Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Trauma Therapy And The Need For Cross Cultural Competence, Marijke Sommer

Honors Projects

This project addresses the relevance of cross cultural competence for work in trauma therapy. I begin with a review of the literature on approaches to trauma therapy, identifying similarities and differences in key approaches, and comparing outcomes where that information is available. I then review a variety of cross cultural variations in mental health conditions and symptoms, attempting to roughly position each within the ethnic group or groups in which the variation is mostly likely to be found. Finally, I review the very small existing literature examining the impact of culturally sensitive approaches to trauma therapy in several non-Western ethnic …

Contemporary Civil War In Northern Ireland, The Long-Term Effects On Children, And Resulting Interventions, Danielle Bolden

Honors Projects

This paper examines the consequences of violent civil conflict for children, including academic inequality, increased behavior problems, and increased mental health disorders, as well as the interventions directly related. Focusing on The Troubles, a brief history of the conflict in Northern Ireland is presented along with theories about the causes, then the consequences of The Troubles are compared to the consequences of other civil conflicts. The interventions in Northern Ireland include integrated schools and housing, community programs revolved around open dialogues that encourage participation from both Catholic and Protestant members, and widely available mental health services. I conclude interventions like …

An Evaluation Of Traditional And Non-Traditional Psychopharmacological Treatments For Major Depression, Makayla Sanchez

Honors Projects

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses within society today, with overarching effects in the social, personal, and professional lives of millions of individuals who are suffering. The typical treatment for major depression is often a prescription of an antidepressant, either exclusively or combined with another form of treatment, such as psychotherapy. The intended effect is to increase levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine within the brain to regulate mood and emotion. While this treatment is effective for some patients, not all find relief. Exploring and extending research into other substances that effect the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) …

Poor Metacognitive Awareness Of Belief Change, Michael Wolfe, Todd J. Williams

Funded Articles

When people change beliefs as a result of reading a text, are they aware of these changes? This question was examined for beliefs about spanking as an effective means of discipline. In two experiments, subjects reported beliefs about spanking effectiveness during a prescreening session. In a subsequent experimental session, subjects read a one-sided text that advocated a belief consistent or inconsistent position on the topic. After reading, subjects reported their current beliefs and attempted to recollect their initial beliefs. Subjects reading a belief inconsistent text were more likely to change their beliefs than those who read a belief consistent text. …

Effects Of Yoga Nidra On Physical And Psychological Health, Rajnish Chandra Tripathi

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

The present study examines the effects of yoga nidra on the physical and psychological health of middle-aged individuals. Yoga nidra is a powerful relaxation and meditation technique derived from traditional yoga. A group of 100 male participants aged 35-45 years from Varanasi City were recruited for this study. They were examined with physical and psychological health measures, and they were then introduced to a training program for practicing yoga nidra. The training program was scheduled for 12 weeks, 5 days a week. The training program was introduced to the participants over approximately 60 minutes in the morning …

Who Cares? Attitudes Of High School Students From Various Countries Towards Global And Domestic Environmental Issues, Kseniya Fomichova, Taku Misonou

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This study focused on attitudes of 16 year-old students from six countries towards environmental issues on domestic and global scales. Male and female students from China, Guinea, Japan, Malaysia, Ukraine and Vietnam expressed their level of concern about the following in regard to their country and the world: (a) air quality, (b) drinking water quality, (c) pollution caused by atomic power plants, (d) clearing of forests, (e) extinction of plants and animals, (f) climate change and (g) global disaster. This research focused on gender and cultural variability and invariance under diverse conditions of students’ backgrounds.

The most pronounced intercultural regularity …

International Students’ Integration In Classroom: Strategies And Support By Teachers And Local Students In Higher Education, Simran Vazirani, Carmen Carmona, Jose Vidal, Nerea Hernaiz-Agreda, Inmaculada López-Francés, María Jesús Benlloch-Sanchis

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

European Higher Education institutions often have students from different countries and cultures. This situation, in part encouraged by the Erasmus program, has provided universities with an international character. Institutions have the opportunity to improve by strengthening cultural ties and making cultural diversity a true reality in universities. The present study focuses on examining teachers’ and local students’ support of integrating international students into classrooms, and the way local students build relationships with those students. Using a qualitative approach, two sets of interviews were conducted with Erasmus students and teachers from a Spanish university. In general, results indicate that teachers’ support …

‘Team Australia?’: Understanding Acculturation From Multiple Perspectives, Justine Dandy, Tahereh Ziaian, Carolyn Moylan

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

In this paper we explore mutual acculturation among Australians from Indigenous, majority, immigrant and refugee backgrounds. Our aims were: to develop Berry’s acculturation scales for use in Australia and from multiple perspectives and to explore acculturation expectations and strategies from these multiple perspectives. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 38) in Perth, Western Australia. We investigated participants’ views, guided by the two dimensions underlying Berry’s model of acculturation: cultural maintenance and intercultural contact, and models of culture learning. We found that participants had different acculturation expectations for different groups, as well as different preferred strategies for themselves, although most …

Book: Venture Into A New Realm Of Cross-Cultural Psychology Meditation, Mantric Poetry, And Well-Being: A Qualitative, Cross-Cultural, Cross-Disciplinary Exploration With American Secondary And Japanese Post-Secondary Adolescents, Lunthita M. Duthely, Harashita Y. Sunaoshi, Olga M. Villar-Loubet

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Higher well-being correlates positively with multiple psychological and social outcomes, including workplace success and better academic outcomes for students. Poetry and meditation, independently, have been demonstrated in prior studies to increase well-being in a variety of contexts, including physical and mental health challenges. To our knowledge, this is the only published cross-cultural study that merged contemplative practices and poetry within the well-being paradigm, particularly among general, non-clinical adolescent populations. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the use of meditation and mantric poetry in a cross-cultural, educational context. The materials included The Jewels of Happiness: Inspiration and Wisdom …

An Indigenous Measure Of Social Desirability Across Non-Western Countries, Alejandra Del Carmen Domínguez-Espinosa, Jia He, Mariano Rosabal-Coto, Camelia Harb, Isabel Benitez Baena, Tania Acosta, Catalina Estrada, Carolina Barrios, Fons J. R. Van De Vijver, Pedro Wolfgang Velasco Matus

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Cross-cultural differences in Social Desirability (SD) could be partly due to the nonequivalence of constructs, items, or other challenges of cross-cultural research. We tested to what extent a Mexican, indigenous scale of SD, capturing both positive and negative features of SD, would be useful in other countries. Data were collected in convenience samples in eight countries (Argentina, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Lebanon, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Spain) in order to test the psychometric accuracy and invariance of the factor structure. Values of Tucker’s factor congruence coefficients (gauging invariance) and tests of the similarity of the cross-country similarity of Cronbach’s alpha (gauging …

Mutual Perception And Relational Strategies Of Hindus And Muslims In India, Shabana Bano, R. C. Mishra, R. C. Tripathi

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

The present study examines mutual perception and relational strategies of the Hindu and Muslim groups in the cultural context of India by focusing on religion-based “othering.” A sample of 264 participants belonging to Hindu and Muslim groups was studied in Varanasi City. An instrument developed and used in an international project was adapted and given to participants (age range 20–60 years) for measuring their relational strategies, mutual perceptions and perceived discriminations. The findings revealed the ‘Coexistence’ relational strategy to be strongly placed in both Muslim and Hindu participants. Both ‘Integration’ and ‘Assimilation’ strategies were stronger in Muslim participants than in …

Foreword, Minoru Karasawa, Masaki Yuki, Keiko Ishii, Yukiko Uchida, Kosuke Sato, Wolfgang Friedlmeier

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

No abstract provided.

Theorizing The Relationship Between Identity And Diversity Engagement: Openness Through Identity Mismatch, Andrea D. Haugen, Stacey M. Rieck, Phia S. S. Salter, Sahana Mukherjee, Michael J. Perez

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Psychological research suggests that engagement with diversity-relevant materials can have a positive impact on interracial relations. However, prior research also suggests that there may be individual differences in how effective exposure to critical diversity narratives would be in facilitating positive intergroup attitudes. The primary aim of this paper is to provide some empirically based theorizing about patterns of group identification and their relationship to effective diversity exposure. In this chapter, we discuss two examples of research that explore for whom engagement with critical diversity activities may facilitate increased perceptions of social inequality. We begin by conceptualizing four race-based identity profiles …

The Implications Of Social Skills On The Formation Of Relationships Between Indonesian Muslims And Japanese, Sachiko Nakano, Tomoko Tanaka

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This study aims to investigate social skills adopted by Japanese people in Indonesia relevant to developing satisfactory interpersonal relationships with Indonesian Muslims. Twenty-seven Japanese people living in Indonesia were questioned on coping strategies used to overcome interpersonal difficulties (Nakano & Tanaka, 2016, July) and behaviors used to form satisfactory relationships. The results indicated that the subjects used two coping strategies: (1) cognitive, which involves understanding and tolerating cultural and religious characteristics or differences; and (2) behavioral, which involves accommodating one’s behavior to characteristics and differences, observation, and mimicry. It was also revealed that three specific skills are needed: …

Ethnic Identity And Ethnic Organizations: The Role Of Self-Construal In The Psychological Well-Being Of Migrants, L. H. K. Fente, S. T. Fiske

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This study attempted to highlight the role of ethnic organizations in maintaining the ethnic identity and self-construals of migrants and see whether such perpetuations were psychologically healthy or not in a contrasting culture. Two groups of migrants of Asian-Indian origin in the USA participated in the study, one group belonging to their respective ethnic organizations and the other group not belonging to any ethnic organization. Results indicated stronger ethnic identity and interdependent self-construal in members of ethnic organizations as compared to non-members. Self-construals were found to be significant moderators in the relationships between ethnic identity and well-being in members of …

Polish-French Bilingualism And Bicultural Identity: Cross-Cultural Studies On Immigrants In France And Belgium, And French Language Students In Poland, Łukasz K. Kmiotek, Joanna M. Kwiatowska, Paweł Boski

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

In the present study, the authors applied the Cultural Values and Script Questionnaire, together with language measures (bidirectional translation, listening comprehension tasks), to explore the relationship between Polish-French bilinguality and bicultural identity among Polish migrants in France and Belgium and students learning French at a Polish University. We hypothesized that the Francophone acculturative context will lead to (i) integrated bicultural identity, as well as (ii) a balanced bilingual profile. Thirdly, we assumed there is a link between an individual’s bicultural identity and his or her bilinguality. The data partially confirm the two first hypotheses. An unexpected contrast effect revealed that …

Cross-Cultural Differences In Interpersonal And Intrapersonal Understandings Of Forgiveness, Sharon M. Flicker, Loan T. T Bui

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Most theorizing about forgiveness conceptualize forgiveness as an intrapersonal process in which negative feelings are transformed into positive ones, with the goal of inner peace for the forgiver. Forgiveness viewed as an interpersonal process, in contrast, focuses on behaviors, such as reconciliation, that lead to the restoration of social harmony. Several studies have demonstrated that the understanding and practice of forgiveness differs across cultures. We examined the hypothesis that North Americans understand forgiveness as more of an intrapersonal phenomenon and less of an interpersonal phenomenon relative to Asians. A sample of 153 participants recruited through Facebook completed an online survey. …

Mexicans’ Emotion Regulation Strategies And Relationship Satisfaction By Gender, Sofía Rivera-Aragón, Rolando Díaz-Loving, Claudia Ivethe Jaen-Cortés, Gerardo Benjamín Tonatiuh Villanueva-Orozco, Pedro Wolfgang Velasco-Matus, Luz Maria Cruz-Martínez, Angélica Romero-Palencia

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

Vater and Schröder-Abé (2015) found that suppressing expression can potentially interrupt couple communication, therefore producing negative interpersonal behavior and diminishing satisfaction in the relationship. Considering that emotional regulation and relationship satisfaction have shown cultural variations, the object of the study was to assess the relationship of these two constructs in 166 male and 231 female Mexican young adults. Sánchez-Aragón’s (2012) Emotional Regulation Strategies Scale, adapted for couples, and Córtes, Reyes, Díaz-Loving, Rivera-Aragón, and Monjaraz’s (1994) Relationship Satisfaction Inventory were administered to the sample. Negative and significant correlations were found between both expressive suppression strategies and relationship satisfaction. Data is discussed …

Teaching Cultural Competence: A Comparison Of Outcomes Between In-Class And Study Abroad Programs, Sawa Senzaki, Michelle Mcchesney, Annemarie Schwery, Taylor Steele

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This study examined whether students develop cultural competence in classrooms and study abroad programs by comparing three groups of students: students in a Cross-Cultural Human Development Class (CCHD), Study Abroad programs (SA), and the control group. Participants were 106 undergraduate students from a predominantly White institution in the United States. CCHD students took a semester-long course in culture and human development, and SA students attended a short-term study abroad program. Students took pre- and post-surveys to examine their cultural competence skills. The results demonstrated that the cultural competence skills of the SA students were significantly improved after the program. CCHD …

Localised Differences In The Conception Of Cultural And Economic Security: Examining The Multiculturalism Hypothesis In Singapore, Eugene Teng, Chan-Hoong Leong

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This study examines the multiculturalism hypothesis (Berry, Kalin, & Taylor, 1977) in Singapore, a multi-racial nation steeped in Asian-Confucian culture, in an attempt to distil the underlying constructs of cultural and economic security. Using a nationally representative sample of 924 native-born Singapore citizens, we examined whether national pride, family ties and economic optimism mitigated the effect of realistic and symbolic threat on attitude toward number of immigrants. The results showed that, paradoxically, stronger family ties predicted less acceptance of immigrants but buffered against perceived realistic threat. More economic optimism predicted more acceptance of immigrants but also made one more sensitive …

Socioeconomic Status, Reactions To Choice Deprivation In Group Contexts, And The Role Of Perceived Restrictions On Personal Freedom, Charis Eisen, Keiko Ishii, Hidefumi Hitokoto

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This research examined whether socioeconomic status (SES) predicts reactions to situations in which a group member decides for the entire group, thereby depriving other group members of personal choice. We found, as predicted, that Americans with higher subjective SES accepted choice deprivation less and demanded personal choice more than subjectively lower SES Americans. Subjective SES was a better predictor for reactions to choice deprivation than objective indicators of SES. The degree to which participants interpreted the deprivation of choice as a violation of their personal freedom partially mediated the relationship between subjective SES and reactions to choice deprivation. The results …