Cross-Cultural Reactions to Academic Sexual Harassment: Effects of Individualist vs. Collectivist Culture and Gender of Participants

Male and female university students from the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Ecuador, Pakistan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Turkey read a standardized scenario in which a male professor was accused of sexually harassing a female graduate student. Respondents from individualist countries judged the professor to be guilty of sexual harassment more often than did those from collectivist countries. Women rendered significantly more guilty judgments and assigned more severe punishments to the accused professor than did men. Implications for the individualist–collectivist classification system and cross-cultural research are discussed.     

Preference for Methods of Conflict Processing in Two Collectivist Cultures

Previous research has shown that harmony-enhancing procedures for conflict resolution are endorsed more in collectivist than in individualist societies, whereas the reverse is true for confrontational procedures. However, this result is derived from comparing Western with Eastern societies, leaving the possibility that it may be caused by a variety of East—West differences other than collectivism and individualism. To resolve this ambiguity and to extend the generality of this finding, two collectivist societies, one from Europe (Spain) and the other one from Asia (Japan), were contrasted in the present study. Consistent with the individualism—collectivism framework, results indicated that the procedural preferences of these two cultural groups were quite similar. Results also indicated that expectancies based on process control and animosity reduction were culture-general predictors of procedural preference, and that valences based on these variables yielded little additional variance over and above the expectancy variables. Expectancies based on fairness and favourableness were found to be culture-specific, as were their relationships with procedural preference. Results also implied that cultural femininity was not related to procedural preference. Finally, implications of these results for developing a universal theory of procedural preference are discussed.     

The Role of Affective Dispositions in Job Satisfaction and Work Strain: Comparing Collectivist and Individualist Societies

The individualism-collectivism dimension cuts across the East and the West. It explains the differing values and cultural breeding that are necessary in acculturating people's affective and cognitive behaviours in accordance with the culture to which they belong. Many empirical studies have investigated the effects of personality traits on job satisfaction and work strain. The personality of individuals affects how they perceive the impact of job satisfaction and work stress. Furthermore, personality traits are influenced by cultural background. This study surveyed 626 nurses from collectivist and individualist societies to find out the possible difference in the role of affective dispositions in self-reported job satisfaction and work strain between these two cultural orientations.     

A Cross-Cultural Test of Social Structure and Social Learning: Alcohol Use among South Korean Adolescents

The main purpose of this study is to test the validity and cross-cultural generalizability of Akers’ Social Structure and Social Learning (SSSL) model of crime and deviance. The test is done with data on substance use behavior among adolescents in South Korea utilizing a sample of 1,021 high school students. The data are taken from (1) a self-report survey of 1,021 high school students in Busan, South Korea and (2) district (Gu) level census reports of Busan. We consider this a test of the full SSSL model because we have at least one measure of all of the four main explanatory concepts found in social learning theory (differential association, definition, differential reinforcement, and imitation) and of all four of the social structural components of SSSL (differential social organization, differential location in the social structure, theoretically defined structural causes of crime, and differential social location in groups). The principal hypothesis is that the effects of the measures of social structure on adolescent deviance (substance use) will be substantially mediated by the measures of the social learning variables. To test this hypothesis multi-level data are analyzed in several Hierarchal Linear Models. The social learning variables are found to substantially mediate the effects of social structural components on adolescents’ alcohol use. Therefore, the study provides additional evidence supportive of SSSL and evidence that it applies not only in the United States but also is generalizable to a non-Western society. The contributions, limitations, and implications of the study for future research are presented.     

Cultural and Religious Values: A Cross-Cultural Study In Austria,South Africa and Egypt

This article compares religious values found on the basis of the lexical approach in three cultures. Lists of human values in Austria (German), South Africa (Northern Sotho) and Egypt (Arabic) were compiled. These terms were rated by 456, 400 and 773 participants respectively as personal guiding motives in life. Factor analyses yielded orthogonal dimensions reflecting the specific values of each culture. In all three cases, a dimension pertaining to religious issues emerged. For Austria, a distinct dimension was found, which only comprised religious terms. In South Africa religious values were interrelated with mutual support, while in Egypt, religiosity was highly correlated with political concerns and Arabic nationalism. While only about 25% of the Austrian sample gave positive evaluations to religious values, most of the South African and Egyptian participants rated religiosity positively. Results suggest that religious values are ubiquitous and religious convictions are influenced by the ethical concepts in each culture.     

Family Functioning and Self-Differentiation: A Cross-Cultural Examination

This study examined the degree to which self-differentiation as related to family functioning is valued differently by Korean and European-American university students. The main findings confirm that the level of family functioning reported by European Americans is greater than for their Korean counterpart; family functioning is associated with differentiation measures (total score, emotional reactivity, and emotional cutoff) to a different extent across the two groups; and controlling for the effect of family functioning, the added contribution of a country variable explained further variance in self-differentiation. The importance of addressing the issue of similarities and differences between cultures in the assessment and treatment of individuals with problems related to their families of origin is discussed.     

Conformity Behavior of Afrikaans-and English-Speaking Adolescents in South Africa

Abstract

The conformity behaviors of 50 Afrikaans- and 48 English-speaking early adolescents (ages 12 to 14 years) were measured by a modified Asch experiment and then compared. The effects of sex, self-concept (measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale) and certain personality factors (measured by the High School Personality Questionnaire) were also examined. No significant differences between the conformity scores of the two groups were found, but boys and girls significantly differed with regard to their conformity scores. Although subjects with low self-concept scores did not have higher conformity scores than those with high self-concept scores, a significant difference between the self-concept scores of Afrikaans-and English-speaking adolescents was demonstrated. Low but significant correlations were found between personality factors (A, J, and Q2) and conformity scores.     

The Role of Religion in Psychotherapy: A Cross-Cultural Examination

The question of whether religion should be considered in psychotherapy continues to be a point of debate. Many authors, notably Boyd-Franklin and Peck, feel that it is a serious oversight for mental health workers to ignore the role of spirituality in the development of the psyche. The present author offers a training program for mental health workers to aid in their understanding of the psycho-spiritual development of their clients. Moreover, the role of religious folk belief in psychotherapy is highlighted to aid therapists in understanding the explanations that clients from culturally diverse backgrounds may give in attempting to explain the causes of mental illness. Finally, a differential diagnosis of spirit possession versus schizophrenia is discussed. Several case examples are presented.     

Tobacco Use Trends among Adolescents and Adults in South Africa

The purpose of this review is to synthesize the national prevalence data from eight surveys on tobacco use in South Africa over the past 13 years. Results from the national studies indicate that tobacco use among adults is on the decline in South Africa. The same applies to daily smoking and daily smokeless tobacco use among adolescents. However, onset of tobacco use and the prevalence of current smoking among adolescents seem not to have changed over the years. While exposure to tobacco smoke outside the home decreased from 56.5% in 1999 to 36.2% in 2002 among adolescents, exposure to tobacco smoke inside the home increased from 41.7% in 1999 to 73.3% in 2002. This change may be attributed to the introduction of the tobacco control act that from 2000 banned smoking in public places. The decline of overall daily smoking in South Africa may be attributed to the tobacco control strategy based on 1) rapidly increasing excise taxes on tobacco, and (2) comprehensive legislation, of which the most important features are banning all tobacco advertising and sponsorship, and prohibition of smoking in public and work places.     

Traditional Healing in Africa: Implications for Cross-Cultural Counseling

Even though the change in Africa from traditional societies to modern ones is evident in many institutions throughout the continent, the transition is uneven. One institution that seems to have changed little over the years is the healing establishment. In general, traditional healers still treat their patients as their forebears did in the distant past. This article indicates who the indigenous doctors are, the role the family plays in health maintenance, the nature of the healing relationship, what diagnostic techniques are used, the specific healing methods used, how music is used as a therapeutic accompaniment, how healers are selected and prepared, and the implications of traditional healing for cross-cultural counseling. Aunque el cambio en Africa desde sociedades tradicionales a sociedades modernas es evidente en muchas instituciones por todo el continente, la transición es desigual. Una de las instituciones que parece haber cambiado poco a través de los años es la del curandero. En general, los curanderos tradicionales todavía tratan a sus clientes de la misma manera que sus antepasados. Este artículo indica quienes son los doctores indígenas, el papel de la familia en el mantamiento de la salud, el cáracter de la relación de curación, las ténicas de diagnóstico que se usan, los métodos específicos de curación, cómo se usa la música como acompañamiento terapeútico, cómo se escogen y preparan los curanderos, y las implicaciones de la curación traditional en la consejería intercultural.     

Concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking in South Africa: Results from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

The aim of this study was to examine socio-demographic and psychosocial correlates of concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking. We analysed data from the cross-sectional South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1) 2011–2012. The sample included 14 764 adolescents and adults aged 15 years and older. They responded to questions on tobacco and alcohol use, psychosocial, and socio-demographic indicators. Results indicate that 9.6% (16.8% among men and 3.5% among women) of South Africans were involved in concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking, 18.2% in current tobacco use only, and 20.3% in risky drinking only. In covariate adjusted analysis, being 25 to 64 years, being male, belonging to the coloured population group, residing in urban areas, having experienced three or more traumatic events, and poor self-rated health were associated with concurrent tobacco use and risky drinking. Findings suggest socio-demographic and health factors are important for public health interventions in addressing concurrent tobacco and alcohol use in South Africa.     

Perceptions of Organizational Culture and Women's Advancement in Organizations: A Cross-Cultural Examination

This study is a cross-cultural examination of the relationship between organizational culture and women's advancement to management in organizations. The source of data for this study was the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness Research Project, a cross-cultural study of societal culture, organizational culture, and leadership. The results of this study indicate that aspects of organizational culture typically associated with women are related to women's progress. In organizations in which organization members reported shared values of high humane orientation and high gender equity, organization members also reported high percentages of women in management relative to other organizations in their society. In addition, organizational cultural practices that emphasized high humane orientation, high gender equity, high performance orientation, and low power distance were also related to reports of high percentages of women in management relative to societal norms. Results of regression analysis predicting the percentage of women in management from the dimensions of organizational culture indicated that gender equity practices and values emphasizing humane orientation contributed significantly to the prediction of the percentage of women in management. Organizational cultural practices related to gender equity were found to be the most important predictor of the percentage of women in management. This study adds to the literature on women's progress in organizations by further extending the focus from individual and structural characteristics to characteristics of organizational culture. The findings suggest that change agents focused on increasing opportunities for women in management should attend to organizational culture, particularly aspects of culture related to gender equity practices.     

Gender Differences in the Perception of Honour Killing in Individualist Versus Collectivistic Cultures: Comparison Between Italy and Turkey

Gender differences in the perception of honour killing were investigated in two countries, both traditionally considered honour cultures but with differing degrees of individualism and collectivism: Italy and Turkey. Ninety-six Turkish undergraduate students attending Istanbul University (40 % males, mean age?=?21.2 years) and 68 Italian undergraduate students attending Turin University (34 % males, mean age?=?24.6 years) filled in a questionnaire which assessed the perception of three honour killing scenarios (scenario 1: alleged adultery, scenario 2: adultery, scenario 3: adultery in flagrante delicto). The questionnaire measured the attribution of assailant and victim responsibility, the proposed punishment for the assailant, and the evaluation of the incidents as crimes. Results showed that regardless gender Turkish participants attributed more responsibility to the victim and less responsibility to the assailant, and proposed less severe punishments than the Italian participants. Moreover, Turkish men attributed less responsibility to the assailant and proposed less severe punishments than Turkish women. Finally, there was an interaction of gender by culture by scenario: Turkish women attributed less responsibility to the victim in the case of alleged adultery, compared to their male counterparts. These results are discussed in terms of the complex interaction between gender roles and the individualist versus collectivist social organization of Italy and Turkey, and the profound social changes that both countries have undergone in recent decades.     

An Examination of Serial Homicide in South Africa: The Practice to Research Link

In this paper, South African serial homicide cases will be used to illustrate how practice can inform research and how research can aid practice by highlighting key questions that need to be answered and practice‐based assumptions that need to be empirically tested. The cases will also be used to highlight some of the unique features of series in South Africa. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Unselfish Motivations and Deviance: An Empirical Examination of Social Concern Theory among South Korean Adolescents

ABSTRACT

The study tested the mediating role of social concern – or intrinsic unselfish motivations – in the relationship among teacher bonds, deviant peer association, and youth delinquency in Korea, a cultural setting that promotes social concern. Multi-group path analysis with nationally representative data of Korean adolescents (N = 2,089) indicated that teacher bonds predicted lower levels of delinquency, whereas deviant peer association predicted higher levels. Bonding with teachers was significantly related to social concern; however, social concern predicted less deviant behavior for boys only. Prevention policies that improve the quality of teacher-youth relationships may more effectively restrain self-interested behavior than intensified punishment.     

Bargaining for Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa: A Game-Theoretic Analysis

As regimes move from illiberal to liberal, post-transition justice methodology has been employed to engender truth and reconciliation. These normative concepts have evolved into a policy of creating truth and reconciliation commissions that trade civil and criminal amnesty with applicants in exchange for information. This bargained-for exchange can be analyzed as an imperfect information game, where the commission attempts to maximize information (truth) while the applicant seeks amnesty for the lowest possible price. Using game-theoretic analysis, the authors model the truth-amnesty game and predict the optimal commission strategy. The analysis leads to the recommendation that future transitional justice commissions employ various specific lexicographic ordering strategies to minimize dead weight loss in the transaction.     

Hans-Georg Gadamer 1900-2002: A tribute from South Africa

Abstract

Three things occur in this introductory article to a volume of the South African Journal of Philosophy in tribute of Hans-Georg Gadamer who died on March 14, 2002, at the age of 102. First, some historical details of Gadamer’s life are provided. Second, the nine articles in the volume are briefly introduced. The authors are Denis Schmidt (the only non-South African), Anton van Niekerk, Bert Olivier, Andrea Hurst, Leon Fouché, Danie Strauss, Pieter Duvenage, Nirmala Pillay and Gerald Pillay. Finally, short remarks are made about the relevance of Gadamer’s work, and particularly his contribution to “understanding the nature of understanding”, for the South African situation.     

Race preferences in children: insights from South Africa

Minority-race children in North America and Europe often show less own-race favoritism than children of the majority (White) race, but the reasons for this asymmetry are unresolved. The present research tested South African children in order to probe the influences of group size, familiarity, and social status on children's race-based social preferences. We assessed South African children's preferences for members of their country's majority race (Blacks) compared to members of other groups, including Whites, who ruled South Africa until 1994 and who remain high in status. Black children (3-13 years) tested in a Black township preferred people of their own gender but not race. Moreover, Black, White, and multiracial children (4-9 years) tested in a racially diverse primary school showed in-group bias by gender but not by race: all favored people who were White. Relative familiarity and numerical majority/minority status therefore do not fully account for children's racial attitudes, which vary with the relative social status of different racial groups.     

A Theology of the Cross for South Africa

This article seeks to investigate in what ways the Lutheran theologia crucis - when brought into dialogue with the South African historical-political context - can be of epistemological as well as pastoral significance for the people of South Africa. South Africa is a nation in the process of coming to terms with a traumatic past of violence, oppression, suffering and injustice. In order for healing and reconciliation to occur, people must find some kind of meaning in the story of the past, and indeed must find the seeds of hope and new beginnings in this story. This article argues that the story of South Africa can be likened to a story of the cross, and that the God of South Africans can be identified as the God of the cross, the Deus absconditus who is mysteriously and paradoxically revealed in suffering and injustice. In identifying the God of the cross as their God, and seeing their story as a story of the cross, South Africans may also anticipate theirs to be(come) a story of the resurrection and of new life.