Cultural capital and smoking in young adults: applying new indicators to explore social inequalities in health behaviour.

BACKGROUND Associations between social status and health behaviours are well documented, but the mechanisms involved are less understood. Cultural capital theory may contribute to a better understanding by expanding the scope of inequality indicators to include individuals' knowledge, skills, beliefs and material goods to examine how these indicators impact individuals' health lifestyles. We explore the structure and applicability of a set of cultural capital indicators in the empirical exploration of smoking behaviour among young male adults. METHODS We analysed data from the Swiss Federal Survey of Adolescents (CH-X) 2010-11 panel of young Swiss males (n = 10 736). A set of nine theoretically relevant variables (including incorporated, institutionalized and objectified cultural capital) were investigated using exploratory factor analysis. Regression models were run to observe the association between factor scores and smoking outcomes. Outcome measures consisted of daily smoking status and the number of cigarettes smoked by daily smokers. RESULTS Cultural capital indicators aggregated in a three-factor solution representing 'health values', 'education and knowledge' and 'family resources'. Each factor score predicted the smoking outcomes. In young males, scoring low on health values, education and knowledge and family resources was associated with a higher risk of being a daily smoker and of smoking more cigarettes daily. CONCLUSION Cultural capital measures that include, but go beyond, educational attainment can improve prediction models of smoking in young male adults. New measures of cultural capital may thus contribute to our understanding of the social status-based resources that individuals can use towards health behaviours.

Effectiveness of Justice-Based Measures in Managing Trust and Privacy Concerns on Social Networking Sites: Intercultural Perspective

The unprecedented success of social networking sites (SNSs) has been recently overshadowed by concerns about privacy risks. As SNS users grow weary of privacy breaches and thus develop distrust, they may restrict or even terminate their platform activities. In the long run, these developments endanger SNS platforms’ financial viability and undermine their ability to create individual and social value. By applying a justice perspective, this study aims to understand the means at the disposal of SNS providers to leverage the privacy concerns and trusting beliefs of their users—two important determinants of user participation on SNSs. Considering that SNSs have a global appeal, empirical tests assess the effectiveness of justice measures for three culturally distinct countries: Germany, Russia and Morocco. The results indicate that these measures are particularly suited to address trusting beliefs of SNS audience. Specifically, in all examined countries, procedural justice and the awareness dimension of informational justice improve perceptions of trust in the SNS provider. Privacy concerns, however, are not as easy to manage, because the impact of justice-based measures on privacy concerns is not universal. Beyond theoretical value, this research offers valuable practical insights into the use of justice-based measures to promote trust and mitigate privacy concerns in a cross-cultural setting.

Follow-up care of adolescent survivors of childhood cancer: The role of health beliefs

BACKGROUND Little is known about follow-up care attendance of adolescent survivors of childhood cancer, and which factors foster or hinder attendance. Attending follow-up care is especially important for adolescent survivors to allow for a successful transition into adult care. We aimed to (i) describe the proportion of adolescent survivors attending follow-up care; (ii) describe adolescents' health beliefs; and (iii) identify the association of health beliefs, demographic, and medical factors with follow-up care attendance. PROCEDURE Of 696 contacted adolescent survivors diagnosed with cancer at ≤16 years of age, ≥5 years after diagnosis, and aged 16-21 years at study, 465 (66.8%) completed the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study questionnaire. We assessed follow-up care attendance and health beliefs, and extracted demographic and medical information from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry. Cross-sectional data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. RESULTS Overall, 56% of survivors reported attending follow-up care. Most survivors (80%) rated their susceptibility for late effects as low and believed that follow-up care may detect and prevent late effects (92%). Few (13%) believed that follow-up care is not necessary. Two health beliefs were associated with follow-up care attendance (perceived benefits: odds ratio [OR]: 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-2.27; perceived barriers: OR: 0.70; 95%CI: 0.50-1.00). CONCLUSIONS We show that health beliefs are associated with actual follow-up care attendance of adolescent survivors of childhood cancer. A successful model of health promotion in adolescent survivors should, therefore, highlight the benefits and address the barriers to keep adolescent survivors in follow-up care. Pediatr Blood Cancer © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Beyond sexist beliefs: How do people decide to use gender-inclusive language?

When people use generic masculine language instead of more gender-inclusive forms, they communicate gender stereotypes and sometimes exclusion of women from certain social roles. Past research related gender-inclusive language use to sexist beliefs and attitudes. Given that this aspect of language use may be transparent to users, it is unclear whether people explicitly act on these beliefs when using gender-exclusive language forms or whether these are more implicit, habitual patterns. In two studies with German-speaking participants, we showed that spontaneous use of gender-inclusive personal nouns is guided by explicitly favorable intentions as well as habitual processes involving past use of such language. Further indicating the joint influence of deliberate and habitual processes, Study 2 revealed that language-use intentions are embedded in explicit sexist ideologies. As anticipated in our decision-making model, the effects of sexist beliefs on language emerged through deliberate mechanisms involving attitudes and intentions.

The emergence of the social determinants of health on the policy agenda in Britain: A case study, 1980--2003

Numerous theories have been advanced in the effort to explain how a given policy issue manages to take root in the public sphere and subsequently move forward on the public legislative agenda—or not. This study examined how the social determinants of health (SDOH) came to be part of the legislative policy agenda in Britain from 1980 to 2003. ^ The specific objectives of the research were: (1) to conduct a sociopolitical analysis grounded in alternative agenda-setting theories to identify the factors responsible for moving the social determinants health perspective onto the British policy agenda; and (2) to determine which of the theories and related dimensions best accounted for the emergence of this perspective. ^ A triangulated content and context analysis of British news articles, historical accounts, and research commentaries of the SDOH movement was conducted guided by relevant agenda-setting theories set within a social movement framework to chronicle the emergence of the SDOH as a significant policy issue in Britain. ^ The most influential social movement and agenda setting elements in the emergence of the SDOH in Britain were issue generation tactics, framing efforts, mobilizing structures, and political opportunities grounded in social movement and agenda setting theories. Policy content or the details of the policy had comparatively little impact on the successful emergence of the SDOH. Despite resistance by the government, from 1980 to 1996 interest groups created a political understanding of the SDOH utilizing a framing package encompassing notions of inequality, fairness, and justice. This frame transmitted a powerful idea connected to a core set of British values and beliefs. After 1996, a shift in political opportunities cemented the institutional arrangements needed to sustain an environment conducive to the development and implementation of SDOH policies and programs. ^ This research demonstrates that the U.S. emergence of the SDOH on the policy agenda will depend upon: (1) U.S. ideals and values regarding poverty, inequality, race, health, and health care that will determine issue framing; (2) political opportunities that will emerge—or not—to advance the SDOH policy agenda; and (3) the mobilizing structures that support or oppose the issue. ^

Bestiarios medievales e imaginario social

Los historiadores medievalistas se concentran, en la actualidad, en descubrir y penetrar el sistema de valores, creencias y sentimientos de hombres y mujeres de aquella época, cómo se representaban el mundo y el espíritu de una sociedad para la cual lo invisible merecía tanto interés como lo visible. Los Bestiarios fueron considerados en su época libros de historia natural y sus autores pretendieron darles características científicas, pero al dotarlos de un tono moralizante, acudir a las leyendas y apelar a los animales más inverosímiles y fantásticos concebidos por el hombre medieval, pasaron a formar parte «de aquel dominio de lo maravilloso donde se expresa el imaginario de una época». Por consiguiente, al recurrir a la alegoría como procedimiento expresivo privilegiado y procurar educar las conciencias en las reglas de la ecumenidad cristiana, de ser pretendidos textos científicos se convirtieron en una de las más sorprendentes páginas de la literatura medieval. En ellos pesa más la valoración alegórica de las criaturas descriptas que la veracidad de las descripciones. La literatura didáctica fue uno de los mecanismos que se emplearon para lograr la adhesión al ideal cristiano. Los autores de los Bestiarios describían las bestias y usaban esa descripción como base de una enseñanza alegórica. De este modo, al mismo tiempo que algunos animales representaron a Cristo, otros simbolizaron el Mal o se convirtieron en proyección de los vicios y defectos humanos. Este trabajo se propone analizar la representación literaria de algunos de estos animales como expresión del imaginario de una época.

UMA ANÁLISE DOS CÂNTICOS ENTOADOS PELA COMUNIDADE CARISMA E SUAS INFLUÊNCIAS, NO INDIVIDUAL E NO COLETIVO, DIANTE DA TRANSFORMAÇÃO SOCIAL

A curiosidade do que acontece com os cânticos entoados pela comunidade carisma e a maneira com que toca as pessoas, no âmbito individual e no coletivo foi o que gerou essa pesquisa. A associação do significado das letras dos cânticos relacionado à transformação social que acontece dentro do trabalho e missão social urbana da Comunidade Carisma acabou sendo o foco desse trabalho. Sabe-se que a música tem um poder imenso de atuar na área emocional e nas experiências do ser humano, atuando tanto no individual, quanto no coletivo da pessoa. Então, até que ponto, música não é uma alienação, mas sim um instrumento de despertar individual e coletivamente - para a transformação e a aplicabilidade de todo este envolvimento social que a Comunidade Carisma vive? Dentro do que é a base teológica da comunidade, a ordem do culto e toda a sua liturgia, foi feito um levantamento de toda estrutura da mesma. E como se processa o louvor e o significado das letras dos cânticos compostos por membros deste ministério, com a ação que começa no individual, reporta-se ao coletivo e que gera transformação social dentro e fora da comunidade.(AU)

UMA ANÁLISE DOS CÂNTICOS ENTOADOS PELA COMUNIDADE CARISMA E SUAS INFLUÊNCIAS, NO INDIVIDUAL E NO COLETIVO, DIANTE DA TRANSFORMAÇÃO SOCIAL

A curiosidade do que acontece com os cânticos entoados pela comunidade carisma e a maneira com que toca as pessoas, no âmbito individual e no coletivo foi o que gerou essa pesquisa. A associação do significado das letras dos cânticos relacionado à transformação social que acontece dentro do trabalho e missão social urbana da Comunidade Carisma acabou sendo o foco desse trabalho. Sabe-se que a música tem um poder imenso de atuar na área emocional e nas experiências do ser humano, atuando tanto no individual, quanto no coletivo da pessoa. Então, até que ponto, música não é uma alienação, mas sim um instrumento de despertar individual e coletivamente - para a transformação e a aplicabilidade de todo este envolvimento social que a Comunidade Carisma vive? Dentro do que é a base teológica da comunidade, a ordem do culto e toda a sua liturgia, foi feito um levantamento de toda estrutura da mesma. E como se processa o louvor e o significado das letras dos cânticos compostos por membros deste ministério, com a ação que começa no individual, reporta-se ao coletivo e que gera transformação social dentro e fora da comunidade.(AU)

Psychological and Social Perspectives on Malingering and Symptom Exaggeration: Conceptualization and Interventions Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Malingering and the production of false symptoms seen in such disorders as Factitious Disorder are an ongoing mystery to medical and mental health professionals. Historically, these presentations have been difficult to identify and treat. As might be expected, individuals with such symptomology rarely agree to participate in research, possibly because of a reluctance to admit to the feigning or exaggerating behaviors and a fear of reprisals. Many different etiologies have been proposed, including the assumption of roles in order to manage impressions, taking control of symptoms in order to gain attention or other rewards or avoid aversive events, and even the production of symptoms that is largely out of awareness such as is seen in conversion or somatoform presentations. By examining historical and present-day beliefs about etiology and treatment interventions, professionals can explore what new types of effective treatment might look like. The behaviorist philosophy that underlies Acceptance and Commitment Therapy proposes a perspective emphasizing effective working in context. This philosophy also suggests individuals sometimes engage in behavior in order to escape from or avoid aversive experiences. Utilizing case examples and fresh behavioral perspectives provides insight and ideas for conceptualization of these behaviors of interest. Using the above conceptualizations, an ACT based treatment of those who produce false symptoms is introduced.

Teachers’ beliefs about diversity: an analysis from a personal and professional perspective

The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs that teachers have about diversity and their level of sensitivity towards some topics related to it. Moreover, beliefs were compared according to teachers’ personal and professional views and teaching experience. The Personal and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scales (Pohan and Aguilar, 1999) were administered to a sample of 233 teachers. Results showed highly positive beliefs towards diversity in all its dimensions (cultural, linguistic and social diversity, ability, gender, sexual orientation and religion), especially regarding its personal implications compared to the professional ones. Likewise, it was observed a significant relationship between years of teaching experience and professional beliefs about diversity, so teachers with no school experience showed a higher tolerance than those with teaching experience, mainly in aspects related to cultural, linguistic and social differences, ability and gender. The implications that these results have for educational practice and the need for the development of multicultural education courses that favour an effective teaching are discussed.

A Computational Model of the Belief System Under the Scope of Social Communication

This paper presents an approach to the belief system based on a computational framework in three levels: first, the logic level with the definition of binary local rules, second, the arithmetic level with the definition of recursive functions and finally the behavioural level with the definition of a recursive construction pattern. Social communication is achieved when different beliefs are expressed, modified, propagated and shared through social nets. This approach is useful to mimic the belief system because the defined functions provide different ways to process the same incoming information as well as a means to propagate it. Our model also provides a means to cross different beliefs so, any incoming information can be processed many times by the same or different functions as it occurs is social nets.

Student drug use, attitudes, and beliefs /

Description based on: 1975-1982.

The psychology of conviction; a study of beliefs and attitudes

The psychology of conviction.--Belief and credulity.--The will to believe in the supernatural.--The case of Paladino.--The antecedents of the study of character and temperament.--Fact and fable in animal psychology.--"Malicious animal magnetism."--The democratic suspicion of education.--The psychology of indulgence: alcohol and tobacco.--The feminine mind.--Militarism and pacifism.

BEHIND THE COMPUTER SCREEN: WHAT IRB PROFESSIONALS REALLY THINK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA RESEARCH

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Crafting a Third Space: Teacher Beliefs and Practices in Curriculum Reform for Multicultural Education

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06