Articles tagged with Cultural Studies
A cross-cultural study found negative attitudes toward fat bodies in every location surveyed, revealing a rapid 'globalization of fat stigma' and a shift away from traditional fat-positive values. The study suggests that newer forms of media and public health campaigns may be driving this change.
Research by Harvard University psychologists suggests that infants may be born with an understanding of social hierarchy based on physical size, which helps them navigate their social environment. Infants as young as 8-10 months old demonstrated surprise at depictions of a larger individual yielding to a smaller one.
Harvard researchers have developed a new approach to scholarship using digitized books as a digital 'fossil record' of human culture. By tracking word frequencies over time, they can quantify cultural trends, revealing findings such as the rise of new words, forgetting of past references, and changes in celebrity fame.
Research reveals that immigrant Latino mothers in rural areas need culturally sensitive, affordable, and flexible child care options. Many struggle to communicate with English-speaking providers due to language barriers, hindering their ability to work outside the home.
Studies should involve more cross-cultural collaboration to avoid cultural blind spots, say MU researchers. Collaboration with participants from the culture being studied can help address possible misunderstandings and improve study validity.
Researchers at Purdue University emphasize the importance of understanding local human cultures in conserving African wildlife. Their study highlights how selective logging can help sustain local antelope populations, reducing hunting pressure on protected species.
Researchers uncover 25 marine shell beads from Morocco and Algeria dating back 70,000-85,000 years, suggesting early humans wore and traded symbolic jewelry. The discovery confirms the oldest form of personal ornaments, adding to similar finds in Africa, Israel, and South Africa.
A US Department of Defense-funded project led by Arizona State University aims to understand strategies used by Muslims in West Africa and Europe to counter extremist interpretations. The research, titled 'Finding Allies for the War of Words,' involves a global team of scholars from multiple disciplines.
Experts discuss new biotechnology techniques to remove fungus, micro-organisms, and insects from artwork, documents, and masonry, promoting natural and non-toxic preservation methods. Curators in developing countries face challenges in assessing vulnerability, improving storage conditions, and controlling environmental fluctuations.
Research by Dr Elizabeth Barry reveals how 18th century obituaries popularized the concept of celebrity, shifting attention from historically significant achievements to eccentric lives. The rise of newspapers and magazines played a crucial role in this phenomenon, cementing the public's fascination with famous individuals.
A team of scientists has made significant progress in understanding how the brain controls eye movement, particularly when tracking fast-moving objects. The study found that gain control, a phenomenon where the brain adapts eye movement to object speed, is determined by specific neural networks in the frontal eye fields.
Researchers conducted a study on Chinese and American parenting behaviors to understand cultural differences. They found that cultural biases can affect the analysis of behaviors, leading to inaccurate conclusions about parenting styles across cultures. The authors recommend using a combination of researchers from both cultures to mini...
New research reveals US employees experience up to 50% more bullying than Scandinavian workers, with negative effects on non-bullied employees also widespread. The study highlights organizational and cultural structures that enable and reward bullying, stressing individualism over collaboration.
Jianguo Wu, Arizona State University landscape ecologist, received the 2006 AAAS International Scientific Cooperation Award for his outstanding contributions to sustainable science. He has made fundamental contributions to the study of grassland ecology and urban landscapes, with a focus on China's Inner Mongolia region.
A recent study found that social and cultural factors contribute to regional differences in male serial killers in the United States. The study, led by James DeFronzo, examined data from 1970 to 1992 and discovered a correlation between high execution rates and southern states with more serial killers.
African-American women with advanced/recurrent endometrial cancer had worse disease presentation and lower survival rates compared to Caucasian women. After controlling for clinical features and treatment, African-Americans survived significantly fewer months, suggesting socioeconomic and cultural factors may influence disease outcome.
Researchers suggest that Toxoplasma gondii, a common cat parasite, may influence human behavior and cultural aspects such as ego, money, and work. High prevalence of the parasite in certain regions is associated with higher neuroticism scores and differences in masculine sex roles.
A new study compares handedness of medieval English villagers to modern-day sample, finding that active individuals display a high degree of asymmetry. Researchers used skeletal analysis to determine changes in hand preference over time, shedding light on the evolution of right- and left-handedness.
A new study by Michael Gurven examines food exchanges in small-scale societies to understand the evolution of conditional cooperation among humans. The research finds that people share more with those who give more, but families struggling to produce food receive more support from close kin and neighbors.
Researchers analyze structural constraints in codeswitched advertising to determine what makes a message linguistically correct. The study highlights the significance of grammatical accuracy and provides insights into the rules that govern mixed language marketing.
Researchers Jane Schneider and Peter Schneider uncover a diverse Sicily, where the mafia and antimafia have distinct values and practices. The study reveals Sicilians' ability to organize democratically for community goals, challenging established views on their culture.
A renowned psychologist aims to explore how various cultures perceive and measure well-being, with a focus on its interplay with biological markers. The proposed MidLife in Japan (MIDJA) study will survey adults in Tokyo to gather data on socio-demographic, psychosocial, and health information.
The study found that reporters embedded with military units generally preserved their objectivity, but the practice raised serious concerns. The research also highlighted issues with pro-war bias and unattributed claims in broadcast coverage.
Dr. Troutt Powell's selection as a MacArthur Fellow recognizes her path-breaking work in modern Arab and Middle Eastern history, which has been widely praised by leading scholars. The award provides her with $500,000 to explore and create without restrictions.