Ziqiang Han

Bio: Ziqiang Han is an academic researcher from Shandong University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Risk perception & Preparedness. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 49 publications receiving 636 citations. Previous affiliations of Ziqiang Han include University of Delaware & Sichuan University.

School Bullying in Urban China: Prevalence and Correlation with School Climate

Abstract: School violence and bullying in China is under investigated, though it has become a national concern recently. Using updated national representative survey data collected in 2016 from seven provinces across China, covering students from all pre-college school types (primary, middle, high and vocational schools), this paper analyzes the prevalence of school bullying and the correlation with several school attributes. The incidences of reported bullying, bullying others and witnessing bullying are 26.10%, 9.03% and 28.90%, respectively. Primary school students are more likely to be involved in bullying behaviors. Students from elite schools (leading schools) are also more likely to be involved. Relation with teachers, relation with peers and perceived academic achievement are protective factors. Being a boy is the only significant predictor of school bullying among the family and demographic characteristics used. The results highlight the importance of school climate on preventing school violence and bullying, and a whole-school intervention approach is needed for future intervention.

The effects of trust in government on earthquake survivors’ risk perception and preparedness in China

Abstract: The role of trust in natural hazards risk management has not been widely examined yet. In this paper, the correlation between trust in government and individuals’ risk perception, as well as the perceived preparedness for earthquakes is examined. Survey data from 501 households in a Tibetan area in China affected by the 2010 Yushu earthquake are analyzed. The dependent variables are perceived seismic risk probability and consequences, as well as reported household preparedness for future earthquakes. The main predictor variable is trust in government, while trust in family members, trust in most of people in the society, trust in friends/relatives/colleagues, disaster impact, social support, socioeconomic and demographic variables (income, estimated house value, owned land, number of kids, gender, age, ethnicity, education, job categories, marriage status, political affiliation, religion, rural/urban residence) are used as control variables. Ordinal logistic regression models are employed in the analysis. The results indicate that people with higher degrees of trust in government perceive lower consequences of potential earthquakes and tend to prepare less. In the preparedness model, both perceived probability and consequences are additional strong and significant predictors. Potential theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

Resilience of an Earthquake-Stricken Rural Community in Southwest China: Correlation with Disaster Risk Reduction Efforts

Abstract: Disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities have given growing attention to building community resilience, but the effects of such efforts on community resilience are still under-investigated, especially in China where the concept of community resilience has only just emerged. Using the Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit Assessment Survey, data on self-perceived community resilience were collected in 2017 from a post-disaster Chinese rural community in Yingxiu Town, which was the epicenter of the Wenchuan earthquake (Magnitude = 8.0) in the year 2008. Linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the correlations between residents’ DRR behaviors and perceived community resilience with the control of their socio-demographic characteristics including age, ethnicity, gender, education, income level, employment status and marital status. Results indicate that residents who volunteered for DRR activities, received geological disaster education, participated in evacuation drills, and reported higher income levels had a perception of higher community resilience. Practice research is suggested to help clarify the cause and effect of DRR work on the enhancement of community resilience to disasters in China and abroad. Attention is also called to the development of a Chinese indigenous community resilience concept and assessment instrument.

Factors Influencing the Adoption of Online Health Consultation Services: The Role of Subjective Norm, Trust, Perceived Benefit, and Offline Habit.

Abstract: The cyberspace plays an important role in improving the quality, equity, and efficiency of health services. Studying people's adoption of online health services, such as online health consultation services (OHCS) can benefit both industry and policy in the health service sector. This paper investigates influencing factors and paths of people's intention of adopting OHCS by employing the extended valence framework, with our new contribution of integrating subjective norm and offline habit into the model. Five hundred forty-three university students participated in the survey. Structural equation models and Sobel-Goodman tests were applied to test the models. The results show that subjective norm (β = 0.077, p = 0.041), trust in providers (β = 0.194, p = 0.002) and perceived benefit (β = 0.463, p < 0.001) positively affect the intention to adopt OHCS, while offline habit (β = -0.111, p = 0.026) has a negative effect. However, the association of perceived risk (β = -0.062, p = 0.315) and adoption is not supported. Moreover, trust in providers plays a mediating role between subjective norm and the intention of adopting, while perceived benefit mediates the relationship between trust in providers and the intention of adopting. This study highlights the importance of trust, subjective norm, perceived benefit, and persisting habits in promoting the adoption of OHCS.

How Does Disaster Relief Works Affect the Trust in Local Government? A Study of the Wenchuan Earthquake

Abstract: Political trust can lead to cooperation and is very important in emergency and disaster management. However, the impact of disaster events on political trust is complicated. On May 12, 2008, a disruptive earthquake hit Southwest China, killing thousands of people and causing billions in economic losses. The Chinese national government's swift response was praised by the public, but the local government trust was not well documented. Through fieldwork in one of the most damaged counties, how disaster relief work affected the trust in local government was analyzed. Political trust varies in different levels of government in China. People trust the central government more than the local government. After the earthquake, there was a polarization trend in the local political trust. The few cases of role abandonment had a very bad effect on local political trust. The pre-disaster distrust, the impolite manners of local officials, and the gap between public expectations and the local government capacity in disaster relief impaired trust in local government. An easily operated and widely covered disaster assistance model is good to improve political trust after extreme tragedies. How to implement policies effectively and equally at the local level and the intergovernmental interchanges are the challenges for all levels of government, and will impact the public's trust in government.

Human Nature and the Social Order

Abstract: “WHAT can men do, what do they do, and what do they want to do ?”—these are the uestions that Prof. Thorndike seeks to answer in a very comprehensive and elaborate treatise. His undertaking is inspired by the belief that man has the possibility of almost complete control of his fate if only he will be guided by science, and that his failures are attributable to ignorance or folly. The main approach is through biological psychology, but all the social sciences are appealed to and utilized in an effort to deal with the human problem as a whole. The relative immaturity of the sciences dealing with man is continually stressed, but it is claimed that they provide a body of facts and principles which are “far above zero knowledge”, and that even now they are capable of affording valuable guidance in the shaping of public policy. Human Nature and the Social Order By E. L. Thorndike. Pp. xx + 1020. (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1940.) 18s. net.

Sampling: Design and Analysis

Abstract: In his seminal book, Shewhart (1931) makes no demand on the distribution of the characteristic to be plotted on a control chart. How then can we explain the idea that normality is, if not required, at least highly desirable? I believe that it has come about through the many statistical studies of control-chart behavior. If one is to study how a control chart behaves, it is necessary to relate it to some distribution. The obvious choice is the normal distribution because of its ubiquity as a satisfactory model. This is bolstered by the existence of the Central Limit Theorem.

Understanding and Measuring Social Capital: A Multidisciplinary Tool for Practitioners

Abstract: The importance of social capital for sustainable development, is by now well recognized. Anthropologists, sociologists, political scientists, and economists have in their own ways, demonstrated the critical role of institutions, networks, and their supporting norms and values, for the success of development interventions. This success often hinges on accurate assessments of social capital in target communities. But the nature, and impact of social capital - the institutions, relationships, attitudes, and values that govern interactions among people - are not easily quantified. "Understanding and Measuring Social Capital" provides a conceptual review, and measurement tools, in a form readily available for development practitioners. The book discusses the respective value of quantitative, and qualitative approaches to the analysis of social capital, illustrating the discussion with examples, and case studies from many countries. It also presents the Social Capital Assessment Tool, which combines quantitative, and qualitative instruments to measure social capital at the level of household, community, and organization, drawing on multidisciplinary, empirical experiences, an application which can provide project managers with valuable baseline, and monitoring information about social capital in its different dimensions.

The Psychological Causes of Panic Buying Following a Health Crisis.

Abstract: Attributed to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, panic buying is now a frequent occurrence in many countries, leading to stockouts and supply chain disruptions. Consequently, it has received much attention from academics and the retail industry. The aim of this study is to review, identify, and synthesise the psychological causes of panic buying, which is a relatively new and unexplored area in consumer behaviour research. A systematic review of the related literature is conducted. The review suggests that panic buying is influenced by (1) individuals’ perception of the threat of the health crisis and scarcity of products; (2) fear of the unknown, which is caused by negative emotions and uncertainty; (3) coping behaviour, which views panic buying as a venue to relieve anxiety and regain control over the crisis; and (4) social psychological factors, which account for the influence of the social network of an individual. This study contributes to the literature by consolidating the scarce and scattered research on the causes of panic buying, drawing greater theoretical insights into each cause and also offers some implications for health professionals, policy makers, and retailers on implementing appropriate policies and strategies to manage panic buying. Recommendations for future research are also provided.