Methodological Approaches to Assessing Risk Perceptions Associated with Food-Related Hazards

The psychometric approach developed by Slovic and his co-workers has been effectively used to assess risk perceptions associated with different food-related hazards. However, further examination (using questionnaire data and partial correlation techniques) has indicated that technological hazards are highly differentiated from lifestyle hazards, in terms of both hazard control and knowledge about the hazard. Optimistic bias was also seen to vary between hazards. Further research has focused on a particular hazard, genetic engineering. Risk perceptions associated with genetic engineering are underpinned by ethical concern and questions relating to perceived need for the technology, as well as perceptions of risk or harm. However, increasing the specificity of hazard stimuli was found to alter the factor structure of underlying risk perceptions. The utility of preference mapping procedures in determining individual differences in trust in risk regulators is also discussed.     

Effects of critical incident tasks on the intercultural competence of English non-majors

ABSTRACT

In this internationalised world, graduate employability in terms of intercultural communication skills needs to be taken into account in higher education. The present study aims to explore the effects of critical incident task instruction on English non-majored undergraduates’ intercultural competence. One group of students received ten weeks of instruction with one critical incident task per week and another group received standard English classes. Data were collected from the students’ pre- and post-test. The results showed a significant and strong effect of the intervention with critical incident tasks. Implications for educational practice are presented for further teaching with critical incident tasks.     

20 years of Bologna - a story of success,a story of failure

The Bologna Process is a unique harmonisation process taking place outside the policy-making framework of the European Union. It aims at enhancing the comparability and compatibility of higher education structures and degrees across Europe, as well as to institutionalise quality assurance mechanisms. The aim of this article is to provide a condensed, up-to-date overview of the Bologna Process with regard to structural characteristics, before embedding it into a discussion on processes on voluntary policy convergence and to which extent we should be able to find this kind of policy harmonisation in the realm of the Bologna Process. Related to this are questions why this, in principle, completely voluntary process of policy harmonisation, has appealed to so many countries and why they might or might not feel committed to the implementation of its policies and tools.     

The Conversation of Scholarship

Abstract

At its core, scholarship is a long, threaded, multiparticipant conversation. Scholars, students, librarians, and publishers all are engaged. There are side conversations addressing specific fields and larger conversations asking probing questions about the nature of scholarship as a whole. Librarians’ contributions to the broader conversation have not always accounted for our side conversations, among ourselves or with other participants. Our choices in acquisitions, our choices in services, even our choices in library job titles and responsibilities signal and shape the scholarly conversation in ways that are often opaque. It is imperative that we openly acknowledge the influence and impact of our side conversations to ensure our full participation in the conversation of scholarship.     

论大学生创新能力的培养

从培养对象、培养者以及政府行为等 3个方面 ,分析培养大学生创新能力的艰巨性。依据教育的本质提出 :培养大学生的创新能力 ,应以知识为载体、传授知识为手段、将其渗透融合在教学的全过程 ;以环境建设、机会与空间、教学环节作为培养大学生创新能力的三大要素 ,系统地论述如何做好此项工作。并结合工作实践 ,介绍了在教学过程中相机培养大学生创新能力的尝试     

跨文化意识的培养：问题与对策

在外语教学活动中，有效地培养学生的跨文化意识，增强学生的跨文化交际能力，既是教育工作者的历史使命，也是外语教学改革的一项重大课题。探索在外语教学中培养学生跨文化意识的主要途径，很有现实意义。     

浅议英语学习中的文化差异

东西方文化存在着很大的差异,对西方文化不了解,势必造成英语学习的障碍乃至交际的失误。     

跨文化情景下的文化认同与和谐相处——以在美国阿肯色大学的学习生活经历为例

以美国阿肯色大学跨文化交流的经历为背景,以具体文化情景下的不同感受和体验为基础,揭示了在跨文化交流的情景下文化认同的两种表现:既表现为因语言相同或相近、宗教信仰相同、地域相近或相邻而产生的亲近感和归属感;也表现为因文化差异而产生的吸引或冲突。而在这种跨文化交流的情景下要实现和谐相处,就要做到"我"与"他者"之间文化上的"欣赏"与"分享",即"文化的互为主体性",而这种和谐的实现源于人类本性的相通,即"人类心灵的共同点"。     

Passing Encounters East and West: Comparing Japanese and American Pedestrian Interactions

This study examined the microinteractions of pedestrians in Japan and in the United States as they walked past a confederate. Specifically, the effects of culture, condition (avoid, look-only, and look plus smile) and sex of confederate on glances, smiles, nods, and greetings by passing pedestrians were examined in a field study on over 1000 participants. The hypotheses of (1) lower responsiveness in Japanese pedestrians than in American pedestrians and (2) increased responsiveness as a function of condition were supported in a series of log-linear analyses of pedestrian glances, smiles, nods, and greetings. Both of these main effects were, however, qualified by Culture X Condition interactions on smiles, nods, and greetings, with the large condition effects present in the American pedestrians, but absent in the Japanese pedestrians. The results are discussed in terms of the functions of glances, smiles, nods, and greetings in these brief encounters and how differing cultural norms affect Japanese and American responsiveness. Finally, the limitations of this study and the broader utility of this research paradigm are discussed.

Imagined interactions,family money management patterns and coalitions,and attitudes toward money and credit

This study explores the imagined interactions college students have with their parents about money and credit, their attitudes toward credit and money, the ways they say their parents deal with financial decisions, and the communication coalitions regarding finances they perceive existing within their family. Students’ imagined interaction pleasantness is greatest when parents jointly form a plan for paying off credit card debt and lowest when parents argue. When family coalitions exist, students report more frequent imagined interactions. Imagined interaction frequency and pleasantness are related to credit and money attitudes.