US Perceptions Research Articles

Queering the Vietnam Trauma Narrative in Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

Veteran memoirs, imbued with white, masculinist bias, dominate US perceptions of the Vietnam War. Drawing from an intersectional approach to trauma studies, this article examines Ocean Vuong’s novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (2019) as a rewriting of the paradigmatic Vietnam trauma narrative. Vuong challenges normative understandings of traumatic events by shedding light on the effects of the war upon female civilians and their descendants, as well as on the traumatogenic aftermath of all-American masculinist violence for its queer, Asian American protagonist. Vuong also calls for an alternative model to working through trauma based on empathy and relationality.

Understanding the value of curation: A survey of US data repository curation practices and perceptions.

Data curators play an important role in assessing data quality and take actions that may ultimately lead to better, more valuable data products. This study explores the curation practices of data curators working within US-based data repositories. We performed a survey in January 2021 to benchmark the levels of curation performed by repositories and assess the perceived value and impact of curation on the data sharing process. Our analysis included 95 responses from 59 unique data repositories. Respondents primarily were professionals working within repositories and examined curation performed within a repository setting. A majority 72.6% of respondents reported that "data-level" curation was performed by their repository and around half reported their repository took steps to ensure interoperability and reproducibility of their repository's datasets. Curation actions most frequently reported include checking for duplicate files, reviewing documentation, reviewing metadata, minting persistent identifiers, and checking for corrupt/broken files. The most "value-add" curation action across generalist, institutional, and disciplinary repository respondents was related to reviewing and enhancing documentation. Respondents reported high perceived impact of curation by their repositories on specific data sharing outcomes including usability, findability, understandability, and accessibility of deposited datasets; respondents associated with disciplinary repositories tended to perceive higher impact on most outcomes. Most survey participants strongly agreed that data curation by the repository adds value to the data sharing process and that it outweighs the effort and cost. We found some differences between institutional and disciplinary repositories, both in the reported frequency of specific curation actions as well as the perceived impact of data curation. Interestingly, we also found variation in the perceptions of those working within the same repository regarding the level and frequency of curation actions performed, which exemplifies the complexity of a repository curation work. Our results suggest data curation may be better understood in terms of specific curation actions and outcomes than broadly defined curation levels and that more research is needed to understand the resource implications of performing these activities. We share these results to provide a more nuanced view of curation, and how curation impacts the broader data lifecycle and data sharing behaviors.

Knowledge, perceptions, interest, and use of integrative medicine among U.S. allopathic medical students

Background: Acceptance, interest, and demand for Complementary Integrative Medicine (CIM) has been steadily growing within the US. Yet despite increased use, patient non-disclosure and physician lack of comfort in discussion is common. Medical students (MS) express interest in CIM. Educational exposure affects attitudes, cultural competence, interprofessional education, knowledge, and clinical skills. A few studies include US MS; however, most studies have been done outside the US. Aims: Our study examined first year US allopathic MS knowledge, perception, and attitudes toward IM for patient care, current personal use, and modalities of interest. Methods: The study was conducted on first year MS from 2020-2022 who participated in a 3-hour IM session within the required Essential Principles of Medicine course at a US allopathic medical school. Five questions were disseminated through Poll Everywhere during a lecture given by an IM board certified physician and students were invited to respond. Questions assessed student definition of IM, perception of patient barriers in discussing IM, perception of physician barriers in discussing IM, personal use, and modalities of interest. Results: MS attitude toward IM was generally positive based on word choice. MS perception of patient barriers in discussing IM focused on emotional factors rather than knowledge and understanding, whereas medical student perception of physician barriers revolved around lack of familiarity, knowledge, and training. Students self-reported physical activity and sleep as the top ranked favorite stress-reducing self-care practice followed by cooking/eating, music, and yoga. Students were most interested in exploring pet therapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and yoga. Conclusions: Further study with the integrative medicine attitude questionnaire (IMAQ) is recommended to determine whether results are generalizable. Integrating IM education and experience into the conventional medical curriculum is of interest to allopathic US MS and may prepare students for optimizing future patient care as well as clinician wellness.

Confidence in US Elections After the Big Lie

This paper examines how individual-level partisanship and state-level factors affect perceptions of electoral integrity in the United States. We find that evaluations of the integrity of the 2020 US presidential election national outcome were only modestly conditioned by the quality of election administration in a person’s state. Perceptions of electoral legitimacy were much more substantially conditioned by motivated reasoning associated with a person’s partisanship, the partisan context Republicans resided in, and Republican partisans’ residence in a swing-state where final results from 2020 were delayed due to late-counted ballots. Overall, estimated effects of the quality of election administration on confidence in elections are null or modest. Partisan factors associated with Donald Trump’s “Big Lie” about the 2020 US presidential election were the strongest forces predicting lack of confidence in US elections and perceptions that election officials were altering results. These factors were not evident in 2016. We discuss how these findings may reflect a fundamental alteration of attitudes among Republican voters and elites about the legitimacy of democratic elections in the US, rather than reflecting cyclical variation in partisan confidence associated with which party won the past election.

The Strategic Importance of Taiwan to the United States and Its Allies: Part One

This article presents four factors to consider in evaluating Taiwan’s strategic importance to the United States and its allies and answers a question often raised at forums concerning the Indo-Pacific: “Why should the United States care” about this small island in the Pacific? The response often given is simply US credibility, and while this is an important factor, this article reviews a wider array of possible factors to consider when answering that question. The study of these factors should assist US military and policy practitioners in accurately evaluating the related strategic environment. Through a survey of official US policy statements and strategy documents across administrations, part two of this article (to be featured in a future issue) will examine the evolving US perception of Taiwan throughout the aggressive strengthening of China and during Taiwan’s domestic political development into a full-fledged democracy.

The "Awful Disclosures" of the West Indies: Nativist Genealogies and Catholic Blackness in Leonora Sansay's Secret History

This essay examines the longer literary history of religious nativism that coalesced in early US perceptions of the Caribbean. Reading Leonora Sansay's 1808 Secret History alongside antebellum anti-Catholic propaganda, it demonstrates how early Americans relied on depictions of the revolutionary West Indies to validate ongoing Protestant concerns about Catholicism's perceived threat to moral and racial purity. Portrayed as spaces of transgression among diversely raced bodies, Sansay's Saint Domingue and Cuba anticipate the anxieties that would arise in later anti-Catholic writing. Such depictions illuminate a more geographically diffuse and historically prolonged discourse of nativist thinking, one wherein the revolutionary West Indies comes to serve as a touchstone for forging an enduring partnership between whiteness and an implicitly Protestant US.

“Winning” the Forever Wars? Presidential Rhetoric and US Ontological (In)Security

Abstract Like success at the individual level, ideas of “winning” and “victory” in war have reaffirmed American exceptionalism, its place in the world, and its ontological security. This has been true in response to both policy successes and failures. As other studies have noted, the indeterminacy and longevity of the War on Terror has brought US perceptions of order and control into question, thus generating widespread ontological insecurity. Conducting a discourse analysis of the rhetoric of Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump, this paper is the first to explore how the ideas of “winning” and “victory” have manifested themselves in political discourse on a national scale. All presidents utilized different components of American identity narratives for their own political purposes, but the inability to produce results commensurate with previous American wars produced significant national ontological insecurity in each case. Accordingly, this paper has implications for politics and policy. Contrary to scholarship that predicts that presidents will avoid predicting unrealistically short conflicts against transnational terrorist groups, the paper shows how the unique promise of ontological security associated with “victory” encourages presidents to use the decisive language of interstate warfare. However, the realities of postmodern war and great power competition mean that presidents will ultimately be unable to create a consensus around what “winning” or “victory” might look like in these conflicts, thus producing widespread ontological insecurity. In that way, the paper illustrates the significance of identity-based issues in policy evaluation processes.

American Slavery, American Imperialism: US Perceptions of Global Servitude, 1870–1914

American Slavery, American Imperialism: US Perceptions of Global Servitude, 1870–1914

Social and environmental apparel practices and perceived value of “Made in the USA”

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the relationship between people’s socially and environmentally responsible apparel practices (SERAP) and valuing US made clothing, current perceptions of US made clothing and factors affecting apparel purchases.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was completed by 502 US consumer aged 18-65. Five factors were identified representing responsible apparel practices and US made clothing. Inter-factor correlations were tested. People’s perceptions toward US made clothing were examined through perceived quality, purchase experience and intentions to pay premium prices.FindingsThere was a positive correlation between SERAP and valuing US made clothing. Perceived quality of US apparel influenced both actual purchase and intentions to pay higher prices. Availability and affordability were major purchase factors.Practical implicationsUS apparel companies that produce their products domestically may consider developing specific messaging that resonates with customers, taking advantage of the perception of high quality and being transparent with the cost of producing apparel domestically.Originality/valueThis study suggests domestically made apparel purchases as part of a move toward SERAP. Although previous studies have addressed consumer responsibility and sustainable businesses, the connection has been inconclusive. This study provides current data of renewed and growing interest in US made apparel and expands its value.

Benchmarking US consumption and perceptions of beef and plant‐based proteins

AbstractThis article uses two complementary analyses to document consumption of beef and plant‐based proteins along with perceptions held by US consumers. Beef is chosen three times more often than plant‐based proteins and consumers hold a positive image of beef overall. Key differences are outlined between regular meat consumers and those declaring alternative diets. Combined these findings extend understanding in the dynamic situation presented by plant‐based proteins in the US market.

Exploring Physician Perceptions of the 2018 United States Heart Transplant Allocation System

BackgroundAfter the implementation of the 2018 US heart transplant allocation system, the experience and perceptions of heart transplant clinicians have not been well-cataloged. Methods and ResultsThis web-based survey of both heart failure cardiologists and surgeons examined physician perspectives about the policy changes and whether the system is meeting its intended goals. The majority of participants (94%, n = 113) responded that the 2018 heart allocation system requires modification. Eighty-four percent reported using more temporary mechanical circulatory support to achieve higher status and 86% were concerned about the change in physician behavior and practices under the new system. ConclusionsSuggestions for possible improvement included higher status for patients on durable left ventricular assist device support, changes to criteria for status 2, modification of status exceptions, and advocacy for a heart allocation score.

International Liberal Order: Competing Trends and Narratives

China’s foreign policy under the leadership of Xi Jinping took a shift from conservative to more liberal political and economic strategies. This change in policy evidently shows the intention of China of being proactive in international politics at strategic level in general and economically in particular. This study addresses a key question that focuses on China’s new liberal role in international politics and economics. It also addresses the US perception about re-emergence of China as an economic power and the US reaction to its growing influence. It describes the US both potential economic as well as defence that is unmatched and still largest in the world but China has come up with its own kind of potential like enormous economic growth and optimum utilisation of human resource. 

Patient satisfaction scores in adults with psoriasis.

Patient satisfaction is associated with improved patient retention and clinical outcomes. Previous studies investigated the impact of disease severity and mental health conditions on patient satisfaction among psoriasis patients. However, associations with healthcare utilization were not studied. Moreover, socio-demographic differences in patient satisfaction among adults with psoriasis are not well-delineated. The objectives of this study wereto determine the impact of psoriasis disease on patient satisfaction among US adults and examineassociations of satisfaction with healthcare utilization and socio-demographic characteristics. We analyzed the 2000-2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys, representative surveys of US population health status and perceptions. Patient satisfaction was evaluated by the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey. Adults with psoriasis were compared to a control group of all adults without current diagnosis of psoriasis. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were constructed to examine associations of satisfaction among those with psoriasis. Overall, data were analyzed from 1419 adults with psoriasis who completed the entire CAHPS survey. Adults with psoriasis had similar patient satisfaction compared to healthy controls (LS-means: 86.0 vs 85.6, adjusted β [CI 95]: 0.38 [- 0.45, 1.22]). Based on sensitivity analysis, adults with vs without psoriasis had similar rates of high satisfaction in each CAHPS domain: time spent, clear explanations, listening, and respect demonstrated. Among those with psoriasis, high satisfaction was associated with ≥ 1 office visit (adjusted OR [CI 95]: 2.50 [1.63, 3.84]), and consultation with a specialist was associated with increased satisfaction(adjusted β [CI 95]: 1.36 [0.95, 1.77]). Overall satisfaction score among psoriasis adults was associated with increased age and black race, and inversely associated with lower income, public or no insurance,other race or multiracial, and multimorbidity. In conclusion, psoriasis diagnosis was not associated with difference in satisfaction. However, lower-income adults with public or no insurance and multimorbidity had lower satisfaction. Moreover, specialist consultation was associated with higher satisfaction. Multidisciplinary and increased healthcare access are needed to optimize patient satisfaction.

Uncovering the Meaning: Exploring Semantic Differences in US Perceptions of “Gamer” and Game Players

Gaming is an increasingly acceptable outlet for recreation, social engagement, and professional practice. Despite this acceptance, perceptions of “gamers” have been slower to evolve. The traditional stereotype associated with the “gamer” label has persisted in popular culture and acts to perpetuate and reinforce the negative elements associated with gaming. The stereotype’s persistence begs the question of whether current gamers see themselves as having stereotypical traits and whether non-gamers would attribute these traits to game players. This study uses an established model of social perception to explore differences in perceptions of the gamer stereotype and game players among both self-identified gamers and non-gamers in the United States. The results show differences in perceptions between the stereotype and game players, reflecting persistence of the stereotype and recognition that it is not universally applicable to players themselves. Self-identified gamers also perceived themselves as exhibiting more positive and less stereotypical traits than “gamer” implies.

Bringing Anatomy to Life: Evaluating an Ultrasound Curriculum in Medical Clinical Anatomy

IntroductionUltrasound (US) has become more prevalent across medical specialties and therefore requires training earlier in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Given the difficulty of handling, acquiring and interpreting US, early exposure is imperative. Integrated learning has been shown to be beneficial and has led to integrated curricula in medical schools across the country. Finding the right place to integrate US remains a challenge.AimThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an US curriculum based on students’ perceptions of US, confidence in interpreting and acquiring US images, and performance on US exam questions.MethodsAn US curriculum was developed and incorporated into 1st year medical clinical anatomy at Tufts University School of Medicine. Student participation was voluntary and the study was granted exempt status (IRB 12737). Students completed a validated pre‐survey evaluating their confidence in using and perceptions of US on an 11‐point Likert scale. Students were asked to watch US video primers to prepare for lab. Students rotated through an US station during 5 labs, correlating with 5 different regions during the anatomy course. Students watched US being performed and gained hands on experience acquiring US images. US questions were included on written and practical exams. Students completed a post‐survey evaluating changes in confidence and perceptions of US, and open responses to questions about the quality of the US curriculum. Mean ratings on pre‐ and post‐ surveys were compared using a Mann‐Whitney U test. Performance on US based exam questions were expressed as percent correct. Narrative responses were coded by two independent evaluators and qualitative analysis was done using NVivo software to identify common themes across students’ responses.Results211 students completed the US curriculum. 93% of students had no prior exposure to US. Students reported significantly higher mean confidence ratings on understanding US, ability to operate US, obtain US images, recognize artifacts, and interpret normal anatomy images (p<0.0001) after completing the US curriculum. Students also reported that US reinforced anatomy concepts and clinical correlates (9.56, ± 0.97 SD; 9.60, ± 1.05). Students disagreed with items stating learning US is too difficult for a student (1.2, ± 2.2 SD) and that it interfered with learning anatomy (0.68, ± 1.7 SD). The average percent correct on US questions for each exam was 94.2 (Back/Lower Extremity), 91.6 (Upper Extremity/Thorax), 80.6 (Abdomen/Pelvis), and 96.7 (Head/Neck). Qualitative analysis of narrative survey responses identified seven major themes and additional subthemes (see figure ).ConclusionsLimited integration of US has proven to bolster students’ perceptions of bedside US and has given them confidence in image acquisition. Students scored well above passing rate on US knowledge questions, supporting confidence and perceptions data. Qualitative and quantitative analyses found that anatomy is a good setting to teach US, and anatomy concepts and clinical applications of US reinforce each other through the combined curriculum. There is strong desire from students for more US training.Support or Funding InformationFunded by TUSM Innovations in Education GrantThe seven themes and subthemes identified from thematic analysis of first‐year students' narrative comments on the effectiveness of the US curriculum.Figure 1

An Economist and a Psychologist Form a Line: What Can Imperfect Perception of Length Tell Us About Stochastic Choice?

Standard choice experiments are hampered by the fact that utility is either unknown or imperfectly measured by experimenters. As a consequence, the inferences available to researchers are limited. By contrast, we design a choice experiment where the objects are valued according to only a single attribute with a continuous measure and we can observe the true preferences of subjects. Subjects have an imperfect perception of the choice objects but can improve the precision of their perception with cognitive effort. Subjects are given a choice set involving several lines of various lengths and are told to select one of them. They strive to select the longest line because they are paid an amount that increases with the length of their choice. Our design allows us to observe the search history, the response times, and make unambiguous conclusions about the optimality of choices. We find a negative relationship between the demanding nature of the choice problems and the likelihood that subjects select the optimal lines. We also find a positive relationship between the demanding nature of the choice problems and the response times. However, we find evidence that sub-optimal choices are associated with longer response times than are optimal choices. This result appears to be consistent with Fudenberg, Strack, and Strzalecki (2018). Additionally, our experimental design permits a multi-nomial discrete choice analysis. Our results suggest that the errors in our data are better described as having a Gumbel distribution rather than a normal distribution. We also observe effects consistent with memory decay and attention. Finally, we find evidence that choices in our experiment exhibit the independence from irrelevant alternatives (IIA) property.

(Re)visiting twenty-five years of writing assessment

Abstract This reflective essay provides a narrative analysis of the author’s perceptions of US writing assessment over the past twenty-five years. Reflections are provided on four communities involved in the instruction and assessment of writing: teachers, researchers, testing organizations, and students. The essay concludes with an identification of trends in reconciling the goals of these four assessment stakeholders.

From Offense Dominance to Deterrence: China’s Evolving Strategic Thinking on Cyberwar

This paper examines China’s strategic thinking on cyberwar. It has been widely argued that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has shown strong interest in launching large-scale cyberattacks against the US during warfare or peacetime. However, such views ignore the fact that the PLA must restrain itself due to the uncertainties of cyberattack, such as collateral damage, blowback, and escalation. In fact, Chinese experts follow US perceptions and cyberwar practices very closely, which has contributed to Beijing’s evolving strategic thinking over the past decades. From the 1990s to early 2000s, the “ideology of offense” was the PLA’s primary approach to the “informationization leaping forward”. Due to the shock of the Gulf War, most of the military strategists advocated cyber offense in order to catch up with the new round of revolution in military affairs. However, after 2008, both military and civilian experts started to increasingly question the effectiveness of cyberattack after studying their peers’ criticism against cyber deterrence in the US. There was no consensus on national cybersecurity strategy until 2015 when there was a call for China to develop a cyber deterrence strategy as a reaction to the further development of cyber deterrence by the US. The latest Chinese official documents on cybersecurity have reflected the shift of its strategic thinking.

Examining Faculty Readiness to Teach Online: A Comparison of US and German Educators

Abstract With the increase in the number of online courses being offered, it is important for faculty to be prepared to teach online. In this study, we examine US and German faculty perceptions on their preparedness to teach online based on the perception of importance of teaching online competencies and their efficacy to teach online. We also examine factors (gender, age, country located, academic discipline, academic rank, method of teaching, years of teaching, years of teaching online and level taught) that are related to US and German faculty perception of the importance and efficacy of online teaching. Overall, the US faculty rated the competencies higher compared to the German faculty both in perception of importance and self-efficacy. Significant differences in the perception of the importance of competencies were noted based on gender, training, level taught, rank, and age. For self-efficacy, there were significant differences between the faculty in teaching format (synchronous, asynchronous or hybrid format), years of teaching online, and age. This study has implications for instructors who teach online, for instructional designers who offer professional development for online teaching and for administrators who support online learning at the universities.

Tyranny, Communism, and U.S. Policy in Equatorial Guinea, 1968–1979*

Abstract This study of Washington’s dealings with Equatorial Guinea under the rule of one of modern Africa’s most brutal dictators, Francisco Macías Nguema, analyzes US perceptions and policies relating to communist intervention, human rights, and related geopolitical issues during the Nixon, Ford, and Carter presidencies. It also sheds light on the relationships and conflicts between the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba in Africa. In addition, it offers new perspectives on Cuba’s close ties to the dictatorship of Francisco Macías Nguema and on the possible role of international actors in his downfall in 1979.