Loneliness is a widespread public health concern. Loneliness may be less frequent but have more severe consequences for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a collectivist (e.g., Japanese) versus individualist (e.g., United States [U.S.]) culture but little is known about cross-cultural associations of loneliness. This study determined if loneliness would be higher in the U.S. and in persons lower in collectivism. We also studied if loneliness would be positively associated with CVD indicators and if these associations would be stronger in (1) Japan than the U.S. and (2) individuals higher in collectivism. U.S. (n = 529) and Japanese (n = 292) adults from the Midlife in the United States Series, aged 36 to 78, completed psychosocial questionnaires, provided blood samples, and underwent a physical exam. Logistic regression and path analyses using structural equation modeling determined individual differences in loneliness, whether loneliness predicted CVD indicators (e.g., metabolic dysregulation, inflammation, blood pressure, and sleep dysfunction), and whether nationality and collectivism moderated these associations. Japanese adults reported less loneliness compared to the U.S. Unexpectedly, loneliness did not predict any CVD indicators. For U.S. adults with low interdependence, loneliness was associated with elevated metabolic dysregulation. For Japanese adults, loneliness was associated with decreased metabolic dysregulation. We decided to test additional models that included gender as a moderator of the association between loneliness and CVD indicators. Complex associations between gender, nationality, interdependence, and loneliness were found. Clinicians should consider addressing metabolic dysregulation and sleep in lonely patients, especially males and U.S. females. Future work could investigate how loneliness is appraised by Japanese men and U.S. women, and how loneliness affects the health behaviors and eating patterns of these groups.

No / Businesses today need employees who can operate on a global stage, whether as international managers, technical specialists, expatriates or 'parachutists' who make occasional troubleshooting trips abroad. Yet cultural misunderstandings in the workplace can complicate even the simplest tasks. Something that sounds like a 'Yes' to a foreigner may actually be a polite way of saying 'No'. Fully updated and expanded for this second edition, Management Worldwide is essential for managers, students of management and organizations who want to know how managers operate and business is conducted in different societies. It is essential reading in a global economy where cultural differences can still mean make or break.

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In 2002 the number of reported nonfatal injury and illness cases in the construction industry involving days away from work was over 98,000 for European-Americans (non Hispanic) and 26,000 for Hispanics. Disproportionate to the number of injury and illness cases, the construction industry is comprised of 68% European-Americans, 7% African-Americans and 23% Hispanics (BLS, 2004a). Based on the expected increase in employment of construction laborers and the increase in the number of injuries and fatalities among specific ethnic groups, a need exists to study disparities across cultural groups to determine the basis for injury and fatality differences between these ethnic groups. The purpose of this research was to contribute to the literature, an effective method for predicting the risk judgments of laborers employed by small construction firms. Predicting the risk judgments of laborers will assist in developing training programs to address these risk factors, which ultimately will reduce injury and fatality rates. Thirty-six construction laborers , 18 European-American and 18 Hispanic, were recruited for the research. Both ethnic groups were divided into two groups; the control and experimental groups. The control groups viewed a generic concrete construction video and the experimental groups viewed a People-Based Safety video. Each of the participants completed a demographic form, questionnaires, and the narrative simulations (pre-test). Following the narrative simulations the participants rated the narrative simulations, watched a video designated by group, and completed the narrative simulations (post-test). The narrative simulations were used to assess their ability to make risk judgments based on the information presented in the video. The questionnaires completed measured various individual differences, and were administered to detect confounding factors that may not be directly attributed to ethnicity. These questionnaires included: Phinney's (1992) Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, Leonard, Hill, and Karners' (1989) Risk Perception Scale, Janicak's (1996) Accident Locus of Control Scale, Rooney and Osipow's (1992) Self-efficacy Measure, and Zohar's (1980) Safety Climate Measure. Participant prior exposure to incidents as well as experience in the construction industry was also included. These measures were used to determine if differences in risk perception, locus of control, experience, acculturation, incident exposure, education, self-efficacy, and safety climate had an influence on the ability to make safe risk judgments. Information on topics construction laborers would like included in safety training as well as the preferred method of training was obtained through the use of focus groups. Eleven participants from the experimental group were recruited for the focus groups; 5 European Americans and 6 Hispanics. One focus group was conducted for each ethnic group. Six hypotheses were tested in this study: (1) there would be no difference in the risk judgments of European-American and Hispanic construction workers when given a choice of language, (2) more experienced construction workers would have more difficulty making safe judgments, (3) construction workers who have had more experience with safety related critical incidents in the workplace would have more difficulty making safe judgments, (4) construction workers who have lower levels of risk perception would have more difficulty making safe judgments, (5) construction workers who have an internal locus of control would have more difficulty making safe judgments than those who have an external locus of control, and (6) high acculturation participants would score higher on the narrative simulations than low acculturation participants following the video intervention. The first and fourth hypotheses were supported by the research. There were no significant differences found between the risk judgments of European-American and Hispanic construction workers, and risk perception was positively correlated to risk judgments. The remaining hypotheses were not supported by the research. The major findings of the research are (1) there were no differences in the risk judgments of European-American and Hispanic construction laborers, (2) risk perception and safety climate were significant predictors of construction laborer risk judgments, and (3) the risk judgments of participants were significantly higher for individuals viewing a People-based Safety intervention. There are several advantages of having this information. First, the lack of differences between the two ethnic groups, demonstrates that both groups are able to make safe risk judgments when given the appropriate information in the correct form and language. Secondly, regression analysis using independent variables risk perception and safety climate, may be used to predict narrative simulation risk judgments. The positive relationship between risk perception and safety climate on safe risk judgments should encourage employers and trainers to increase employees' awareness of hazards on the job and increase employees' perception of the company safety climate. Hazards should be identified in addition to their consequences. Trainers should aim to increase workers' perception of risk by relying on past negative outcomes that have a personal nature even if they are infrequent events. Third, experience was positively correlated to participants' confidence in their risk judgments on the narrative simulations. Trainers should not exclude the more experienced employees during training. Continuous training will allow more experienced employees to re-familiarize themselves with old hazards and become aware of new hazards. It is just as important for more experienced employees to be updated on risks because they are more confident in how they react to hazardous situations. It is in the best interest of the company for the confident employees to be confident in safe risk judgments. / Master of Science

Mate selection has garnered much attention in the existing literature. However, most mate selection research has reviewed mate selection preferences and criteria individually. In this study, the researcher attempted to illustrate mate selection as an interactive process in which individuals are affected by external influences, and their mate selection criteria are influenced by their self-appraisals and their perceptions of others' mate selection criteria. Two studies were conducted. Study 1 was based on social exchange theory, sexual strategies theory, and social context frameworks, and used multiple-group structural equation modeling to describe the relationships among gender, receptivity to external influences on mate selection, self-perceived relative mate selection position, and relative mate selection demand, between Chinese and American never-married heterosexual adults. The results indicated that the model fit the data well. Self-perceived relative mate selection position and relative mate selection demand were negatively correlated. Women had a higher relative mate selection demand than men did. Self-perceived relative mate selection position fully mediated the effect of receptivity to external influences on relative mate selection, though the indirect effect was not significant. Path values did not differ between Chinese participants and American participants. Study 2 confirmed that the model fit the data well and replicated all significant correlations among latent variables found in Study 1. Additionally, Study 2 found that receptivity to external influences and self-perceived relative mate selection position were positively correlated, and that receptivity to external influences had a negative indirect effect on relative mate selection demand, fully mediated by relative mate selection position. Lastly, the researcher discussed findings, implications, strengths, limitations, and future directions of the present study. / Ph. D.

As German organisations expand their businesses into China, the potential risks associated with a lack of fit in management styles among International Joint Venture (IJV) partner-firms have become increasingly obvious to academic researchers, human resource professionals and partner-firm managers themselves. The general consensus among researchers and practitioners is that cultural differences in management styles are a major deterrent to the success of IJVs. Limited research has been undertaken to specifically examine and identify how partner-firm managers can overcome this barrier in Sino-German IJVs.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre doel van die huidige studie was om kruis-kulturele verskille ten opsigte van direkte en indirekte aggressie tussen Xhosa, Zulu, Kleurling en Blanke Suid-Afrikaanse studente te bestudeer. 'n Totaal van 832 studente het die Richardson Conflict Response Questionnaire (RCRQ), 'n vraelys wat direkte en indirekte aggressie meet, voltooi. Die Kleurling-deelnemers het beduidend-hoër vlakke van direkte aggressie gerapporteer as enige van die ander groepe. Die Zulu-deelnemers het beduidend-hoër vlakke van indirekte aggressie as beide die Xhosa- of Kleurling-deelnemers gerapporteer. Geen beduidende geslagsverskille kon vasgestel word nie. Daar is tot die slotsom gekom dat kultuur 'n groter bepaler van verskille ten opsigte van aggressiewe gedrag was as geslag van die deelnemers. Daar word vertrou dat die resultate van die huidige studie 'n bydra sal maak tot die effektiewe bestuur van aggressie in Suid-Afrika, asook tot die bevordering van internasionale begrip vir die kulturele diversiteit van die land. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The primary aim of the present study was to examine cross-cultural differences in direct and indirect aggression between Xhosa, Zulu, Coloured and White South African students. A total of 832 students completed the Richardson Conflict Response Questionnaire (RCRQ), a measure of direct and indirect aggression. The Coloured participants reported using significantly higher levels of direct aggression than any of the other cultural groups involved. The Zulu participants reported using significantly more indirect aggression than their Xhosa or Coloured counterparts. No significant gender differences could be established. It was concluded that culture was more predictive of differences in aggressive behaviour than was sex of the participants. It is hoped that these results may contribute towards the effective management of aggression in South Africa and assist in promoting international understanding of the cultural diversity in this country.

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between United States and French cultural expectations and symptoms of menstruation. The study works first to demonstrate that the French culture holds a more positive view of menstruation and the United States a more negative one. This study then proposes the following hypotheses: 1) United States women will report more PMS and other debilitating symptoms, while French women will report less 2) Older, French, menstruating women will rate higher on positive items than any other category of women in France and the United States 3) Younger, French and U.S. American women will rate similar experiences and expectations of menstruation, due to the globalization of cultures. Finally, the study proposes establishing scales that are more multicultural­friendly.

A refugee reception has been placed in Kungshall, one of Nybros residential areas. The area has a bad reputation and there are arguably prejudices about the area from the local population. I therefore want to investigate if an ethnic residential segregation exists in Kungshall, from a postcolonial perspective. The following research questions have been formulated: How do residents who doesn’t live in the refugee reception, look at ethnic residential segregation in Nybro? How has Kungshall changed since the refugee reception? Does a cultural racism exist in Kungshall?   The study is a qualitative study using semi structured interviews of four people living in the residential area, a person who has moved out of the area and a person working on the housing corporation “Nybro bostads AB”, who is one of the housing corporation responsible for the residential area Kungshall. The study is based on post-colonial theory. According to all the interviewees, there is an uneven balance between Swedes and immigrants in the neighborhood. And according to all the interviewees living in the area, too many refugees have been placed in Kungshall, and the residential area has changed for the worse in recent history. One of the interviewees has already moved, and the others living in the area either know someone who has moved out of the area or is planning to themselves. And the main reason to ethnic residential segregation is often explained in terms of cultural differences between “us-and- them”: between the refugees and the others. It is clear from the interviews that there is a cultural racism among people and the main reason for people moving out of the area could arguably be related to cultural racism.