Sex differences in self-construal and in depressive symptoms: predictors of cross-national variation

Sex differences in aspects of independent versus interdependent self-construal and depressive symptoms were surveyed among 5,320 students from 24 nations. Men were found to perceive themselves as more self-contained whereas women perceived themselves as more connected to others. No significant sex differences were found on two further dimensions of self-construal, or on a measure of depressive symptoms. Multilevel modeling was used to test the ability of a series of predictors derived from a social identity perspective and from evolutionary theory to moderate sex differences. Contrary to most prior studies of personality, sex differences in self-construal were larger in samples from nations scoring lower on the Gender Gap Index, and the Human Development Index. Sex differences were also greater in nations with higher pathogen prevalence, higher self-reported religiosity, and in nations with high reported avoidance of settings with strong norms. The findings are discussed in terms of the interrelatedness of self-construals and the cultural contexts in which they are elicited and the distinctiveness of student samples

Warmth and competence perceptions of key protagonists are associated with containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from 35 countries

It is crucial to understand why people comply with measures to contain viruses and their effects during pandemics. We provide evidence from 35 countries (Ntotal = 12,553) from 6 continents during the COVID-19 pandemic (between 2021 and 2022) obtained via cross-sectional surveys that the social perception of key protagonists on two basic dimensions—warmth and competence—plays a crucial role in shaping pandemic-related behaviors. Firstly, when asked in an open question format, heads of state, physicians, and protest movements were universally identified as key protagonists across countries. Secondly, multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses revealed that warmth and competence perceptions of these and other protagonists differed significantly within and between countries. Thirdly, internal meta-analyses showed that warmth and competence perceptions of heads of state, physicians, and protest movements were associated with support and opposition intentions, containment and prevention behaviors, as well as vaccination uptake. Our results have important implications for designing effective interventions to motivate desirable health outcomes and coping with future health crises and other global challenges.publishedVersio

Need for approval from others and face concerns as predictors of interpersonal conflict outcome in 29 cultural groups

The extent to which culture moderates the effects of need for approval from others on a person's handling of interpersonal conflict was investigated. Students from 24 nations rated how they handled a recent interpersonal conflict, using measures derived from face-negotiation theory. Samples varied in the extent to which they were perceived as characterised by the cultural logics of dignity, honour, or face. It was hypothesised that the emphasis on harmony within face cultures would reduce the relevance of need for approval from others to face-negotiation concerns. Respondents rated their need for approval from others and how much they sought to preserve their own face and the face of the other party during the conflict. Need for approval was associated with concerns for both self-face and other-face. However, as predicted, the association between need for approval from others and concern for self-face was weaker where face logic was prevalent. Favourable conflict outcome was positively related to other-face and negatively related to self-face and to need for approval from others, but there were no significant interactions related to prevailing cultural logics. The results illustrate how particular face-threatening factors can moderate the distinctive face-concerns earlier found to characterise individualistic and collectivistic cultural groups

Is an emphasis on dignity, honor and face more an attribute of individuals or of cultural groups?

This study compares the individual-level and sample-level predictive utility of a measure of the cultural logics of dignity, honor, and face. University students in 29 samples from 24 nations used a simple measure to rate their perceptions of the interpersonal cultural logic characterizing their local culture. The nomological net of these measures was then explored. Key dependent measures included three different facets of independent versus interdependent self-construal, relevant attitudes and values, reported handling of actual interpersonal conflicts, and responses to normative settings. Multilevel analyses revealed both individual- and sample-level effects but the dignity measure showed more individual-level effects, whereas sample-level effects were relatively more important with the face measure. The implications of this contrast are discussed

Blood and Scriptures

This music score was submitted for the Kaleidoscope 2020 Call for Scores, an open access collaboration with the UCLA Music Library

Impersonal Canto

This music score was submitted for the Kaleidoscope 2020 Call for Scores, an open access collaboration with the UCLA Music Library

À une Dame créole

This music score was submitted for the Kaleidoscope 2020 Call for Scores, an open access collaboration with the UCLA Music Library

The possibility and prosperity of

Moringa is one of the most important plants in the fight against malnutrition. Its leaves are largely used in food. This subtropical plant is a non-traditional culture for Armenia. For the first time it was cultivated in outdoor hydroponic and soil conditions in Ararat Valley. The aim of the study was to reveal the plant’s cultivation possibility in the outdoor hydroponic conditions and the quantitative and qualitative efficiency of its plant raw material. The results are showing that hydroponic moringa exceeded soil variant 1.7 times in useful biomass of leaves in a count of per plant. Due to high productivity, the hydroponic moringa plants exceeded soil plants with the output of the extractive substances (1.5 times), flavonoids (1.4 times), phenolic acids (1.9 times), tannins (1.2 times), calcium (1.2 times), magnesium (2.9 times), proteins (1.5 times), and carbohydrates (1.3 times). The received results allowed assuming that the hydroponic culture is effective and perspective for moringa cultivation in Armenia

Need for approval from others and face concerns as predictors of interpersonal conflict outcome in 29 cultural groups

The extent to which culture moderates the effects of need for approval from others on a person´s handling of interpersonal conflict was investigated. Students from 24 nations rated how they handled a recent interpersonal conflict, using measures derived from face-negotiation theory. Samples varied in the extent to which they were perceived as characterised by the cultural logics of dignity, honour, or face. It was hypothesised that the emphasis on harmony within face cultures would reduce the relevance of need for approval from others to face-negotiation concerns. Respondents rated their need for approval from others and how much they sought to preserve their own face and the face of the other party during the conflict. Need for approval was associated with concerns for both self-face and other-face. However, as predicted, the association between need for approval from others and concern for self-face was weaker where face logic was prevalent. Favourable conflict outcome was positively related to other-face and negatively related to self-face and to need for approval from others, but there were no significant interactions related to prevailing cultural logics. The results illustrate how particular face-threatening factors can moderate the distinctive face-concerns earlier found to characterise individualistic and collectivistic cultural groups.Fil: Lun, Vivian Miu Chi. Lingnan University; Hong KongFil: Smith, Peter B.. University of Sussex; Reino UnidoFil: Grigoryan, Lusine. University of York; Reino UnidoFil: Torres, Claudio. Universidade do Brasília; BrasilFil: Papastylianou, Antonia. National And Kapodistrian University of Athens; GreciaFil: Lopukhova, Olga G.. Kazan Federal University; RusiaFil: Sunar, Diane. Istanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi; TurquíaFil: Easterbrook, Matthew J.. University of Sussex; Reino UnidoFil: Koc, Yasin. University of Groningen; Países BajosFil: Selim, Heyla A.. King Saud University; Arabia SauditaFil: Chobthamkit, Phatthanakit. Thammasat University; TailandiaFil: Chaleeraktrakoon, Trawin. Thammasat University; TailandiaFil: Gul, Pelin. University of Groningen; Países BajosFil: Perez Floriano, Lorena. Universidad Diego Portales; ChileFil: Diaz Loving, Rolando. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Kwantes, Catherine T.. University Of Windsor; CanadáFil: Yuki, Masaki. Hokkaido University; JapónFil: Ogusu, Natsuki. Hokkaido University; JapónFil: van Osch, Yvette. Tilburg University; Países BajosFil: Efremova, Maria. Hse University; RusiaFil: Delfino, Gisela Isabel. Universidad Pontificia Comillas; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gamsakhurdia, Vladimer. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; GeorgiaFil: Gavreliuc, Alin. West University of Timisoara; RumaniaFil: Gavreliuc, Dana. West University of Timisoara; RumaniaFil: Gunsoy, Ceren. Rhodes University; SudáfricaFil: Díaz Rivera, Paola Eunice. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Hakobjanyan, Anna. Yerevan State University; Armeni