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Belief Systems (belief + system)
Selected AbstractsU.S. Perceptions of Nuclear Security in the Wake of the Cold War: Comparing Public and Elite Belief SystemsINTERNATIONAL STUDIES QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2002Kerry G. Herron Our research adds new evidence to the continuing debate about capacities of mass publics to contribute to foreign and security policy processes. Focusing on U.S. beliefs and preferences about nuclear security in the post,Cold War era, we examine not only linear relationships among elite and mass belief structures, but also combinations of beliefs that may be precursors to policy coalitions. We examine attitudes and preferences about nuclear issues among two elite publics,scientists and legislators,surveyed in 1997, and among two samples of the U.S. general public surveyed in 1997 and 1999. We compare elite and mass belief structures using three different methods: descriptive comparisons of central tendencies, relational analyses using bivariate and multivariate regressions, and coalitional analyses using cluster analytical techniques. With each method of analysis we find evidence of similar belief structures and similar relationships between beliefs and nuclear policy preferences among our elite and mass samples. [source] Exploring adolescent perceptions of parental beliefs and practices related to friendships in diverse ethnic communitiesNEW DIRECTIONS FOR CHILD & ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT, Issue 116 2007Niobe Way It is important to examine both the belief systems and the practices of parents in regard to adolescent friendships. Belief systems inform parental practices and also reveal the full extent of cultural variations that exist within and across ethnic communities. [source] Subjective quality of life of Nigerian schizophrenia patients: sociodemographic and clinical correlatesACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2009A. O. Adewuya Objective:, Subjective quality of life (QOL) is dependent upon culture and its evaluation based on one's particular belief system. This study aimed to examine the subjective QOL of Nigerian out-patients with schizophrenia and its correlates. Method:, Out-patients with Schizophrenia (n = 99) completed the WHOQOL-BREF as a measure of their subjective QOL. Sociodemographic, illness related and medication related details were also obtained. Results:, Overall, 21 patients (21.2%) were categorised as having ,good' and 36 (36.4%) as having ,poor' subjective QOL. ,Poor' subjective QOL correlated with anxiety/depression symptoms (OR 4.88, 95% CI 2.93,11.48), comorbid medical problems (OR 4.75, 95% CI 1.43,16.33), unemployment (OR 3.75, 95% CI 1.25,11.72) and poor social support (OR 4.60, 95% CI 1.49,14.28). Conclusion:, Efforts to improve the QOL of patients with schizophrenia in this environment should encompass the identified variables. Larger, longitudinal and multi-centred studies are needed to adequately identify factors predicting QOL in this environment. [source] Distress, Dissociation, and Embodied Experience: Reconsidering the Pathways to Mediumship and Mental HealthETHOS, Issue 1 2005REBECCA SELIGMAN This article explores the biocultural bases of spirit possession mediumship in the Afro-Brazilian religion, Candomblé. After a brief review of the literature, the article moves beyond the biomedical and social-structural explanations that have dominated the theoretical landscape, by attempting to construct an etiology of mediumship that is traced through the interface of individual characteristics with the cultural belief system that forms their context. Data were collected from a total of 71 individuals over the course of a year-long field study in Salvador, Brazil. Analyses of social ethnography, life history and semistructured interviews along with results from psychological inventories, suggest that altered states of consciousness should not be considered the central and defining element of mediumship. An alternative model is proposed, in which the combination of social conditions and somatic susceptibilities causes certain individuals to identify with the mediumship role, and predisposes them to dissociate. However in the context of Candomblé, dissociation is not a pathological experience, but rather a therapeutic mechanism, learned through religious participation, that benefits individuals with a strong tendency to somatize. [source] ,Right' way to ,do' illness?INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 10 2006Thinking critically about positive thinking Abstract Exhortations to ,be positive' accompany many situations in life, either as a general injunction or in difficult situations where people are facing pressure or adversity. It is particularly evident in health care, where positive thinking has become an aspect of the way people are expected to ,do' illness in developed society. Positive thinking is framed both as a moral injunction and as a central belief system. It is thought to help patients cope emotionally with illness and to provide a biological benefit. Yet, the meanings, expectations and outcomes of positive thinking are infrequently questioned and the risks of positive thinking are rarely examined. We outline some of the latter and suggest that health professionals should exercise caution in both ,prescribing' positive thinking and in responding to patients and carers whose belief systems and feelings of obligation rest on it. [source] Who speaks "broken English"?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, Issue 2 2005US undergraduates' perceptions of non-native English This study attempts to discover how native US English speakers construct social categories for people outside the US. A close look at one group's belief system provides insights that can be used in addressing linguistic discrimination, with information on how varieties and features of varieties are perceived. Here 79 US undergraduates labeled maps with descriptions of English spoken by international students, and 208 rated the English of students from 58 countries. Familiarity and socio-political relationships with countries of origin appeared to play a role in responses. Evaluation was often central to description, with a category of stigmatized, often "broken", English used for all non-native speakers except perhaps (Western) Europeans. Salient subgroups were: negatively evaluated "Chinese" English, somewhat negatively evaluated "Mexican" English, and "harsh" and "guttural" Russian English. Respondents had competing frameworks for classifying Indian and German English. A model of these overlapping categories and implications for addressing linguistic prejudice are suggested. [source] Long term care staff beliefs about evidence based practices for the management of dementia and agitationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2009Liat Ayalon Abstract Context Despite a growing literature on effective interventions for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and agitation, the management of these conditions in long term care (LTC) often is inadequate. The goals of the present study were: (a) to evaluate existing beliefs about evidence based practices (EBP) for the management of Alzheimer's disease and agitation among LTC staff; and (b) to evaluate the contribution of demographic and attitudinal variables to LTC staff beliefs about these EBP. Method A cross sectional study of 371 LTC staff members completed an EBP questionnaire, a short demographic questionnaire, and an attitudinal questionnaire about AD and agitation. Results Paraprofessional caregivers, those of lower educational level, and ethnic minorities were more likely to be in disagreement with the EBP views examined in this study. Those in disagreement with the EBP views also reported a preference towards not working with residents with AD and agitation and a sense of helplessness associated with such work. Disagreement with EBP views was associated with both normalization and stigmatization of AD and agitation. Conclusions Paraprofessional caregivers, ethnic minorities, and people of lower educational level are most at need for educational activities about AD and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Educational efforts geared towards changing the belief system of LTC staff should target not only EBP but also information about AD and agitation as conditions that are deviant from the normal aging process, yet non-stigmatizing. It is expected that following EBP will empower staff and improve staff motivation to work with residents with AD and agitation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Symbolic Racism 2000 ScalePOLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2002P.J. Henry The concept of symbolic racism was originally proposed 30 years ago. Much research has been done and the society itself has changed, yet many of the original items measuring symbolic racism remain in use. The primary objective of this paper is to present and evaluate an updated scale of symbolic racism. The scale proves to be reliable and internally coherent. It has discriminant validity, being distinctively different from both older forms of racial attitudes and political conservatism, although with a base in both. It has predictive validity, explaining whites' racial policy preferences considerably better than do traditional racial attitudes or political predispositions. Evidence is presented of its usefulness for both college student and general adult population samples, as well as for minority populations. Data using this scale contradict several critiques of the symbolic racism construct (most of which are speculative rather than based on new data) concerning the consistency of its conceptualization and measurement, the coherence of the symbolic racism belief system, possible artifacts in its influence over whites' racial policy preferences (due to content overlap between the measures of independent and dependent variables), and its differentiation from nonracial conservatism and old-fashioned racism. [source] A religious framework as a lens for understanding the intersection of genetics, health, and disease,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2009Tina M. Harris Ph.D. Abstract The primary goal of this study was to determine the extent to which religious frameworks inform lay public understandings of genes and disease. Contrary to existing research, there were minimal differences between racial groups. We did, however, observe two patterns in that data that are worthy of discussion. First, because participants were from the south, the finding that participants from both racial groups ascribe to a religious belief system to make sense of their lived experiences is not surprising. Rather, it appears to be reflective of the religious culture that is an integral part of the south and our identity as a nation. A second noteworthy finding is that while a significant number of participants believe that a relationship exists between health status, genes, and religious behaviors, they also recognize that positive health behaviors must also be adopted as a means for staving off disease. In some cases, however, there was a belief that health issues could dissolve or disappear as a result of certain religious behaviors such as prayer. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Communication with Older Breast Cancer PatientsTHE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 4 2007Ian S. Fentiman MD Abstract:, An increasing proportion of patients with breast cancer are aged above 70 at the time of diagnosis and yet this particular age group has been underserved in terms of clinical research. Good communication between a doctor and a patient implies giving the advice and treatment most appropriate to that particular individual's needs, based upon their health and the tumor characteristics in the framework of their experience and belief system. Doctors need to be able to pick up both verbal and nonverbal cues and whenever possible to place the needs of the patient rather than her relatives as paramount. Consultations may be blighted at the onset by delays, unsympathetic staff, and patronizing doctors. Many older patients will wish to avoid mastectomy and for those with hormonally sensitive tumors wide excision and tamoxifen without axillary clearance or breast irradiation may provide a safe option. Undertreatment of those with hormonally insensitive cancer may lead to an increased risk of recurrence and premature death from breast cancer. Although there is an increasing realization of the need for clinical studies in older patients this group are grossly under-represented in trial portfolios [source] Creative Management: A Predicted Development from Research into Creativity and ManagementCREATIVITY AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2007Fangqi Xu A proposal is made for the establishment of a conceptual domain of Creative Management by fusion of two related bodies of knowledge, that of management studies and creativity. Through an examination of examples from around the world, we show how Creative Management is appearing in embryonic form as a global possibility, emerging from and enriching the predominantly American contributions of earlier stages. We suggest that such a development will take management studies forward from its historical trajectory, through the global convergence of organizational theories and practices. The proposed synthesis of creativity and management indicates the possibilities of a new stage in management incorporating humanistic, socio-technical and knowledge management components. Collectively, the conceptual shift is towards what we have labelled Toyotaoism, in acknowledgement of practices and theorizing developed from the integration of Western and Eastern belief systems and theories in action. [source] Developing a Multicultural Curriculum in a Predominantly White Teaching Context: Lessons From an African American Teacher in a Suburban English ClassroomCURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 4 2005H. RICHARD MILNER ABSTRACT The author sought to understand an African American English teacher's multicultural curriculum transformation and teaching in a suburban, mostly White, high school. Building on Banks's (1998) model of multicultural curriculum integration, the study focused on a context that might otherwise be ignored because there was not a large student-of-color representation in the school. The teacher in the study was operating at one of the highest levels of Banks's model, the transformational approach. Although the teacher shared characteristics with many of the Black teachers explored in the literature, there was one important difference: much of the research and theory about Black teachers and their instruction focus on Black teachers and their effectiveness in predominantly Black settings. The Black teacher in this study taught in a predominantly White teaching context. The study suggested that even teachers highly conscious of race, culture, gender, and ethnicity may find it difficult to reach the highest level of Banks's model: the social action approach. Implications of this study suggest that multicultural curricula can be well developed and received in a predominantly White setting as long as the curriculum is thoughtfully and carefully transformed. However, the study pointed out that the pervasive discourses and belief systems against multicultural education in a school can discourage highly effective curriculum transformers, and there is a great need to help critically minded teachers persevere in the face of such adversity. [source] Social inequality and the reduction of ideological dissonance on behalf of the system: evidence of enhanced system justification among the disadvantagedEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2003John T. Jost According to system justification theory, people are motivated to preserve the belief that existing social arrangements are fair, legitimate, justifiable, and necessary. The strongest form of this hypothesis, which draws on the logic of cognitive dissonance theory, holds that people who are most disadvantaged by the status quo would have the greatest psychological need to reduce ideological dissonance and would therefore be most likely to support, defend, and justify existing social systems, authorities, and outcomes. Variations on this hypothesis were tested in five US national survey studies. We found that (a) low-income respondents and African Americans were more likely than others to support limitations on the rights of citizens and media representatives to criticize the government; (b) low-income Latinos were more likely to trust in US government officials and to believe that ,the government is run for the benefit of all' than were high-income Latinos; (c) low-income respondents were more likely than high-income respondents to believe that large differences in pay are necessary to foster motivation and effort; (d) Southerners in the USA were more likely to endorse meritocratic belief systems than were Northerners and poor and Southern African Americans were more likely to subscribe to meritocratic ideologies than were African Americans who were more affluent and from the North; (e) low-income respondents and African Americans were more likely than others to believe that economic inequality is legitimate and necessary; and (f) stronger endorsement of meritocratic ideology was associated with greater satisfaction with one's own economic situation. Taken together, these findings are consistent with the dissonance-based argument that people who suffer the most from a given state of affairs are paradoxically the least likely to question, challenge, reject, or change it. Implications for theories of system justification, cognitive dissonance, and social change are also discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ,Right' way to ,do' illness?INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 10 2006Thinking critically about positive thinking Abstract Exhortations to ,be positive' accompany many situations in life, either as a general injunction or in difficult situations where people are facing pressure or adversity. It is particularly evident in health care, where positive thinking has become an aspect of the way people are expected to ,do' illness in developed society. Positive thinking is framed both as a moral injunction and as a central belief system. It is thought to help patients cope emotionally with illness and to provide a biological benefit. Yet, the meanings, expectations and outcomes of positive thinking are infrequently questioned and the risks of positive thinking are rarely examined. We outline some of the latter and suggest that health professionals should exercise caution in both ,prescribing' positive thinking and in responding to patients and carers whose belief systems and feelings of obligation rest on it. [source] Diverse Supernatural Portfolios: Certitude, Exclusivity, and the Curvilinear Relationship Between Religiosity and Paranormal BeliefsJOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION, Issue 3 2010Joseph O. Baker Studies have attempted to understand the association between more conventional supernatural (religious) beliefs and practices and less conventional "paranormal" supernatural beliefs. Some have posited that the two comprise incompatible cultural spheres and belief systems, while others have argued that supernatural religious beliefs are "small steps" toward less conventional paranormal views (such as belief in astrology and telekinesis). We build upon recent scholarship outlining a more nuanced, nonlinear relationship between religiosity and paranormal beliefs by identifying a specific niche of believers who are particularly likely to dabble in unconventional supernatural beliefs. Strong believers in the paranormal tend to be characterized by a nonexclusive spiritualist worldview, as opposed to materialist or exclusive religious outlooks. Paranormal believers tend to be characterized by moderate levels of religious belief and practice, and low levels of ideological exclusivity. In general, the relationship between more conventional religiosity and paranormal beliefs is best conceptualized as curvilinear. [source] Ecology, politics and policyJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2007JOHN H. LAWTON Summary 1,The British Ecological Society aims to promote the science of ecology through research and to use the findings of such research to educate the public and influence policy decisions which involve ecological matters.' Yet, how successful have we been in influencing UK and EU environmental policy? 2Many scientists hold to the ,deficit model' of turning science into policy, the view that if only politicians are told what the science reveals, ,correct' policies will automatically follow. Nothing could be further from the truth. Politicians have all kinds of reasons, some valid, some less valid, not to adopt what often seem to us to be common sense policies to protect the environment. 3Here, I explore some of the successes and failures of ecologists to influence UK and European environmental policy, using acid deposition, the collapse of global marine fisheries, GM crops and climate change, carbon dioxide and ocean acidification as examples. I briefly review the extensive literature (largely ignored by natural scientists) on what social scientists have to say about evidence-based policy-making (or the lack of it) and why it often appears to be so difficult to persuade politicians to adopt sound environmental policies. 4Synthesis and applications. Ecologists can, and do, influence government policy on the environment, but often via complex and iterative interactions that can be painfully slow, and may require fundamental changes in politicians' belief systems, values and norms. [source] Socializing efficacy: a reconstruction of self-efficacy theory within the context of inequality,JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Susan H. Franzblau Abstract Bandura's self-efficacy (SE) theory claims that if people believe that they can control the outcome of their behaviour, then they can. SE theory positions the self as the centre and originator of change, beginning with control over belief systems, which determine levels of performance. This conception depoliticizes social mechanisms of control, internalizing them within individual cognitive processes. We argue that SE theory emanates from culturally-positioned and ideologically informed functional trends in US psychology, which perpetuates a blaming-the-victim approach to social problems. Through an examination of the way gender and disability are manipulated in SE research, we show that efficacy is socially construed, and is actually about control over and access to power and the ideological, institutional, and social resources that provide the foundation for taking certain actions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Preschool children with and without developmental delay: behaviour problems, parents' optimism and well-beingJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2005B. L. Baker Abstract Background Children with intellectual disability are at heightened risk for behaviour problems, and these are known to increase parenting stress. This study explored the relation of behaviour problems to less child-related domains of parent well-being (depression and marital adjustment), as well as the moderating effect of a personality trait, dispositional optimism. Method Participating children (N = 214) were classified as developmentally delayed, borderline, or nondelayed. Mothers' and fathers' well-being and child behaviour problems were assessed at child ages 3 and 4 years. Results Parents of delayed and nondelayed preschoolers generally did not differ on depression or marital adjustment, but child behaviour problems were strongly related to scores on both measures. Optimism moderated this relationship, primarily for mothers. When child behaviour problems were high, mothers who were less optimistic reported lower scores on measures of well-being than did mothers who were more optimistic. Conclusions Interventions for parents that aim to enhance both parenting skills and psycholog- ical well-being should be available in preschool. It may be beneficial for such programmes to focus not only on behaviour management strategies aimed at child behaviour change, but also on parents' belief systems, with the aim of increasing dispositional optimism. [source] Science versus Human Welfare?JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, Issue 3 2009Understanding Attitudes toward Animal Use Scientists have been portrayed as having an uncaring attitude toward the use of animals and being inclined to reject the possibility of animal mind (Baldwin, 1993; Blumberg & Wasserman, 1995), yet there is little empirical research to support these claims. We examined why disparate attitudes toward animal use are held. Scientists, animal welfarists, and laypersons (N = 372) were compared on questionnaire responses that measured attitudes toward four types of animal use, and factors that might underlie these views (including belief in animal mind). As expected, scientists and animal welfarists held polarized views on all measures, whereas laypersons fell between the two. Animal welfarists were consistently opposed to all types of animal use, whereas scientists expressed support for the use of animals for medical research, but not for dissection, personal decoration, and entertainment. Animal welfarists showed high levels of belief in animal mind for 13 animal types, and scientists believed some of the 13 animals to have at least a moderate capacity for cognition and most to have at least a moderate capacity for sentience. Hence, the negative image of the science community that is often portrayed was not supported by our data. Findings were discussed in relation to external (group membership) and internal (belief systems) factors, and it is concluded that some people hold fixed attitudes toward animal use, whereas others are more influenced by context. [source] Toward a Psychosocial Theory of Military and Economic Violence in the Era of GlobalizationJOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, Issue 1 2006Marc Pilisuk A theory of the roots of violent conflict in the global era focuses upon a pattern of intervention by the United States, its allies, and proxy forces. It emphasizes a dominant set of beliefs and powerful networks in a position to apply them. The networks protect and extend their concentrations of wealth using violence or the threat of violence to produce compliant governments, to identify enemies, to mobilize consent, and to minimize the perceived costs of such activity. U.S. government agencies and large global corporations are central to this effort. Illustrations are provided by descriptions of military actions in Venezuela, East Timor, and Iraq. Implications for research include the value of using network analysis to identify centers of combined corporate and governmental power and the value of combining the study of belief systems with studies identifying such centers of power. [source] The Bishops' Ban of 1599 and the Ideology of English SatireLITERATURE COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 5 2010William R. Jones On June 1, 1599, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London banned the further printing of satires, epigrams, and unlicensed histories and plays. Furthermore, the order demanded the immediate recall and burning of specific works, many of which were verse imitations of the Roman satirist Juvenal. Although the order itself lacks specific motivational language, current explanations tend to foreground the potentially obscene and/or libelous nature of the recalled works. Comparatively little attention has been paid, however, to the internal ideologies of the banned satires themselves and to the dialogue between the satires and the cultural and political conditions that inspired them. Instead of an ad hoc response to any one particular transgression, this essay argues for the Ban as an attempt to stem the growing cultural influence of a particularly unorthodox mode of Juvenalian imitative satire expressed most forcefully in John Marston's banned work, The Scourge of Villanie. Marston's rejection of all established belief systems, especially the conservative literary traditions of native English and Horatian imitative satire, in favor of a highly individualistic and indecorous mode of social representation, was simply too ideologically destabilizing for the bishops to tolerate. In support of this reading, two relatively underexplored pieces of evidence are examined: first, the reprieve granted to Joseph Hall's imitative satire entitled Virgidemiarum, which attempts to negotiate an ideologically safe middle-ground between the radical Juvenalian mode and the conservative Horatian tradition; and second, the contemporary reflections on the bishops' prohibition within John Weever's 1599 Epigrams, his 1600 pastoral Faunus and Melliflora, and his 1601 direct attack on Marston in The Whipping of the Satyre. Weever's support of the bishops' actions derives from his identification of the banned Juvenalian mode as not merely morally offensive or personally defamatory, but as a tangible threat to the ideological stability of the English nation. [source] Adaptationism for Human Cognition: Strong, Spurious or Weak?MIND & LANGUAGE, Issue 1 2005Scott Atran This strategy seems best when there is evidence of homology. Weak adaptationists don't assume that complex organic (including cognitive and linguistic) functioning necessarily or primarily represents task-specific adaptation. This approach to cognition resembles physicists' attempts to deductively explain the most facts with fewest hypotheses. For certain domain-specific competencies (folkbiology) strong adaptationism is useful but not necessary to research. With group-level belief systems (religion) strong adaptationism degenerates into spurious notions of social function and cultural selection. In other cases (language, especially universal grammar) weak adaptationism's ,minimalist' approach seems productive. [source] Exploring adolescent perceptions of parental beliefs and practices related to friendships in diverse ethnic communitiesNEW DIRECTIONS FOR CHILD & ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT, Issue 116 2007Niobe Way It is important to examine both the belief systems and the practices of parents in regard to adolescent friendships. Belief systems inform parental practices and also reveal the full extent of cultural variations that exist within and across ethnic communities. [source] The Relationship between Cultural Values and Political Ideology, and the Role of Political KnowledgePOLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Kristy E. H. Michaud Cultural theory maintains that four worldviews,egalitarianism, individualism, hierarchicalism, and fatalism,can be used to describe people and societies. We examine survey measures of two of those worldviews,egalitarianism and individualism,to understand their relationship with belief systems. Contrary to what one might expect based on the cultural theory literature, we find that people with low levels of political knowledge seem not to have coherent worldviews regarding these issues. In contrast, people with high levels of political knowledge respond to egalitarianism and individualism questions as if they were opposite ends of a single, liberal-conservative continuum, rather than two of four distinct worldviews. We conclude that cultural theory researchers should take account of the influence of political knowledge whenever they investigate worldviews. [source] The Operational Codes of Fidel Castro and Kim Il Sung: The Last Cold Warriors?POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Akan Malici Although the end of the Cold War brought the transformation of the communist bloc, some states have resisted the ensuing wave of democratization. This study assumes that important mechanisms of continuity and change in communist states are situated in the belief systems of their leaders and that the years between 1985 and 1991 were a catalytic period. What did Fidel Castro of Cuba and Kim Il Sung of North Korea learn from the end of the Cold War? Their belief systems are examined prior to 1985 and after 1991, i.e., before and after the collapse of other communist regimes. If learning has occurred, it should be reflected in a comparison of their beliefs for these time periods. Our results from ANOVA analyses indicate that Fidel Castro engaged in some learning but Kim Il Sung did not. This finding is complemented by the results of a MANOVA analysis, which indicate that the end of the Cold War had only a modest impact on Fidel Castro and Kim Il Sung, independent of their specific personalities. We conclude by drawing attention to the ensuing debate between structural- and agent-level theorizing and by giving some suggestions for future research. [source] Homophobia and Conservative Religion: Toward a More Nuanced UnderstandingAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2007Christopher H. Rosik PhD The failure of homophobia scales to consider the normative assumptions of religious communities may result in findings that are less useful in addressing this problem. In this study, 155 undergraduate students at a Christian university were surveyed, separately assessing attitudes toward celibate versus sexually active homosexual men and women. Results of multiple regression analyses found that participants who emphasized a person-behavior distinction (an accepted tenet of conservative religious ideology) held more negative attitudes toward lesbian women than those who were comparatively more accepting and did not emphasize such a distinction. However, participants who emphasized the person-behavior distinction held more positive attitudes toward gay men than those who were comparatively more rejecting and did not emphasize such a distinction. These relationships were significant even after accounting for variance attributable to general measures of religious commitment. Attempts to reduce homophobia within conservative religious communities may benefit from a more sensitive approach to their belief systems. [source] Illusions in advanced cancer: The effect of belief systems and attitudes on quality of lifePSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2004G.F. Beadle Patients with advanced cancer frequently express positive attitudes and can be unduly optimistic about the potential benefits of treatment. In order to evaluate an illusory domain in the context of advanced cancer, we developed a scale of will to live and characterized the beliefs that patients held about the curability of their cancer, and how committed they were to using alternative treatments. A measure of quality of life was used as the dependent variable in order to assess the association between these attributes. After a preliminary exploration confirmed the presence of an illusory domain, these concepts were prospectively tested in 149 ambulant patients with advanced cancer who attended for palliative systemic treatment, radiation treatment or supportive care. The scale of global quality of life was reliable (Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0.72). The distribution of the scores of will to live was skewed, with no respondent scoring poorly, and the scale was reliable (Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0.82). The scale of belief in curability showed diverse beliefs. In some cases, there was a discrepancy between respondents' beliefs in curability and what they believed to be the report by their doctors. There was also an association between a committed use of alternative treatments and a belief in the curability of the cancer (p<0.001). In a multiple regression analysis, both will to live and performance status remained associated with better quality of life scores after adjustment for other relevant variables (p<0.05 and <0.001, respectively). These results suggest that positive illusory beliefs can be measured and are an important component of adaption for some patients with advanced cancer. Furthermore, this illusory domain may influence the perception and measurement of quality of life. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Party Identification and Core Political ValuesAMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2005Paul Goren Party identification and core political values are central elements in the political belief systems of ordinary citizens. Are these predispositions related to one another? Does party identification influence core political values or are partisan identities grounded in such values? This article draws upon theoretical works on partisan information processing and value-based reasoning to derive competing hypotheses about whether partisanship shapes political values or political values shape partisanship. The hypotheses are tested by using structural equation modeling techniques to estimate dynamic models of attitude stability and constraint with data from the 1992,94,96 National Election Study panel survey. The analyses reveal that partisan identities are more stable than the principles of equal opportunity, limited government, traditional family values, and moral tolerance; party identification constrains equal opportunity, limited government, and moral tolerance; and these political values do not constrain party identification. [source] Incentives for and Protection of Cultural Expression: Art, Trade and Geographical IndicationsTHE JOURNAL OF WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, Issue 2 2010Anselm Kamperman Sanders After the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Cultural Diversity, the interaction between the protection of traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) and geographical indicators (GIs) is an interesting one. The capacity of a geographical indication of origin to create a global market with local control over brand, quality and methods of production seems to make it immensely suitable for preservation of cultural diversity. Since the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights does not limit the potential causes of action for the unauthorized use of GIs, the tort of misappropriation may be applied in relation to TCEs. In order to reconcile intellectual property rights with non-Western belief systems, application of the tort of misappropriation, unjust enrichment and the remedy of restitution may make enforcement of GIs in relation to TCEs more palatable than other forms of protection. [source] Belief in common fate and psychological well-being among Chinese immigrant womenASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Taryn N. Tang Three studies were conducted to develop and test a construct of Chinese marital commitment in the context of immigration. ,Belief in common fate' refers to an unfailing devotion to a Confucian ideal of the marital union as hierarchical without regard for external contingencies or individual needs. Women who did not believe in common fate reported a more positive affect. When women reported the occurrence of a severe life stressor, a strong belief in common fate was associated with psychological distress and negative affect. We discuss the importance of considering contextual factors, such as migration and life adversity, in interpreting the significance of cultural belief systems. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||