Cultural Variations Research Articles

Classifying offensive language in Arabic: a novel taxonomy and dataset

Abstract This paper presents a streamlined taxonomy for categorizing offensive language in Arabic, specifically Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and the Levantine dialect. Addressing a gap in the existing literature, which has mainly focused on Indo-European languages, our taxonomy divides offensive language into seven levels (six explicit and one implicit). We adapted our framework from the simplified offensive language (SOL) taxonomy by (Lewandowska-Tomaszczyk, Barbara, Slavko Žitnik, Anna Bączkowska, Chaya Liebeskind, Jelena Mitrovic & Giedre Valunaite Oleškeviciente. 2021a. Lod-connected offensive language ontology and tagset enrichment. In Shubert R. Carvalho & Renato R. Souza (eds.), Proceedings of the workshops and tutorials held at ldk 2021 co-located with the 3rd language, data and knowledge conference, Vol. 3064, 135–150. CEUR Workshop Proceedings), customizing it to reflect the unique linguistic and cultural nuances of Arabic. To validate this taxonomy, we created a new dataset from various social media platforms, primarily focusing on Twitter. This dataset was manually curated by human annotators and is described in detail within the paper, serving as both a validation tool for our taxonomy and a foundation for future research on offensive language detection in Arabic. Initial analysis of the dataset reveals complex patterns of offensive expressions in MSA and Levantine Arabic, underscoring the need to account for linguistic and cultural variations in studying online abuse. Our taxonomy and dataset are vital for advancing research in Arabic sociocultural studies, natural language processing, and linguistic analysis, and contribute to the study of low-resource languages.

Enhancing Software Effort Estimation with Pre-Trained Word Embeddings: A Small-Dataset Solution for Accurate Story Point Prediction

Traditional software effort estimation methods, such as term frequency–inverse document frequency (TF-IDF), are widely used due to their simplicity and interpretability. However, they struggle with limited datasets, fail to capture intricate semantics, and suffer from dimensionality, sparsity, and computational inefficiency. This study used pre-trained word embeddings, including FastText and GPT-2, to improve estimation accuracy in such cases. Seven pre-trained models were evaluated for their ability to effectively represent textual data, addressing the fundamental limitations of TF-IDF through contextualized embeddings. The results show that combining FastText embeddings with support vector machines (SVMs) consistently outperforms traditional approaches, reducing the mean absolute error (MAE) by 5–18% while achieving accuracy comparable to deep learning models like GPT-2. This approach demonstrated the adaptability of pre-trained embeddings for small datasets, balancing semantic richness with computational efficiency. The proposed method optimized project planning and resource allocation while enhancing software development through accurate story point prediction while safeguarding privacy and security through data anonymization. Future research will explore task-specific embeddings tailored to software engineering domains and investigate how dataset characteristics, such as cultural variations, influence model performance, ensuring the development of adaptable, robust, and secure machine learning models for diverse contexts.

A Systematic Literature Review of Cross-Cultural Studies on Interior Perception

Individuals, as the fundamental building blocks of societies, engage in a continuous and evolving relationship with their environments, fostering unique cognitive patterns within their cultures. Factors like geography, climate, historical events, and social dispositions can lead to differences in cultural perceptions across different regions. On the other hand, spaces reflect ways of life and cultural values. Individuals’ perceptions and behaviours within their surroundings may differ depending on the cultures they belong to. Environmental studies within cultural contexts have been of interest in the architecture and psychology fields. There has been a notable increase in research interest in cross-cultural spatial perception. However, the studies mostly focus on the scale of architecture or landscape design. Interior spaces can be seen as one of the main surroundings for people, especially in the context of the current century urban context we live in. Therefore, it is essential to understand the differences in cultural perceptions of space to promote inclusivity within the global cultural context. This study aims to examine the similarities and differences between interior perception studies from a cross-cultural perspective. The systematic literature mapping method with inclusion and exclusion criteria was used within the Scopus database, and in total, 26 relevant perception studies focusing on cultural variation were selected and analyzed according to different interior typologies and countries. The findings indicate that individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds respond differently to various spatial typologies and interior spaces, with these differences linked to factors such as space programming, color choices, and levels of privacy.

Cohort profile of a prospective cohort study among middle-aged community-dwellers in rural Vietnam: The Khánh Hòa cardiovascular study.

Disease burden associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in low- and middle-income countries has been on an increasing trend in the past decades. Despite the worldwide genetic, cultural, and environmental variations in determinants of CVDs, few studies have attempted the identification of risk factors of CVDs in low- and middle-income countries. This article aims to introduce the Khánh Hòa Cardiovascular Study, a prospective cohort study among middle-aged community dwellers in rural Khánh Hòa, Vietnam. A total of 3000 individuals, aged 40-60 years at baseline, participated in the baseline survey conducted from June 2019 to June 2020 and will be followed up for the subsequent 10 years. The baseline survey collected information on sociodemographic variables, disease history, lifestyle, social environment, and mental health via questionnaires, physical examinations, and biochemical measurements. Information on the incidence of severe health outcomes (i.e., mortality, CVDs, and cancer) has been and will be collected using a study-specific disease registry. Results showed that the prevalences of excess body weight (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia were 25.9%, 39.6%, 10.2%, and 45.1%, respectively. Furthermore, by March 2023, 21 participants had died, including 5 CVD deaths and 12 cancer deaths. Moreover, we recorded 22 and 31 cases of nonfatal CVDs and cancer, respectively. These results suggest that many rural residents in Vietnam have high cardiometabolic risk, and underscore the importance of advancing research to identify risk factors and prevent the onset of serious health events.

Navigating mortality: A multidisciplinary approach to the epistemology and practice of death education

The paper adopts a multidisciplinary approach to death education, incorporating ideas from anthropology, psychology, sociology, and other disciplines to develop a holistic approach. The paper offers a theoretical framework for comprehending mortality by looking at existential viewpoints, lived experiences, and the social construction of death. Experiential learning, reflective practice, and dialogue are some of the pedagogical techniques that are covered in order to provide a deeper comprehension of the cultural and ethical aspects of death. The paper also discusses sociocultural contexts, focusing on social injustices and cultural variations in death education. Strategies for a multidisciplinary approach’s practical application are suggested. This approach equips teachers and students to deal with the complexity of dying and death in diverse contexts.

Factor Structure of the CES-D-20 Scale in Young Adults in Singapore: An Examination of Six Alternative Structures and Measurement Invariance by Sex

Building on past research that has indicated cultural variations in the factor structure of the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-20), as well as several limitations validating the CES-D-20 within a Singapore context, this study investigated the CES-D-20’s factor structure and sex-based measurement invariance in Singapore. A large young adult sample in Singapore (N=1008) was utilised, and the original CES-D-20 was administered to all participants. The findings confirmed the four-factor model’s robustness over five other alternative models (RMSEA=.05, SRMR=.04), where each of the 20 items loaded significantly onto its respective factor (all loadings≥.42, all ps<.001). All four factors were also significantly inter-correlated to a medium to very large extent (all ps<.001). Configural and weak invariance were established across sexes; however, strong invariance required modification, where the release of a single intercept constraint resulted in strong partial invariance, implying sex differences in the expression of crying. Homogeneity tests suggested no significant sex differences in latent factor means, variances, and covariances. The importance of cultural- and sex-specific considerations when utilising the CES-D-20 are discussed.

Pattern and Clinical Reasons for Dental Extractions in Patients Visiting a Tertiary Health Care Centre in Southern District- Nuh of Haryana, India: A Retrospective Observational Study

Introduction: The causes of tooth extraction exhibit significant geographical and cultural variations between regions within a country and across different countries. To date, no study has been conducted on the pattern of tooth loss in a comparatively socially and economically disadvantaged population in Nuh, Haryana, India. Aim: To analyse the pattern and clinical reasons for tooth extraction in relation to factors such as age and gender among patients visiting the Dental Department of a tertiary care centre in India. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out in the Department of Dentistry, Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati (SHKM) Government Medical College Nalhar, Nuh, Haryana, India, from January 2017 to December 2019. Data were collected from the available records of patients across different age groups during the period from January 2017 to December 2019. Data on age, gender, reasons for extraction, jaw type and tooth number were recorded. The total number of extracted teeth was used for statistical analysis using Microsoft Excel software. Results: During the study period, 2643 patients underwent tooth extraction, with 1304 (49.33%) being males and 1339 (50.66%) females. A total of 3358 teeth were extracted, with 1382 in males and 1976 in females. The number of teeth extracted was higher in females (58.84%, n=1976) compared to males (41.15%, n=1382). The majority of extractions occurred in the 21-30 years age group, 750 (21.73%) followed by the 31-40 years age group, 663 (19.71%). The most common reason for extraction was dental caries and its sequelae, 2462 (73.34%). The most frequently extracted tooth was the first molar in the fourth quadrant (9.26%) followed by the first molar in the third quadrant (8.72%). Conclusion: Given the paramount importance of first permanent molars, it is concerning to see many young patients losing this tooth in the present study. Therefore, it is crucial to raise awareness among the general population about maintaining oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups and treatment. The role of pit and fissure sealants in caries prevention for first permanent molars cannot be overstated.

The COVID‐19 pandemic and young people's civic engagement: A scoping review

AbstractThis scoping review summarizes evidence regarding the impact of civic and community engagement of young people during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Recognizing that the global pandemic not only brought challenges but also new opportunities to take a stance and to actively engage in communities and society, this review assesses the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on young people's civic engagement across different cultural contexts and identifies key factors and processes that enable young people to engage with their community or society at large. We summarize evidence from 27 original research papers, one thought piece, and four reports conducted by global organizations such as the United Nations and OECD. Relevant research was conducted in the United States, Europe, China, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and New Zealand, addressing the development of leadership skills, civic responsibility, critical consciousness, civic and community engagement, as well as social integration. Key factors that facilitated civic engagement include national investments in online learning facilities, support for basic needs (such as education, health, and employment), and promotion and encouragement of local initiatives. The studies differed in their focus depending on the socio‐cultural context encountered and future research needs to consider cultural variations and different demands on young people to inform effective practices for supporting young people's active engagement in society.

Defining within-host SARS-CoV-2 RNA viral load kinetics during acute COVID-19 infection within different respiratory compartments and their respective associations with host infectiousness: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionUnderstanding how RNA viral load changes (viral load kinetics) during acute infection in SARS-CoV-2 can help to identify when and which patients are most infectious. We seek to summarise existing...

Information security policy compliance: a replication study in Ethiopia

Purpose This study aims to replicate and assess the applicability and generalizability of Bulgurcu et al.'s (2010) information security policy compliance model to participants from Ethiopia, focusing on understanding compliance behavior with information security policies (ISPs). Design/methodology/approach The study replicates Bulgurcu et al.’s (2010) research methodology. They empirically tested their model using data collected through a survey of 464 employees from a diverse set of organizations in the United States. In this study, the authors used a self-administered survey approach to collect data from 318 valid responses from university students in Ethiopia. The structural equation modeling technique with SmartPLS 4.0 is used to test hypotheses derived from the original model. Findings The replication results confirm most of the hypotheses from the original study, indicating that their model is generalizable to the Ethiopian population. However, the study also identifies differences between the original and replicated results, suggesting potential cultural variations requiring further examination. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by replicating and extending the original study’s findings in a different cultural context, namely Ethiopia. It highlights the importance of understanding compliance behavior with ISPs across diverse populations and emphasizes the need for future replication studies to explore the impact of culture on intention toward information security behavior.

Korean and American adolescents' judgments of group-based inequalities

The current study examined how adolescents from different cultural backgrounds perceive and reason about group-based inequalities. Korean (N = 84, 42 females) and American (N = 72, 36 females) adolescents, aged 12 to 17, evaluated resource distribution inequalities in school contexts among social groups differentiated by social class, race, and gender. Across both cultures, nearly all adolescents found race and gender inequalities unacceptable based on moral concerns for equality. However, judgments about inequalities based on social class were more complex; adolescents evaluated these inequalities as less wrong and coordinated equality concerns with other considerations. They further distinguished between two types of social class situations that varied in the level of inequality, judging group-level social class inequality as more unacceptable than individual-level inequality. Cultural variations were evident in the justifications for their evaluations: American adolescents coordinated moral concerns of equality and welfare with personal and conventional reasons, while Korean adolescents also considered moral concerns of merit and property rights. Different interpretations of situational contexts led to varying prioritizations of moral concerns across the two cultures.

Emotion specificity, coherence, and cultural variation in conceptualizations of positive emotions: a study of body sensations and emotion recognition

ABSTRACT The present study examines the association between people’s interoceptive representation of physical sensations and the recognition of vocal and facial expressions of emotion. We used body maps to study the granularity of the interoceptive conceptualisation of 11 positive emotions (amusement, awe, compassion, contentment, desire, love, joy, interest, pride, relief, and triumph) and a new emotion recognition test (Emotion Expression Understanding Test) to assess the ability to recognise emotions from vocal and facial behaviour. Overall, we found evidence for distinct interoceptive conceptualizations of 11 positive emotions across Asian American, European American, and Latino/a American cultures, as well as the reliable identification of emotion in facial and vocal expressions. Central to new theorising about emotion-related representation, the granularity of physical sensations did not covary with emotion recognition accuracy, suggesting that two kinds of emotion conceptualisation processes might be distinct.

Validating Ideal and Actual Positive Affect Measure Among Chinese Adolescents: Affect Valuation Theory

Cultural variations in affective experiences are observed. Research on positive affect with refined categorizations has been limited. This study examined the Affect Valuation Theory and its measure, the Affect Valuation Index (AVI), using a sample of high school students from rural China ( N = 676, Mage = 16.17 years, SD = .94). The AVI assesses the ideal-actual affect discrepancy and preferred and actual experiences of different affective states, but it has yet to be validated among adolescents. The AVI showed satisfactory validity and reliability in assessing ideal and actual affect and their discrepancies in our sample. Actual high-arousal affect showed the strongest association with wellness and distress symptoms, but ideal high-arousal affect was not associated with mental health indicators. In contrast, ideal and actual low arousal-affective states were related to wellness indicators. These findings underscore the potential utility of the AVI in capturing affective experiences among adolescents and suggest its application in developing targeted interventions.

Cultural Variations in Parenting Styles and Their Impact on Child Development

Abstract: With the advancement of globalization and the increase in cultural exchanges, a parenting style that adapts to globalization is necessary in order to better raise a new generation of newborns. The study explored the differences in parenting styles (PS) under different cultural backgrounds and their impact on children's development. The article focused on the interaction between culture and PS, using Baumrind's parenting style framework to review literature from different regions such as China, the United States, Nigeria, Spain and Singapore. By analyzing these articles, it was found that culture and social models were factors causing parenting style differences, but the authoritative parenting style is considered to be the best one among the four styles in most countries. PS have a profound influence on childrens psychological, social, academic, and personal value generation, and the style will be passed on to children and show some similarities in their future behaviours. This study reveals the impact of cultural background on PS and its profound role in the all-round development of children, providing important theoretical basis and practical guidance for cross-cultural education and parent-child relationships in the era of globalization.

Relational and cultural continuity for children in foster care; A critical exploration of national policies in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Ireland and Scotland

Based on an analysis of 14 national child welfare policies, the paper explores how relational and cultural continuity are framed in national foster care policies in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Ireland and Scotland, particularly focusing on the implications for children with migrant backgrounds. While most policies tend to recognise the significance of the child’s cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic background, most appear to lack specific guidance of how to ensure relational and cultural continuity of children when placed in foster care. Overall, we find little specific reference to circumstances of children with migrant backgrounds in the policies. The paper critically discusses four patterns. The first is the policies’ emphasis on relational continuity of children’s adult relationships over peer relationships. Secondly, there seems to be a strong emphasis on the significance of parental contact, with much less attention to contact with family members like siblings, grandparents and other relatives. With one exception, we observe no reference to transnational family relationships. Thirdly, with little attention to cultural variations, the policies appear to presuppose that everyone share the norms and values of the Western and dominant culture. The last pattern points to an apparent dilemma or a difficult balance between attending to the child’s immediate care and safety needs simultaneously as cultural and relational continuity are promoted.

Are we neglecting the influence of national culture (individualism–collectivism index) in mitigating the instances of data breach?

Purpose Based on neo-institutional theory, this study evaluates factors that affect instances of data breaches in a hospital. The authors study the effect of adopting the health information exchange (HIE) initiative on a hospital’s data breach threats. This study integrates formal and information institutional factors to identify the antecedents that influence data breaches when adopting HIE. This study uses a hospital’s entrepreneurial orientation (EO) as a formal institutional factor and national culture (collectivism–individualism) as an informal institutional factor. Design/methodology/approach Using a Statistical Analysis System, the authors analyze US hospital observations over five years. The data was collected from the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) database, the Health and Human Services website and the Vandello and Cohen (1999) collectivism index. Findings This study finds that when hospitals adopt HIEs, data breaches increase. This study also finds that both EO (formal institutional factor) and the individualism–collectivism index (informal institutional factor) significantly moderate these instances. Research limitations/implications HIMSS has not updated its data set to reflect recent hospital data, so this study’s data set lacks recent data on US hospitals. Originality/value This study is one of the few studies to address the impact of cultural variation in US hospitals and how it interacts with entrepreneurial activity to lower data breach threats when adopting new data exchange standards.

Clinician attitudes towards adoption of evidence-based practice: a nationwide multiprofessional cross-sectional study of child and adolescent mental health services in Sweden.

Implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is a priority to improve service delivery and outcomes. Clinicians' EBP attitudes are likely to play a crucial role in implementation but are poorly understood. This study aimed to assess variation in EBP attitudes in a large national sample of CAMHS clinicians in Sweden, and to compare these findings to findings from the United States of America (USA). CAMHS clinicians (n = 799; 60% response rate) completed the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) and items from the Organizational Readiness for Change Scale (ORC) ahead of an EBP for depression implementation effort across Sweden. EBPAS scores were compared with the USA study. Predictors of global and specific attitudes (gender, age, working years, education, profession, perceived benefit of diagnosis and organizational readiness and type of service) were examined using simple and multiple linear regressions. Clinicians had positive attitudes towards EBP on the four-dimensional subscales of the EBPAS, somewhat more so than their American counterparts. Clinician and organizational characteristics were related to at least one attitudinal dimension in both models, with perceived utility of diagnosis being the strongest and most consistent predictor across dimensions and models. Results from this large-scale national study underscore the need to consider cultural, contextual, and individual variations in attitudes towards EBP when planning implementation efforts. Such efforts may need to be tailored to the working contexts, needs, and values of CAMHS clinicians, particularly their views on the utility of diagnosis.

Trade-offs, control conditions, and alternative designs in the experimental study of cultural evolution.

Although the theoretical foundations of the modern field of cultural evolution have been in place for over 50 y, laboratory experiments specifically designed to test cultural evolutionary theory have only existed for the last two decades. Here, we review the main experimental designs used in the field of cultural evolution, as well as major findings related to the generation of cultural variation, content- and model-based biases, cumulative cultural evolution, and nonhuman culture. We then identify methodological advances that demonstrate the iterative improvement of cultural evolution experimental methods. Finally, we focus on one common critique of cultural evolution experiments, the appropriate individual learning control condition needed to demonstrate cumulative culture, and present an original experimental investigation relevant to this critique. Participants completed a combinatorial innovation task allowing for cumulative improvement over time in one of four commonly used experimental designs/conditions: social learners in chains, social learners in groups, individual learners experiencing an extended session lasting the same accumulated time as an entire chain or group, and individual learners experiencing repeated sessions adding up to the same total time. We found that repeated individual learning resulted in superior performance to any other condition. We discuss these findings in light of the relevance of the specific criticism of previous experimental studies that purport to have demonstrated cumulative culture. We also use our findings to discuss the broad trade-offs that participants face when learning individually and socially in different contexts, including variable acquisition costs, redundancy of effort in groups, and cognitive and motivational fatigue.

Investigating thermal comfort indices in relation to clothing insulation value: A survey of an outdoor space in Tehran, Iran

With the increasing impacts of climate change, there is a need for more accurate assessments of thermal comfort. This study addresses the limitations of current thermal indices in accommodating variations in clothing insulation, which is a critical behavioral adaptation influencing human thermal comfort. Many existing indices, such as Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Standard Effective Temperature (SET*), rely on fixed clothing insulation values that may not accurately represent real-world conditions due to environmental, cultural, and behavioral variability. In contrast, some indices like the modified Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (mPET) and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) allow for adjustable clothing insulation; however, UTCI's fixed values can be insufficient in regions with distinctive clothing practices, impacting its accuracy. This study evaluates the effectiveness of thermal comfort indices by conducting a field survey and questionnaire, collecting a total of 838 data sets. The analysis employs various methods, including sensitivity and specificity analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), alluvial diagrams, and polynomial charts. Findings highlight the limitations of fixed insulation values in indices such as PET and SET*, while emphasizing mPET's superior accuracy in predicting outdoor thermal comfort. PCA identified clothing insulation (Icl) as a significant personal factor affecting thermal comfort across diverse environments. This research reveals differing correlation coefficients at higher insulation levels (1.11-1.26 clo and 1.26-1.56 clo), with SET* exhibiting substantial variability (0.33) compared to mPET, which demonstrated the least variability (0.46). These results underscore the need to revise existing thermal comfort indices to incorporate more dynamic and context-sensitive insulation values for improved thermal predictions.

A close look at children’s and adolescents’ arguments: combining a developmental, educational, and philosophical perspective

It is broadly admitted that social contexts of reasoning may prompt children and adolescents to improve the quality of their reasoning. However, it is not clear how this quality may be assessed when it comes to arguments expressed within oral interactions in diverse settings (whole-class or small-group discussions) by students of different ages and cultural backgrounds. This study aims to offer a methodological contribution to the issue of oral argument assessment of children and adolescents, by looking at a large, annotated corpus of dialogic discussions during 111 lessons taking place in five countries. Our analysis combines a structural (Toulmin Argument Pattern) and functional (Walton’s argumentation schemes) approach to argumentative reasoning. Our findings show significant variations across age groups and social settings. The discussion points out the importance of sociocultural framing of argument reasoning development and the continuation of research in argument assessment methods able to grasp important developmental and cultural variations.