Explanation Of Behavior Research Articles

An Efficient Numerical Scheme for a Time-Fractional Black–Scholes Partial Differential Equation Derived from the Fractal Market Hypothesis

Since the early 1970s, the study of Black–Scholes (BS) partial differential equations (PDEs) under the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) has been a subject of active research in financial engineering. It has now become obvious, even to casual observers, that the classical BS models derived under the EMH framework fail to account for a number of realistic price evolutions in real-time market data. An alternative approach to the EMH framework is the Fractal Market Hypothesis (FMH), which proposes better and clearer explanations of market behaviours during unfavourable market conditions. The FMH involves non-local derivatives and integral operators, as well as fractional stochastic processes, which provide better tools for explaining the dynamics of evolving market anomalies, something that classical BS models may fail to explain. In this work, using the FMH, we derive a time-fractional Black–Scholes partial differential equation (tfBS-PDE) and then transform it into a heat equation, which allows for ease of implementing a high-order numerical scheme for solving it. Furthermore, the stability and convergence properties of the numerical scheme are discussed, and overall techniques are applied to pricing European put option problems.

Racial-Ethnic Poverty Gaps in Later Life: A Role for Late Career Employment Quality?

Abstract Racial-ethnic disparities in poverty are an important form of inequality in older age. Recent scholarship on racial-ethnic poverty gaps demonstrates that, beyond individual characteristics and behaviors, racialized structural factors like employment contribute to such gaps. Yet surprisingly little is known about the role of employment quality, despite observed racial-ethnic disparities in employment quality and the role of employment history in shaping later life well-being. Using data from the 2002–2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and three poverty measures, we decompose the proportions of the Black-white and Hispanic-white poverty gaps among households led by 65-year-olds that are attributable to disparities in late career employment quality. We find that racial-ethnic disparities in late career employment quality account for 17–28 percent of the observed Black-white and 18–32 percent of the observed Hispanic-white poverty gaps, thus explaining a greater proportion of such gaps than many common individual or behavioral explanations. Disaggregating employment quality into its component measures, we find racial-ethnic disparities in access to employer-provided health insurance and hourly wages account for the largest proportion of racial-ethnic poverty gaps. Our findings suggest that employment quality captures important racialized dimensions of labor market context that help account for racial-ethnic inequalities in later life poverty in the United States.

Violent attitudes in Portugal and Canada: Measurement invariance and psychometric properties of the Evaluation of Violence Questionnaire.

Theory and evidence suggest that attitudes toward violence are relevant for the explanation, prediction, and reduction of violent behavior. The purpose of the present study was to adapt a measure of violent attitudes-the Evaluation of Violence Questionnaire (EVQ)-for use in Portugal, test the cross-country equivalence, and test the validity of both versions. We found the expected one-factor structure, high internal consistency, and cross-country measurement invariance for the Portuguese and original EVQ with men in Portugal (N = 320) and Canada (N = 298). We also found the expected pattern of correlations with measures of more versus less theoretically relevant constructs: both versions of the EVQ showed the strongest correlations with overall aggression and reactive aggression; slightly lower correlations with proactive aggression; negative correlations with self-control; and the smallest correlations with self-esteem. Our results support the equivalence, reliability, and validity of the Portuguese and original versions of the EVQ.

On the Physical Mechanisms Driving the Different Deep Penetration of Radiation Belt Electrons and Protons

AbstractDuring active geomagnetic periods both electrons and protons in the outer radiation belt have been frequently observed to penetrate to low L (<4). Previous studies have demonstrated systematic differences in the deep penetration of the two species of particles, most notably that the penetration of protons is observed less frequently than for electrons of the same energies. A recent study by Mei et al. (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101921) showed that the time‐varying convection electric field contributes to the deeper penetration of low‐energy electrons and that a radial diffusion‐convection model can be used to reproduce the storm‐time penetration of lower‐energy electrons to lower L. In this study, we analyze and provide physical explanations for the different behaviors of electrons and protons in terms of their penetration depth to low L. A radial diffusion‐convection model is applied for the two species with coefficients that are adjusted according to the mass‐dependent relativistic effects on electron and proton drift velocity, and the different loss mechanisms included for each species. Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave scattering losses for 100s of keV protons during a specific event are modeled and quantified; the results suggest that EMIC waves interacting with protons of lower energies than electrons can contribute to prevent the inward transport of the protons.

Experimental analysis of failure behaviour of PA12 specimens manufactured by SLS as a function of wall thickness and build direction

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate and explain the dual fracture behaviour of PA12 specimens sintered by selective laser sintering (SLS) as a function of wall thickness and build direction with a powder mixture 30:70. To achieve this objective, research related to chemical, thermal and structural behaviours as a function of the input variables was carried out to describe and explain why ductile-fragile behaviour occurs during fractures under uniaxial tension manufactured via a methodology of material analysis and manufacturing processes.Design/methodology/approachThe factorial design 32 relates the fracture of PA12 tensile specimens to the horizontal, transverse and vertical build directions at 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mm thicknesses, respectively. Fractographic images revealed the fracture surfaces and their dual ductile-fragile behaviour related to the specimens’ measured crystalline, thermal, surface and chemical properties.FindingsThe study showed that thermal property variables differ depending on the input variables. The wall thickness variable affected this morphology the most, showing the highest percentage of the ductile area, followed by the transverse and vertical directions. It was determined that the failure in the vertical direction is due to crystalline gradients associated with the layer-by-layer construction process. The pore density may be closely related to generating ductile and brittle areas.Originality/valueIn this paper, fracture characterisation is performed based on the mechanical, chemical, structural, thermal and morphological properties of PA12 manufactured by SLS. In addition, a heatmap of porosities in cross-sections is constructed using a machine learning model (k-means) related to dual fracture behaviour. This research revealed significant differences in the fracture type according to the build direction. In addition, thin-section fractography provides a more detailed explanation of the fragile behaviour of the vertical direction associated with crystalline changes due to the direction of the sintering layers.

Evolutionary behavior of thermal and optical properties of fluoride fiberglass with Er3+ doping

AbstractEr3+‐doped fluoride glass and fiber have been widely used in multiple fields such as mid‐infrared laser, visible laser, and amplifier. However, there is no unified conclusion on the thermal and optical properties with respect to varying concentrations of Er3+ doping. Furthermore, this is a paucity of systematic guidance on the preparation of Er3+‐doped fluoride glass and fiber. In this study, fluorozirconate fiberglass with Er3+ doping is systematically examined. Additionally, a preliminary explanation of the evolutionary behavior of glass devitrification, thermal properties, and fluorescence properties is provided. Energy transition models were built for 1.5 and 2.7 µm emissions in Er3+‐doped fluorozirconate at room temperature. Moreover, a suitable doping concentration is proposed based on the evolutionary behavior of thermal and optical properties. In this study, guidance on appropriate Er3+ doping concentration levels in fluorozirconate glass is provided and potential applications are explored.

Renormalization group analysis of the Anderson model on random regular graphs

We present a renormalization group (RG) analysis of the problem of Anderson localization on a random regular graph (RRG) which generalizes the RG of Abrahams, Anderson, Licciardello, and Ramakrishnan to infinite-dimensional graphs. The RG equations necessarily involve two parameters (one being the changing connectivity of subtrees), but we show that the one-parameter scaling hypothesis is recovered for sufficiently large system sizes for both eigenstates and spectrum observables. We also explain the nonmonotonic behavior of dynamical and spectral quantities as a function of the system size for values of disorder close to the transition, by identifying two terms in the beta function of the running fractal dimension of different signs and functional dependence. Our theory provides a simple and coherent explanation for the unusual scaling behavior observed in numerical data of the Anderson model on RRG and of many-body localization.

Breakthrough-induced loop formation in evolving transport networks

Transport networks, such as vasculature or river networks, provide key functions in organisms and the environment. They usually contain loops whose significance for the stability and robustness of the network is well documented. However, the dynamics of their formation is usually not considered. Such structures often grow in response to the gradient of an external field. During evolution, extending branches compete for the available flux of the field, which leads to effective repulsion between them and screening of the shorter ones. Yet, in remarkably diverse processes, from unstable fluid flows to the canal system of jellyfish, loops suddenly form near the breakthrough when the longest branch reaches the boundary of the system. We provide a physical explanation for this universal behavior. Using a 1D model, we explain that the appearance of effective attractive forces results from the field drop inside the leading finger as it approaches the outlet. Furthermore, we numerically study the interactions between two fingers, including screening in the system and its disappearance near the breakthrough. Finally, we perform simulations of the temporal evolution of the fingers to show how revival and attraction to the longest finger leads to dynamic loop formation. We compare the simulations to the experiments and find that the dynamics of the shorter finger are well reproduced. Our results demonstrate that reconnection is a prevalent phenomenon in systems driven by diffusive fluxes, occurring both when the ratio of the mobility inside the growing structure to the mobility outside is low and near the breakthrough.

KG-LIME: predicting individualized risk of adverse drug events for multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapy.

The aim of this project was to create time-aware, individual-level risk score models for adverse drug events related to multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapy and to provide interpretable explanations for model prediction behavior. We used temporal sequences of observational medical outcomes partnership common data model (OMOP CDM) concepts derived from an electronic health record as model features. Each concept was assigned an embedding representation that was learned from a graph convolution network trained on a knowledge graph (KG) of OMOP concept relationships. Concept embeddings were fed into long short-term memory networks for 1-year adverse event prediction following drug exposure. Finally, we implemented a novel extension of the local interpretable model agnostic explanation (LIME) method, knowledge graph LIME (KG-LIME) to leverage the KG and explain individual predictions of each model. For a set of 4859 patients, we found that our model was effective at predicting 32 out of 56 adverse event types (P < .05) when compared to demographics and past diagnosis as variables. We also assessed discrimination in the form of area under the curve (AUC = 0.77 ± 0.15) and area under the precision-recall curve (AUC-PR = 0.31 ± 0.27) and assessed calibration in the form of Brier score (BS = 0.04 ± 0.04). Additionally, KG-LIME generated interpretable literature-validated lists of relevant medical concepts used for prediction. Many of our risk models demonstrated high calibration and discrimination for adverse event prediction. Furthermore, our novel KG-LIME method was able to utilize the knowledge graph to highlight concepts that were important to prediction. Future work will be required to further explore the temporal window of adverse event occurrence beyond the generic 1-year window used here, particularly for short-term inpatient adverse events and long-term severe adverse events.

Rethinking child behavior: Attribution retraining improves child educators' understanding and response

Adults' explanations for child behavior influence their response and, in turn, how child behavior and development progress. Various social-psychological factors (e.g., cognitive belief structures, developmental expectations) help determine the formation of attributions, which are characterized as largely stable. Nonetheless, research demonstrates that attributions can be restructured via attribution retraining (AR). The following study was the first to examine the impact of an AR intervention embedded within training in child development and traumatic stress response. Of particular interest was the malleability and stability of attributions of child behavior, and their contribution to discipline responses among 114 child educators (e.g., teachers, administrators). Post-training, there was a significant decrease in participants' causal attributions and unsupportive intervention preference and a significant increase in trauma-informed attitudes, largely maintained at one-year follow-up, suggesting that this training intervention offers a feasible and scalable method to integrate child development and trauma-informed care to improve perceptions of child behavior.

Blueshift of the CN stretching vibration of acetonitrile in solution: computational and experimental study.

Acetonitrile, a polar molecule that cannot form hydrogen bonds on its own, interacts with solvent molecules mainly through the lone pair of its nitrogen atom and the π electrons of its CN triple bond [Correction added on 17 July 2024, after first online publication: Acetole has been changed to Acetonitrile in the preceeding sentence.]. Interestingly, acetonitrile exhibits an unexpected strengthening of the triple bond's force constant in an aqueous environment, leading to an upshift (blueshift) in the corresponding stretching vibration: this effect contrasts with the usual consequence of hydrogen bonding on the vibrational frequencies of the acceptor groups, that is, frequency redshift. This investigation elucidates this phenomenon using Raman spectroscopy to examine the behavior of acetonitrile in organic solvent, water, and silver ion aqueous solutions, where an even more pronounced upshift is observed. Raman spectroscopy is particularly well suited for analyzing aqueous solutions due to the minimal scattering effect of water molecules across most of the vibrational spectrum. Computational approaches, both static and dynamical, based on Density Functional Theory and hybrid functionals, are employed here to interpret these findings, and accurately reproduce the vibrational frequencies of acetonitrile in different environments. Our calculations also allow an explanation for this unique behavior in terms of electric charge displacements. On the other hand, the study of the interaction of acetonitrile with water molecules and metal ions is relevant for the use of this molecule as a solvent in both chemical and pharmaceutical applications.

Optimization of thermal performance in ternary nanofluids dynamics on curved surface through employment of active and passive strategies

Improving thermal conductivity of heat transporting fluids is one of the most effective strategies to address practical challenges relating to optimization of heat energy. This novel study aims at employment of some active as well as passive strategies to investigate their engagement in maximizing energy transportation. The active strategies include addition of nanoparticles of three different metal oxides in the water to enhance its heat conductivity. The presence of gyrotactic microorganisms in ternary nanofluid is assumed to improve solubility. We have also considered nanometric phenomenon of Brownian motion and thermophoresis which were declared most effective in heat and mass transport by Buongiorno. Moreover, effects of magnetic force, thermal radiations, nonlinear heat source, activation energy, and chemical reaction are deliberated to estimate effects of their presence on temperature and rheology of ternary nanofluid flow. Apart from said active strategies to control heat and mass flow rate, curvature of curved surface and porous media has been employed to determine their efficacy as passive controls, particularly on ternary nanofluid flow on curved surface. The modeled equations are solved numerically by MATLAB bvp4c package and solution is validated by comparison of acquired results with those already published in literature. The obtained results are discussed in details by providing physical explanations of rheological and thermal behavior of flow. The study concludes that combination of active and passive control strategies can be effectively utilized to improve overall rheological behavior and thermal performance of ternary nanofluid. This study contributes in better understanding of heat and mass transport in ternary nanofluid dynamics with active and passive control strategies promoting advances in research at intersection of these fields having wide range real-life applications and implications.

Place, displacement, and health-seeking behaviour among the Ugandan Batwa: A qualitative study.

For many Indigenous Peoples, relationships to the land are inherent in identity and culture, and to all facets of health and wellbeing, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. The Batwa are Indigenous Peoples of rural, southwest Uganda who have experienced tremendous social and economic upheaval, due to relatively recent forced displacement and land dispossession. This loss of physical connection to their ancestral lands has significantly impacted Batwa health, and also affected available healthcare options for Batwa. This exploratory study (1) identified and characterized factors that influence Batwa health-seeking behaviour, using acute gastrointestinal illness, a critical public health issue, as a focal point for analysis; and (2) explored possible intersections between the Batwa's connection to place-and displacement-and their health-seeking behaviour for acute gastrointestinal illness. Twenty focus group discussions, stratified by gender, were conducted in ten Batwa settlements in Kanungu District, Uganda and eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary healthcare workers, community health coordinators, clinical officers, and development program coordinators. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed using a constant comparative method. Batwa identified several significant motivators to engage with Indigenous and/or biomedical forms of healthcare, including transition to life outside the forest and their reflections on health in the forest; 'intellectual access' to care and generational knowledge-sharing on the use of Indigenous medicines; and Batwa identity and way of life. These nuanced explanations for health-seeking behaviour underscore the significance of place-and displacement-to Batwa health and wellbeing, and its relationship to their health-seeking behaviour for acute gastrointestinal illness. As such, the results of this study can be used to inform healthcare practice and policy and support the development of a culturally- and contextually-appropriate healthcare system, as well as to reduce the burden of acute gastrointestinal illness among Batwa.

Number Processing Constraints and Earnings News

Neuroscience shows that human brains are neurologically constrained to process small numbers linearly and large numbers logarithmically, leading to underreactions to larger numbers as their perceived difference becomes smaller. We test this hypothesis in the context of earnings announcements and find that investors respond less in the short term to earnings news for stocks with high earnings per share magnitudes, exacerbating postearnings announcement drift for these stocks. These findings are distinct from and incremental to several risk-based and behavioral explanations, attenuated by robot presence and present in a quasi-experimental design using stock splits. Our evidence suggests that number processing constraints have implications for stock price efficiency. This paper was accepted by Will Cong, finance. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.01722 .

An Evolutionary Perspective on the DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders

Recent work has nested the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) within several theoretical paradigms of personality and clinical psychology (e.g., multivariate, psychodynamic). This has both spurred on additional research and aided in practical application. Connecting the model to other theoretical heuristics may lead to further advances. One candidate for such a theory is that of evolutionary psychology, which attempts to provide explanations of human behavior (including personality traits) rooted in adaptation. In this article, we review and integrate the theoretical and empirical literature on the AMPD and evolutionary psychology, providing a synthesis of the two models in the hope of furthering the research and application of both.

Consciousness and Perspectival De Se content

Most people think indexical thought has special content (de se content). However, it has been acknowledged that classical examples, such as those offered by Perry and Lewis, are insufficient to establish this conclusion. Ongoing discussions typically focus on first-person beliefs and their relationship to the explanation of successful behavior and linguistic practices. Instead, I want to direct attention to the phenomenal content of our conscious experiences and the largely neglected contribution that its comprehension can make to the way in which first-person representation is understood. This paper offers a novel argument for both the existence and a specific interpretation of the essential indexicality thesis based on widely accepted assumptions regarding the relation between phenomenology and representation. Specifically, I will argue that if (i) two different individuals can have token experiences with the same phenomenology and ii) two token experiences of ordinary subjects with the same phenomenology have the same phenomenal content, then phenomenal content is de se content of a particular kind: perspectival de se content.

Rational and ambitious legislators? Role theory, between open questions and new applicability

Abstract Role theory utilizes sociological and political science tools to study parliamentary functioning and parliamentarians’ behavior. While scholars in the USA (1960–70) and Europe (1990–2010) have extensively applied it, this review focuses on its enduring theoretical validity. It introduces a role choice typology, categorizing parliamentarians in empirical studies. The analysis highlights role theory strengths and weaknesses, highlighting that the goal of reelection represents only one potential explanation of parliamentarian behavior. The article suggests reconsidering the sociological concept of role to derive testable hypotheses. In addition, the article extends role theory applications to studying legislative careers and less institutionalized legislatures.

The impact of gaseous degradation on the gas–particle partitioning of methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract. The partitioning of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) between gas and particle phases plays a crucial role in their long-range transport and health risk assessment. However, the accurate prediction of the gas–particle (G–P) partitioning quotient (KP′) remains a challenge, especially for the light-molecular-weight (LMW) SVOCs due to their upward deviation from equilibrium state. In this study, the phenomenon with the influence of gaseous degradation on G–P partitioning was observed. Based on the diurnal study of concentrations and KP′ values for methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Me-PAHs), it was found that the KP′ values of methylated naphthalenes (Me-Naps; one type of LMW SVOC) during the daytime were higher than during the nighttime, and the regression lines of log KP′ versus log KOA (octanol–air partitioning coefficient) for daytime and nighttime were non-overlapping, which were different from other Me-PAHs. Compared with other diurnal influencing factors, the higher gaseous degradation of Me-Naps in the daytime than in the nighttime should partially explain their special diurnal variation in KP′, which provided a new explanation for the non-equilibrium behavior of KP′ for LMW SVOCs. Moreover, the influence of gaseous degradation on the deviation of KP′ from equilibrium state was deeply studied based on the steady-state G–P partitioning model considering particulate proportion in emission (ϕ0). The increasing times of KP′ influenced by the gaseous degradation deviated from equilibrium state can be calculated by 1 + 13.2ϕ0 × kdeg (kdeg, gaseous degradation rate). The increase in KP′ along with the increase in kdeg proved that higher gaseous degradation in the daytime could increase the KP′ value. Furthermore, an amplification in KP′ ranging from 1.11 to 5.58 times (90 % confidence interval: 1.01 to 14.4) under different ϕ0 values (0 to 1) in the temperature range of −50 to 50 °C was estimated by the Monte Carlo analysis. In summary, it can be concluded that the influence of gaseous degradation should also be considered in the G–P partitioning models of SVOCs, especially for the LMW SVOCs, which provided new insights into the related fields.

Optimism bias in susceptibility to phishing attacks: an empirical study

Purpose Researchers looking for ways to change the insecure behaviour that results in phishing have considered multiple possible reasons for such behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to understand the role of optimism bias (OB – defined as a cognitive bias), which characterises overly optimistic or unrealistic individuals, to ensure secure behaviour. Research that focused on issues such as personality traits, trust, attitude and Security, Education, Training and Awareness (SETA) was considered. Design/methodology/approach This study built on a recontextualized version of the theory of planned behaviour to evaluate the influence that optimism bias has on phishing susceptibility. To model the data, an analysis was performed on 226 survey responses from a South African financial services organisation using partial least squares (PLS) path modelling. Findings This study found that overly optimistic employees were inclined to behave insecurely, while factors such as attitude and trust significantly influenced the intention to behave securely. Practical implications Our contribution to practice seeks to enhance the effectiveness of SETA by identifying and addressing the optimism bias weakness to deliver a more successful training outcome. Originality/value Our study enriches the Information Systems literature by evaluating the effect of a cognitive bias on phishing susceptibility and offers a contextual explanation of the resultant behaviour.

Alternative translation initiation by ribosomal leaky scanning produces multiple isoforms of the Pif1 helicase.

In budding yeast, the integrity of both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes relies on dual-targeted isoforms of the conserved Pif1 helicase, generated by alternative translation initiation (ATI) of PIF1 mRNA from two consecutive AUG codons flanking a mitochondrial targeting signal. Here, we demonstrate that ribosomal leaky scanning is the specific ATI mechanism that produces not only these, but also novel, previously uncharacterized Pif1 isoforms. Both in-frame, downstream AUGs as well as near-cognate start codons contribute to the generation of these alternative isoforms. This has crucial implications for the rational design of genuine separation-of-function alleles and provides an explanation for the suboptimal behaviour of the widely employed mitochondrial- (pif1-m1) and nuclear-deficient (pif1-m2) alleles, with mutations in the first or second AUG codon, respectively. We have taken advantage of this refined model to develop improved versions of these alleles, which will serve as valuable tools to elucidate novel functions of this helicase and to disambiguate previously described genetic interactions of PIF1 in the context of nuclear and mitochondrial genome stability.