Being and beholding: Comparative analysis of joy and awe in four cultures

The emotions of joy and awe have received some attention in the psychological literature with few studies comparing the two phenomena across cultures. A phenomenological study of joy and awe in four countries – Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and the USA, examined both emotions. The inquiry was conducted through semi-structured interviews. The phenomenological methodology was supplemented with grounded theory procedures to ensure research rigor. Four categories were identified that contribute to the experience of joy and awe: unity of souls, nature, spirituality, and the original self. Freedom, humor, face-to-face communication, innocence, time, and space were facets of the joy and awe experience. Categories hindering joy and awe were: family troubles, illness, political systems, globalization and consumerism, and the electronic childhood. Childhood innocence and posttraumatic growth were personal variables enhancing joy and awe. Culturally awe was expressed: in linguistics, the supernatural, death, the original self, and education. Joy in culture was connected to the supernatural, freedom, and sorrow. This study represents the first phenomenological exploration of joy and awe to include human development, cultural values and comparison of childhood experience before and after the rise of the virtual world

Pawnbroking in Pre-1949 China: ‘Soft Strategies’ for Overcoming a Negative Image

The means for enhancing the image and business legitimacy of a socially discredited industry—pawnbroking in pre-1949 China—are explored. Previous studies suggest companies operating within such industries cannot solely rely on hard marketing strategies “to maximize sales and profits as they do with soaps and shoes” (Davidson, 2003, p.7). Instead, they must find soft strategies for improving company and industry image and legitimacy

Transforming English as a Second Language Story Readers into Storytellers: Examining Learners\u27 Experiences in a Video Book Trailer Project

Reading is a challenging task for English as a Second Language (ESL) students (Pang, 2008; Nassaji, 2011). Instructors and researchers have explored various ways to promote ESL students\u27 reading development. Since research on story-based pedagogy has shown benefits in the area of language development, stories can be used to promote ESL reading development. Furthermore, research on Digital Booktalk shows that when students engaged in after-reading video production activities they found a new purpose in reading (Gunter & Kenny, 2012). Additionally, digital storytelling (DST) research has revealed that DST can foster learner motivation and autonomy (Hafner & Miller, 2011; Kim, 2014). In this study, ESL instructors engaged adult ESL students in a video book trailer (VBT) production project. ESL students learned story structural elements, drafted story summaries, and used Web 2.0 tools to produce a VBT to retell the stories they read. This phenomenological study investigated ESL students\u27 experiences in the VBT project. Data was gathered from questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, and student assignments. Student interviews, classroom observations, and open-ended questions in questionnaires were coded. There were two cycles of coding where codes and pattern codes were developed. Data from questionnaires, classroom observation recordings and student assignments triangulated findings from interviews. This study revealed participants\u27 learning benefits, challenges, and their comparisons with their earlier educational experiences. First and foremost, it is suggested that a VBT project could provide integrated and implicit English learning opportunities for reading, vocabulary, writing, pronunciation and speaking. The primary obstacles reported by participants were insufficient time and energy as well as demanding linguistic expectations. When comparing this project with their earlier learning experiences, participants identified that digital production tasks were somewhat familiar. While learning to produce their own VBTs, They developed their digital skills for English learning purposes and mastered video editing skills. Project completers reported that they were excited that they were reading for a brand-new goal and increased their self-efficacy in using English and working on academic projects. Pedagogical implications were provided for future implementation in second language classrooms

Young Adult and Canonical Literature Instruction in the High School Classroom: Assessing Students’ Reading Interest

In the high school English classroom, classic novels are taught as cornerstones of the curriculum. Although these canonical works such as To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) are revered for their literary merit, students often find them boring and skim through the readings or decline to read altogether. Young adult literature (YAL), a genre written for teens, may be an effective genre to teach in high school to boost students’ reading interest. This study aims to determine how teaching young adult literature in the high school classroom, as opposed to canonical works, might affect students’ interest in the texts. A survey was administered to 57 high school students ages 15-17, studying YAL in the Southern Tier region of upstate New York. The survey asked students to describe their interest in an assigned YAL book and compare it to their interest in canonical novels that they have read in the past. Results indicate that teaching a combination of YAL and canonical literature may increase students’ reading interest while also broadening their understanding and worldviews. Potential implications of this research include revising the English literature curriculum to accommodate students’ reading interest and diversifying assigned reading lists to incorporate wider cultural perspectives

The Art of Manipulation: Agents of Influence and the Rise of the American National Security State, 1914-1960

Throughout the twentieth century, British and Chinese agents of influence, fellow travelers and their unwitting allies conducted political warfare campaigns designed to exploit America’s rising xenophobia to achieve specific diplomatic goals. The result of these “friendly” political warfare campaigns led the United States to not only fight in two world wars but also lead to a fundamental shift in U.S. foreign and domestic policy. By creating a culture of fear, these political warfare specialists influenced the U.S. political climate making it amiable toward their respective governments’ diplomatic agendas. These foreign agents infiltrated the media, created front organizations, and quietly worked behind the scenes to shape American foreign and domestic policy. During the First World War, British intelligence played on American fears by suggesting that “hyphenated” Americans might be treasonous. Patience, luck, and nerve finally paid off as a reluctant president asked Congress to declare war. Two decades later, England, once again, found itself embroiled in war. By the summer of 1940, Winston Churchill, the newly appointed British Prime Minister, knew the only way the British Empire could survive was to drag the United States into the conflict. Using the lessons learned from the Great War, British intelligence began working to drag a reluctant nation to war. British agents of influence suggested that German Fifth columnists working on American soil sought to undermine the nation. The fear of subversion helped to shift U.S. attitudes. The British were not the only nation struggling to survive. Half a world away, the Chinese fought Imperial Japan, and like the British, the Chinese began lobbying the United State for support. The British and the Chinese competed for American aid. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor did not end this competition nor did the defeat of the Axis powers. As the “Good War” ended, the British and the Chinese worked to ensure that U.S. aid would help rebuild their shattered economies. The blowback from these operations led the rise of the American national security state. This is the story of how these agents of influence and their domestic allies worked to change the course of a nation.History, Department o

Fight for Your Right To Fruit©: Development and Testing of a Manga Comic Promoting Fruit Intake in Middle-School Youth

Innovative interventions addressing childhood obesity are needed to capture the attention of youth living in a multi-media environment. The purpose of this study was to develop a Manga comic (Japanese comic art) promoting fruit intake and evaluate its impact on related psycho-social variables in middle-school youth. This dissertation followed three aims. Aim 1 consisted of a content analysis of nutrition and physical activity (PA)-related behaviors in four Shonen (Boys) and four Shojo (Girls) Manga comics. Most common positive health behaviors represented were fruit/vegetable consumption, family meals and moderate/vigorous PA, while large portion sizes, intake of high energy-dense foods and television/other screen time usage were the most frequent negative health behaviors depicted. In Aim 2, seven focus groups and two interviews (N=28) were conducted with youth to better understand such topics as enjoyable components of Manga comics and important health concepts. Most frequently mentioned themes related to enjoyable Manga comic components were detailed graphics and artistic style of text used to convey sound effects. Majority of the participants said eating fruits/vegetables was the most important nutrition behavior for proper health. Aim 3 consisted of a three-group, randomized single-session study with middle-school students. Participants (n=263) were randomly assigned to receive a Manga comic about fruit (Comic group), a newsletter about fruit (Newsletter group), or a newsletter about ancient Greece (Control group). Psycho-social variables related to fruit consumption were measured at baseline and immediately after reading. Post-intervention focus groups were conducted to evaluate acceptability and comprehension of the comic. Outcome expectations tended to be different in the Comic group compared to the Control group (p=0.03), while the Comic group reported greater transportation (p<0.01), enjoyment (p<0.05) and engagement (p=0.00) than the Newsletter and Control groups. Focus group data show the majority of Comic group participants enjoyed the graphics and storyline, understood the main message and felt like eating more fruit. Results are promising and suggest that Manga comics may create an entertaining and informative learning environment that has potential to help promote behavior change in youth. Further research should be conducted to explore its impact on health behaviors

Are U.S. and French Cultural Differences Reflected in Advertising Appeals?

Using 2 of Hofstede\u27s cultural dimensions (power distance and uncertainty avoidance) associated by the research of Albers-Millers and Gelb with some of Pollay\u27s value appeals used in advertising, this study successfully replicated 3 of 8 dependant relationships when analyzing the content of print magazines in U.S. and France. Going beyond the scope of a highly educated audience in which Hofstede\u27s cultural dimensions were developed and retested, we indirectly found that these 2 dimensions of culture are partially salient in non-business, less elitist environments in the form of value appeals such as dear , untamed , magic , and youth reinforcing the idea that cultural differences can sometimes be empirically tested by contrasting these appeals

It\u27s Not Just Sailors and Bikers Anymore : How Tattoo Artists\u27 Experiences of Stigma Vary by Gender

Past literature has largely focused on the stigmatization of those with tattoos, but the experiences of tattoo artists themselves have largely been overlooked. It is important to focus on tattoo artists given their critical position as the subjects of stigma and their role in challenging it. Tattoo artists are privy to their own experiences with tattoo stigma, the stigma of working in a deviant occupation, and are frequent observers of the stigma others experience for similar reasons. To explore these topics and how the occupation itself is gendered, thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with tattoo artists in New Hampshire. From the interviews it was clear the experience with stigma for workers in deviant occupations can be understood through how their career is delegitimatized as a job, stereotypes that have a strong hold on the entire industry, and the few people within the occupation that perpetuate misunderstandings and a bad reputation. In regards to how the occupation is gendered, for women there is extra labor that must be done in regards to how they think about how their gender is portrayed. With the changing opinions and acceptance of tattoos, and viewing tattoo artists as the artists that they are, there is more to be explored on the subject of how stigma can be changed

Exploring asymmetric roles in mixed-ability gaming

Tese de mestrado, Informática, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2020Noticeably, the majority of mainstreamgames — digitalgames and tabletopgames — are still designed for players with a standard set of abilities. As such, people with someformof disability, oftenface insurmountable challengestoplay mainstreamgames or are limited to playgames specifcally designed for them. By conducting an initial study, we share multiplayer gaming experiences of people with visual impairments collected from interviews with 10 adults and 10 minors, and 140 responses to an online survey. We include the perspectives of 17 sighted people who play with someone who has a visual impairment, collected in a second online survey. We found that people with visual impairments are playingdiversegames,butface limitationsin playing with others who have different visual abilities. What stood out is the lack of intersection ingaming opportunities, and consequently, in habits and interests of people with different visual abilities. In this study, we highlight barriers associated with these experiences beyond inaccessibility issues and discuss implications and opportunities for the design of mixed-abilitygaming.Asexpected,we foundaworrying absenceofgames that caterto different abilities. In this context, we explored ability-based asymmetric roles as a design approach to create engaging and challenging mixed-ability play. We designed and developed two collaborative testbedgamesexploring asymmetric interdependent roles. In a remote study with 13 mixed-visual-ability pairs we assessed how roles affected perceptions of engagement, competence, and autonomy, using a mixed-methods approach. The games provided an engaging and challenging experience, in which differences in visual ability were not limiting. Our results underline how experiences unequal by design can give rise to an equitable joint experience

Miranda in Taiwan: Why It Failed and Why We Should Care

In 1997, the Taiwanese legislature amended the Code of Criminal Procedure to incorporate the core of the American Miranda rule into the legal system. The Miranda rule requires police officers and prosecutors to notify criminal suspects subject to custodial interrogation of their right to remain silent and their right to retain legal counsel. In subsequent amendments, the legislature enacted a series of laws to further reform interrogation practices in the same vein. What happened next is a study in unintended consequences and the interdependence of law and culture. Using ethnographic methods and data sources collected over the past four years from 48 police officers and 99 prosecutors in metropolitan Taiwan, this Article relates a cautionary tale. Under Taiwan\u27s abbreviated Miranda system, suspects are encouraged to cooperate and give statements under the perception that they have been, and will continue to be, treated with politeness, dignity, and respect. Police and prosecutors use the Miranda mechanism (providing dignity, respect, and voice to suspects) to build rapport with suspects and distract them from the actual consequences of their full cooperation. Such concerns were implicated at a high level in the indictment of former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-Jeou in 2018, when prosecutors publicly denounced Ma for his bad attitude in exercising his right to remain silent during prosecutorial interviews. In short, Miranda in Taiwan has become a double-edged sword: it provides dignified and respectful treatment for suspects while simultaneously placing heavy extralegal burdens on them to cooperate with law enforcement agencies. Because Taiwan\u27s criminal justice system is a combination of western legal concepts and traditional Chinese social and cultural notions, Miranda and related rules have led to ever-greater discrepancies between what is written in the law books and how police interrogate in practice, and ever-greater gaps between suspects\u27 expectations and prosecutorial realities. Taiwan is not alone: more than one-hundred jurisdictions around the world now require warnings similar to the Miranda rule. It is possible that they suffer similar unintended consequences. I thus explore the effectiveness of alternative innovations beyond Miranda that could potentially reduce false confessions and minimize the risks caused by current interrogation practices