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Keywords = punitive attitude

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17 pages, 304 KiB  
Article
Classroom Culture Wars: Experimental Evidence of the Influence of Religion on Educational Content Regulation and Punishment
by Brady Arrenius, Cameron Shook and Andre P. Audette
Religions 2025, 16(8), 1016; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16081016 - 6 Aug 2025
Viewed by 395
Abstract
The intersection of religion and education in the United States dates to colonial times, as do attempts by religious institutions and individuals to regulate educational content. After a prominent retreat by religious fundamentalists following the Scopes Monkey Trial, conservative Christians have once again [...] Read more.
The intersection of religion and education in the United States dates to colonial times, as do attempts by religious institutions and individuals to regulate educational content. After a prominent retreat by religious fundamentalists following the Scopes Monkey Trial, conservative Christians have once again entered political debates about educational content in the form of modern culture wars issues. Both conservatives and liberals have attempted to punish educators for political comments made in class, but the influence of religion on individual attitudes has yet to be examined. In this article, we use an original survey experiment to examine individuals’ propensity to punish a professor who makes politically charged comments in class. We also assess whether religious individuals are more likely to punish professors for comments disparaging conservatives or liberals. We find that high-attending religious individuals, including both Evangelicals and Catholics, are more likely to support punishing the professor. However, we find that the propensity to punish is not related to the target of the professor’s comments. These findings suggest a resurgence of religious interest in education as a cultural issue at the individual, and not just institutional, level and a coalition between Evangelicals and Catholics on this issue. Full article
19 pages, 488 KiB  
Article
A Little Too Little, A Little Too Late: The Political Impact of Russia’s Anti-Corruption Enforcement
by Marina Zaloznaya and William M. Reisinger
Laws 2025, 14(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws14020020 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1957
Abstract
Similarly to “wars” on drugs and terrorism, the fight against corruption has recently emerged as an attractive political tool. From Argentina and India to the United States and the Philippines, anti-corruption rhetoric has been successfully utilized by political outsiders to challenge establishment candidates. [...] Read more.
Similarly to “wars” on drugs and terrorism, the fight against corruption has recently emerged as an attractive political tool. From Argentina and India to the United States and the Philippines, anti-corruption rhetoric has been successfully utilized by political outsiders to challenge establishment candidates. It remains less clear, however, whether anti-corruption enforcement allows incumbent politicians to hold on to power. In this article, we use a comparative subnational design to analyze the impact of corruption prosecutions on electoral support for the president of Russia. By combining original survey data on popular political attitudes and behaviors as well as citizens’ own participation in petty corruption with official statistics on corruption prosecutions, on the one hand, and data on media coverage of regional corruption scandals, on the other, we reveal a small negative effect of anti-corruptionism on voting for Putin. Our data allow us to adjudicate among several theoretical mechanisms that may lead to this effect. We find that, although ordinary Russians dislike corruption and expect the federal government to fight it, Putin’s anti-corruption enforcement has failed to convince the population that he is the right man for the job. Some Russians, we argue, take the Kremlin’s prosecutions as an indicator of the regime’s failure to prevent corruption among its agents, while others resent the administration for trying to score political points through hyped-up and punitive anti-corruptionism. Full article
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25 pages, 353 KiB  
Article
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Abortion, Catholicism, the Populist Right and Public Health Threats in Poland
by Andrzej Kulczycki
Religions 2023, 14(10), 1271; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101271 - 8 Oct 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5307
Abstract
This article analyzes how and why a near-total abortion ban was recently secured by a populist ruling party with support from Catholic Church leaders and lay groups following earlier passage of one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. The paper further [...] Read more.
This article analyzes how and why a near-total abortion ban was recently secured by a populist ruling party with support from Catholic Church leaders and lay groups following earlier passage of one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. The paper further examines the public health threats posed by these measures, which have long been under-researched. These policy shifts are situated within the deeply embedded context of Poland’s abortion conflict and a setting that has long been challenging for reproductive health. The 1993 ban led to the resurgence of clandestine abortions, a near-total privatization of abortion services, and more women seeking abortion services overseas. In late 2020, the exemption for severe fetal anomalies that made up 97% of all legal abortion cases in prior years was eliminated. Neither ban has significantly reduced the number of women obtaining abortions, nor have they increased birth rates as anticipated by proponents who championed traditional family values that they equated with Catholicism and Polish national identity. The new blanket ban on abortion constitutes a health risk and a punitive measure achieved via a judgement of the Constitutional Tribunal stacked with loyalists by the ruling party. It did not reflect popular will, although societal attitudes on abortion are markedly less permissive than in much of Europe. Although the populist and religious right have realized their long-held goal of further restricting, if not eliminating, women’s access to abortion services, compelling criticisms have been raised about how this move compromises women’s health and autonomy. Ironically, the realization of this goal, which many Poles view as unduly extreme, may also undermine long-term support for both the political right and the Church. The wisdom of their move was widely questioned, sparked the largest protests since the end of Communist rule, and drew international criticism. It proved a polarizing action that alienated many young adults and may have accentuated a secularizing shift. Women and their partners are finding new ways to navigate many public health threats by increasingly traveling beyond Poland for safe abortion care and resorting to newly available medication abortion methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Public Health Threats in the 21st Century)
25 pages, 1286 KiB  
Article
The Affective Regulation of Uncertainty: The Semiotic Dimensionality Model (SDM)
by Sergio Salvatore, Terri Mannarini, Alessandro Gennaro, Giovanna Celia, Serena De Dominicis, Raffaele De Luca Picione, Salvatore Iuso, Skaiste Kerušauskaitė, Johann Roland Kleinbub, Arianna Palmieri, Filippo Pergola, Matteo Reho, Alessia Rochira and Giulia Rocchi
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040217 - 5 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2930
Abstract
This paper presents a novel psychological model of the socio-cognitive management of uncertainty, the semiotic dimensional model (SDM). The SDM claims that uncertainty increases the momentum of affect-laden meanings in meaning-making. This is so because affective meanings provide a simplified interpretation of the [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel psychological model of the socio-cognitive management of uncertainty, the semiotic dimensional model (SDM). The SDM claims that uncertainty increases the momentum of affect-laden meanings in meaning-making. This is so because affective meanings provide a simplified interpretation of the world that restores the experience of being able to make sense of the reality destabilized by uncertainty. Moreover, the SDM models the affective meanings in terms of low-dimensional mental phase space (MPS). Each dimension of the MPS detects a facet of the context. The lower the MPS dimensionality, the lower the number of facets of the context processed, therefore, the more simplified the meaning-making is. We attained the first empirical validation of the SDM in a sample of 120 Italian people. First, the SDM assumption that the low-dimensional MPS is the computational descriptor of affective meaning was tested. Second, an experimental study was designed in which uncertainty was manipulated so as to assess its effects on the dimensionality of participants’ MPS. It was hypothesized that uncertainty induces a decrease in the MPS dimensionality. Results were consistent with both hypotheses. Theoretical implications of the SDM and its relationship with other theories are discussed and future research direction outlined. Full article
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16 pages, 1053 KiB  
Article
A National Portrait of Public Attitudes toward Opioid Use in the US: A Latent Class Analysis
by Suzan M. Walters, Weiwei Liu, Phoebe Lamuda, Jimi Huh, Russell Brewer, O’Dell Johnson, Ricky N. Bluthenthal, Bruce Taylor and John A. Schneider
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4455; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054455 - 2 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4614
Abstract
Background: Opioid overdose rates have steadily been increasing in the United States (US) creating what is considered an overdose death crisis. The US has a mixture of public health and punitive policies aimed to address opioid use and the overdose crisis, yet little [...] Read more.
Background: Opioid overdose rates have steadily been increasing in the United States (US) creating what is considered an overdose death crisis. The US has a mixture of public health and punitive policies aimed to address opioid use and the overdose crisis, yet little is known about public opinion relating to opioid use and policy support. Understanding the intersection of public opinion about opioid use disorder (OUD) and policy can be useful for developing interventions to address policy responses to overdose deaths. Methods: A national sample of cross-sectional data from the AmeriSpeak survey conducted from 27 February 2020 through 2 March 2020 was analyzed. Measures included attitudes toward OUD and policy beliefs. Latent class analysis, a person-centered approach, was used to identify groups of individuals endorsing similar stigma and policy beliefs. We then examined the relationship between the identified groups (i.e., classes) and key behavioral and demographic factors. Results: We identified three distinct groups: (1) “High Stigma/High Punitive Policy”, (2) “High Stigma/Mixed Public Health and Punitive Policy”, and (3) “Low Stigma/High Public Health Policy”. People with higher levels of education had reduced odds of being in the “High Stigma/High Punitive Policy” group. Conclusion: Public health policies are most effective in addressing OUD. We suggest targeting interventions toward the “High Stigma/Mixed Public Health and Punitive Policy” group since this group already displays some support for public health policies. Broader interventions, such as eliminating stigmatizing messaging in the media and redacting punitive policies, could reduce OUD stigma among all groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychology of Addictive Behaviors)
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19 pages, 932 KiB  
Article
Stigmatisation of People with Deviant Sexual Interest: A Comparative Study
by Kirra Combridge and Michele Lastella
Sexes 2023, 4(1), 7-25; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes4010002 - 22 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6671
Abstract
Background: Pedophilia is a deviant sexual interest subject to more public stigma and punitive attitudes than others. Pedophilia has received a disproportionate amount of scholarly attention in comparison to other deviant sexual interests. To address this, the present study offers a comparison of [...] Read more.
Background: Pedophilia is a deviant sexual interest subject to more public stigma and punitive attitudes than others. Pedophilia has received a disproportionate amount of scholarly attention in comparison to other deviant sexual interests. To address this, the present study offers a comparison of the public stigma and punitive attitudes associated with pedophilia, fetishism, and hypersexuality. Methods: Recruited in Australia, one-hundred and twelve individuals participated in an anonymous online survey. Stigmatising and punitive attitudes toward pedophilia, fetishism, and hypersexuality were assessed via sub-scales of perceived dangerousness, deviance, intentionality, and punitive attitudes. Results: Participants held harsher punitive attitudes toward people with pedophilia and thought them to be more deviant and dangerous than people with fetishism and hypersexuality. Participants perceived hypersexuality to be more dangerous and deviant than fetishism. No consistent combination of perceived dangerousness, deviance, and intentionality predicted punitive attitudes toward all conditions. Rather, combinations of punitive attitude predictors were unique across conditions. Conclusions: This research articulates the unparalleled public stigma and punitive attitudes faced by people with pedophilia, compared to people with fetishism and hypersexuality. Findings which suggest that public stigma is stronger for hypersexuality than it is for fetishism are relatively novel, as are the observed predictors of punitive attitudes toward each condition. Knowledge produced by this study contributes to an improved conceptualisation of how the public views individuals who experience deviant sexual interests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sexual Behavior and Attitudes)
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16 pages, 2540 KiB  
Article
Trauma-Informed School Programming: A Partnership Approach to Culturally Responsive Behavior Support
by Tessa Bellamy, Govind Krishnamoorthy, Kay Ayre, Emily Berger, Tony Machin and Bronwyn Elizabeth Rees
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3997; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073997 - 28 Mar 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6767
Abstract
Despite significant investments and reforms, First Nations students have poorer educational outcomes than non-indigenous students. Scholars have pointed to the need to improve the cultural competence of teachers and school leaders, revise punitive and exclusionary disciplinary procedures. and promote the use of culturally [...] Read more.
Despite significant investments and reforms, First Nations students have poorer educational outcomes than non-indigenous students. Scholars have pointed to the need to improve the cultural competence of teachers and school leaders, revise punitive and exclusionary disciplinary procedures. and promote the use of culturally responsive practices to mitigate the impacts of colonization, transgenerational trauma and ongoing structural inequities on students. The development of such trauma-informed, culturally responsive systems in schools requires educators to respectfully work in partnership with First Nations communities, as well as health and community services supporting First Nations families. This pilot study evaluates the impact of multi-tier trauma-informed behavior support practices in a regional primary school with a large population of First Nations students. Utilizing a multiple time series, quasi-experimental, within-subjects design, data on the rates of school attendance and problem behaviors were analyzed. Staff knowledge and attitudes related to trauma-informed care were assessed using a self-reporting measure, before and after the two-year implementation of the program. A reduction in behavior difficulties was found, as well as noted improvements in staff reports of knowledge and attitudes. The implications of the findings for the program and future research on culturally responsive practices in schools are discussed. Full article
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17 pages, 618 KiB  
Article
Out with “Fine Time,” in with Financial Waivers: Recent Developments in Massachusetts Probation Fines and Fees Policies
by Matheson Sanchez and Shytierra Gaston
Soc. Sci. 2021, 10(10), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10100391 - 14 Oct 2021
Viewed by 3191
Abstract
The criminal justice system routinely imposes financial sanctions on probation clients. These fines, fees, and restitution debts often amount to more than what many clients can reasonably afford to pay. Until recently, Massachusetts courts have incarcerated clients solely for their inability to pay [...] Read more.
The criminal justice system routinely imposes financial sanctions on probation clients. These fines, fees, and restitution debts often amount to more than what many clients can reasonably afford to pay. Until recently, Massachusetts courts have incarcerated clients solely for their inability to pay these debts in a practice known as “fine time”. In 2018, the state passed a landmark criminal justice reform bill that restricted the types of cases in which fine time can be ordered. Clients that can establish that payment would lead to financial hardship can now petition the court for a financial waiver accompanied by community service. The current study seeks to explore the implications of the recent reform efforts on probation services by analyzing surveys gathered from a sample of 121 Massachusetts probation officers in 2020. Descriptive findings of officers’ attitudes toward fines and fees, responses to nonpayment by clients, and the use of financial waivers are presented. Officers’ perceptions and practices align with the recent reform efforts, suggesting support among probation personnel for policies that limit punitive responses to nonpayment of legal debts by their supervisees. Possible directions for future research and policy development are discussed. Full article
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13 pages, 598 KiB  
Concept Paper
The “Undeserving” Narrative in Child and Family Social Work and How It Is Perpetuated by “Progressive Neoliberalism”: Ideas for Social Work Education
by Jane Fenton
Societies 2021, 11(4), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc11040123 - 8 Oct 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6491
Abstract
“Progressive neoliberalism” is the current hegemonic approach to understanding social justice in Western liberal democracies. “Progressive neoliberalism” also resurrects the “deserving” vs. “undeserving” narrative that can lead to punitive and pathologising approaches to poor and unemployed people—the demographic comprising the majority of child [...] Read more.
“Progressive neoliberalism” is the current hegemonic approach to understanding social justice in Western liberal democracies. “Progressive neoliberalism” also resurrects the “deserving” vs. “undeserving” narrative that can lead to punitive and pathologising approaches to poor and unemployed people—the demographic comprising the majority of child and family social work service users. Indeed, research suggests that social workers’ attitudes towards families in poverty are strikingly congruent with “progressive neoliberalism.” This article suggests that generational changes and the particular form of group-based identity, postmodern social justice ideology often taught in social work education have unwittingly conspired to create this concerning picture. This article suggests that the resurrection of radical social work, with attention to economic inequality, is one way to counteract this trend. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Protection and Child Welfare)
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12 pages, 510 KiB  
Article
Women’s Views of and Responses to Maternity Services Rendered during Labor and Childbirth in Maternity Units in a Semi-Rural District in South Africa
by Elizabeth Zitha and Mathilda M. Mokgatle
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(14), 5035; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145035 - 13 Jul 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3121
Abstract
Facility-based delivery is an important strategy to prevent poor labor outcomes, and midwives are at the center of maternal care. However, disrespectful and abusive maternal care by midwives is prevalent and leads to poor antenatal care utilization and increased numbers of home deliveries. [...] Read more.
Facility-based delivery is an important strategy to prevent poor labor outcomes, and midwives are at the center of maternal care. However, disrespectful and abusive maternal care by midwives is prevalent and leads to poor antenatal care utilization and increased numbers of home deliveries. The objective of the study was to assess the views of women about the care they received during labor and childbirth and describe the interactions between the women and the midwives. This was a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with women who had delivered in midwife obstetric units at a district hospital in Tshwane District, South Africa. Twenty-six women aged 18–41 years, and had delivered within the previous six months were selected, using purposive sampling. A thematic content analysis approach and NVivo11 computer software were used to identify emergent themes. Most women had had negative experiences of the maternity services they had received during labor and childbirth. Shouting and rude remarks by midwives caused tension between the midwives and the women and had created a major barrier for communication. The abuse and disrespect that the women were subjected to had created a hostile and uncaring environment for them. They felt stressed, fearful, and anxious throughout labor and childbirth. In response to the hostile environment, they employed manipulative tactics such as pushing before time in the hope of getting attention. These acts resulted in punitive responses from the midwives who joined forces against them, reprimanded, or ignored them. Good interactions, described as being respectful, approachable, and polite, and the sharing of information yielded positive experiences of maternity care. The state of maternity services rendered during labor and childbirth is counterproductive to the existing plan of increasing early antenatal care bookings and presentation to the facilities for labor and childbirth. There is a need to retrain midwives in the respectful care of women during labor and childbirth to facilitate a change in their attitudes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Global Health)
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10 pages, 324 KiB  
Article
Emergency and Mental Health Nurses’ Perceptions and Attitudes towards Alcoholics
by Jesús Molina-Mula, Antonio González-Trujillo and Margarita Simonet-Bennassar
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(8), 1733; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081733 - 13 Aug 2018
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 9763
Abstract
Knowing professionals’ attitudes is the basis for the development of skills for dealing with drug dependence. These attitudes may affect patients’ clinical safety and the cost-benefit ratio of the interventions. The goal of this study was to assess emergency and mental health nurses’ [...] Read more.
Knowing professionals’ attitudes is the basis for the development of skills for dealing with drug dependence. These attitudes may affect patients’ clinical safety and the cost-benefit ratio of the interventions. The goal of this study was to assess emergency and mental health nurses’ attitudes and perceptions towards alcoholics. A multicenter prospective descriptive study was conducted in six hospitals with 167 emergency and mental health nurses. Nurses classified alcoholics as sick individuals, although there was a tendency to feel uncomfortable working with them. Results indicated that these professionals had a rejecting attitude towards moderate alcohol consumption. It found that there was a significant association between the attitude of the nurse and gender, with the degree of rejection towards the alcoholic being higher in men than in women, and with less punitive attitudes in professionals with 0 to 11 years of professional experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Substance Abuse, Environment and Public Health)
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