Paradoxical Behavior Research Articles

A Parrondo paradox in susceptible-infectious-susceptible dynamics over periodic temporal networks

Many social and biological networks periodically change over time with daily, weekly, and other cycles. Thus motivated, we formulate and analyze susceptible-infectious-susceptible (SIS) epidemic models over temporal networks with periodic schedules. More specifically, we assume that the temporal network consists of a cycle of alternately used static networks, each with a given duration. We observe a phenomenon in which two static networks are individually above the epidemic threshold but the alternating network composed of them renders the dynamics below the epidemic threshold, which we refer to as a Parrondo paradox for epidemics. We find that network structure plays an important role in shaping this phenomenon, and we study its dependence on the connectivity between and number of subpopulations in the network. We associate such paradoxical behavior with anti-phase oscillatory dynamics of the number of infectious individuals in different subpopulations.

The “less is better” paradox and consumer behaviour: a systematic review of choice overload and its marketing implications

Purpose This study, a systematic literature review, aims to review the state-of-the-art literature on choice overload from 2000 to 2023. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews 53 research articles published in peer-reviewed journals, using thematic and descriptive analyses. The literature was selected using the PRISMA framework. Findings Recent research in consumer behaviour has found that too many choices can be detrimental to decision-making. This paper reviews the development of choice overload literature, methodologies used by researchers to study choice overload, small and large choice sets, antecedents, moderators and outcomes of choice overload and the contexts in which choice overload exists. Research limitations/implications Limited literature coverage because of the strict adherence to inclusion/exclusion criteria. The theory challenges the conventional choice models in psychology and economics according to which expanding a choice set cannot make decision-making worse and violates the regularity axiom, a cornerstone of classical choice theory. This review also identifies avenues for further research in the field. Practical implications A significant decrease in satisfaction or motivation because of too many choices would require marketers and public policymakers to rethink their practice of providing ever-increasing assortments to choose from because they could possibly boost their success by offering less. Originality/value This systematic review makes distinctive contributions by classifying the existing studies based on evidence “for” and “against” the existence of choice overload. The review also combines cross-context insights on assortment sizes, moderators and methodological commonalities and gaps to understand the multi-faceted nature and contextual nuances of choice overload.

A psychodynamic study of the sexual exploitation of adolescent girls

The literature on the risk of child (commercial) sexual exploitation (C(C)SE) contains limited reference to victim-related factors in the victimisation process. Similarly, the possible links between these factors and adolescence have rarely been considered. However, there is agreement that the age at which most victimisation occurs is between 11 and 14 years. This study seeks to demonstrate how a psychoanalytical approach to adolescence can clarify sexual victimisation behaviours (including sexual exploitation) observed in young girls and enable social workers to deal effectively with these paradoxical behaviours, which appear incomprehensible and discouraging. After presenting the epistemological assumptions of psychoanalytical theories, this study illustrates how early phases of adolescence are considered vulnerable. This study refers to the resurgence of Oedipal fantasies, which, actualised by adolescents’ sexual maturity, threaten family homoeostasis and can lead adolescents to act out. These include risky sexual behaviours leading to multiple victimisations (including sex trafficking), often with irreversible consequences. Based on diverse situations, including that of a young female victim of sexual exploitation, this study attempts to highlight sexual trajectories with multiple victimisations.

Altruistic and egoistic behaviors on enterprise social network platforms: Analysis using PLS-SEM and fsQCA

Enterprise social network platforms (ESNPs) are thriving in workplaces. Past studies have provided two competitive explanations − employees engage in egoistic behaviors to facilitate knowledge hiding and personal enjoyment or altruistic behaviors to facilitate knowledge sharing and offering assistance. However, these perspectives have generally not been synthesized into a unified model. We adopt an integrated perspective to reconcile the two paradoxical behaviors, using PLS-SEM and fsQCA from 174 employees. The results of PLS-SEM show that social and utilitarian motivation facilitate altruistic use, while social motivation reduces egoistic use, and utilitarian motivation and egoistic use have an inverted U-shaped relationship. Institutional deterrence positively moderates the relationship between egoistic use and work performance. Altruistic use mediates the relationship between three motivations and work performance. The fsQCA reveals causal configurations that portray the recipes of how different modes promote altruistic use, egoistic use, and work performance, which are complementary to the findings of PLS-SEM.

Invisibility and silence: an extreme form of art resistance of Aaron Curme

ABSTRACT Social alienation necessitates a critique against social paradoxes that disregard individual experiences and portray societal failures as successes. Aaron Curme adopts the extremes of invisibility and silence to counteract these paradoxes and constructs an artistic identity of resistance, a demonstrative choice of resistance, an extreme, ironic and paradoxical behavior aiming to directly expose the core of problems. Employing auto-hermeneutics, the artist’s self-conscious artistic practices are observed that embody paradoxical empowerment through absence, and constantly transform the silence into a subtly communicative and aesthetically appreciative form that offers a novel interpretation towards the unheard perspectives of others.

Research on the Privacy Paradox Behavior in WeChat Moments Based on Grounded Theory

As an important content sharing platform in social life, WeChat Moments has gradually shown a cold phenomenon, reflecting the characteristics of users privacy paradox behavior in posting Moments. In this context, there is a gap between users attitudes toward privacy on social media and their actual behaviors. This study collected data on the privacy paradox behavior of 20 users through semi-structured interviews and used NVivo12 software based on the three-level coding framework of grounded theory to discuss the factors influencing privacy paradox behavior in WeChat Moments users and to construct a model of influencing factors for privacy paradox behavior. The study found that social factors, user factors, platform factors, and situational factors all have a significant impact on the privacy paradox behavior of Moments users. The platform still needs to optimize user privacy protection functions and enhance users awareness of personal information protection.

How does paradoxical leadership affect employee adaptive performance? A moderated mediation model

PurposeDrawing on the paradox perspective and the Job Demands-Resources Model (JD-R), we investigate how paradoxical leadership behavior (PLB) affects employee adaptive performance.Design/methodology/approachConducted a multi-wave field study with a sample of 64 leaders and 224 subordinates (study 1), and a quasi-experiment involving 156 participants (study 2). The collected data were analyzed using ANOVA and HLM techniques.FindingsBoth studies reveal that (1) PLB exhibits a positive association with employee adaptive performance, (2) employee paradox mindset and role stress partly mediated the relationship between PLB and employee adaptive performance, (3) the indirect effects of PLB on employee adaptive performance through employee paradox mindset and role stress are moderated by employee gender-role identity (GRI).Originality/valueThis research developed a moderated mediation model to examine the potential impact of PLB on employee adaptive performance, which contributes to the literature by integrating the paradox perspective and emphasizing the effectiveness of combining “top-down” and “bottom-up” leadership approaches. Moreover, we elucidate the underlying mechanisms through which PLB facilitates employees in effectively managing work role tensions to enhance adaptive performance Finally, this study also extends the investigation of the contextual efficacy of PLB by incorporating GRI as a moderator.

Relative risk aversion must be close to 1

AbstractAny utility function that is unbounded either from below or from above implies paradoxical behavior. However, these paradoxes may be regarded as irrelevant if they involve wealth levels that are realistically meaningless. Employing real-world constraints on wealth reveals that CRRA utility with relative risk aversion outside of the range 0.75–1.15 yields paradoxical choices that very few individuals, if any, would ever make. Thus, relative risk aversion must be close to 1, the value corresponding to log preferences. These results shed new light on the longstanding debate about the geometric-mean criterion and the argument of stocks for the long-run.

Simultaneously and Over Time? A Temporal Investigation of Paradoxical Leader Behavior

Simultaneously and Over Time? A Temporal Investigation of Paradoxical Leader Behavior

The benefits and challenges of treating skin with natural oils.

The term natural oil refers to a fixed (non-volatile) oil of animal or plant origin. These types of oils - in contrast to essential (volatile) oils, which are obtained by steam distillation methods of plant matter - are typically obtained from plant seeds and nuts by a mechanical pressing technique or solvent extraction. The natural movement in cosmetics of the 21st century has led to renewed interest in formulating skin care products with botanical ingredients. In this article, we discuss the benefits and caveats of natural oil treatments as moisturizing agents (as occlusives and emollients) as well as their utility in wound healing and treatment of skin diseases. We also address the paradoxical behaviour of natural oils in relation to barrier function and highlight the current state of our knowledge with respect to the use of natural oils in neonatal skin care. Finally, we provide a comparison of natural oils to conventional petroleum-based oils.

‘I’ travel – eye-travel: analysing the paradoxical travel experience between self-promotion and the evil eye

ABSTRACT Through a qualitative research with in-depth interviews with Tunisian travellers and netnography on travel related blogs, we aim to investigate how connected technologies modified imaginaries in the travel experience through the (non)sharing behaviour. Findings demonstrate a related expressed paradoxical behaviour swinging between ‘self-promotion’ and ‘evil eye’: the former being the desire to be socially visible and included, and the latter is the fear of being jinxed by others. Accordingly, we identify five different travellers’ profiles. We conclude that paradoxical social imaginaries of both worldviews can coexist within the travel experience, leading to an incredible complexity and a continuous oscillation between both.

The Physics of Preference: Unravelling Imprecision of Human Preferences through Magnetisation Dynamics

Paradoxical decision-making behaviours such as preference reversal often arise from imprecise or noisy human preferences. Harnessing the physical principle of magnetisation reversal in ferromagnetic nanostructures, we developed a model that closely reflects human decision-making dynamics. Tested against a spectrum of psychological data, our model adeptly captures the complexities inherent in individual choices. This blend of physics and psychology paves the way for fresh perspectives on understanding the imprecision of human decision-making processes, extending the reach of the current classical and quantum physical models of human behaviour and decision making.

Paradoxical generator impedance behavior during catheter ablation in a patient with severe polycythemia.

An extremely high generator impedance in the blood pool can be observed in a patient with severe polycythemia. However, ablation can be performed safely as long as the generator impedance during contact with the myocardial tissue is within acceptable limits.

The Paradoxical Behavior of Rough Colloids at Fluid Interfaces.

Colloidal particles adsorb and remain trapped at immiscible fluid interfaces due to strong interfacial adsorption energy with a contact angle defined by the chemistry of the particle and fluid phases. An undulated contact line may appear due to either particle surface roughness or shape anisotropy, which results in a quadrupolar interfacial deformation and strong long-range capillary interaction between neighboring particles. While each effect has been observed separately, here we report the paradoxical impact of surface roughness on spherical and anisotropic ellipsoidal polymer colloids. Using a seeded emulsion polymerization technique, we synthesize spherical and ellipsoidal particles with controlled roughness magnitudes and topography (convex/concave). Via in situ measurement of the interfacial deformation around colloids at an air-water interface, we find that while surface roughness strengthens the quadrupolar deformation in spheres as expected by theory, in stark contrast, it weakens the same in ellipsoids. As roughness increases, particles of both shapes become more hydrophilic, and their apparent contact angle decreases. Using numerical predictions, we show that this partially explains the decreased interfacial deformation and capillary interactions between the ellipsoids. Therefore, particle surface engineering has the potential to decrease the capillary deformation by asymmetric particles via changing their capillary pinning, as well as wetting behavior at fluid interfaces.

Evaluation of inter-observer reliability in the case of trichotomous and four-level animal-based welfare indicators with two observers

This study focuses on assessing inter-observer reliability (IOR) between two observers in the case of trichotomous and four-level animal-based welfare indicators assessed at individual level. The Body Condition Score (BCS) and Knee calluses (KNC) were chosen as trichotomous indicators; data were collected in fourteen intensively managed dairy goat farms in Italy (ITF1 to ITF7) and Portugal (PTF1 to PTF7) and in extensively managed dairy goat farms exploiting three alpine pastures (AP1, AP2 and AP3) in Italy. The Ear posture (EP) and Eye white (EW) were chosen as four-level indicators; data were collected in three intensively managed dairy cattle farms (F1, F2 and F3) in Italy. The performance of the most documented agreement indices was compared. In the case of trichotomous indicators, Scott’s π, Cohen’s K, Cohen’s K C, Cohen’s weighted K and Krippendorff’s α were affected by the paradox effect: when the concordance rate (P0) was high, they sometimes gave very low or even negative values (e.g. P0(BCS-ITF3) = 74%; Scott’s π = 0.05; Cohen’s K = 0.09; Krippendorff’s α = 0.06; P0(BCS-AP3) = 74%; Scott’s π = −0.12; Cohen’s K = Krippendorff’s α = −0.11). Bangdiwala’s B, Gwet’s γ(AC1) and Quatto’s weighted S were not affected by this phenomenon and provided values very close to P0 (e.g. P0(KNC-PTF1) = 88%; Bangdiwala’s B = Gwet’s γ(AC1) = 0.85; P0(BCS-AP1) = 82%; Bangdiwala’s B = Gwet’s γ(AC1) = 0.79). In the case of four-level indicators, Cohen’s K and Krippendorff’s α were not affected by the paradox behaviour. However, Cohen’s K C in some cases exceeded the observed P0 (e.g. P0(EP-F3) = 78%; Cohen’s K C = 1). Gwet’s γ(AC1) showed the best results for four-level indicators (e.g. P0(EP-F1) = 88%; Gwet’s γ(AC1) = 0.86), followed by Quatto’s S and Holley and Guilford’s G (e.g. P0(EP-F1) = 88%; Quatto’s S = Holley and Guilford’s G = 0.84). To evaluate IOR between two observers, Bangdiwala’s B, Gwet’s γ(AC1) and Quatto’s weighted S are suggested for trichotomous indicators, while Gwet’s γ(AC1), Quatto’s S and Holley and Guilford’s G are suggested for four-level indicators.

E proteins control the development of NKγδT cells through their invariant T cell receptor

T cell receptor (TCR) signaling regulates important developmental transitions, partly through induction of the E protein antagonist, Id3. Although normal γδ T cell development depends on Id3, Id3 deficiency produces different phenotypes in distinct γδ T cell subsets. Here, we show that Id3 deficiency impairs development of the Vγ3+ subset, while markedly enhancing development of NKγδT cells expressing the invariant Vγ1Vδ6.3 TCR. These effects result from Id3 regulating both the generation of the Vγ1Vδ6.3 TCR and its capacity to support development. Indeed, the Trav15 segment, which encodes the Vδ6.3 TCR subunit, is directly bound by E proteins that control its expression. Once expressed, the Vγ1Vδ6.3 TCR specifies the innate-like NKγδT cell fate, even in progenitors beyond the normally permissive perinatal window, and this is enhanced by Id3-deficiency. These data indicate that the paradoxical behavior of NKγδT cells in Id3-deficient mice is determined by its stereotypic Vγ1Vδ6.3 TCR complex.

Paradoxical behavior toward innovation: Knowledge sharing, knowledge hiding, and career sustainability interactions

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated advance of digital technologies, resulting in unconventional innovation challenges for companies and novel, digital-based types of gig workers. Considering this phenomenon and its huge impact on employees' career development patterns and innovative work behavior (IWB), this research investigates how gig workers' perceived career sustainability affects their post-pandemic IWB. A critical feature of gig work is breaking traditional boundaries of working time and space, which often causes paradoxes disrupting traditional modes of knowledge exchange at work. Accordingly, this study is anchored theoretically in an exploration of how interacting mechanisms caused by two primary knowledge exchange behaviors, knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding, affect employee IWB from a paradoxical perspective of yin–yang harmonizing. Data from quantitative and qualitative studies were collected from China's cross-border e-commerce enterprises, which mainly target North American and European markets. The results indicate a nonlinear relationship between career sustainability and IWB. The interaction of knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding relates significantly to IWB, with the interaction moderating the U-shaped career sustainability–IWB relationship that was detected. Our study also carries valuable theoretical and practical implications that indicate that job flexibility and information and communications technology (ICT) can favor knowledge exchange, through knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding interaction, in proportion to the degree of career sustainability. The study also suggests a need to adopt organizational sharing strategies capable of spreading a work culture based on results, in which global companies can confront perplexing employment situations more effectively, thus promoting innovation.

Inside of the burst-phase intermediate of a protein folding. Hydration of hydrophobic groups

The thermal effect of the formation of the “burst-phase” folding intermediate has been studied using a titration calorimeter. It is shown that, unlike the total thermal effect of native structure formation, it can be both positive and negative depending on the temperature. The reasons for this paradoxical behavior are analyzed. A conclusion is drawn about the leading role of dehydration of non-polar groups in the first stage of folding.

Exploring leader’s unethical proorganizational behavior and follower attitudes toward knowledge hiding and sharing in the service industry: a social learning perspective

PurposeGrounded in the framework of social learning theory (SLT), the current study explores the impact of leaders’ unethical proorganizational behavior (UPB) on their subordinates’ self-management and moral self-efficacy, which, in turn, affect knowledge hiding and sharing among followers. This study aims to examine how instrumental thinking influences the relationship between leader UPB and subordinate behaviors, shaping knowledge sharing and hiding.Design/methodology/approachUsing a longitudinal approach, this research uses a two-wave data collection strategy with a one-month interval. The study cohort comprises 378 employees drawn from technology service firms situated in China.FindingsEmpirical findings confirm that leader UPB is linked to increased follower self-management and knowledge hiding, as well as reduced moral self-efficacy. Instrumental thinking moderates these effects, amplifying knowledge hiding and diminishing moral self-efficacy while reducing knowledge sharing.Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes to the existing literature on UPB by offering insights into the distinct consequences of leader UPB on knowledge-related behaviors of followers. Furthermore, the exploration of employees’ instrumental thinking in the context of leader UPB underscores the strategic manipulation of knowledge to fulfill individual goals, thereby enriching the underpinnings of the SLT. The study underscores the imperative for organizations to grasp the implications of UPB and underscores the necessity for stringent ethical frameworks to mitigate its deleterious impact.Practical implicationsThe study contributes to the existing literature on UPB by offering insights into the distinct consequences of leader UPB on knowledge-related behaviors of followers. Furthermore, the exploration of employees’ instrumental thinking in the context of leader UPB underscores the strategic manipulation of knowledge to fulfill individual goals, thereby enriching the underpinnings of the SLT. The study underscores the imperative for organizations to grasp the implications of UPB and underscores the necessity for stringent ethical frameworks to mitigate its deleterious impact.Originality/valueThe present study addresses a gap in the current literature by elucidating the multifaceted outcomes of leaders’ UPB on paradoxical behaviors related to knowledge sharing and hiding among followers. This nuanced examination underscores the need to comprehend the intricate contingencies that accentuate the effects of UPB, particularly in the realm of leadership dynamics. Grounded in SLT, this study delves into leadership dynamics and ethical decision-making.

Ethnic model along differentiation between justified death attitude and polls in a cross-cultural generational study

Background: “Justified Death Attitude (JDA) is imminent and likely paradoxical behavior against self threat to keep of self in modification for elimination of the opponent mentally or physically”the first author defined. The former studies have indicated that Justified Death Attitude Scale (JDAS) has both validity and reliability of the young majority society Shia, but we do not know whether or not it is a valid or reliable scale of minority societies Sunni, Assyrian and the old generation. If it has, can the scale discriminate between the JDA and the poll? Objectives: It is a cross-sectional study to evaluate development of JDAS comprehensively because different generations, multi ethnicities, and social variables affect attitude and cognition persistently. Method: 744 participants (368 male and 376 female) were selected through the convenience sampling method in Tehran, Ilam, Khoram Abad, and Sanandaj. The participants were of the following demographic properties: 528 adult and 216 older adult participants; 538 Shia, 108 Sunni, and 98 Assyrian participants; 460 normal and 284 abnormal participants. Participants carried out the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and JDAS. 115 answer sheets were cancelled (less than 5%). Results: A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, binomial tests, Chi square tests, and Jonckheere-Terpstra tests are performed to analyze the data. Multiethnic studies indicate that JDAS is a valid scale for adult and older adult participants and Shia, Sunni, and Assyrian participants (p>0.05). Meanwhile, attitude and polls are two different phenomena in the collision between capital punishment, the kind of death penalties, the agreement of euthanasia, and kind of euthanasia %61, %57, %56, and %61, respectively, because of different propositional and associative processes. The Chi-square indicates that gender, generations, ethnics, and sanity influence polls significantly. In line with the ethnic model of JDA, ethnics influence legal and medical subscales significantly according to Jonckheere-Terpstra tests. Conclusion: The bases of polls and attitude are conformity and self, respectively. So, the poll coefficient of error is very high to assess social ideas. Although you could find some similarities between polls and attitude, they are different phenomena principally.