<p> This thesis examines the psychosocial and cultural factors behind body modification practices of breast augmentation, female circumcision, and foot binding in order to understand the growing trend of cosmetic surgery. Body modification is examined through the lens of Albert Bandura&rsquo;s social learning theory using hermeneutic methodology that analyzes quantitative and qualitative data. Cross-cultural research on breast augmentation, female circumcision, and foot binding provides insight into how body modification practices are internalized through observational learning. The findings demonstrate that women are faced with social pressures to conform to physical ideals that often require modification of the body. Bandura&rsquo;s theory of self-efficacy provides insights into how women can exercise choice, personal agency, and self-direction to guide personal decisions pertaining to cosmetic surgery within the context of social pressures.</p>

This study examined the relation among ethnic group membership, ethnic identity, collectivism and individualism in a sample of European American and African American college students. Findings suggest that African Americans are more collectivist than European Americans only in reference to their ethnic group. There were no significant differences between ethnic groups in collectivism toward friends, family, strangers or colleagues. Contrary to findings of previous research, there was no significant moderating effect of gender on collectivism differences between ethnic groups. In congruence with previous research, ethnic identity mediated the relation between ethnic group membership and collectivism toward the ethnic group. African Americans were also significantly higher on overall individualism when compared to European Americans and this relation was not mediated by ethnic identity. In addition to these findings, discussion focuses on issues regarding the measurement of individualism, collectivism, and ethnic identity.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1992. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-12, Section: A, page: 4387. Chair: Nancy Bliwise.

Culturally shared beliefs about societies and humanity play a prominent part in world events, from beliefs about the histories and destinies of nations to beliefs about the appropriate relationship between humanity and the natural world. Many of these beliefs are "metanarratives," simplified representations of past and future societal trends, which often have narrative elements, such as goals, dramatic features, a sense of suspense for group members, and affective judgments about the passage of events over time. In this exploratory study, lifelong residents of the United States (N = 299 undergraduate students and 88 members of a web sample of older adults) indicated their degree of agreement with 73 metanarrative statements. Factor analysis of the students' personal belief scores for the 73 metanarratives revealed a pattern of clustering into six factors, indicating that people tend to believe in families of metanarratives. The six factors were Traditional Religion, American Secular Values, International Cooperation, Eco-Romanticism, Anti-Government Cynicism, and Rational Progress. The web sample largely replicated this structure, but with only four factors. The factors were highly correlated with political party affiliation and other psychosocial and demographic variables, including religiousness, Saucier "isms" factors, and MFQ moral foundations. Participants were also asked about the extent to which some of their strongest beliefs were reflected in their personal activities: career choice, leisure time, spending money, voting, joining groups, reading and viewing, and discussion. The 73 metanarratives were coded for several narrative features: evaluative schema (such as Progress or Looming Catastrophe), presence of standard story elements (context, problem, outcome), presence of goals, and presence of references to cognitively exceptional elements (circumstances beyond the ordinary), such as the sacred, transcendental, unique, or extreme. For both samples, metanarratives with an evaluative schema indicating two possible paths were more motivating than those with only one outcome (e.g., stability or a cycle of recurring ups-and-downs). Further, those with goals were more motivating than those without, and for the web sample, those with cognitively exceptional elements were more motivating than those without. Further study of metanarratives should help to better illuminate the factors leading to individuals' decisions to participate in their larger societies.

The cross-cultural applicability of the PTSD diagnosis has been widely disputed in recent years. Consequently, an examination of the psychometric properties of instruments that are used to assess traumatized individuals of various cultures is of utmost importance. To respond to this need, the overall goal of this dissertation was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ; Mollica et al., 1992), a measure that was developed to assess trauma symptoms across cultures. In the first study, I conducted a search of all publications and dissertations that used the symptoms scales of the HTQ. This search revealed that the HTQ is commonly used by trauma researchers, however only a minority of them reported using established translation and cultural adaptation procedures to adapt the instrument for their specific sample. In addition, of the 384 studies considered for inclusion, only 44% of them reported internal consistency estimates of their sample. I then performed reliability generalization analyses on Cronbach’s alpha coefficients to assess the reliability properties of the HTQ symptom scales. Overall, 103 samples were included in the analyses, representing various cultures, languages and countries of study. The findings of this study indicated that both the HTQ-16 and 30 symptom scales are likely to provide reliable scores across diverse populations. However, the evidence supporting the reliability of scores produced for the re-experiencing, avoidance/numbing and arousal subscales is less strong. Significant moderating effects were found for various sample and methodological variables, such as the gender composition of the sample, cultural group, cultural orientation of the country of origin and trauma type. Building upon the findings of study 1, I performed validity generalization (VG) analyses to assess the overall construct validity of the HTQ symptom scales in Study 2. Seventy-five independent samples were included in the VG that evaluated the convergent and discriminant validity properties of both the HTQ-16 and HTQ-30. The findings revealed that the convergent validity properties of the HTQ-16 are supported to some extent, but the discriminant validity properties are not. Furthermore, there was limited support for either the convergent or discriminant validity of the HTQ-30. Several significant moderating effects were also found for both scales (i.e. age, gender, cultural group, recruitment site, trauma type, being an original sample). Although these studies shed some light into the overall psychometric strength of the HTQ symptom scales, the decision whether to use this instrument for the assessment of PTSD should also be guided by evidence-based assessment guidelines.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(人間・環境学) / 甲第22083号 / 人博第912号 / 新制||人||217(附属図書館) / 2019||人博||912(吉田南総合図書館) / 京都大学大学院人間・環境学研究科共生人間学専攻 / (主査)教授 内田 由紀子, 教授 月浦 崇, 教授 小村 豊 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Human and Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DGAM

This paper investigates ideas and expectations by the mother, grandfather and teacher of monozygotic twins  about  their  development,  considering  the sociocultural constructivist perspective. Through an interpretive-qualitative analysis, categories were constructed inferred from participant’s narratives. Results show that: a) cultural and educational prac- tices carried out within school and family contexts depend on adults’ beliefs about twinship;b) such practices may have fundamental impact over the development of subjectivity of each child; c) there are divergences about beliefs and expectations held by family and school contexts about twins’ behaviors and performances; d) there is a dialogical tension between promoting similarity and/or individuation/differentiation processes. / El artículo analiza las teorías y creencias de la madre, abuela y profesora de gemelos monocigóticos sobre su desarrollo, considerando la perspectiva sociocultural constructivista. Se construyeron categorías a través de una análisis interpretativo-cualitativo de las entrevistas. Los resultados señalan que a) las prácticas culturales y educativas en la escuela y la familia dependen de las creencias que tienen los adultos sobre la condición de gemelaridad; b) dichas prácticas parecen tener un gran impacto sobre el desarrollo de las subjetividades de los gemelos; c) existen divergencias en cuando a las creencias y expectativas de la familia y de la escuela en relación al comportamiento y desempeño de los niños; d) existe una tensión dialógica entre promover una similitud en los procesos de individuación.

The legacy of historical trauma continues to plague Indigenous populations throughout the world. This theoretical dissertation describes how biology (neurodevelopment, neurobiology and endocrinology) and culture (inter-generationally learned behaviors) are intricately intertwined in the development of dysfunctional coping behaviors that contribute to stress-related chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, depression, neurodegenerative disorders and memory impairment) in some individuals. The primary impact of the many episodes of historically traumatic genocide has been post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the onset of dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis). PTSD has had a profound impact on relationships and behaviors, while dysregulation of the HPA-axis is associated with pathophysiology. It is well documented that historical trauma has caused a cultural disconnect from traditional wellness and healing practices. Despite incredible resiliency, the result of this legacy has been a genesis of intergenerational, dysfunctional, coping strategies that have become subtly engrained in a viscous cycle of self-perpetuating, self-inflicting, dysfunctional behaviors that have been carried forward into the next generation as "toxic stress" - in the form of childhood abuse, domestic violence, interpersonal violence, and substance abuse. With time, the association to the initial traumatic assault erodes, leaving behind, collectively, a fragmented society that, in many places, has become the basis for a "cultural crisis". The approach presented in this dissertation is founded upon: 1) cultural acquisition theories that describe how existing cultural constructs and traditions are internalized by children and repeated throughout a life-time into the next generation; and 2) understanding the interaction of the autonomic nervous system (specifically, the HPA-axis and its activation by stress) and the neocortex, the basis for higher psychological processes associated with learning and cultural acquisition. This dissertation offers an explanation for the continued impact of historically traumatic events on the contemporary health and wellness of American Indian and Alaska Native people. It is hoped that this approach leads to specific intervention and prevention measures that are culturally relevant in addressing pathophysiology, cognitive-behavioral issues and the collective cultural changes that have ensued as a result of historical trauma.

Background: The highly driven and often excessive exercise seen in eating disorder patients can be defined as a compulsive behaviour, and is often performed for weight control reasons, as well as for mood regulatory purposes. Compulsive exercisers often exercise in a rigid and rule-driven manner and predominantly report no enjoyment from the activity. Importantly, compulsive exercise has negative clinical implications, such as prolonging eating disorder treatment and representing a key factor in eating disorder relapse. However, despite these negative clinical implications and the large percentage of patients that may experience these harmful and detrimental behaviours, the body of literature examining the aetiology of compulsive exercise is relatively scarce and lacks a coherent theoretical underpinning. Objectives: This thesis aimed to provide the first known investigations into the possible correlates and risk factors for compulsive exercise in adolescent boys and girls. Main Findings: The key prospective predictors of compulsive exercise found in this thesis were self-perfectionism and obsessive-compulsiveness for boys. For girls, internal dysfunctional emotion regulation and a perceived media pressure to be thin were the key risk factors for compulsive exercise. Implications: The results from the thesis suggest that psychological factors are important in the development of compulsive exercise in boys, whereas in girls, a combination of dysfunctional emotion regulation and socio-cultural pressure to be thin could lead to the development of compulsive exercise cognitions and attitudes. Further research is needed to replicate and extend these results, although these thesis findings still provide useful empirical evidence to inform prevention and early intervention programmes for compulsive exercise in adolescents.

What are the factors that shape views and attitudes toward the family, and how are these views and attitudes influenced in changing cultures? Do culture, social change/economic development, childhood experiences, and gender influence family centredness and democratisation? Are there different levels of factors that impact on family centredness and democratisation? If so, how are these factors interlinked? The studies discussed in detail in this thesis investigated family perceptions across cultures and generations, looking closely into specific aspects of family views and attitudes and various factors that impact on them. This thesis attempts to answer these questions by conducting three experiments. Study I (described in Chapter 3), which was conducted in Hungary, South Korea, and Canada (total N=403), tested a hypothesised model based on the literature review (Chapter 2). The study looked at cultural differences in family centredness and democratisation, and the impact of cultural orientation, gender, economic growth (national-level), Postmodernist Values, and political beliefs on perceptions of family centredness and democratisation. Study II (described in Chapter 4), conducted in the US and South Korea amongst young individuals in their late teens or early twenties, and their parents' generations, mostly in their forties and fifties (total N= 230). It expanded on the model by adding Schwartz' value dimensions, self-beliefs, and broader aspects of family perceptions. Furthermore, Study II investigated the intergenerational differences and the impact of childhood experiences by comparing data from two generational groups. Study III (Chapter 5) was conducted in four cultures, Canada, Britain, South Korea, and Japan on 539 university students, in order to ascertain cultural influences on values, beliefs, and family centredness and democratisation. Study III also investigated the interlinks between the factors in each culture more specifically using multi-group analysis method in SEM (Structural Equation Modelling). The final chapter summarises and discusses the implications of the major findings from these studies, and makes note of possible methodological issues. Overall, cross-cultural differences in value priorities, self-beliefs, political beliefs, and perceptions of family centredness and democratisation were found. Generation/age, country-level economic growth and gender were significant predictors for values, beliefs and family views and attitudes discussed in this work. Women and younger generations were more likely to endorse the Autonomous-Related Self-belief, believe in the importance of family democratisation. Stronger belief in the Autonomous-Related self led to higher emphases on family centredness and democratisation. Significant relationship was also found between family centredness and democratisation and individual-level values and beliefs, where stronger democratic beliefs led to stronger belief in the importance of family democratisation, higher endorsement of Self-Transcendence values predicted higher levels of family centredness and democratisation, and stronger Consevation Values predicted higher level of family centredness. By investigating factors influencing family centredness and democratisation, the current work probed into the family in the contemporary world. In line with Kagitcibasi's new model of family change, this thesis demonstrates that certain features of family views and relationship, including perceptions of family centredness, are likely to persist, and contends the individualisation theorists' (e.g., Beck, 1997; Giddens, 1992) negative predictions for the future of the family.