Acculturation,self-efficacy and social support among Chinese immigrants in Northern Ireland

An opportunity sample of 108 Chinese participants (n_male = 51 and n_female = 57; M_age = 29.34) was compared to a second opportunity sample of 98 Northern Irish participants (n_male = 45 and n_female = 53; M_age = 23.67) on levels of acculturation, self-efficacy and social support. The administered questionnaire contained three scales to measure the aforementioned constructs. The first was the AMAS-NIC, a version of the Abbreviated Multidimensional Acculturation Scale [Zea, M. C., Asner-Self, K. K., Birman, D., & Buki, L. P. (2003). The Abbreviated Multidimensional Acculturation Scale: Empirical validation with two Latino/Latina samples. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 9, 107–126] modified to apply to a population of Chinese immigrants in Northern Ireland. The second measure was Mary Wegner's 1992 English version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale [Wright, S., Johnston, M., & Weinman, J. (1995). Measures in health psychology portfolio. UK: Windsor]. The third was the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) whose items emerged through a semi-structured interview and was designed to measure levels of received and sought social support. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the extent to which previous findings concerning acculturation can be generalised to a Chinese immigrant population in Northern Ireland, a country characterised by segregation. T-tests, correlation analyses and a hierarchical regression initially provided support for the generalisability of previous studies on the health benefits of integration as a preferred acculturation strategy [Berry, J. W. (2008). Globalisation and acculturation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32, 328–336], but further interpretation of the results brought to light the shortcomings of this model in the context of a segregated society and the inapplicability of the GSES measure within a collectivistic immigrant population. The limitations of the study are discussed and recommendations for future research are made.     

Identity Management and the Fostering of Network Ignorance: Accounts of Queer Iranian Women in the United States

This qualitative study explores the narratives of 12, first-generation, queer, Iranian-American women in an attempt to better understand the experiences of being both Iranian and queer, and to explore the various ways participants manage their sexual identities within their ethnic communities. Online interviews were analyzed using grounded theory analysis, which revealed that shame anxiety motivates the fostering of network ignorance. Feelings of fear and guilt, which together cultivate shame anxiety, motivate the identity management strategies of queer Iranian women as they attempt to foster ignorance of their sexual orientation within the Iranian community. Strategies include (co)-covering, deceiving and passing, and avoiding.     

Implicit overcompensation: the influence of negative self-instructions on performance of a self-paced motor task

According to Wegner's (1994) theory of ironic processes of mental control, self-instructions not to perform in a certain way, together with mental loads, can induce thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that are precisely the opposite of intention. Wegner's theory was tested against the implicit overcompensation hypothesis, which states that movement direction and magnitude are implicitly dictated by self-instruction, irrespective of load, promoting overcompensation of action. Two experiments were conducted using a golf-putting task. In Experiment 1, 48 participants were randomly assigned to one of four load conditions: cognitive, visual, auditory, and self-presentation/incentive. In the experimental trials, participants were instructed to make the putt, but it was emphasized that the putt should not be left short of the target. Following the instructional strategy, putts landed significantly longer than at baseline, irrespective of load. In Experiment 2, 36 participants were divided into one of three groups, without load, in which different instructional sets (control, not putting long, and not putting short) were emphasized. A significant interaction emerged, as participants putted significantly longer or shorter than controls depending on the instructional set given. Overall, our findings support the implicit overcompensation hypothesis. Theoretical and practical considerations are discussed.     

On the castor dynamic behavior

In this paper, a model describing the castor three-dimensional dynamic behavior, is presented. A procedure, based on the Udwadia-Kalaba formulation has been implemented to write the castor non-linear motion equations. The model takes into account the flexural and lateral compliance of the castor frame and the phenomena related to the wheel rotation. To prescind from the wheel-road interaction parameters, the hypothesis of no sideslip of the wheel has been adopted but other tire models can be easily implemented. The non-linear system stability is evaluated integrating the motion equations and performing a fitting procedure on the natural steering oscillation.     

Why adolescents conform to high-status peers: Associations among conformity,identity alignment,and self-esteem

This study examined whether conformity to high- but not low-status e-confederates was associated with increases in identification with popular peers and subsequent increases in self-esteem. A sample of 250 adolescents (55.1% male; M_age = 12.70 years; 40.3% White, 28.2% Black, 23.4% Hispanic/Latino, and 7.7% multiracial/other) participated in a well-established experimental chat room paradigm where they were exposed to norms communicated by high- and low-status e-confederates. Results revealed that for boys in the high-status condition only, but not girls, the positive relation between conformity and self-esteem was mediated by greater response alignment with popular peers. These findings bolster prior research by suggesting that conformity to popular peers may be partly motivated by drives for self-esteem and alignment with a valued reference group.     

Organisational culture and values and the adaptation of academic units in Australian universities

This study explores connections between the organisational culture and values of academic units in Australian universities and their efforts to adapt to external environmental pressures. It integrates empirical findings from case studies with theories of organisational culture and values and adaptation. It identifies seven dimensions of academic unit’s organisational culture and values that influenced how case study academic units adapted. Then patterns of heterogeneity and homogeneity within these dimensions are noted and their associations with different modes of adaptation are discussed.     

Editorial

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance -