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Current evidence implicates educational pressures and reduced outdoor time as major causes of myopia. This paper examines the ongoing battle against the myopia epidemic in East Asia, including its cultural offshoots such as Singapore, where over 80% of young adults are myopic. East Asian societies share deeply rooted Confucian values that attach great importance to education and familial obligations, with heavy parental investment in education and the perception that academic excellence reflects filial piety. Coupled with a strong emphasis on standardised test results, East Asian children face intense educational pressures from a young age. Existing education-based myopia prevention strategies focus either on top-down school reforms to promote more outdoor time for students during school hours or on bottom-up awareness initiatives encouraging lifestyle changes. However, the entrenched Confucian worldview suggests that more extensive top-down reforms aimed at reducing competition in education, combined with widespread bottom-up awareness initiatives targeting the public—particularly parents, given their active involvement in children's education outside of school—may be required to truly turn the tide on myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper discusses the influence of family and cultural backgrounds on South Asian student survivors' understandings of dating relationships and help-seeking after experiencing dating violence. Methods: Six South Asian undergraduate women dating violence survivors participated in two thé talks (similar to semi structured interviews) and a photo-elicitation activity to share their experiences of dating violence and how they make meaning of these experiences. Findings: Through analysis guided by the tenets of Bhattacharya's Par/Des(i) framework, this paper highlights two key findings: 1) the powerful role of cultural values in students' conceptualizations of healthy and unhealthy relationships; and 2) the effect of familial and intergenerational experiences on students' help-seeking behaviors. Conclusion: Findings highlight the need to incorporate considerations of family and culture in efforts to address and prevent dating violence in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of culture on dietary patterns among undergraduate students at a tertiary institution in Keffi Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 395 students selected via stratified random sampling. Data were analysed using reliability analysis, regression, and descriptive statistics. Cultural restrictions influenced 60.9% of students, with 49.5% favouring local Nigerian cuisine over Western options (27.9%). Regression analysis confirmed cultural factors as significant predictors of healthier dietary patterns (R-squared = 0.21, coefficient = 0.28, p < 0.05). Cultural traditions extend beyond individual preferences, influencing communal eating habits and overall dietary patterns. Tailoring health education to cultural contexts can promote healthier eating behaviours [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several aspects of the migratory behaviour of birds, notably timing, direction and duration, have been shown, mainly from breeding experiments, to be under genetic influence. Nevertheless, aspects of migratory behaviour can be improved by learning, either from personal experience or from other individuals. This review is concerned with social influence on different aspects of bird migration. Communal migration can provide not only the usual anti-predation and food-finding benefits, but also energy savings (resulting from particular flock structures), greater synchronization of individual journeys and improved route finding. Individuals in a group can pool their knowledge of directions and routes to mutual benefit, and if a group contains different age-groups, naïve youngsters can learn from more experienced individuals. These advantages may be one reason why many birds migrate in flocks or in more diffuse aggregations, even some species that normally live solitarily. Some species, notably swans, geese and cranes, migrate as family units within flocks, so young could learn migratory routes, stopover sites and wintering areas from their parents. And providing the two age-groups migrated together, the young of other species could learn the same details from older, more experienced individuals, whether related or not. In the daytime, some birds can be seen to migrate on their own, while others travel in groups, flocks or other looser assemblages. Night migration has been studied by radar, ceilometers and other artificial lights and by 'moon-watching', as well as by sound recording to detect flight calls. While some species travel at night in dense flocks, as in the daytime, others (including some solitary species) seem to travel in loose aggregations which may form once the birds are airborne. Calling maintains contact between individuals and may thereby provide information on optimal directions, flight altitudes and other aspects. Species vary in the extent to which they call at night, but such vocalizations increase at times of change, such as take-offs and landings, altitude changes or as birds enter mist. Many birds show specific behaviours before migration which serve to synchronize departures of those individuals which have reached an appropriate condition. Individual homing pigeons, released at a distance, can normally find their way back to their home loft, but different pigeons may develop different routes. When pairs of pigeons, which have developed different routes, are released together, they may either take an intermediate route or one pigeon may join the other regarded as 'leader'. The larger the difference in experience between two pigeons, the greater the likelihood that the more experienced bird will emerge as leader. Migration in flocks may improve the accuracy of orientation if the direction of the flock is an average of the headings of the individual flock members (the 'many wrongs' principle). This notion has been supported by experiments on homing pigeons, and also by observations of wild birds, in which single individuals or small groups showed more variation in their directions than did larger groups. In general, directional scatter decreased as group size increased. In such systems, individual birds benefit from social contact with others, but all individuals have equal influence on the resulting direction. In practice, some birds (leaders) are likely to have more influence on directions than others (experienced more than inexperienced), as shown in experiments with pigeons and tracking of wild goose families on migration. Large scale field experiments have also shown that birds can be influenced in their movements by others of their species, and that even birds from resident populations can sometimes be induced to migrate when released into areas where migrants prevail. When juveniles are released in the absence of experienced adults, they take a wider range of directions than normal, some of which take them off an optimal route. By training geese, swans or cranes to fly behind ultralight aircraft, new migration routes have been created, re-establishing migratory populations in areas from which they were eliminated in the past. Such experiments further illustrate the role of social influence on bird migratory patterns. Suggestions are made for further research aimed to fill gaps in understanding and to take forward our understanding of social influence on migratory behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The need for organizations to remain flexible is crucial. This study aims to assess the way organizational culture, dynamic environments, and strategic choices can be related in the case of the Jordanian ICT industry with emphasis on the mediating effect of the dynamic environment. The paper employed a questionnaire sent to 256 employees from several ICT companies involved in strategic decision-making and planning. The analyses showed that organizational culture significantly affects strategic decision-making, with the dynamic environment serving as an important mediator. More precisely, it explained 50.6% of the variance in decision-making (R² = 0.506) and 52.2% of the variance in perceptions about the dynamic environment (R² = 0.522). Thus, consistency (p = 0.007) and adaptability (p = 0.006) emerged as critical cultural dimensions that enhance effective strategic decision-making. Additionally, the prominent effect of the dynamic environment on decision-making was identified (p = 0.000). Therefore, Jordan’s ICT companies can enhance their strategic decision-making and gain a competitive advantage in a sustainable manner by focusing on organizational culture with priorities on consistency and adaptability. This kind of culture ensures better alignment with strategies and quick responses to market or technological changes, contributing to long-term business sustainability. Acknowledgment Acknowledgments are expressed to Middle East University, Amman, Jordan, for the financial support to cover this article’s publishing fee.

The origin of this ‘Eleousa’ icon is unknown. In 1949, the image was in a private collection in Rome. The icon suffered losses. The board was sawed off at the bottom; the background was re-primed; the layers of paint are incompletely preserved. The iconography of the image is Byzantine and the manner of painting complies with Byzantine canons. However, the holy faces and naked body parts are statuesque and impress the viewer with their materiality. A likely provenance is Sicilian, artist’s familiarity with Byzantine tradition being the strongest evidence. The master was likely influenced by stone sculpture, flourishing in Sicily and Southern Italy in the first half of the 13th century. Such imitation of sculptures in painting was well known to contemporary Roman artists, e.g., Pietro Cavallini and Jacopo Torriti. Происхождение иконы «Умиление» из московского частного собрания неизвестно. В 1949 г. образ находился в частном собрании в Риме. Памятник дошёл до нас с утратами. Доска иконы снизу и её поля опилены, фон заново загрунтован, красочные слои сохранились не полностью. Иконография образа византийская, типы ликов и манера письма исполнены преимущественно по византийским канонам. Однако лики и обнажённые части тела впечатляют своей статуарностью и вещественностью. Мы предполагаем местом создания иконы Сицилию. Решающим аргументом является органическое знание художником византийской традиции. Также можно предположить влияние скульптуры на художника-иконописца, что связано с высоким художественным уровнем каменной пластики на Сицилии и в Южной Италии в первой половине XIII в. Подобное подражание скульптурному образу было характерно для художников Рима, Пьетро Каваллини и Якопо Торрити, но уже во второй половине XIII века.

The collision of opera with Iranian musical culture can be considered one of the most important points of intersection between Western and Iranian culture, which took place under the influence of certain political and social developments in Iran. After the Persian Constitutional Revolution, Iran was affected by political, social and cultural changes. Countless changes were made to help Iran's entry into the modern world, in which elites and intellectuals played a significant role. They insisted on bringing the modern form of theatre to the culture of Iran. This is how operetta first entered Iran under the influence of immigrants from northern European countries. The first operettas of the constitutional era were created under the influence of the Caucasian operettas. During several decades of activity in the field of operetta production in Iran, and with the provision of academic education in the field of Western singing in the music conservatory, conditions were created for the production of the first operas in Iran. The coexistence of music and drama was praised by Iranians from the very beginning and prompted many playwrights to create operettas. Since the first operettas in Iran were created with hints of Iranian music and culture, some experts did not consider it correct to use the word operetta for these performances. This essay, based on the theory of glocalization and relying on the descriptive-analytical method based on library documents, has listed some of the effects of Western operas and operettas on the post-constitutional operettas, with the study of three operettas, namely Rastakhiz'e Shahriaran'e Iran, Parichehr and Parizad and finally Elahe. These operetta artists included musical profiles other than Iranian music in their works by using descriptions under the title of "European song and ballet" and using "Western Instruments" and "the songs close to Caucasian and Turkish music", and tried to step closer to the Western operettas. In such a situation, the juxtaposition of Western operetta and Iranian musical culture had effects on each other, which were examined in the article in three stages: exposure, cultural influence, and acculturation. At first, Iranians had a cultural exposure with Western opera by hearing, reading and seeing it. Using the name "operetta" and influences from Western music and song, they advanced to the stage of cultural influence. And since the presence of operetta in Iran did not pose any threat to Iranian music, Iranians did not take a step towards acculturation. As for the results of this article, we can mention the process of producing a kind of glocalized operetta in Iran. Iranians took the title of operetta as one of the successful globalized examples. They combined this globalized musical show with Iranian classical music and singing. Sometimes they used humorous stories appropriate to the society of that time and sometimes they used epic myths and stories from Iranian classical poetry and created a new type of operetta in Iran. It was under these conditions that the glocal type of Persian operettas was born, influenced by the global type of Western operettas.

Japan has sought closer relations with Southeast Asia for decades, deploying diplomacy and foreign aid to win over a region where many countries suffered the violence of Japanese occupation during the World War II era. Sponsoring Japanese studies programs has also been key to the charm offensive. But at a time when Japan faces growing Chinese competition for regional influence, Japanese cultural exports have proved especially popular; meanwhile, Southeast Asian hits are drawing fans in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collision of opera with Iranian musical culture can be considered one of the most important points of intersection between Western and Iranian culture, which took place under the influence of certain political and social developments in Iran. After the Persian Constitutional Revolution, Iran was affected by political, social and cultural changes. Countless changes were made to help Iran's entry into the modern world, in which elites and intellectuals played a significant role. They insisted on bringing the modern form of theatre to the culture of Iran. This is how operetta first entered Iran under the influence of immigrants from northern European countries. The first operettas of the constitutional era were created under the influence of the Caucasian operettas. During several decades of activity in the field of operetta production in Iran, and with the provision of academic education in the field of Western singing in the music conservatory, conditions were created for the production of the first operas in Iran. The coexistence of music and drama was praised by Iranians from the very beginning and prompted many playwrights to create operettas. Since the first operettas in Iran were created with hints of Iranian music and culture, some experts did not consider it correct to use the word operetta for these performances. This essay, based on the theory of glocalization and relying on the descriptive-analytical method based on library documents, has listed some of the effects of Western operas and operettas on the post-constitutional operettas, with the study of three operettas, namely Rastakhiz'e Shahriaran'e Iran, Parichehr and Parizad and finally Elahe. These operetta artists included musical profiles other than Iranian music in their works by using descriptions under the title of "European song and ballet" and using "Western Instruments" and "the songs close to Caucasian and Turkish music", and tried to step closer to the Western operettas. In such a situation, the juxtaposition of Western operetta and Iranian musical culture had effects on each other, which were examined in the article in three stages: exposure, cultural influence, and acculturation. At first, Iranians had a cultural exposure with Western opera by hearing, reading and seeing it. Using the name "operetta" and influences from Western music and song, they advanced to the stage of cultural influence. And since the presence of operetta in Iran did not pose any threat to Iranian music, Iranians did not take a step towards acculturation. As for the results of this article, we can mention the process of producing a kind of glocalized operetta in Iran. Iranians took the title of operetta as one of the successful globalized examples. They combined this globalized musical show with Iranian classical music and singing. Sometimes they used humorous stories appropriate to the society of that time and sometimes they used epic myths and stories from Iranian classical poetry and created a new type of operetta in Iran. It was under these conditions that the glocal type of Persian operettas was born, influenced by the global type of Western operettas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review focuses on cultural-related studies and game theory. First of all, it analyzes how social dynamics and strategic interactions can be shaped by different cultural environments. Secondly, it examines how cultural norms can affect strategic decision making and how game theory could predict cooperations and conflicts. Overall, this study aims to highlight the applicability of game theory in the modeling of cultural transformation and its interaction with behavioral economics. Moreover, this study also attempts to underscore the significance of game theory and cultural diversity in communication methods, plus the process of policy formulation. In addition to the above topics, the robustness of cross-cultural social norms, the economic study of different cultural heritage, and the cultural effects of tourism under game theory are also focal points of this study. Finally, this review delves into how game theory can represent social interactions, emphasizing the need to incorporate extensive cultural knowledge in order to enhance the efficacy of game-theoretic model's applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of culture on dietary patterns among undergraduate students at a tertiary institution in Keffi Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 395 students selected via stratified random sampling. Data were analysed using reliability analysis, regression, and descriptive statistics. Cultural restrictions influenced 60.9% of students, with 49.5% favouring local Nigerian cuisine over Western options (27.9%). Regression analysis confirmed cultural factors as significant predictors of healthier dietary patterns (R-squared = 0.21, coefficient = 0.28, p < 0.05). Cultural traditions extend beyond individual preferences, influencing communal eating habits and overall dietary patterns. Tailoring health education to cultural contexts can promote healthier eating behaviours.

Folk beliefs encompass a fairly broad range of content. Just as there are folk beliefs in the religious field, it is common to encounter folk beliefs in every conceivable field such as weather, social, economic, military or civil life, entertainment, and sadness. The focus of this article is predominantly on folk beliefs that continue to exist vividly among people and are related to Islamic beliefs. These folk beliefs are not only religiously incorrect but also hinder the proper understanding of Islamic beliefs. In this regard, the subject falls within the field of kalām, as kalām deals with the principles of belief. Therefore, for kalām, it is important to understand the structure of people’s beliefs and their reflections on daily life. Despite some social disciplines conducting studies in this area, there is an evident gap in terms of kalām, as these disciplines treat religious issues as a case without making value judgments. However, kalām does not merely settle for determination; it evaluates from the perspective of the religion to which it belongs. To the best of our knowledge, there are few studies examining people’s beliefs and behaviors using modern research methods in the field of kalām. In this article, an attempt was made to determine the religious acceptance and life of the people through questions covering some of the basic religious principles and certain folk beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building upon Social Fact theory and Social Impact theory, this article presents an innovative exploration of how collective consciousness and conformity behavior impact individuals' continuous use willingness of digital government websites. By constructing a single-factor mediation model with conformity behavior as the mediating variable, this study employs SPSS23.0 to test the data results. The mediation effect analysis reveals that citizens' collective consciousness indirectly influences their continuous use willingness through conformity behavior, with the latter playing a fully mediating role. This finding highlights the need for governments to consider the effects of public collective consciousness and conformity behavior on users' continuous use willingness of digital government websites. Consequently, this article recommends that authorities harness the power of exemplary and demonstration effects to guide individual behavior, ultimately optimizing individuals' continuous use willingness of digital government websites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the development of jewellery in Right-Bank Ukraine and Galicia from the XVI to XIX centuries, focusing on precious ecclesiastical artifacts as evidence of the flourishing of Ukrainian goldsmithing. The relevance of the research stems from its detailed exploration of ecclesiastical jewellery in Right-Bank Ukraine and Galicia, providing a unique perspective on the region's artistic heritage and European cultural integration. The purpose is studying the artistic techniques used by Lviv and Kyiv jewellers in creating church artifacts like domes, icon covers, and other ecclesiastical items. The historical-genetic method enabled comprehensively analysing the evolution of Right-Bank Ukrainian jewellery in the example of church artifacts. Periodization identified three stages of Ukrainian goldsmithing's development in the XVI-XIX centuries. The system-structural method emphasized Western European cultural influence on overall Ukrainian jewellery. The typological approach reflected empirical reality of Right-Bank Ukrainian jewellery development as evidence of flourishing culture. Narrative described and explained the significance of jewellery artifacts at each stage of the formation of Ukrainian goldsmithing. Research materials included art organizations' experience, archaeological documentation, and museum exhibits. As a result of the research, the article presents the work of such Kyiv masters as: Iyeremiya Biletskyy, Ivan Ravych, and Matviy Narunovych. Detailed descriptions of works of art by Lviv and Kyiv masters of the XVI-XIX centuries are provided. And information about the Kyiv goldsmith shop is displayed. Conclusions confirm that Right-Bank Ukraine and Galicia were a stronghold of European jewellery styles in the 16th-19th centuries. The study of church artefacts by Ukrainian craftsmen shows a special cultural mentality shaped by centuries-old traditions and the multidenominational nature of Christian faiths. Thus, the materials of the article represent a practical value for historians, ethnographers, and architects who are interested in the construction of Orthodox churches; and jewellers engaged in artistic blacksmithing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effect of technology on the upgradation of slums in Islamabad, along with the moderating role of upstream influences between them. With this concern, the researcher used a quantitative research design, and to accumulate the data, a closed-ended survey questionnaire was chosen. The sample size considered in this research was 293 participants belonging to the urban planning sector of Islamabad. To evaluate the data and hypothesized model, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. It was also revealed that upward influences moderated the association between technology and slum upgradation significantly, particularly regarding governance, religion, and gender roles. However, this research is limited to Islamabad only; therefore, the implications of this study cannot be generalized. Consequently, it has been recommended that upward influences based on crime and mafia, along with governance, should be controlled to upgrade Islamabad-based slums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of text analytics enables marketers to obtain the information extracted from the narrative content in user-generated content (UGC). Recent studies have also demonstrated that people with different cultural backgrounds may express their opinions about their purchase in diverse manners. This study focuses on the impact of the narrative content of consumers' perception of helpfulness. It first identifies four contextual dimensions to propose a theoretical model, demonstrating that perceptions of helpfulness may differ in respect to the consumers' varied cultural backgrounds (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism). By using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), the study empirically tests the hypotheses by analyzing 111,857 movie reviews collected for 167 American movies released both in the United States and in China from 2013 to 2016. The results reveal that individualist consumers perceive an online review that contains more self-description and future-focus content as helpful, whereas collectivist consumers rely more on online reviews containing social description and past-focus content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social norms shape consumer behavior. However, it is not clear under what circumstances social norms are more versus less effective in doing so. This gap is addressed through an interdisciplinary meta-analysis examining the impact of social norms on consumer behavior across a wide array of contexts involving the purchase, consumption, use, and disposal of products and services, including socially approved (e.g., fruit consumption, donations) and disapproved (e.g., smoking, gambling) behaviors. Drawing from reactance theory and based on a cross-disciplinary data set of 250 effect sizes from research spanning 1978–2019 representing 112,478 respondents from 22 countries, the authors examine the effects of five categories of moderators of the effectiveness of social norms on consumer behavior: (1) target behavior characteristics, (2) communication factors, (3) consumer costs, (4) environmental factors, and (5) methodological characteristics. The findings suggest that while the effect of social norms on approved behavior is stable across time and cultures, their effect on disapproved behavior has grown over time and is stronger in survival and traditional cultures. Communications identifying specific organizations or close group members enhance compliance with social norms, as does the presence of monetary costs. The authors leverage their findings to offer managerial implications and a future research agenda for the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between China and the United States was originally driven by the tea trade. From the maiden voyage of the "Empress of China" sailed from New York to Guangzhou in 1784 to the outbreak of the Opium War in 1840, it was the period when China and the United States initially established direct trade. During this time, Chinese tea always held a dominant position in the goods exported to the US. The development of China-US tea trade was also a process of mutual learning and exchange between the two civilizations. In the process of mutual learning and interaction between Chinese and American civilizations, Chinese tea, as a symbol of traditional Chinese culture, exerted a profound influence on American culture, and is of great practical significance to the development to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the overall level of satisfaction among students who are being educated via distance learning methods and how instructional approach (synchronous versus asynchronous) varies, in terms of both knowledge outcome and level of satisfaction, is the hallmark of this study. It also considers student perception of online learning compared to face-to-face learning, and whether or not students can learn as much online as in person. Further, students can, in some cases, be more satisfied with online learning. Student success levels and satisfaction are, however, related to the level of engagement they experience and the cultural adaptability of the course work, as it relates to the online teaching methods used and the teacher's approach to online learning. Thus, the study concludes that distance learning is an appropriate approach for students but more research is needed regarding best practices for collaboration, content delivery, and adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although children generally regard adults as more knowledgeable than their peers, an informant's past accuracy trumps age when in conflict. In a recent study, however, Korean 5‐year‐olds were more likely to trust a less accurate adult informant over a more accurate peer informant when learning new information. To examine whether such a pattern was attributable to the cultural influence of shaping early respect for the elderly among Korean children, a pattern of selective label endorsement was examined among Canadian 5‐year‐olds, who were raised under different cultural values, relatively putting less emphasis on social relationships than individual expressions (Experiment 1). We also investigated Korean 6–7‐year‐olds' selective endorsement pattern when the informant's past accuracy conflicted with the informant's age to examine how cultural influences shift as children develop (Experiment 2). When the adult was 25% accurate in labeling familiar objects, relative to the 75% accurate child informant, Canadian 5‐year‐olds tended to endorse the label offered by the child, demonstrating a prioritization of the epistemic cue over the social cue. By comparison, Korean 6–7‐year‐olds were equally likely to choose between two informants, showing difficulty disregarding inaccurate adults, even when they always mislabeled familiar objects. These results offer insight into cultural influences on the development of selective word learning and suggest the relative weighing of social and epistemic cues evolves with development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following work examines the presence of American popular culture in Chile during the second half of the 19th century and the reception and impact that said presence had upon Chilean society. The methodology consisted of a qualitative historical study of press and documentary sources between 1850 and 1900, together with a bibliographic review of literature that addresses the cultural phenomena of both Chile and the United States, as well as performing arts and variety shows from the nineteenth century. As a result, it was possible to observe a mutual influence between the North American ensembles and Chilean society since both parties reinterpreted their roles and practices as a consequence of exposure to new shows and the criticism of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis that the literature shows that most of the serial murders are committed by men and with sexual motivation, the research is a preliminary approach which aims to approach the cultural influence on the sexual motivation of serial killers. Eighty-six cases of serial murders with male perpetrators from different countries have been analyzed, committed between 1900 and 2020. The variables evaluated are related to the serial offender, victimology, modus operandi, sexual motivation typology and the actions related to such classification. In indulgence countries, pre mortem sexual acts (44.20%), interference with the victim's body (36.0%) and mutilation (27.90%) are the most common; the same occurs in restrictive countries, although in a lower percentage, with mutilation 7.0% being the only statistically significant variable (X² = 0.034). Direct-sadistic motivation is the most present, being 52.30% in indulgence countries and 18.60% in restrictive countries, there being a significant relationship (X² = 0.026). There is a partial influence of culture on modus operandi and sexual motivation according to the higher or lesser presence of social norms and how they influence the individual's decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial variation, temporal changes, and their underlying driving forces of carbon sequestration in various forests is of great importance for understanding the carbon cycle and carbon management options. How carbon density and sequestration in various Cunninghamia lanceolata forests, extensively cultivated for timber production in subtropical China, vary with biodiversity, forest structure, environment, and cultural factors remain poorly explored, presenting a critical knowledge gap for realizing carbon sequestration supply potential through management. Based on a large-scale database of 449 permanent forest inventory plots, we quantified the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of aboveground carbon densities and carbon accumulation rates in Cunninghamia lanceolate forests in Hunan Province, China, and attributed the contributions of stand structure, environmental, and management factors to the heterogeneity using quantile age-sequence analysis, partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM), and hot-spot analysis. The results showed lower values of carbon density and sequestration on average, in comparison with other forests in the same climate zone (i.e., subtropics), with pronounced spatial and temporal variability. Specifically, quantile regression analysis using carbon accumulation rates along an age sequence showed large differences in carbon sequestration rates among underperformed and outperformed forests (0.50 and 1.80 Mg•ha-1•yr-1). PLS-PM demonstrated that maximum DBH and stand density were the main crucial drivers of aboveground carbon density from young to mature forests. Furthermore, species diversity and geotopographic factors were the significant factors causing the large discrepancy in aboveground carbon density change between low- and high-carbon-bearing forests. Hotspot analysis revealed the importance of culture attributes in shaping the geospatial patterns of carbon sequestration. Our work highlighted that retaining largesized DBH trees and increasing shade-tolerant tree species were important to enhance carbon sequestration in C. lanceolate forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the development of jewellery in Right-Bank Ukraine and Galicia from the XVI to XIX centuries, focusing on precious ecclesiastical artifacts as evidence of the flourishing of Ukrainian goldsmithing. The relevance of the research stems from its detailed exploration of ecclesiastical jewellery in Right-Bank Ukraine and Galicia, providing a unique perspective on the region's artistic heritage and European cultural integration. The purpose is studying the artistic techniques used by Lviv and Kyiv jewellers in creating church artifacts like domes, icon covers, and other ecclesiastical items. The historical-genetic method enabled comprehensively analysing the evolution of Right-Bank Ukrainian jewellery in the example of church artifacts. Periodization identified three stages of Ukrainian goldsmithing's development in the XVI-XIX centuries. The system-structural method emphasized Western European cultural influence on overall Ukrainian jewellery. The typological approach reflected empirical reality of Right-Bank Ukrainian jewellery development as evidence of flourishing culture. Narrative described and explained the significance of jewellery artifacts at each stage of the formation of Ukrainian goldsmithing. Research materials included art organizations' experience, archaeological documentation, and museum exhibits. As a result of the research, the article presents the work of such Kyiv masters as: Iyeremiya Biletskyy, Ivan Ravych, and Matviy Narunovych. Detailed descriptions of works of art by Lviv and Kyiv masters of the XVIXIX centuries are provided. And information about the Kyiv goldsmith shop is displayed. Conclusions confirm that Right-Bank Ukraine and Galicia were a stronghold of European jewellery styles in the 16th-19th centuries. The study of church artefacts by Ukrainian craftsmen shows a special cultural mentality shaped by centuries-old traditions and the multidenominational nature of Christian faiths. Thus, the materials of the article represent a practical value for historians, ethnographers, and architects who are interested in the construction of Orthodox churches; and jewellers engaged in artistic blacksmithing.

Abstract Children from three years to the age of five are considered pre-primary students when their emotional, social, cognitive, linguistic, and other skills are built and developed, which helped determine the future behaviors of a child. Children are heavily impacted by their surroundings and the people around them throughout this critical stage. In the 21st century, Bangladesh’s pre-primary education system has been heavily shaped and developed, following Western pedagogy. Parental aspiration remains a crucial path in developing the ECE curriculum in Bangladesh. The ECE curriculum is being remodeled under the influence of the national culture, considering the parental aspiration for the betterment of their children. Cultural components, such as customs, beliefs, social norms, regulations, and religions, have signifi-cantly influenced education. This study aims to investigate the pre-primary education system and identify the changing patterns influenced by culture globally and nationally. In this study, a mixed-methods approach has been employed for the data collected. This exploratory study used inductive reasoning to weave latest information into innovative ideas. Since the parental perspective varies in division wise needs and progress enhancement aspirations, the participants were selected from four divisional headquarters of Bangladesh: Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, and Rangpur. For the comprehensive development of cognitive and behavioral patterns, children must be exposed to the history and culture of the community by making the curriculum more engaging. Thus, a refined early learning through ECE has been vital to building a dynamic, economic, and strong nation for the future of Bangladesh.

This study aimed to determine the effect of technology on the upgradation of slums in Islamabad, along with the moderating role of upstream influences between them. With this concern, the researcher used a quantitative research design, and to accumulate the data, a closed-ended survey questionnaire was chosen. The sample size considered in this research was 293 participants belonging to the urban planning sector of Islamabad. To evaluate the data and hypothesized model, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. It was also revealed that upward influences moderated the association between technology and slum upgradation significantly, particularly regarding governance, religion, and gender roles. However, this research is limited to Islamabad only; therefore, the implications of this study cannot be generalized. Consequently, it has been recommended that upward influences based on crime and mafia, along with governance, should be controlled to upgrade Islamabad-based slums.

Emotional attenuation in a second language is believed to be one of the main causes of the Moral Foreign Language effect (MFLe). However, evidence on the mediating role of emotion in the relationship between language and moral judgements is limited and mainly derives from unrealistic moral dilemmas. We conducted two studies to investigate (1) whether the MFLe is present in both unrealistic (Study 1) and realistic (Study 2) moral dilemmas, and (2) whether this effect can be attributed to reduced emotionality. In Study 1, the MFLe was found in the moral judgements made by Spanish-English bilinguals. However, the same pattern was not observed in Greek Cypriot-English bilinguals' moral judgements, and this result was attributed to the prominent role of English in Cyprus. In Study 2, the MFLe extended to realistic moral dilemmas when the outcome of the action entailed the violation of a social norm. Study 1 and Study 2 also revealed that these bilinguals experienced a wide range of emotions in their L1 and L2, which did not differ significantly across languages. Mediation analyses further indicated that the MFLe was not mediated by emotional blunting, which made us consider alternative explanations for the MFLe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children from three years to the age of five are considered pre-primary students when their emotional, social, cognitive, linguistic, and other skills are built and developed, which helped determine the future behaviors of a child. Children are heavily impacted by their surroundings and the people around them throughout this critical stage. In the 21st century, Bangladesh's pre-primary education system has been heavily shaped and developed, following Western pedagogy. Parental aspiration remains a crucial path in developing the ECE curriculum in Bangladesh. The ECE curriculum is being remodeled under the influence of the national culture, considering the parental aspiration for the betterment of their children. Cultural components, such as customs, beliefs, social norms, regulations, and religions, have signifi-cantly influenced education. This study aims to investigate the pre-primary education system and identify the changing patterns influenced by culture globally and nationally. In this study, a mixed-methods approach has been employed for the data collected. This exploratory study used inductive reasoning to weave latest information into innovative ideas. Since the parental perspective varies in division wise needs and progress enhancement aspirations, the participants were selected from four divisional headquarters of Bangladesh: Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, and Rangpur. For the comprehensive development of cognitive and behavioral patterns, children must be exposed to the history and culture of the community by making the curriculum more engaging. Thus, a refined early learning through ECE has been vital to building a dynamic, economic, and strong nation for the future of Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the study is to identify the significance of civic identity for young people and its impact on modern socio-cultural processes in Kyrgyzstan. The methodology of the research is represented by systematic, sociocultural, comparative, semiotic analyses, as well as the synthesis method. A survey of 117 university students was conducted to provide additional data on the civic identity of Kyrgyz youth. In addition, the development of civic identity among young people in China and Turkey was analysed for comparison. Despite differences in historical and cultural contexts, factors like education, media, and government policies impacted youth civic identity in all three countries. The study results showed that the civic identity of young people is one of the key factors in modern socio-cultural transformations of society, determining the lifestyle and value orientations of young people, influencing their perception of public roles and responsibility. It is determined that periods of social transformations, civic identity is able to take on a variety of manifestations, influencing the processes of socialisation among young people, and, ultimately, their ability to perceive and join the values prevailing in a particular society. In addition, the findings indicate that it is important to understand the level of influence of the cultural and historical context on the development of the civil identity of certain countries. The results emphasise the importance of adapting policies and government programmes to current socio-cultural realities. The significance of the findings is expressed in the actualisation of the issue under study. The results obtained enrich the theoretical understanding of civic identity and its role in the modern socio-cultural processes of Kyrgyzstan and the world, contributing to the field of socio-cultural transformations and the study of youth identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights and summarizes the complexity of the scientific relationships established between the Romanian University of Cluj and France in the first half of the 20th century. Newly created at the end of the Great War and placed in Transylvania, a multicultural region that had finally become part of the Romanian state, this academic institution made great efforts in order to gain national and international credibility and relevance. The varied and constant support provided by the French academics played a key role in the accomplishment of this ambitious goal.

This literature review focuses on cultural-related studies and game theory. First of all, it analyzes how social dynamics and strategic interactions can be shaped by different cultural environments. Secondly, it examines how cultural norms can affect strategic decision making and how game theory could predict cooperations and conflicts. Overall, this study aims to highlight the applicability of game theory in the modeling of cultural transformation and its interaction with behavioral economics. Moreover, this study also attempts to underscore the significance of game theory and cultural diversity in communication methods, plus the process of policy formulation. In addition to the above topics, the robustness of cross-cultural social norms, the economic study of different cultural heritage, and the cultural effects of tourism under game theory are also focal points of this study. Finally, this review delves into how game theory can represent social interactions, emphasizing the need to incorporate extensive cultural knowledge in order to enhance the efficacy of game-theoretic model’s applications.

Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic and its lockdown dramatically impacted the general well-being of the population and affected sociosexual experiences, thus modifying sexual behavior, desire, and well-being. Clustering analysis has not yet been applied to research and data investigating sociosexuality. The cluster analysis method could be a valid support for clinicians in investigating the condition of a population with respect to problems related to sociosexuality. The aim of the present study was to analyze the different perceptions of the sociosexual experiences in southern population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We enrolled 734 (450 female) participants with a carried out anonymous web-based survey from the 16th of April 2020 to the 3rd June of 2020. The revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R) is a self-report test assessing three theoretically meaningful facets of sociosexual orientation (behavior, attitude, and desire). Results: We found eleven clusters, and the findings showed, for the first time, an intra- and inter-diagnostic heterogeneity in the sexual profile of participants. Theoretically, we identified subtype clusters whose sexual attitude was to avoid sexual promiscuity with significant gender differences. Women show a greater propensity for attitude and desire facet than men. Conclusions: Our new method of unsupervised learning could represent a reliable tool to support socio-cultural analysis studies on issues influenced by cultural mechanisms in a quick and explanatory way, as in the case of sexual orientation and attitude differences between men and women. Social and Policy Implications: Understanding these gaps is fundamental for policy makers, managers of social networks, those who deal with engaged couples and families, and sexuality starting from the very youngest adolescents. We claim to devise a strategy to measure how much a sexist culture implicitly and explicitly limits the freedom of sexual expression and how this can affect psycho-sexual well-being in a society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to introduce and enrich the importance of historical knowledge for the analysis of choreographic art. Research methodology. In conducting this research, a comprehensive analysis of historical knowledge was carried out. The interaction between historical context, cultural influences, and artistic innovations was examined, emphasising the critical significance of historical understanding in studying the evolution of choreographic art. Scientific novelty. During this investigation, it was determined that the combination of historical knowledge with choreography establishes a standard criterion for the development of choreographic art, which serves two functions: enriching objective and scientifically valuable information and facilitating the practical realisation of choreographic creativity aimed at achieving goals related to the analysis of choreographic art's development. Conclusions. The significance of historical knowledge in analysing the development of choreographic art is difficult to overestimate. Studying the historical context, cultural influences, and artistic innovations provides a deeper understanding of the evolution of choreographic practices. Historical knowledge shapes modern choreography, providing a platform for artistic research and innovation. It also helps us comprehend our heritage and the origins of various aspects of contemporary life, including political structures, social norms, cultural traditions, and scientific achievements. They demonstrate how the past influences our present and shapes our values and identity. Embracing historical understanding is of utmost importance in assessing the richness, diversity, and continuous development of choreographic art. As we delve deeper into the process of related research, the use of historical knowledge will play a crucial role in shaping future directions of this captivating art form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Culture has long been recognized and conceptualized as an important and indispensable influencing factor in policy transfer. However, inadequate attention has been devoted to the study of culture in this area of scholarship. Using qualitative data, mainly from interviews with policy-makers and policy-takers in Vietnam, this paper examines the relevance of culture in Vietnam's merit-based policy transfer. It indicates how the conceptualization of culture is significant to policy transfer analysis. It also shows that culture at all levels—macro, meso, and micro—can influence both the policy transfer process and the outcomes. At the same time, it contends that despite this important role, culture acts more as a joint-influencing factor than a sole determinant in policy transfer. This paper argues that a multi-level and culture-sensitive approach to cultural analysis in policy transfer is a key to understand the dynamics of culture in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How online grocery shopping behaviors differ among Asian American (AA) ethnic subgroups and acculturation level is unknown. From June 9–15, 2020, we administered an online survey to a nationally-derived nonprobability sample of 2,895 AA adults, including 1,737 East, 570 South, and 587 Southeast Asian adults, assessing online grocery shopping (yes/no, frequency, reasons). We used logistic regression to compare responses by subgroup and acculturation score, controlling for sociodemographics. Thirty-percent of participants reported shopping online for groceries in a typical month, with a higher percentage among South (45%) versus East Asian adults (23%). Participants with low (vs. high) acculturation scores were more likely to report a lack of special foods (OR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.5–0.98) and poor food quality (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4–0.7) as preventing them from shopping online. Online grocery shopping has the capacity to address inequities in health, potentially via culturally-tailored programs designed for less-acculturated AA adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTThis study endeavors to show analogous ideas in Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and Sherko Bekas’s “A Fall Letter.” Bekas, who was a good reader of English poetry, was greatly influenced by Eliot. He familiarized himself with English literature and follows it truly. For the idea for his poem, “A Fall of Letter” Bekas benefits from Eliot’s “The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” and uses it in composing his poem. Eliot’s modern style has been revealed in his works as presenting complicated ideas through a simple language to reassure the modernity in “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” as well as the modernity in “A Fall Letter.” A sad and gloomy tone is seen in both poems – Eliot may be speaking to his soul or with a partner, but Bekas expresses the poem through apostrophe. The study culminates with an analytic comparison between the two poems: “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “A Fall Letter” in terms of their themes.

Despite the boom in cosmetic tourism, academic research in this field remains scarce. The following interpretive study explores perceptions of key social players involved in the cosmetic tourism process from its initiation to its end. It highlights the perspectives of cosmetic medical providers and cosmetic tourists within a multifaceted theoretical framework that includes the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and self-concept components. A qualitative approach was applied, with similar topics discussed during interviews with a sample of cosmetic medical doctors and cosmetic tourists in Lebanon. The study delivers insight into the cosmetic tourism decision-making process, and the factors impacting choices here in terms of the destination, medical doctor, and medical center. It furthermore sheds light on aspects that distinguish cosmetic tourism, including social media and cultural influence. This study theoretically contributes to the development of an appropriate framework for cosmetic tourism. Empirically, its outcomes can be utilized to better understand the exclusivity of cosmetic tourists while improving their experiences, enhancing marketing strategies and the services provided to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst self-driving cars are not vehicles of the future, but technology that is already available, their acceptance and implementation is heavily limited. People consider them as technology that has a lot of risk—be it technological, IT related, or even ethical. The aim of the present paper is to enrich the existing body of literature of risk perception—and in line with this technology adaption—regarding autonomous vehicles and how they are influenced by demographic and exogenous cultural variables. Whilst the effect of cultural variables on risk perception has already been explored by several researchers, the present paper shall be considered an expansion of those works, striving to address a particular segment of risk perception—the specifics of cultural influence on risk perception regarding autonomous vehicles. Whilst risk perception is of a multifaceted nature, the current paper does not aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex phenomenon under scrutiny, but intends to highlight the potentiality of cultural influences besides the often-explored individual variables when it comes to risk perception and the consequent decisions and indicates that the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede use to create a better understanding of perceived risks related to self-driving cars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to place in a wider political and diplomatic perspective an evolution that the private education system was undergoing in the 19th century, in the Romanian Principalities: the employment of foreign governesses. Drawing on primary sources such as consular documents, contracts of the governesses, a travel account, memoirs, correspondences and news from the era, this research aims to depict the governesses as actors who, by establishing the pensionnats, by drafting several study programs for girls and carrying out diplomatic efforts in favour of their educational institution from the local space, made a significant contribution both in the dissemination of a Western cultural model - especially the French one - and in the modernization of the Romanian educational system for girls. Concerning foreign women, this research also sheds light on aspects related to stereotypes, alterity and class identity, all placed in the context of the 19th century nationalism, which redraws the mental and cultural maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editorial discusses the importance of cultural considerations in relation to mental health stigma. The authors emphasize that understanding and addressing stigma requires an understanding of cultural and societal perspectives on illness. Stigma can have negative impacts on individuals and their families, hindering opportunities for social involvement and healing. The authors argue that integrating cultural considerations into strategies for reducing stigma is crucial, and that involving patients and carers in the development of services and research can help ensure that outcomes are relevant and reduce stigma. The editorial also introduces several studies that highlight the role of cultural sensitivity in stigma reduction efforts. These studies explore the cultural adaptation of interventions, social perceptions of mental illness, the validation of research tools in specific cultural contexts, and the impact of cultural beliefs on mental health perceptions. Overall, the editorial and accompanying studies advocate for a culturally informed approach to addressing mental health stigma. [Extracted from the article]

Museums' building of international communication capacity has become a hot topic in museology. Featuring unique resources of ancient Shu culture, Sanxingdui Museum is of great value in international communication. This paper first reviews previous studies in this area, then analyzes the efforts made by present-day museums in China and abroad to raise their international profile, and later probes into the current status of Sanxingdui Museum's building of international communication capacity. On this basis, this paper summarizes the countermeasures Sanxingdui Museum took and proposes suggestions regarding the building of its international communication capacity. Sanxingdui Museum should work harder to improve its overseas exhibitions, protect and study its cultural relics, advance the application for World Heritage status, and promote the Sanxingdui brand via multimedia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Humanities have an enduring role in improving society and people's well-being, yet there is a very limited discussion of how to foster talents in the Humanities. This case study scrutinized how an honors program in the Humanities can enhance the academic potential of gifted undergraduates at an elite university in China. The results indicate that such an honors program can provide academic training and support and cultural influence beyond academic enhancement, thus incubating future scholars in the Humanities. While there are some implementation issues to consider—courses, supervision, various types of academic support, disciplinary culture, and academic traditions—all have takeaways for other institutions interested in maximizing the academic potential of gifted undergraduates in the Humanities. As a result, this study expands our understanding of Humanities education and education for gifted undergraduates in non-Western countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conflicts between couples and their parents‐in‐law are a common phenomenon in Chinese families. In this study, in‐law psychological aggression (InPA) victimization and its association with intimate partner violence (IPV), women′s health, and gender role valuation were examined. A household face‐to‐face survey with random sampling was conducted, and a total of 260 married Chinese women with parents‐in‐law were recruited. Among the participants, 11.2% and 43.1% had experienced InPA victimization and IPV victimization, respectively, and 7.3% had experienced both. Women′s daily contact with parents‐in‐law, anxiety symptoms, demand to obey parents‐in‐law, and the low valuation of the male role significantly positively related to InPA victimization, whereas discussions of in‐law conflict with husbands were significantly negatively related to InPA victimization. Therefore, in developing interventions for women experiencing InPA victimization, the role of the husband in InPA victimization and the risk of co‐occurring InPA and IPV should be considered. These findings reflect the need to raise awareness about the influence of culture on gender roles, the harm caused by InPA victimization, and the urgent need to help Chinese women who are experiencing in‐law conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]