Secular ethics education as an alternative to religious education – Finnish teachers’ views

This study provides a Finnish perspective to international discussions on religious and worldviews education through the subject of secular ethics. This subject has been offered in Finland since 1985 throughout comprehensive schools and is primarily directed at students who are non-affiliated. Secular ethics education has scarcely been researched and is here investigated through secular ethics teachers’ views. The results highlight key characteristics of the subject, which in teachers’ views single out the subject from religious education classes. Key characteristics include gaining multiple perspectives on religions and worldviews, focusing on interactive, social and critical skills, and focusing on students’ personal identities and growth as human beings. In addition, specific challenges and possibilities of the subject of secular ethics arise, which may be taken into consideration in developing a future integrative subject of worldview education in Finland.     

Religious perceptions of alcohol consumption and drinking behaviours among religious and non-religious groups

Evidence indicates that religious involvement is associated with lower levels of alcohol consumption. However, mechanisms underlying the specific effects of religion on alcohol behaviours are still not entirely clear. This study examined potential differences in religious perceptions of alcohol consumption (RePAC) among Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, and non-religious individuals, and between Catholic and Baptist Christian denominations. We also assessed whether these perceptions were associated with quantity and frequency of drinking. Participants (N?=?495; 79% female) aged 18 and above completed self-report measures of alcohol consumption and religious perceptions of alcohol use. Findings indicated that non-religious individuals and Buddhists reported higher RePAC scores (i.e., more favourable attitudes toward alcohol use), followed by Christians and then Muslims. Drinking quantity was more strongly associated with RePAC for Buddhists and Christians than the same association for non-religious participants. These results provide preliminary evidence linking religious perceptions of alcohol to drinking behaviours across religious affiliations.     

Stress and coping among student teachers at a South African university: An exploratory study

This article reports findings from an exploratory qualitative study on the lived experience of stress among a convenience sample of 14 South African university student teachers (female = 8, black = 7; age range = 22 to 31). The students were participating in training in mindfulness meditation, and completed three interviews over a six-week period on stressors impacting on their personal and professional lives and on how they experienced them and responded. There were additional data from recordings of the mindfulness training sessions and a self-report scale, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Thematic analysis revealed a wide range of stressors experienced by the students and provided insight into sources of resilience in dealing with them. In conclusion, the authors consider whether the extreme experiences of stress foreshadow the discontent among South African students that would fuel the serious unrest and disruption that has been negatively affecting South African universities since.     

Through the looking-glass: on the other side of ‘un’conclusive reflections

This qualitative study explored the practices of a Technology Instructional Specialist (TIS) from the reflective vantage point of the specialist herself and multiple data sets collected from classroom teachers she mentored. The study examined the actions and impact of the TIS in assisting individual teachers with technology implementation through a reflective, circular process (i.e. action, reflection, modification, additional action). Data sources were comprised of: (1) survey on teachers’ comfort levels for technology integration in an elementary classroom; (2) teacher interviews; (3) self and teacher reflective assessments of the TIS’s mentoring; and (4) reflective journal notes of the TIS’s experiences. Findings suggest that reflections on and development of differentiated technology mentoring processes and actions conducted within participating teachers’ classrooms impacted their awareness of technology uses and pedagogical application. Most notably, reflections indicate that relational aspects of the TIS and teachers’ interactions impacted the process of technology implementation in participating teachers’ instructional practices. Practical suggestions for practitioners are provided.     

Self-regulation in early childhood: the interplay between family risk,temperament and teacher–child interactions

Abstract

This study investigates the interplay between family risk and the quality of classroom interactions and their impact on self-regulation skills in two groups of children—children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds (at-risk) and non-risk children. Participants included 485 children (N = 93 classrooms)—233 (N = 47 classrooms) of which were from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Temperament was measured using teacher report. Trained observers rated classroom quality via live observations of a typical preschool day. Behavioral regulation was assessed using direct measures and emotional regulation was assessed using a teacher report. Analyses using multiple group structural equation modeling showed that at-risk children had lower levels of cool behavior regulation than non-risk children. In addition, classroom quality was positively linked to cool behavioral self-regulation. Moderating effects were additionally found between family risk and classroom quality on both hot behavioral regulation and emotional regulation. Classroom quality served as a protective factor for children exposed to more risk factors. Results showed complex associations between individual characteristics, classroom quality, and family risk, indicating a need to further explore the interplay among these variables.     

面孔社会知觉模型发展的回顾与展望

面孔作为一种复杂的特殊刺激,是人类表达自身情绪、认知他人情感的重要工具和途径。面孔识别是人类社会生活的一项重要技能,在缺乏外部线索时,它有助于我们对他人面孔的熟悉度、年龄和种族等方面有一个较明确的认识,从而更有利于人们社会交往和适应环境。大量研究表明,基于面孔的物理特征可以推断面孔所有者的内在特质,而这一推断又会影响个体的行为决策。因此,对面孔的认知不仅要关注面孔结构化特征,也要关注面孔社会化特征。针对面孔结构化特征,学者们提出了一些经典模型,如Bruce-Young模型、NBC模型等;针对面孔社会化特征,Alexander Todorov及其合作者采用主成分分析法,构建了包含信任度和支配度的面孔社会知觉“二维”模型。Clare A.M. Sutherland及其合作者提出,吸引力和信任度是两个独立的维度,由此构建了包含可接近性、年轻的—吸引力和支配度的面孔社会知觉“三维”模型。本文认为,面孔社会知觉模型从“二维”到“三维”的发展可以从吸引力和信任度两个维度的关系进行探讨。面孔在社会互动中传递着大量的信息,其中较为重要的是面孔信任度和面孔吸引力。其中,信任度评价具有决定性意义,信任一个不值得信任的人可能会给自身造成危害,而没信任一个值得信任的人往往意味着失去了合作的机会;吸引力评价则具有进化上的意义,吸引力往往与潜在配偶的繁殖能力有关,尤其体现在长期择偶关系之中。总结以往的面孔识别模型与本文介绍的面孔社会知觉模型,未来基于面孔特征的识别或特质推断可以从以下几方面进行思考：第一,选取生态化效度更高的面孔刺激材料;第二,进行跨文化检验模型的普适性;第三,从面孔识别模型向面孔社会知觉模型的发展需要进一步探索内在的认知神经机制;第四,进一步拓宽面孔社会知觉的研究领域。     

Chinese Perceptions of Threats from the United States and Japan

People's threat perceptions play a role in influencing foreign policies towards perceived adversary countries. Earlier research has identified multiple components shaping mass-level threat perceptions including military power, adversary country's perceived intentions, and national identities. On the individual level, education, use of media, and interest in politics have been shown to influence threat perceptions. However, most studies on perceptions of security threats fail to include both contextual and individual-level explanatory factors and to consider that different national threats may be constructed differently. This research bridges formation of threat perceptions on the individual level to wider societal processes and provides an empirical perspective to understanding threat perceptions among the educated section of the Chinese population. To analyze threat perceptions, students from leading Chinese universities (N = 771) took part in a survey in the autumn of 2011 and spring of 2012. Respondents who followed conventional media were more likely to perceive both the United States and Japan as threatening, and the effect of media consumption was particularly strong with regards to perceived threat from Japan. In addition, each threat perception was significantly associated with threat-specific explanatory factors. Potential explanatory factors of threat perceptions were explored with linear regression models.     

Influence of contextual information on observers' perceptions of actors' intentions to harm others

Previous examinations of perceptions of aggressive behaviors have used static stimulus presentations (e.g., photographs or slides). This investigation examined the impact of varying amounts of geographical and temporal contextual information on observers' perceptions of actors' intentions to physically and psychologically (intimidate) harm others. Participants (51 elite ice hockey players) were randomly assigned to view one of three video-taped presentations showing eight ice hockey behaviors in either a) a dynamic mode with contextual information, b) a dynamic mode with no context, or c) a static, “freeze-frame” mode. MANOVA results showed that non-aggressive stimuli were perceived as less aggressive, and aggressive stimuli were perceived as more aggressive in dynamic presentations with context than in static presentations. Based on these findings, it is suggested that future research focussing on perceptions of aggressive behavior utilize a dynamic stimulus presentation containing context material. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.