Cultural aspects of classroom effectiveness: Overseas-educated students in Australian classrooms

Teachers who are new to the country often find themselves as 'the stranger' in their own classroom. Languages education is one area where such overseas-educated teachers are common. The study reported here investigated what cultural factors might influence the classroom performance of such teachers. The early classroom experience of beginning Japanese native speaker teachers and trainees was examined to this end.

Trans-cultural aspects of social anxiety disorder and related conditions: a Brazilian case series and a review of international clinical studies

Cross-cultural studies have much to teach clinicians and researchers alike about psychopathology in general and about social anxiety disorder (SAD) in particular. Unfortunately, little is known about the degree and the mechanisms through which cultural environment may influence clinical manifestations of SAD. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to identify culture-related clinical patterns in SAD and related disorders. METHODS: We described socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of a sample of 62 adult outpatients with SAD seen at a university clinic for anxiety and depressive disorders in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and compared them with those reported in clinical samples from North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania identified through a systematic review in Medline, PsychINFO, and LILACS. RESULTS: Our comparison of trans-cultural features of SAD lends partial support to Heimberg's (1997) contention that the majority of socio-demographic features and symptoms of this disorder are relatively independent of geographic and cultural differences. CONCLUSION: Patients with SAD were almost universally characterized by: 1) a predominance of males in clinical samples; 2) early onset of the disorder; 3) high educational attainment; and 4) great frequency of comorbidities.

Epidemiology and Anthropology: an integrated approach dealing with bio-socio-cultural aspects as strategy for the control of endemic diseases

The control of endemic diseases has not attained the desired level of effectiveness in spite of the use of modern efficient thecnologies. The classic interventionist approach for the control of schistosomiasis is centered on systemic control of the snail hosts combined to large scale medical treatment and is usually carried out without social preocupation due to the assisted communities. It is easy to understand the interest and the ethical compromise of public health research while producing studies in which the biological and social determinants as well as the cultural components should be considered and also encompass the historical dimensions and symbolic representations. In face of the recent political decision in favor of decentralizations of health administration to municipal level, we suggest, in the present paper, an integrated approach for the epidemiological diagnosis of an endemic situation at local level. Theoretical and methodological aspects from both, epidemiology and anthropology are discussed. Epidemiological methods can be used to detect the dependent variables (those related to the human infection) and the independent variables (demographic, economic, sanitary and social). Another methodological approach of anthropological /etnographic nature can be conducted in order to make an articulation of the knowledge on the various dimensions or determinant levels of the disease. Mutual comprehension, between researchers and the people under investigation, on the dynamic transmission process would be relevant for a joint construction, at local level, of programmed actions for the control of endemic diseases. This would extend reflections on the health/disease process as a whole.

Cultural aspects of globalizing university-industry knowledge interaction in China

Previous studies of the local involvement of multinational corporation (MNC) subsidiaries focus on host-country firms and local business partners such as suppliers and customers. The role of host-country universities in the same context of innovation networks is neglected. Furthermore, there are many organizational culture- and knowledge-related differences between universities and companies, and this is likely to pose additional challenges for successful collaboration. Early university-industry (U-I) studies have primarily been limited within a national boundary, being concerned with a single level of culture (i.e., at an organizational level) and one-way knowledge transfer from university to industry. Research on more dynamic knowledge interaction in multinational settings is lacking. This is particularly true in the business context of China. In today’s globalizing and rapidly changing organizations, addressing cultural differences and clashes is an everyday reality, and inter-cultural U-I collaboration is becoming a key asset for gaining global competitiveness. This study deals with Finnish MNC subsidiaries’ research collaboration with Chinese universities. It aims to explore the essence of such U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction, uncovering the deep functioning mechanisms of culture underlying effective collaborative knowledge creation and innovation. The study reviews critically different bodies of literature including knowledge management theories and studies, U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction, and cross-cultural research in terms of organizational knowledge generation and utilization. It adopts a case study strategy with qualitative research methods, and data is collected through in-depth interviews and participant observation. The study presents the following major findings: 1. In the light of a comprehensive analysis of U-I collaboration, an effective matching strategy is proposed, in the assumption that good alignment of knowledge interaction strategies and approaches with their corresponding knowledge type, capability development and research task may greatly enhance the effectiveness of cross-cultural U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction. 2. It is proposed that in the Chinese MNC context more dynamic types of knowledge interaction like knowledge co-creation should be of key concern particularly when dealing simultaneously with multi-disciplinary applied research of human factors and technologies. U-I knowledge interaction, otherwise, pays attention only to the study of one-way technology and knowledge transfer. 3. It is posited that the influence of culture on collaborative knowledge interaction can be studied in a valuable way when knowledge-related variables are simultaneously taken into account. A systematic analysis of the role of knowledge in cross-cultural knowledge interaction could best be approached from multi-aspects of knowledge including not only nature, characteristics and types of knowledge but also the process of knowledge (e.g., intensifications of knowledge interaction). 4. The study demonstrates the significant role of aspects of the host-country culture (e.g., Chinese guanxi) in U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction. This is evident, for instance, in issues related to interpersonal relationships and trust, true interest and the relatedness of the research, mutual commitment and learning, communication intensity and interaction, and awareness of cultural and knowledge-related differences between collaboration partners. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are suggested and discussed.

In defence of modeling simultaneity for a correct approximation of cultural aspects: implications for food consumers studies with latent variables

Dealing with latent constructs (loaded by reflective and congeneric measures) cross-culturally compared means studying how these unobserved variables vary, and/or covary each other, after controlling for possibly disturbing cultural forces. This yields to the so-called ‘measurement invariance’ matter that refers to the extent to which data collected by the same multi-item measurement instrument (i.e., self-reported questionnaire of items underlying common latent constructs) are comparable across different cultural environments. As a matter of fact, it would be unthinkable exploring latent variables heterogeneity (e.g., latent means; latent levels of deviations from the means (i.e., latent variances), latent levels of shared variation from the respective means (i.e., latent covariances), levels of magnitude of structural path coefficients with regard to causal relations among latent variables) across different populations without controlling for cultural bias in the underlying measures. Furthermore, it would be unrealistic to assess this latter correction without using a framework that is able to take into account all these potential cultural biases across populations simultaneously. Since the real world ‘acts’ in a simultaneous way as well. As a consequence, I, as researcher, may want to control for cultural forces hypothesizing they are all acting at the same time throughout groups of comparison and therefore examining if they are inflating or suppressing my new estimations with hierarchical nested constraints on the original estimated parameters. Multi Sample Structural Equation Modeling-based Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MS-SEM-based CFA) still represents a dominant and flexible statistical framework to work out this potential cultural bias in a simultaneous way. With this dissertation I wanted to make an attempt to introduce new viewpoints on measurement invariance handled under covariance-based SEM framework by means of a consumer behavior modeling application on functional food choices.

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 695 - "The Collapse of German Democracy and the Expansion of National Socialism", "Cultural Aspects of National Socialism" u.a. (p. IX 169.1a - IX 170.1-4)

"The Collapse of German Democracy and the Expansion of National Socialism" (1940):; 1. Darstellung des Forschungsprojekts (15.9.1940), b. Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 78 Blatt; 2. "Research work on recent trends in the history of ideas (parts of the Research project on the Collapse of German Democracy would be included)". Als Memorandum zur Eröffnung zur Eröffnung einer Zweigstelle des Instituts in Los Angeles (12.12.1940): a) Typoskript, 2 Blatt, b) Teilstück, Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 1 Blatt, c) Teilstück, Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 1 Blatt, d) Teilstück, Typoskript, 1 Blatt, e) Teilstück, Typoskript, 1 Blatt, f) Entwurf, Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen und Manuskript, 3 Blatt; 3. University of California, Los Angeles: 2 Briefe (Abschrift) von Max Horkheimer, o.O., 1940, 2 Briefe (Abschrift) an Max Horkheimer, 1940, 2 Blatt; A.R.L. Gurland: "Survey of Structural Changes in the German Economy, 1933 to 1939. Technological Bases and Organizational Forms of the National Socialist Economic System". Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen unter anderem von Theodor W. Adorno, 48 Blatt (formal nicht identisch mit "Technological Trends and Economic Structure under National Socialism", Studies in Philosophy and Social Science, Bd. IX, 1941, S. 226ff.); "Cultural Aspects of National Socialism. A Research Project" (1941):; 1. Institute of Social Research: Mitteilung über das Forschungsprojekt und das 'Supplementary Statement', Typoskript, englisch, 4 Blatt; 2. Supplementary Statement to the Research Project, a) Typoskript, 14.4.1941, 63 Blatt, b) Typoskript, 12.4.1941, mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 35 Blatt; 3. "Cultural Aspects of National Socialism. A Research Project" (24.2.1941), a) als Typoskript vervielfältigt, 54 Blatt, b) Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 34 Blatt, c) Fassung Januar 1941, Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 40 Blatt; 4. Inhaltsverzeichnisse, mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 3 Blatt;

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 696 - Cultural Aspects of national Socialism. A Research Project (p. IX 170.5)

"Cultural Aspects of National Socialism. A Research Project" (1941):; 5. "Introduction" (enthalten in 3.), Typoskripte und Manuskripte (u.a. Entwurf von Theodor W. Adorno und Manuskript von Max Horkheimer), insgesamt 117 Blatt;

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 697 - Cultural Aspects of National Socialism. A Research Project (p. IX 170.6 - 170.10)

"Bureaucracy" verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, circa 51 Blatt; Handschriftliche Notizen, 4 Blatt; "Mass Culture" verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, circa 40 Blatt ; zwei Manuskripte, eins von Max Horkheimer, 3 Blatt; "Anti-Christianity" verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, circa 51 Blatt; Eigenhändige Notizen von Max Horkheimer, 1 Blatt; "The War and Post-War Generation" verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, darunter ein Typoskript auf deutsch, mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen von Max Horkheimer, circa 67 Blatt; "Ideological Permeation of Labor and New Middle Classes" [enthält unter anderem den Titel "The German Masses and the Philosophy of National Socialism"] verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, circa 36 Blatt; Notizem, 2 Blatt;

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 698 - Cultural Aspects of National Socialism. A Research Project (p. IX 170.11 - 170. 14)

"Literature, Art and Music" verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, zwei davon auf deutsch; ein Teilstück, gesamt circa 100 Blatt; "Scope and Method" a) Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 7 Blatt; b) Typoskript, deutsch, mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen von Max Horkheimer, 8 Blatt; c) Typoskript, deutsch, mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen von Max Horkheimer, 3 Blatt; d) Manuskript, Entwurf von Theodor W. Adorno, 1 Blatt; "Labor Movement" verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, circa 49 Blatt; zwei Teilstückem davon eins mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 4 Blatt; Typoskript und Manuskript, 7 Blatt; "Biographical Notes" a) Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 15 Blatt; b) Typoskript mit handschrifltichen Korrekturen, 19 Blatt; c) Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 19 Blatt; d)-p) Fassungen der einzelnen Abschnitte aus 14; d) Vorspann, Typoskript und Manuskript, 2 Blatt; e) "Max Horkheimer" Typuskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 5 Blatt; f) "Frederick Pollock" Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 2 Blatt; g) "Leo Löwenthal" Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen und Manuskript, 4 Blatt; h) "Herbert Marcuse" Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 1 Blatt; i) "Franz L. Neumann" Manuskript, 2 Blatt k) "Theodor W. Adorno" Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 4 Blatt; l) "Henryk Grossman" Typoskript und Manuskript, 8 Blatt; m) "A.R.L. Gurland" Typoskript und Manuskriot, 4 Blatt; n) "Otto Kirchheimer", Typoskript und Manuskript, 4 Blatt; o) "Kurt Pinthus" Typoskript und Manuskrit, 5 Blatt; p) "Joseph Soudek" Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 2 Blatt;

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 699 - Cultural Aspects of National Socialism. A Research Project (p. IX 170.15-17a - IX 170.19)

Neumann, Franz: Memorandum über Gespräche mit Harold Lasswell. 30.03.1941, Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korekturen, 4 Blatt; Neumann, Franz: Memorandum über Gespräche mit Goodvin Watson. 21.05.1941, Typoskript, 2 Blatt; [Anderson, Eugene N.:] "Professor Anderson's Notes and criticisms to the project of German society and culture". Typoskript, 7 Blatt; "Budget for the proposed Research Project of Cultural Aspects of National Socialism". Handschriftliche Notizen, 1 Blatt; Institut of Social Research: Brief an Rockefeller Foundation, New York, 24.06.1941 verschiedene Typoskripte, zum Teil mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, circa 35 Blatt; ein Manuskript, 6 Blatt; ein Entwurf, Typoskript, 1 Blatt; Adorno, Theodor W.: 2 Briefe an I. Berlin, ohne Ort, 1940-1941; Empfehlungsschreiben zur Unterstützung des Projekts, von: Lutz, Ralph H.: 1 Brief (Abschrift) an Frederick Pollock, 11.07.1941; MacIver, Robert M.: 1 Brief (Abschrift): an New York Foundation, ohne Ort, 07.07.1941; Shotwell, James T.: 1 Brief (Abschrift) an Frederick Pollock, Woodstock, 08.07.1941; Radin, MAx: 1 Brief (Abschrift) an New York Foundation, [Los Angeles], 08.07-1941; 5 Blatt; Antwortbriefe an das Institut bzw. Max Horkheimer aufgrund der Zusendung des Umrisses des Forschungsprojektes, von: Lorwin, Lewis L.; Wooleton, H.; O'Quin, Patricia, Odum, Howard W.; Fay, Sidney B.; Merriam, Charles E.; Hoover, Calvin B.; Garrison, Lloyd K.; März bis Mai 1941, 8 Blatt;

Between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean : the late bronze age around the Tagus estuary (Portugal) : economic, social and cultural aspects

This paper deals with the importance, quantity and diversity of Late Bronze Age sites known around the Tagus estuary. The material culture points out to the existence of cultural stimuli from very different origins: from the Iberian Peninsula inner, the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean basin, related to the social organization and the economy of the populations that inhabited this region between the XIII century BC and the IX century BC, according to the available radiocarbon data. These populations interacted with the first Phoenicians that arrived to the region at the end of this period, after episodic relations of trading with their antecedents, from Central Mediterranean region.

Learning from errors: Psychological, relational, and cultural aspects

Although errors might foster learning, they can also be perceived as something to avoid if they are associated with negative consequences (e.g., receiving a bad grade or being mocked by classmates). Such adverse perceptions may trigger negative emotions and error-avoidance attitudes, limiting the possibility to use errors for learning. These students’ reactions may be influenced by relational and cultural aspects of errors that characterise the learning environment. Accordingly, the main aim of this research was to investigate whether relational and cultural characteristics associated with errors affect psychological mechanisms triggered by making mistakes. In the theoretical part, we described the role of errors in learning using an integrated multilevel (i.e., psychological, relational, and cultural levels of analysis) approach. Then, we presented three studies that analysed how cultural and relational error-related variables affect psychological aspects. The studies adopted a specific empirical methodology (i.e., qualitative, experimental, and correlational) and investigated different samples (i.e., teachers, primary school pupils and middle school students). Findings of study one (cultural level) highlighted errors acquire different meanings that are associated with different teachers’ error-handling strategies (e.g., supporting or penalising errors). Study two (relational level) demonstrated that teachers’ supportive error-handling strategies promote students’ perceptions of being in a positive error climate. Findings of study three (relational and psychological level) showed that positive error climate foster students’ adaptive reactions towards errors and learning outcomes. Overall, our findings indicated that different variables influence students’ learning from errors process and teachers play an important role in conveying specific meanings of errors during learning activities, dealing with students’ mistakes supportively, and establishing an error-friendly classroom environment.