptions of career success. Through qualitative interviews with 31 Buddhist Chinese business owners, we introduce the concept of ‘identity synchronisation’ to explain how individuals manage multiple, potentially conflicting identities. Our findings reveal that participants maintain distinct yet mutually reinforcing professional and religious identities, leading to a holistic conceptualisation of career success encompassing both material achievements and spiritual fulfilment. This process of identity synchronisation influences ethical decision-making, leadership approaches, and definitions of success. Our analysis extends social identity theory by demonstrating how individuals actively synchronise seemingly disparate identities, challenging the notion that work and religious identities are inherently conflicting. The study contributes to understanding how religious identity shapes work experiences in diverse business contexts and offers insights for organisations supporting multiple identity expressions. It provides a foundation for exploring how diverse identities influence workplace dynamics in an increasingly globalised environment.

Urban orientalism and informal urbanization in Jinan, Shandong, China

This study examines urban orientalism in Jinan, Shandong, China, focusing on its intersection with informal urban spaces. Urban orientalism, a concept rooted in Edward Said’s seminal work, describes the tendency of Western observers to romanticize and portray non-Western cities as exotic. Jinan, undergoing rapid expansion, reflects a complex relationship between urban orientalism and informal settlements, influencing both the city’s physical landscape and social dynamics. The research explores how perceptions of Jinan’s “Oriental” identity shape policies, urban development strategies, and the lived experiences of its residents. Through a multidisciplinary approach integrating urban studies, cultural geography, and anthropology, this study analyzes the spatial distribution of informal settlements, their evolution over time, and the socioeconomic factors contributing to their persistence. In addition, it considers how local and global urban imaginaries shape views on informality and inform policy decisions impacting urban development. Drawing on empirical data from fieldwork, interviews, and archival research, this study aims to deepen understanding of urban orientalism as a multifaceted phenomenon with tangible implications for urban governance and spatial equity. Addressing these biases through more inclusive urban planning strategies is crucial for fostering equity and acknowledging diverse urban experiences.

Identity‐Based Motivation and the Motivational Consequences of Difficulty

ABSTRACTDifficulty is an under‐appreciated but powerful motivational force. As outlined by identity‐based motivation (IBM) theory, a social cognition theory of self, self‐regulation, and goal pursuit, people prefer to act (action‐readiness) and understand their experiences (procedural‐readiness) in ways that fit who they are (identity‐congruence). IBM also predicts that experienced identity congruence is context‐sensitive—though experienced as stable anchors, people's identities are dynamically constructed in context. Contexts shape which identities come to mind, what these on‐the‐mind identities imply for action, and what people infer when thinking about a task, goal, or life feels hard. People can draw two inferences (termed difficulty‐as‐importance and difficulty‐as‐impossibility) when a task or goal feels hard to think about and a third (termed difficulty‐as‐improvement) when their life feels hard to think about. IBM predicts, and studies support, a bidirectional relationship among these three components (action‐readiness, procedural‐readiness, and dynamic construction). Situations shape the identities that are on the mind and feel relevant (dynamic construction) and the inferences people draw from difficulty (procedural readiness). On‐the‐mind and context‐relevant identities shape inferences from difficulty. Inferences from difficulty affect identity and action—when applying a difficulty‐as‐importance lens, people feel more certain of attaining their self‐relevant goals. They perform better and find engaging a “me” thing to do—“no pain, no gain”. When applying a difficulty‐as‐impossibility lens, people find engaging a waste of their time and unlikely to yield self‐benefits unless an easy means to goal attainment exists—“cut your losses”. They focus on their virtuous character traits and prefer effortful means to attain self‐relevant goals when applying a difficulty‐as‐improvement lens—“the high road”. Difficulty can be a green light of importance signaling you to get going, a detour sign of impossibility signaling you to shift to something else, or angel wings pointing you to the effortful route.

Exploring Operant Conditioning in Nella Larsen’s passing: Beyond Clash of Civilizations

Through the clash of civilizations, this study represents the ongoing negotiation and redefinition of personalities of their identities. This conflict between traditional values and personal ambitions highlights cultural tensions between ethnic and cultural identity. The study illustrates Skinner's behavioral theory, pointing out how external reinforcements and punishments affect characters' actions and decisions. In addition, the novel provides a commentary on social norms and the relentless pursuit of identity and belonging in a divided world, reflecting the ongoing struggles that individuals face with societal expectations and personal ambitions. The clash of civilizations shows the importance of cultural diversity and complexities in shaping identities in a multicultural society. Identity’s responses to reinforcement and punishment reveal the complex relationship between behavior, societal expectations, and individual choices in shaping a person's sense of self. After the study, it was discovered that Skinner's theory of reinforcement and punishment can be seen in the behavior of the two main characters in Larsen's novel. The novel reflects cultural and social tensions in early twentieth-century America and illustrates how the clash of ethnic and cultural identities can shape an individual's behavior and life decisions.

Grain size and shape analysis of recent and paleo sediments along Poyang Lake with insight into its environmental significance

Grain shape is a crucial sedimentological attribute commonly employed for reconstructing depositional environments and transport history. The new dynamic image analysis (DIA) techniques enable testing a large number of individual mineral grains simultaneously and overcomes many shortcomings of traditional visual evaluation. However, there is a relative dearth of comprehensive analysis on large quantities of sediments in recent and geological period to accurately document their grain shape properties and further evaluate their applicability in distinguishing sedimentary setting and its environmental significance. In this study, we measured the grain shape and size of 77 samples collected from modern surface sand (28 beach sand and 17 dune sand samples) and stratigraphic sediment (16 paleo-dunes sand and 16 paleo-lacustrine sand samples) along the Poyang Lake in southeastern China using the DIA method, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was used to constrain the age of stratigraphic sediments from two sand hill sections. Also 217 published grain shape data from various sedimentary environments (coastal beach, desert dune and fluvial sand) were compiled as comprehensively assess the applicability of grain shape discrimination for sedimentary setting. Our results show the significant difference on grain shape feature among fluvial, coastal beach and dune sand. Dune sand exhibit the highest values for circularity (Ci), symmetry (Sy), aspect ratio (AR), and convexity (Cx), while fluvial sand displays high Ci, Sy, Cx value, and lowest AR value. This indicate that the grain shape can be a powerful tool for discriminating sedimentary setting. Principal component analysis shows that circularity and aspect ratio effectively describe the shape of the analyzed sediment and are decisive indicators for identification depositional environments, whereas the convexity has limited sensitivity in distinguishing grain edge roundness. The paleo-lacustrine sand (PLS) intercalated within the sand hill profiles returns OSL age of age of ∼ 26.5 ± 1.4 ka, which indicate the emergence of interdune lake rather than high lake level of Poyang Lake. PLS and modern beach sand (BS) exhibiting identical grain shape characteristics to those of modern aeolian dune sand (DS) suggested the occurrence of aeolian-fluvial interaction processes in our study area during the Last Glacial Maximum and present day. The paleo-dune sand (PDS) samples, yielding OSL age of 1.2 ± 0.1 ka, are characterized by higher Ci, Sy, and AR, indicating strong aeolian activity and dune reworking during the past two millennia along the Poyang Lake.

Current insights into lower limb prostheses: Brazilian users’ perceptions on the (Re)construction of body image and identity

Purpose This study aims to investigate the (re)construction of body image and identity among Brazilian individuals using orthopedic prostheses from a phenomenological perspective. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study involved 16 lower-limb orthopedic prosthesis users, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Findings Thematic analysis, grounded in phenomenology, identified two superordinate themes: 1) Representativeness of the orthopedic prosthesis, and 2) Considerations regarding prosthesis use. These themes were further divided into subordinate themes: the first into “The prosthesis as part of me,” “What the prosthesis provides me,” and “It means everything to me”; the second into “Feelings about prosthesis use,” “Difficulties in daily life,” and “The gaze of others.” Originality/value According to orthopedic prosthesis users, their experiences and narratives reveal that prostheses play a key role in reconstructing body image and shaping identity. Initially, many participants viewed the prosthesis as merely a replacement for the lost limb, but over time, especially with prolonged use, it became more deeply integrated into their sense of self, fostering a stronger emotional connection. Prostheses were found to offer both functional and emotional benefits, enhancing users’ independence, self-esteem and sense of normalcy. However, despite these positive aspects, participants reported ongoing challenges, including difficulties in adapting to the device and limitations in functional mobility. Additionally, the study revealed that, despite societal progress, individuals with amputations continue to experience judgment and stigma, often reflected in the gaze of others.

Studying how a mathematics teacher’s professional identity shapes and is shaped by the use of digital resources in the classroom

Studying how a mathematics teacher’s professional identity shapes and is shaped by the use of digital resources in the classroom

Peripheral straightness leads to shape diversification during formations of entire leaves

The ways to read out positional information are essential to determine final shapes in developmental processes. Relative shaping to different sizes of positional information enables robust morphogenesis; however, the same difference sometimes causes diversity. Different responses to a positional information will enable such switching of identical/diverse shapes, though detail mechanisms remain unknown.In this paper, we describe growing forms by constructing the contour of a two-dimensional object using propagating points and segments connecting them. In plant morphogenesis that lacks almost cell movements, tissue growth accompanied by cell divisions is central. We focused on peripheral cell composition in leaf formation as a frame. The growth with or without cell division on the periphery was analyzed with simple algorithms. We calculated the shapes of entire leaves with different ovality using combined growth algorithms as a model. Responces of the respective algorithms to simple positional information were explored to seek the origin of the shape diversification.The algorithm for “growth with cell divisions” maintained identical shapes; however, diverse shapes were generated by the algorithm “growth without cell division” with gradients. The simplified model allowed us to interpret the oval shape diversity due to slants on edges. We concluded that peripheral straightness can generate shape diversity, at least in leaf morphogenesis.

Education – Language – Identity

AbstractIn our paper we explore the intricate relationship between language and identity within the Hungarian language minority residing in Slovakia, examining the patterns of identification among high school students in Western Slovakia. Focusing on upper-secondary Hungarian-medium high school students, we investigate the role of the Hungarian language in shaping identity patterns and cultural unity. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative questionnaire survey with qualitative focus group discussions, we address research questions regarding the construction of community belonging and adolescents' attachments to their region and homeland. Our study, encompassing 414 students from five Hungarian-medium gymnasiums, sheds light on the identity formation of the Hungarian national minority and highlights divergent tendencies between different age groups. The findings are part of an ongoing state-level research project.

A Comparative Analysis of American and Vietnamese Presidents' Speeches: A Systemic Functional Grammar Perspective

This study presents a comparative analysis of the inaugural speeches of U.S. President Joe Biden and Vietnamese President To Lam, utilizing Michael Halliday's Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) framework. By examining the Ideational (Transitivity), Interpersonal (Modality), and Textual (Texture and Cohesion) metafunctions, the study reveals how each leader's linguistic choices mirror the distinct political and cultural contexts of their respective nations. Joe Biden’s speech underscores the urgency of immediate action and crisis management, employing Material Processes to stress the importance of unity and national recovery. Conversely, To Lam's speech is rooted in long-term nation-building and the leadership of the Communist Party, with a focus on Relational Processes to reinforce collective responsibility and national unity. The Modality analysis demonstrates Joe Biden’s use of High Modality to convey decisiveness and transparency, aligning with American expectations for solid and clear commitments. In contrast, To Lam emphasizes collective duty and the Party's enduring leadership, reflecting Vietnam's socio-political ethos. Additionally, both speeches use Theme-Rheme structures and lexical repetition to ensure textual cohesion, though their cultural and ideological differences lead to distinct rhetorical approaches. By deepening our understanding of how political leaders use language to shape identities, communicate visions, and influence public perception, this study contributes to the broader field of political communication, offering insights into the strategic use of language across different cultural contexts.

Two sides of the same coin? Cross-linguistic sentiment comparison and thematic discovery of reader’s reception of Wolf Totem

Abstract Despite growing attention to the global dissemination of cross-cultural literature, rigorous research on cross-linguistic sentiment analysis remains limited, especially for works like Wolf Totem, which hold both worldwide reach and cultural depth. This study conducted a cross-language sentiment and thematic analysis of online book reviews by Chinese and English readers, utilizing advanced linguistic techniques such as BERT, MAXQDA, and ProtAnt. The analysis reveals that Chinese readers are more critical of the themes “Ethnicity and Culture”, “Society and Politics”, and “Wolf and Wolf Nature”, while English readers respond more positively to “Historical Context and Background”, “Plot and Theme”, and “Emotional Response and Reading Experience”. This study not only highlights these emotional variations but also provides robust methodological insights for cross-linguistic sentiment analysis, showcasing the integration of quantitative and qualitative approaches and enhancing understanding of how cultural identity shapes reader engagement.

Bicultural bilinguals: Juggling languages, shifting ‘personalities’, destroying barriers

Purpose and research questions: Despite the amount of existing work about bilingualism and some interesting studies about biculturalism, research somehow lacks interest in considering these two aspects as one big reality, bicultural bilingualism. The aim of this article is to bridge the gap between the linguistic and the cultural components that build bicultural bilinguals and to show the importance of taking into account these two components together to have a complete understanding of the mechanisms that underlie bicultural bilinguals. Key concepts such as the Foreign Language Effect and Bicultural Identity Integration are explored to highlight how language and culture interplay in shaping identity and behaviour. Methodology: By examining the literature on language-dependent frame-switching and the integration of cultural identities, this article highlights the unique characteristics of bicultural bilinguals that differentiate them from both monocultural bilinguals and monolingual biculturalsFindings and conclusions: Bicultural bilinguals are not merely the aggregation of different languages and different cultures. They possess a unique identity that sets them apart from monocultural bilinguals and monolingual biculturals. Significance:This article is among the first to analyse bicultural bilingualism as a unified phenomenon, emphasizing the need to consider both linguistic and cultural dimensions. The findings of this analysis have broader implications for psychology, sociolinguistics, and cultural studies.

Who Is Perceived as Deserving? How Social Identities Shape Attitudes about Disaster Assistance in the United States

ABSTRACT Research has shown that as the size of government assistance programs grow, and the recipients of such programs are increasingly non-white and/or non-citizen, public support for them declines. Our study examines this phenomenon on the question of deservingness in federal disaster assistance. Using a 2018 survey experiment that leverages two devastating hurricanes—Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Harvey—that hit different parts of the United States in 2017, we explore how the social identities of race/ethnicity and partisanship affect attitudes about disaster deservingness. Our results demonstrate that although federal disaster assistance has broad support, it is contingent on perceptions about the disaster victim and the type of assistance. Respondents were less likely to support disaster assistance to Hurricane Maria–affected people than those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Moreover, white and Republican respondents were more likely to favor market-based assistance whereas race-/ethnic-minority and Democratic respondents were more likely to support more generous forms of disaster assistance. These findings have important implications for the allocation of disaster funds as climate change intensifies and the frequency of billion-dollar disaster events increases. This is exacerbated by political polarization and heightened social vulnerability due to changing population demographics.

El costo de la independencia: Latino house-cleaners in Technology-Mediated Labour Markets

This paper explores the interplay between identity, collective action, and digital marketplaces among Latino house-cleaners in Toronto. Domestic work, such as house-cleaning, has traditionally been devalued, gendered, and delegated to marginalised immigrant populations. The informal nature of house-cleaning work, also introduces precarity, vulnerabilities and potential avenues of exploitation. Drawing on 19 interviews with Latino house-cleaners, the paper underscores how identity shapes experiences and strategies in the labour markets. We find that Latino house-cleaners prefer to use asynchronous digital marketplaces, such as social media commerce groups and online classified advertisement websites, as the platforms provides flexibility and control over their labour outcomes. The paper further delves into how group identities online - such as being Latino and women - foster collective action and solidarity. The paper provides insights on how we can support the needs support the challenges and needs of immigrant domestic workers in technology-mediated labour markets.

Language Policies and Ideologies for Socialization and Identity-Building in U.S. Schools: The Case of Newcomer and Refugee Students in Arizona and New York

Although multilingualism is a major issue in educational policies, especially in states hosting a high number of newcomer immigrant students, there is limited research exploring the experiences of a multilingual group of newcomer students and how they use language in schools. This article draws on 112 interviews with students from an immigrant background across four high schools in Arizona and New York. We illuminate the role of language in shaping identity and inclusion. Through conceptualizing power and language ideology, we find that language ideologies and practices shape the perception of students’ social interactions in school settings. Our findings also indicate that teachers’ practices and school policies surrounding language(s) have the potential to affect how students view language in relation to their own identity and via social interactions. We contribute to an understanding of how language policies and ideologies shape the experiences and power dynamics of diverse, multilingual, immigrant-origin students.

Equality of opportunity for timely dementia diagnosis (EQUATED): a qualitative study of how people from minoritised ethnic groups experience the early symptoms of dementia and seek help.

People from minoritised ethnic groups are diagnosed with dementia later in the disease. We explored pathways that may determine the timing of diagnoses in a UK ethnically diverse, urban area. We conducted 61 semi-structured interviews: 10 community-dwelling older people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds with diagnosed and undiagnosed dementia (mean age = 72years; males = 5/10), 30 family members (51; 10/30), 16 health or social care professionals (42; 3/15), 3 paid carers and 2 interpreters for people with dementia. We used reflexive thematic analysis and the Model of Pathways to Treatment to consider diagnostic delay. We identified three themes: (1) Cultural identity and practices shape responses: gendered expectations that families relieve elders of household roles reduce awareness or concern when functioning declines; expectations that religious practices are maintained mean problems doing so triggers help-seeking. Second-generation family members often held insider and outsider identities, balancing traditional and Western perspectives. (2) Becoming like a tourist: daily experiences became unfamiliar for people developing dementia in an adopted country, sometimes engendering a need to reconnect with a home country. For professionals and interpreters, translating meanings faithfully, and balancing relatives' and clients' voices, were challenging. (3) Naming and conceptualising dementia: the term dementia was stigmatised, with cultural nuances in how it was understood; initial presentations often included physical symptoms with cognitive concerns. Greater understanding of dilemmas faced by minoritised ethnic communities, closer collaboration with interpreters and workforce diversity could reduce time from symptom appraisal to diagnosis, and support culturally competent diagnostic assessments.

Lost in translation: Barbie and subtitle discrepancies in China

I examine the subtle yet impactful subtitle translation errors in the Chinese version of Barbie (2023). These translation missteps undermine the film's feminist narratives and representations of gender, which reveals the translations’ capacity to distort the original English screenplay. Employing an interdisciplinary approach that integrates film studies, feminist theory and translation studies, I emphasise the instrumental role of subtitles as not just linguistic tools but narrative constructs that significantly influence the shaping and affirmation of gender identities. The analysis illuminates the pivotal role of subtitles in reflecting and shaping societal norms, offering insights for developing more culturally sensitive and empowered translation methodologies in the realm of international cinema.

Identity in the context of physical activity and smoking: A scoping review among adults aged 45+

Abstract Background Identity (i.e., self-perceptions of oneself) plays an important role in health behaviors such as physical activity (PA) and smoking. This review offers a comprehensive synthesis and comparison of how PA- and smoking-related identity is associated with PA and smoking behavior in adults aged 45+. It further synthesizes and compares identity terminology and measurement tools used to capture identity concerning smoking cessation and PA among adults aged 45+. Where applicable, the role of personal, PA-, and smoking-related characteristics were considered. Methods A thorough search across 11 databases, updated in May 2023, yielded 5801 unique publications. Ensuing careful screening procedures, 45 peer-reviewed empirical studies were systematically reviewed. Experts in the field contributed to validate and structure the narrative. Results The review reveals a complex, enduring connection between identity and behavior in both PA and smoking domains, encompassing processes like identity formation, maintenance, change, and loss. In essence, identities linked to PA and abstaining from smoking emerged as pivotal for promoting active lifestyles and successful smoking cessation. Many parallels but also distinctions emerged within this association, alongside variations in the terminology and measurement tools pertaining to identity. Factors such as gender, age, and behavioral history emerged as influential in shaping identities related to smoking and PA. Conclusions Despite variances, findings suggest that the relationship between identity and behavior, including associated processes, may not fundamentally differ between health-promoting and health-compromising behaviors. There is however need for more unified identity definitions and measurement tools. We propose avenues for future research, including exploring causality between identity and behavior to facilitate the development of identity-related smoking cessation and PA-promotion interventions. Key messages • Identities associated with physical activity and refraining from smoking are associated with a physically active lifestyle and successful smoking cessation. • Despite differences, the relationship between identity and behavior may not fundamentally vary between health-promoting and health-compromising behaviors.