Western Context Research Articles

Postgraduate Students’ Engagement in Cooperative EFL Writing: An Investment Perspective

The past few decades have foregrounded cooperative learning and its pedagogical implications for students’ academic, psychological, and social gains, particularly, in the Western context. These gains, nonetheless, were sometimes questioned and doubted in the Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC) countries such as China. This study adopts Norton’s investment model and seeks to investigate Chinese postgraduate students’ experiences of cooperative writing in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in a local context. The focus is particularly on the mechanism of Chinese students’ engagement/disengagement with cooperative learning and the multiple influences on it. Analysis of the data set, which includes five focus group interviews with postgraduate students from a local university in mid-western China, shows that Chinese students’ group engagement patterns may vary and be closely linked with their current and imagined identities/communities that engagement in cooperative writing could bring to them. Implications are then drawn to better realize the potential of cooperative learning in the identified context and beyond.

Exploring mindfulness interventions across cultures: a comparative meta-analysis of mindfulness interventions for athletes in Western and Eastern contexts

ObjectiveApplying mindfulness training across cultures can be challenging because its internal motivation depends on values, but there are differences between Western and Eastern contexts. This meta-analysis examines the comparative impacts of the Western Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach and the culturally-adapted Chinese Mindfulness-Acceptance-Insight-Commitment (MAIC) mindfulness training for athletes, to explore the importance of cultural adaptation in cross-cultural psychology to psychological skills training.MethodsThis meta-analysis was registered with Prospero (ID: CRD42023474474) and adhered to the PRISMA principles. The PICO search methodology was employed to identify pertinent Chinese and English literature across six databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP) from 2003 to 2023. The evidence originated from randomized controlled trials. Effect sizes were evaluated across three primary domains: athletic performance, mindfulness, and psychological flexibility, and heterogeneity and publication bias.ResultsBoth MAC and MAIC demonstrated positive effects across all outcome categories in 18 studies. MAIC exhibited substantially larger effect sizes compared to MAC. In mindfulness (MAIC: g = 1.273, p < 0.001; MAC: g = 0.521, p = 0.001), sports performance (MAIC: g = 0.945, p = 0.015; MAC: g = 0.550, p < 0.001), MAC did not provide evidence of improved psychological flexibility (g = 0.076, p = 0.747), while MAIC demonstrated significant benefits (g = 0.964, p < 0.001).DiscussionWhile MAIC is based on MAC, it yields more significant outcomes. This may be the “Insight” component introduced by MAIC, which skillfully integrates Eastern context. The MAIC strategy not only becomes more appropriate for local athletes but also indirectly enhances their mindfulness, athletic performance, and psychological flexibility, resulting from cultural adaptation. The new idea not only solves the culture shock caused by the direct application of Western MAC approach on Chinese athletes, but also provides a new solution to the problem that there is insufficient evidence to support the effect of the MAC approach on “psychological flexibility.” Investigating differential effects between MAC and MAIC contributes to understanding the significance of culturally adapting mindfulness training and transnational movement of practices. The findings will assist practitioners in selecting evidence-based protocols tailored to athlete needs and cultural contexts.Systematic review registrationProspero (ID: CRD42023474474).

What Happens after Nora Walks Out?——Take Regret for the Past and A Room of One’s Own as Examples to Analyze Female Liberation

At the commencement of the 20th century, concurrent with the transformation of the socioeconomic structure and the augmentation of individualistic consciousness, the feminist narrative in both the Eastern and Western contexts grew increasingly assertive. The character Nora in Ibsen’s plays significantly contributed to the consciousness awakening among women. Regret for the Past can serve as a sequel to What Happens after Nora Walks Out? Delineating the roads and ultimate fate of a consciousness-awakened woman. Concurrently, the eminent Western author, Virginia Woolf, initiated an exploration of feminism within the narrative of A Room of One’s Own marking a significant juncture in the Western feminist movement’s trajectory. This scholarly work involves a meticulous exegesis of the literary texts within Regret for the Past and A Room of One’s Own, examining the diverse experiences of women’s liberation across various historical periods. Research indicates that the status of women has enhanced subsequent to societal emancipation, with women’s liberation being concomitant with their endeavor for gender equality. Subsequently, the Women’s Liberation Movement has achieved additional advancements. It is incontrovertible that research has demonstrated the necessity of social emancipation as a prerequisite for the advancement of women’s liberation. Presently, given the enhancement of women’s societal standing, when running away from home, which had been given the meaning of awakening, was no longer the only option. What contemporary avenues are available for women and what novel challenges confront the cause of women’s liberation?

Optimism and perseverance: Examining interrelations with test anxiety and academic achievement

Over the past two decades, there has been increasing attention in research into associations between student well-being and academic achievement. Notably, dimensions of perseverance and optimism have been found to influence students positively. However, results pertaining to the joint contribution of optimism and perseverance to academic achievement have rarely been examined. Furthermore, few studies have investigated these key constructs among student samples outside of the Western context, limiting our understanding of the nature of their relationships among these adolescents. In the present study, we posit that test anxiety is a pathway through which perseverance and optimism impacts academic achievement. Accordingly, the research aims to investigate the relationship between perseverance, optimism, test anxiety, and academic achievement. Additionally, we examine for gender differences in perseverance, optimism, and test anxiety. The participants were 2017 secondary one students (763 boys, 1254 girls). Results indicated that a) optimism predicted academic achievement via a direct path and a mediated path through test anxiety, b) perseverance predicted academic achievement solely through a direct pathway, and c) boys indicated a significantly higher value of optimism and a lower level of cognitive test anxiety when compared to girls. This study highlights the importance of optimism and perseverance for students. A key implication to education is that it may be essential to implement optimism interventions paired with perseverance interventions to achieve more effective results. Moreover, given the mediational role test anxiety plays, increasing optimism may also lead to reduced test anxiety and thus better academic performance.

The shifting forms of livelihood strategies of platform workers in China

ABSTRACT Empirical research has found that platform workers have adopted both collective actions and informal practices to address unfavorable working conditions. However, the “small-scale geographies” of platform work as well as the inter-linkage of shifting forms of resistance is under-explored. This paper aims to broaden and deepen our understanding of resistance from platform workers, through a case study of app-based delivery drivers in Shanghai, China. As responses to precarity, drivers have resorted to both open, collective actions and more hidden everyday practices. Because of surveillance by the Chinese state and the close managerial control of workers, collective protests have been rarely seen and of limited effectiveness; more individual and quiet practices such as dissimulating data are favored by drivers in their everyday resistance. We argue that the intention to resist on the part of drivers echoes and expands Bayat’s observations on the survival techniques of the urban poor, and differs from the “political act” argued by Scott. It is hard to conclude that the drivers’ everyday resistance can provoke dramatic confrontation in China as Scott’s arguments would lead us to suppose. Our study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the platform economy by highlighting the unique modalities and strategies of delivery drivers in China, which differs significantly from those in Western contexts that are often addressed in the existing literature. It sheds light on the specific forms of struggle against the asymmetric power of platforms and provides new insights into the mechanisms of resistance.

The Impact of Student Attitude on Information, Communication, Creation Skills and Student Engagement

The Malaysian education system is guided by the Malaysia Education Blueprint, which drives the overall quality and effectiveness of education in the country. This study provides insights and assists in forming informed guidelines for the Ministry of Education regarding the impact of skill factors. The relationship between the direct effects of these three primary skills and attitudes is supported by Self-Efficacy Theory (SET). The indirect relationship, where attitude mediates the effects of these skills on student engagement, is supported by Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). A questionnaire was distributed to local university students currently in their fourth semester and analyzed using the Structural Equation Model using Partial Least Square (PLS). The structural model results direct relationship between attitude and student engagement and between information skills and attitude. In addition, the mediation analysis shows that the relationship between information skills and student engagement, mediated by student attitude, was significant. Based on these results, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education focus on providing supportive resources, such as learning environments and training for educators, in the upcoming Malaysia Education Blueprint for 2026 to 2036. Additionally, offering Digital Literacy Programs to equip students with information skills can positively influence student attitudes and thereby increase the level of student engagement, which is crucial for improving the academic performance and achievement of Malaysia’s educational system. Future research should include a cross-cultural comparison to reconsider educational theories for Asian countries, as many theories are currently based on Western educational settings and contexts.

Antecedents and consequences of distributed leadership in Indian higher education

PurposeThe concept of distributed leadership (DL) has been widely advocated within higher education (HE). Yet, there have been few empirical investigations and little theory development outside Western contexts to date. This study presents a unique conceptualisation of DL and tests it empirically in India.Design/methodology/approachThis study tests a moderated-mediation model by exploring the antecedents and consequences of DL in HE. Standardised questionnaires were drawn from literature and completed by a sample of 269 respondents from six top-ranked (elite) Indian higher education institutions (HEIs). Structural equation modelling (SEM) and multi-group analysis techniques were used to analyse the data.FindingsResults demonstrated that empowering power structure (EPS) is positively related to DL, whilst participation in decision-making (PDM) strengthened this relationship. Further, it is also noted that DL mediates the relationship between EPS and behavioural outcomes of employee voice and silence.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that a DL approach can be effective at enhancing employee voice and reducing employee silence within HEIs in (and perhaps beyond) India. The research also suggests that where institutions implement EPS alongside opportunities for PDM, this can help foster and sustain DL.Originality/valueBy exploring antecedents (EPS and PDM) and consequences (voice and silence), this paper presents a novel approach to studying DL. The focus on Indian HE offers a more nuanced empirical understanding of DL in a non-Western context.

Young Flexitarians: An Insight into Barriers and Facilitators Related to Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation for Meat Reduction

In recent decades, meat consumption has faced growing scrutiny from an environmental, health, and animal welfare perspective. As a result, reducing meat consumption has emerged as an important strategy to mitigate its negative effects. Flexitarians, a growing group of meat reducers, have attracted attention for potentially shaping future dietary trends. This study uses a qualitative approach and draws on 15 in-depth interviews with young flexitarians in Slovenia (YFS) to identify the main facilitators and barriers to meat reduction by exploring their motivations, capabilities, and opportunities as described in the COM-B behavioral model. This study fills the gap in studies on flexitarians using the COM-B model by looking at capabilities and opportunities, not solely motives. In addition, it fills the gap in qualitative in-depth studies on all three COM-B categories, as well as a gap in studies conducted outside northwest Europe and other primarily western geographical contexts. This study highlights important findings for the central and eastern European context that industry and governments should consider when developing behavior change strategies for healthy, sustainable diets. This study shows that strong rural family ties and limited access to meat alternatives are the major barriers to meat reduction in Slovenia. The YFS preferred whole, unprocessed foods (legumes, vegetables, grains) over processed meat alternatives and reduced their meat consumption primarily for health and environmental reasons, relying on social support from peers and information from popular documentaries and social media influencers.

Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy In Entrepreneurial Intention: The Mediating Role Of Entrepreneurial Education

Unemployment, poverty and social inequality are big challenges for Indonesia in entering the free market and global competition.Today, individuals with a college degree experience stiff competition and difficulty in finding employment. Limited employment opportunities which have resulted in high unemployment rates have increased awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship. However, students' interest in entrepreneurship is still relatively low, causing them to hesitate to start a business because they are risk averse. Entrepreneurial intention, as the main predictor of entrepreneurial behavior, is important in understanding the entrepreneurial process. Factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions, especially entrepreneurial self-efficacy, have been widely researched.Apart from that, the role of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in forming entrepreneurial intentions has also received attention.This research investigates the influence of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, entrepreneurial education, and individual factors such as entrepreneurial self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intentions among business students. The findings show that the entrepreneurial ecosystem has a positive effect on entrepreneurial intentions, in line with previous research in the Western context. In addition, entrepreneurial education and individual factors such as entrepreneurial self-efficacy mediate this relationship. Practical implications include the need for universities to support students in developing an entrepreneurial mindset and improve entrepreneurship education to foster creativity. Limitations, such as the focus on business students and the cross-sectional design, offer avenues for future research to explore broader populations and use longitudinal designs.

Job crafting in an emerging economy from South Asia: What do we know and where should we be heading?

PurposeThis study aims towards developing a conceptual framework by systematically reviewing the available literature with reference to job crafting under the lens of an emerging economy from South Asia, i.e. India, which is the largest country and the largest economy in the South Asian region.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a hybrid methodology of a systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny. Bibliometric analysis provides glimpses into the current state of knowledge like-trend of publication, influential authors, collaboration with foreign authors, the major themes and studied topics on job crafting in India etc. Further, a detailed SLR of the selected articles led to the development of the conceptual framework consisting of the enablers and outcomes of job crafting.FindingsIt discusses implications for academia, business and society at large, and also provides valuable insights to policymakers and practitioners paving the way for better adoption, customization and implementation of job crafting initiatives.Originality/valueOwing to its own unique social, cultural, and economic characteristics, the dynamics of job crafting in India may vary from other countries and regions which can also be reflective of how job crafting operates in South Asia in general. As job crafting was conceptualized and later evolved mostly in the western context, our study assumes greater significance as it is the first study which attempts to systematically review the job crafting literature to understand how job crafting manifests in the Indian context and presents a conceptual framework for the same.

Malpractice litigation in multidisciplinary cancer care: Navigating medico-legal challenges and shared decision making in India

Healthcare professionals participating in multidisciplinary team (MDT) cancer meetings may not have a comprehensive understanding of their medicolegal responsibilities in current times. This article aims to delineate the principal medicolegal issues pertinent to multidisciplinary cancer care and offer recommendations for future implementation. Key concerns highlighted in this literature encompass patient consent and privacy during MDT meetings, professional liability, the formal expression of dissenting views and the duty of care. The analysis of existing literature prioritizes several recommendations for addressing these issues. Given the limited precedent available for formulating recommendations, this article identifies foundational evidence that can inform the practicing clinicians of these concerns in future MDT practices.Navigating decision-making processes in cancer care poses significant challenges for patients. This article seeks to elucidate the significance of shared decision making (SDM) within the Indian clinical context while pin pointing disparities compared to Western practices. Through a systematic search conducted in Medline and Google Scholar from 2000 to 2019, approximately 400 articles were screened, resulting in the selection of 43 relevant articles (5 from India and 38 from Western sources). The literature underscores a scarcity of information on shared decision making in India as compared to Western contexts, potentially leading to adverse physical, psychological and financial consequences reported by patients. According to one study, While Western data demonstrate extensive involvement of both patients and physicians in consensus-building for treatment decisions, such engagement in India is predominantly observed in tertiary care settings, academic institutions or cases with high therapy costs. Cultural beliefs and biases further influence patient engagement, while communication breakdowns correlate strongly with medicolegal malpractice litigations. Future research endeavours are warranted to explore strategies for integrating shared decision making into routine oncology practice in India. Physicians must actively involve patients or their immediate family members in decision-making processes to ensure a patient-centric approach, thereby mitigating the risks of un-informed decision-making or mistrust in the treating physician's expertise. Efforts such as physician and patient education, tool development, policy formulation, widespread implementation and periodic assessments hold promise for advancing the practice of shared decision making.

Culture of health as a strategy for designing and developing corporate welfare models

Improving population health requires the commitment of a multitude of community partners, including employers. Since 2008, successive economic crises have reduced the national health system's capacity to meet the needs of its citizens in Italy. ENI is an Italian oil company employing over 31,000 people in nearly 62 countries. In the Italian community of ENI, there are about 20,000 employees. Between 2022 and 2023, ENI made relevant services and goods available for each employee. This work aims to identify a framework to measure the culture of health in ENI. It is the first step in developing an in-depth analysis of the culture of health in ENI, which will be the subject of in-depth studies after this work. Today, promoting health cannot be the sole purpose of public healthcare systems in Western contexts. Italy is an emblematic context of these phenomena. The development of the corporate welfare case in ENI is an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of private expenditure concerning the interventions promoted by a multinational oil and gas company such as ENI towards its employees. In all this, the culture of health represents a valid approach to the design and the evolution of corporate welfare models over time. The idea of the culture of health is an essential framework that can support why companies must work towards complementarity in providing services and interdependence with public health systems. By incorporating strategies such as inclusive health education, community engagement and partnering with public health systems to address social determinants of health, companies can contribute to building a culture of health rooted in equity, providing employees with the resources and support needed for a better and more equitable life.

'I Do Not Want to Share My Pain With Anyone'-Coping With the Invisible Burden. A Qualitative Description of the Lived Experiences of Individuals With Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain in an Indian Setting.

Rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP) significantly impacts the physical, and psychosocial well-being of an individual. While studies of lived experiences with shoulder pain were conducted in Western (developed countries) contexts, understanding such experiences in low-to middle-income countries such as India remains limited. This study explores and describes the lived experiences of individuals with RCRSP in Indian settings. A phenomenological approach explored the lived experience of individuals with RCRSP in South India. Ten participants with RCRSP (7 men and 3 women) with mean duration of symptoms ranging between 3 and 24months were interviewed individually using a semi-structured guide with inductive thematic analysis. Participants also completed the Disabilities of the Shoulder Arm and Hand (DASH) questionnaire for upper limb function. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Three themes that emerged from the interviews were 'The multidimensional burden of RCRSP', 'Navigating the treatment journey between trust and uncertainties', and 'Pathway of healing: Coping with the invisible burden'. Shoulder pain significantly impacted activities, family, and volunteering roles. The majority of the suffering and expression of pain were hidden and influenced by cultural and societal norms. There was a strong belief in the body's ability to heal and acceptance of Eastern and Western treatment approaches. The findings highlight the need for a holistic management strategy that effectively addresses physical impairments, psychosocial support, and cultural beliefs to manage RCRSP in such settings.

Challenging questions in Saudi press conferences

Press conferences that host high ranking officials have not been a common practice in Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, since 2020 this has changed clearly as Ministers have begun to appear in regular press conferences, a new format that requires examination and comparison to see the extent to which it is in line with the previous findings of this kind of interaction in western contexts. The current paper concentrates on examining the practice of challenging officials. The questions from these press conferences have been categorized using a framework that assesses aggressiveness through four aspects: initiative, directness, assertiveness, and hostility. The results show that journalists score a high level in the first dimension, but achieve generally low scores in the other three dimensions. The overall results indicate that journalists display a degree of initiative-taking and bring some concerns of the public to officials, but with a high proportion of cautious and non-assertive questions, an interaction system that avoids a high level of confrontation toward officials.

A review of the literature on spirituality and religion in information research – 1990 to 2022

PurposeMore than eight in ten people worldwide identify with a religious group. In addition, people often engage with spiritual and religious content despite having no formal beliefs or affiliations. Spirituality remains a prominent feature of Western and Westernised information-based societies and cultures; however, people’s everyday interactions with spiritual and religious information have received disproportionate attention in information and library science research. Accordingly, this paper aims to understand how scholars have explored religion and spirituality in information research and identify current and emerging trends in the literature.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyses 115 peer-reviewed articles, 44 book chapters, 24 theses and 17 unrefereed papers published between 1990 and 2022 to present a narrative review of how scholars have explored spirituality and religion in information research. The reviewed literature is first organised into spirituality-related and religion-related articles and thereafter analysed in Internet studies, information behaviour studies and galleries, libraries, archives and museums-related research groups.FindingsOur analysis indicates scholars in Internet studies have researched both established and alternative religious interactions, and emerging research agendas seek to explore intersections between traditional religious authority and modern Internet-facilitated engagements. Information behaviour scholars have examined interactions in Christianity and Islam, focused primarily on Western contexts and conventional interactions, with emerging research aiming to explore diverse contextual and methodological combinations. Finally, GLAM researchers have investigated the practicality, suitability, and appropriateness of spirituality and religion-related service provisions; however, a clear research agenda is currently lacking in spirituality and religion information research more broadly.Originality/valueThis paper is the first review of the spirituality and religion-related information research spanning Internet studies, information behaviour studies and galleries, libraries, archives and museums research domains.

Revisiting the Global Social Work Definition: How Social Workers Define the Profession a Decade Later?

Abstract Social work has struggled to establish a unanimous definition encompassing the full professional scope. In 2014, the International Federation of Social Workers introduced a revised global definition outlining principles, objectives, goals and theories. Now, a decade later, questions have emerged about the definition and its contemporary relevance. This qualitative study interviewed sixty-five Israeli social workers to uncover how they define the profession. Analysis revealed they define social work as a profession that fosters positive change and well-being through tailored interventions. It upholds humanistic values like equality, dignity and participation and assists diverse clients experiencing challenging transitions by utilising different means of support. Findings show continuity in how social workers in Western contexts view the purpose and tools of the profession, whilst also highlighting tensions with the global definition’s macro-orientation. This research then incorporates an inclusive ‘both/and’ perspective, including both micro and macro dimensions, using principles from rights-based social work, to propose small amendments to the global definition.

Debts of Gratitude in Cross‐Cultural Perspective: Confucian and Western Ethics

ABSTRACTThis article examines the contrasting conceptions of gratitude in Early Confucian and Western philosophy. It focuses on a key difference: the presence of the notion of ‘debts of gratitude’ in Western thought and its absence in Confucianism. We explore how this difference is rooted in contrasting ethical outlooks and values. Western philosophy often conceives of gratitude as a duty of reciprocation, furthering the values of social equality and individual autonomy. By contrast, Early Confucians viewed gratitude as proper acknowledgement that strengthens social relationships that are part of an ongoing collective project, spanning generations. This view reflects the importance of values such as community, harmony, and ritual propriety in Confucianism. Unlike the Western context, in the Early Confucian social world, there was no role for ‘debts of gratitude’ to play. There were no Confucian values that ‘debts of gratitude’ would help to realize, or would be responsive to, in the way that debts of gratitude further the values of equality and independence in the West. We conclude by noting that some Western philosophers express ideas about gratitude in collaborative contexts that align with Confucian ideas, suggesting some shared elements between Confucian and Western ethical outlooks.

The coloniality of internationalization: towards a power-conscious framework for studying the experiences of international students in Western contexts

ABSTRACT While existing scholarship has demonstrated that the experiences of international students in Western contexts are shaped by colonial power relations undergirding higher education internationalization, there remains a dearth of a comprehensive and nuanced perspective on international students’ relationships to colonial forms of power. To address the research gap in question, this paper proposes the development of a power-conscious framework to elucidate the international student–colonial power entanglement. Developed through a systematic literature review, the framework foregrounds three interrelated themes – subjugation, submission, and subversion – capturing the multifaceted interplay between international students and colonial forms of power. By emphasizing the complexities of the interplay, the framework challenges static portrayals of international students vis-à-vis colonial forms of power, highlighting the dynamics among the students’ vulnerability to, complicity in, and potential to resist the paradigm of otherness rooted in colonial forms of power. The framework also underscores the importance of situating inquiries on international students within the broader context of the lived realities of marginalized communities in settler colonial states, emphasizing the need to critically examine the responsibilities and agency of international students in unsettling ongoing colonial legacies of domination and oppression. Based on the development of the power-conscious framework, this paper contributes to advancing a transformative understanding of international student experiences and the (im)possibilities of engaging with internationalization in a more equitable and inclusive manner.

Navigating trust and health in India: the influence of social status and neighbourhood environment

BackgroundThe research on the relationship between interpersonal trust and health has primarily focused on Western contexts, with scarce attention in developing contexts. Addressing this gap, the study examines the association between interpersonal trust (both generalised and particularised) and health outcomes (self-rated health /SRH, and depression) among Indian adults, considering the moderating roles of social statuses (gender and caste) and macro-level factors like district-level income inequality.MethodsThe study draws on data from the World Health Organization's (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave-1, collected between 2007 and 2010. This dataset provides a comprehensive overview of health outcomes, including self-rated health (SRH) and depression, socio-cultural status of adults aged 18 and above in India. Additionally, district-level data on income inequality, quantified through the Gini index, were incorporated to examine the influence of contextual socioeconomic influence on the trust-health relationship. Multilevel regression analysis with interaction effects with social statuses and income inequality at district was employed in the analysis to investigate the intricate relationship between interpersonal trust (both generalised and particularised) and health outcomes.ResultsThe study reveals that while generalised trust does not directly influence depression or SRH, particularised trust acts as a protective factor for both health outcomes. Gender-specific interaction effect shows that generalised trust reduces depression among males and improves SRH among females. Notably, caste does not significantly moderate the trust-health relationship. High district-level income inequality, however, modifies these associations: generalised trust is associated with improved SRH in areas of high inequality, whereas particularised trust correlates with increased depression in these districts.ConclusionThe findings highlight the complex dynamics between interpersonal trust, social status, and income inequality in shaping health outcomes in India. Generalised trust emerges as a potential buffer against the health-detrimental effects of income inequality, providing crucial insights for developing targeted health interventions. These results offer valuable guidance for global health policymakers and practitioners in effectively allocating development aid to enhance health outcomes, especially among the most marginalised groups.

Biased Social Media Debates About Terrorism? A Content Analysis of Journalistic Coverage of and Audience Reactions to Terrorist Attacks on YouTube

Social media are an important source of news during crises such as terrorist attacks. However, how news media and their audiences make sense of terrorism on social media is subject to bias, for example, given their differential treatment of terrorism by right-wing versus Islamist extremist perpetrators. In this study, we analyze how incident- and perpetrator-related characteristics of terrorist attacks are associated with bias in public debates about terrorism on YouTube. We focus on selectiveness in which attacks are covered (gatekeeping bias), how attacks are covered (presentation bias), and how audiences react to coverage (audience bias). Methodologically, we employ a manual and an automated content analysis of terrorism coverage by five international broadcasters on YouTube ( N = 643, 2018–2020) and related user comments ( N = 193,721). Our findings illustrate how sociocultural contexts shape news bias in terrorism coverage, both in the form of gatekeeping bias and presentation bias—but we conclude with less evidence for audience bias in public reactions to terrorism, at least on social media. Consequently, journalists should critically question working routines in covering crises to avoid reinforcing power imbalances, especially those from Western contexts.