Relative Tendency Research Articles

Inny w Polsce. Komunikacja interkulturowa w państwie narodowym

The author analyses a problem of communication between a dominant society and national and ethnic minorities. She focuses on a category of one’s/ other that regulates social relations, their cultural roots and political origin. Additionally, for the purposes of the speech, the author de-fines ‘a national state’ term based on her own research in the field. Cultural understanding of otherness is explained based on four attitudes: rejection, intolerance, tolerance and acceptance. Barriers that hamper a fortunate communication on the edge of cultures and origin from a changing geopolitical system are identified. The author illustrates the attitude towards other-ness with verbal and nonverbal communicational behaviors, investigates their causes in legal and educational systems which are the heritage of Polish People’s Republic times. She considers the following aspects that have shaped intercultural relations in Poland after 1989: – totalitarianism imprinted in social memory of people, – abolition of censorship, – globalization processes dynamics, – technological determinism of interpersonal and intercultural relations, – axiological changes. Finally, the author describes the tendencies of the above relations based on the results of re-search.

Walking blindfolded unveils unique contributions of behavioural approach and inhibition to lateral spatial bias

Healthy individuals display a tendency to allocate attention unequally across space, and this bias has implications for how individuals interact with their environments. However, the origins of this phenomenon remain relatively poorly understood. The present research examined the joint and independent contributions of two fundamental motivational systems – behavioural approach and inhibition systems (BAS and BIS) – to lateral spatial bias in a locomotion task. Participants completed self-report measures of trait BAS and BIS, then repeatedly traversed a room, blindfolded, aiming for a straight line. We obtained locomotion data from motion tracking to capture variations in the walking trajectories. Overall, walking trajectories deviated to the left, and this tendency was more pronounced with increasing BIS scores. Meanwhile, BAS was associated with relative rightward tendencies when BIS was low, but not when BIS was high. These results demonstrate for the first time an association between BIS and lateral spatial bias independently of variations in BAS. The findings also contribute to clarify the circumstances in which BAS is associated with a rightward bias. We discuss the implications of these findings for the neurobiological underpinnings of BIS and for the literature on spatial bias.

Accountability Accentuates Interindividual-Intergroup Discontinuity by Enforcing Parochialism.

Interindividual-intergroup discontinuity is the tendency for relations between groups to be more competitive than relations between individuals. We examined whether the discontinuity effect arises in part because group members experience normative pressure to favor the ingroup (parochialism). Building on the notion that accountability enhances normative pressure, we hypothesized that the discontinuity effect would be larger when accountability is present (compared to absent). A prisoner’s dilemma game experiment supported this prediction. Specifically, intergroup (compared to interindividual) interaction activated an injunctive ingroup-favoring norm, and accountability enhanced the influence of this norm on competitive behavior.

Terahertz vibrations of crystalline α-D-glucose and the spectral change in mutual transitions between the anhydride and monohydrate

We have performed dispersion-corrected first-principles calculations of crystalline α-D-glucose anhydride and the monohydrate and measured its terahertz spectrum at 4 and 300K, to reveal the terahertz vibrations and the spectral change with hydration. Dispersion-corrected first-principles calculations well reproduced the 4-K spectrum, in both the frequency values and the relative tendency of intensities. The difference from the weak-hydrogen-bonding system is that most intermolecular modes were clearly detected even at 300K. The stretching vibration of moderate hydrogen bond was mixed with one of intermolecular rotation modes. With dehydration of the monohydrate, two intermolecular translational modes appear in the THz region.

CHANGES OF STRESS HORMONES LEVELS AND SERUM LIPID SPECTRUM INDICATORS OF RATS IN ACUTE CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA

Objective: to study the changes of stress hormones levels and serum lipid spectrum indicators of Wistar male rats in acute cerebral ischemia (ACI). Material and methods . The study was performed on 40 mature Wistar male rats weighing 220-300 g. ACI simulation was performed by means of 3-hour chronic occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (n = 23). The control group consisted of intact animals (n = 17). The levels of total cholesterol (TC, mmol/l), triglyceride (TG, mmol/l), high density lipoproteins (HDL, mmol/l), low density lipoprotein (LDL, mmol/l), lipoproteins of very low density (VLDL mmol/l), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH nmol/l), and cortisol (nmol/l) were assessed in the serum of the rats. Atherogenic index (AI) was calculated according to the formula: AI = (TC-HDL) / HDL. Results. TC concentration in the serum of the rats of the experimental group was 1.1 times as high (p = 0.03), the concentration of TG - 1.2 times as high (p = 0.012), the concentration of VLDL - 2 times as high (p = 0.01), cortisol concentration - 1.4 times as high (p = 0.02) compared with the control group. The rats of the experimental group revealed a moderate inverse correlation between the levels of cortisol and index AI (p = 0.025). The group of ACI rats observed a tendency of direct relation of ACTH with TG and LDL serum, p > 0.05. The correlation of ACTH and serum triglycerides in the rats of the control group was statistically significant (p = 0.012). Conclusion: ACI during the period «therapeutic window» in rats is accompanied by a complex set of compensatory and adaptive reactions which may be characteristic of a generalized stress response.

Developing and validating a scale of consumer brand embarrassment tendencies

A valid brand embarrassment tendency scale seeks to measure individual differences in people's proneness to feel embarrassed in relation to brands. Three studies identify potential items and validate the scale. In Study 1, with a sample of 338 German respondents, factor analyses and comprehensive validation procedures indicate one dimension that represents embarrassment tendency in relation to branded products. In Study 2, with a sample of 231U.S. participants, a confirmatory factor analysis of the one-dimensional scale reveals its nomological validity. Study 3 applies the scale to two specific brands, with acceptable levels of reliability and validity. The results thus suggest the new scale is reliable, valid, parsimonious, and generalizable in two Western cultures. The brand embarrassment construct is useful for both developing theory and providing advice to marketing practitioners.

Determination of suitable groundwater quality for agriculture by using GIS application in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Province, Indonesia

irrigation purposes within Bantul area which is located on Yogyakarta Volcanic Groundwater Basin, 47 existing data points were used complementary with the results of 30 groundwater samples analysis which were collected from dug and tub wells in various locations of study area. ECw, TDS, pH and major cations: Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+,and anions: Cl􀀀, HCO􀀀 3 , SO2􀀀 4 , NO􀀀 3 were analyzed as evaluation index. The relative tendency of ion in epm shows Ca2+>K+>Na+>Mg2+ and HCO􀀀 3 >Cl􀀀>SO2􀀀 4 . Variations in groundwater composition by using Mg/Ca vs. Na/Ca molar ratio indicates that the groundwater is close to silicate rock with influence of clastic carbonate rock. Higher salinity approach to the west of the Bantul indicates that groundwater quality is controlled by clastic carbonate rock and expose limestone of Sentolo hills. Groundwater samples fall under class I suggested that groundwater is good and suitable for irrigation based on Doneen’s classification of permeability index and 78.37% is in excellent category by Wilcox classification on N%. According to the SAR values plotted in the USSL diagram, the majority of the groundwater samples belong to C2-S1 and C2-S2 class, indicating medium salinity and low sodium water which can be used for irrigation with little danger. The suitability of groundwater quality for agriculture is determined by thematic maps produced from ArcGIS Spatial Analyst based on FAO guideline. Salinity is the significant problem that has slight to moderate restriction effect on crops productivities in this area. The ECw map indicates that good groundwater quality for crops is at the middle to the east of study area close to Opak River, while at the western irrigation water is affected but yielding no reduction on rice productivity. However, it has slight to moderate restriction on sensitive crops indicated in thematic map of crops land with different yield potential. The agricultural land in which has yield potential of 100%, 90% and 75% is about 2727.90 ha (38.56%), 735.49 ha (10.39%) and 208.98 ha (2.95%) of the study area respectively. Key words: Irrigation groundwater quality, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), evaluation index, ArcGIS Spatial Analyst, FAO guideline, yield potential.

Case formulation in clinical practice: Associations with psychological mindedness, attachment and burnout in staff working with people experiencing psychosis.

Case formulation can impact on therapeutic relationships, staff understanding and outcomes, which might be particularly important when working with complex mental health problems such as psychosis. However, the evidence base is equivocal and there is insufficient understanding around the staff-related factors that influence effective psychological case formulation. This study investigated the influence of staff characteristics (both professional and personal) on case formulation skill. This was a cross-sectional study, with all of the measures collected at the same time point. Fifty staff members working on inpatient wards with individuals experiencing psychosis were recruited. Measures included independently rated case formulation skill and psychological mindedness (the ability to draw together aspects of thoughts, feelings and actions), both in relation to hypothetical cases. Self-report questionnaires assessed psychological mindedness, attachment styles, symptoms of burnout and professional qualifications. The preliminary analyses indicated that case formulation skill was associated with higher psychological mindedness (both self-reported and independently-rated) and lower levels of avoidant attachment styles. Simultaneous entry multiple regression demonstrated that the only independent predictor of case formulation skill was independently rated psychological mindedness. These findings highlight the factors that contribute to staff's ability to case formulate and the possibility for services to develop psychological mindedness and case formulation skills through formal training, alongside fostering a psychological minded working environment. Case formulation skill is positively associated with the personal ability (or inclination) to draw together aspects of experience in a psychological manner (i.e., psychological mindedness) It might also be important to consider avoidant attachment tendencies in relation to formulation skills The sample was relatively small and drawn from a limited number of services, which might reduce the generalizability of the findings Psychological mindedness might not be captured adequately by self-report tools and services may wish to employ more novel ways of assessing this important skill in staff groups (such as the speech sample used in the current study).

DIFFERENCES IN RELATIVES' AND PATIENTS' ILLNESS PERCEPTIONS IN FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOM DISORDERS COMPARED TO NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE

ObjectiveThe illness perceptions of the relatives of patients with functional neurological symptom disorders (FNSD) and the relation to patients' illness perceptions have been little studied. We aimed to compare illness...

Time in Early Childhood Education and Care and language competence in Norwegian four-year-old girls and boys

There is considerable evidence that high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is associated with children's language competence. Yet, studies in contexts of universal access to quality-regulated ECEC are rarer, exacerbating concerns over selection bias endemic to non-experimental work on the topic. Extending the cumulative knowledge on this topic, we tested a dose-response hypothesis, examining associations between time spent in ECEC during the child's first four years, and language competences in four-year-old girls and boys, in a context with universal access to quality regulated center care. A sample (N = 1157) from a Norwegian longitudinal study was utilized with propensity weights accounting for selection. Following this adjustment, there was a tendency for a dose-response relation between years that children attended ECEC and their language competence at four years, but only for boys. Implications of ECEC in the contemporary context of gender differences in achievement and life chances are discussed.

Trends in the Precipitation and Crystallization Behavior of Supersaturated Aqueous Solutions of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs Assessed Using Synchrotron Radiation

Amorphous materials are high-energy solids that can potentially enhance the bioavailability of poorly soluble compounds. A major impediment to their widespread use as a formulation platform is the tendency of amorphous materials to crystallize. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative crystallization tendency of six structural analogues belonging to the dihydropyridine class, in an aqueous environment in the absence and presence of polymers, using wide-angle X-ray scattering synchrotron radiation and polarized light microscopy. The crystallization behavior of precipitates generated from supersaturated solutions of the active pharmaceutical ingredients was found to be highly variable ranging from immediate to several hours in the absence of polymers. Polymers with intermediate hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity were found to substantially delay crystallization, whereas strongly hydrophilic or hydrophobic polymers were largely ineffective. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy experiments supported the supposition that polymers need to have affinity for both the drug-rich precipitate and the aqueous phase in order to be effective crystallization inhibitors. This study highlights the variability in the crystallization tendency of different compounds and provides insight into the mechanism of inhibition by polymeric additives.

Career Development and Learning in the Civil Service

Contemporary concept of career comprises not only vertical promotion to higher posts but also any change of posts, responsibilities and the related learning. Currently it is almost unanimously agreed that career is owned by an individual, but organizations, via their career development systems, can also actively participate in the employees’ career development. The purpose of the empirical research was assessment and analysis of the following individual level career development and learning related constructs: career conception, career aspirations, conceived career possibilities, career barriers, career satisfaction, work engagement and evaluation of learning system suitability/non-suitability for career development in the Lithuanian civil service. The representative survey of the Lithuanian civil servants was carried out. The applied method enabled to clarify the career development and learning related tendencies and attitudes in the Lithuanian civil service. The main findings of the research were that the level of career aspirations in the civil service is much higher that the level of conceived career possibilities. The most important barriers for career in the civil service are considered lack of career opportunities in the civil service, unfavourable career policy towards civil servants and belief that selection and promotion processes are unfair.

Editorial delay and its relation to subsequent citations: the journals Nature, Science and Cell

This investigation tries to determine if, for highly visible journals, namely Nature, Science and Cell, articles with a short editorial delay time generally, receive more citations than those with a long editorial delay. Based on data for the period from 2005 to 2009, it is found that there is a clear, although statistically weak, tendency for an inverse relation between editorial delay time and number of received citations.

ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ ELEŞTİREL DÜŞÜNME EĞİLİMLERİ

Bu arastirmada Fen ve Sinif ogretmen adaylarinin elestirel dusunme egilimlerinin program turu, sinif duzeyi, ogretim turu, cinsiyet, mezun olunan lise turu ve anne/baba egitim duzeyi acisindan arastirilmasi amaclanmistir. Tarama modelinde yurutulen arastirmanin orneklemini, 2011-2012 ogretim yilinda Mugla Sitki Kocman Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Ilkogretim Bolumu Fen Bilgisi ve Sinif Ogretmenligi programlarinin 1. ve 4. siniflarinda ogrenim goren toplam 421 ogretmen adayi olusturmaktadir. Elde edilen verilerin analizinde frekans ve yuzde dagilimi, bagimsiz gruplar t testi, tek yonlu varyans analizi (ANOVA) kullanilmistir. Arastirma sonucunda ogretmen adaylarinin elestirel dusunme egilimlerinin genel olarak dusuk oldugu tespit edilmistir.

Earnings roundup in private and public bank holding companies

In this study, we compare the relative tendencies of public versus private firms to round up earnings in a setting of the banking industry. This industry consists of a large number of public and private bank holding companies (BHCs) that face the same regulation environment. In both the full sample and the size-matched sample, we find evidence that public BHCs show a greater tendency to round up the second digit of earnings than do private BHCs. Our study contributes to the current debate on the financial reporting quality of public versus private firms by providing evidence supporting the “opportunistic behavior” hypothesis.

Price Related Constructs’ Effects on Daily Deal Buying Behavior in Turkey

Abstract: Daily deal sites have become so popular in Turkey just as they have in many other countries. Heavy discounted offers for products or services attract most of the people to these new marketplaces. Glancing over the offers before starting to work became a habit for some of the people. However, some others do not have any interest to daily deals. So, it can be said that behavioral differences are unavoidable among customers. There are different forces that initiate the buying process. In this study, factors that affect buying behaviors of people from daily deal sites are investigated. The effect of buying behavior on satisfaction is also examined. Price related constructs (price consciousness, price mavenism, sale proneness and coupon proneness) and impulse buying tendencies of customers are taken as predictors of buying behavior from daily deal sites. Results suggest that price mavenism and coupon proneness are positively related with buying behaviors from online daily deal sites. On the other hand satisfaction come about to be a positive result of buying behavior. Even though the focus of this study is specific to a limited group, it is envisaged that the results will provide insights for both academics and e-tailers. Keywords: Daily Deal Sites, Online Shopping, Turkey, Structural Equation Modeling. JEL Classifications: M31, M10

The reasons for increasing employment demand in the public sector in Turkey

The economic changes taking place in the world and in Turkey, have led to changes in people’s employment demand. Before 2000 government jobs had been considerably less attractive in Turkey, after 2000, when the economic crisis occurred in Turkey public employment demands started to increase. One of the reasons for this that a growing number of people have started to face the unemployment situation that made the formerly less desired public employment more alluring. Beyond employment security there have been also reasons Turkish people choosing to work for government. The goal of this paper how employment demand of Turkish people is changing. Based on last few decade's employment data the paper, will try to shed some light on the reasons behind the related new labor market tendencies.

Group as social microcosm: Within-group interpersonal style is congruent with outside group relational tendencies.

The notion that individuals' interpersonal behaviors in the context of therapy reflects their interpersonal behaviors outside of therapy is a fundamental hypothesis underlying numerous systems of psychotherapy. The social microcosm hypothesis, in particular, claims the interpersonal therapy group becomes a reflection of group members' general tendencies, and can thus be used as information about members' interpersonal functioning as well as an opportunity for learning and behavior change. The current study tested this hypothesis using data drawn from 207 individuals participating in 22 interpersonal process groups. Ratings were made on 2 key interpersonal domains (Dominance and Affiliation) at baseline and at Weeks 2, 5, and 8 of the group. Two-level multilevel models (with participants nested within groups) were used to account for the hierarchical structure, and the social relations model (SRM; Kenny, 1994) was used to estimate peer ratings (target effects in SRM) unconfounded with rater bias. Participants showed consensus at all time points during the interpersonal process groups on one another's levels of dominance and affiliation. In addition, self- and peer ratings were stable across time and correlated with one another. Importantly, self-ratings made prior to group significantly predicted ratings (self- and peer) made within the group, with effect sizes within the medium range. Taken together, these results provide robust support for the social microcosm hypothesis and the conjecture that interpersonal style within-group therapy is reflective of broader interpersonal tendencies.

Differences in relatives' and patients' illness perceptions in functional neurological symptom disorders compared with neurological diseases

ObjectiveThe illness perceptions of the relatives of patients with functional neurological symptom disorders (FNSDs) and their relation to the illness perceptions of the patients have been little studied. We aimed to compare illness perceptions of relatives of patients with FNSDs with those held by patients themselves. We used control pairs with neurological diseases (NDs) to examine the specificity of the findings to FNSDs. Material and methodsPatients with FNSDs (functional limb weakness and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures) and patients with NDs causing limb weakness and epilepsy, as well as their relatives, completed adapted versions of the Illness Perception Questionnaire — Revised (IPQ-R). ResultsWe included 112 pairs of patients with FNSDs and their relatives and 60 pairs of patients with NDs and their relatives. Relatives of patients with FNSDs were more likely to endorse psychological explanations and, in particular, stress as causal factors than patients with FNSDs (p<.001). Relatives of patients with FNSDs were also more pessimistic about the expected duration of the disorder and perceived a greater emotional impact compared with patients themselves (p<.001). However, the latter two differences between patients and relatives were also found in pairs of patients with NDs and their relatives. ConclusionThe main difference in illness perceptions between relatives and patients that appeared specific to FNSDs was a tendency for relatives to see psychological factors as more relevant compared with patients. Some other differences were observed between pairs of patients with FNSDs and their relatives, but the same differences were also seen in pairs of patients with NDs and their relatives. These other differences were, therefore, not specific to FNSDs. Discussion about possibly relevant psychological factors with patients suffering from FNSDs may be helped by including relatives.

Crossover in the magnetic response of single-crystallineBa1−xKxFe2As2and Lifshitz critical point evidenced by Hall effect measurements

We report the doping evolution of magnetic susceptibility $\chi (T)$ and Hall coefficient $R_H$ in high quality Ba$_{1-x}$K$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ ($0.13 \leq x \leq 1$) single crystals. It is found that the normal-state magnetic susceptibility of Ba$_{1-x}$K$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ compounds undergoes a crossover from linear-$T$ dependence in the undoped and underdoped samples into KFe$_2$As$_2$-type magnetic response in the overdoped samples with increasing K content. Hall coefficient $R_H$ of underdoped sample $x$=0.22 shows a rapid increase above spin-density-wave transition temperature $T_{SDW}$. Below $T_{SDW}$, it increases slowly. $R_H$ of optimally doped and slightly overdoped samples ($0.34 \leq x \leq 0.65$) shows relative weak temperature dependence and saturation tendency below 150 K. However, $R_H$ of K heavily overdoped samples ($0.80 \leq x \leq 1$) increases rapidly below 150 K. Meanwhile, Hall angle $cot \theta _H$ displays a concave temperature dependence within the doping range $0.22 \leq x \leq 0.55$, whereas it changes to a convex temperature dependence within the doping range $0.65 \leq x \leq 1$. The dramatic change coincides with Lifshitz transition occurred around the critical doping $x$=0.80, where ARPES measurements had confirmed that electron pocket disappears with excess hole doping in Ba$_{1-x}$K$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ system. It is suggested that the characteristic temperature $T$* at around $120 \sim 150$ K observed in susceptibility and Hall coefficient, as well as previously reported resistivity data, may indicate an incoherence-coherence crossover in Ba$_{1-x}$K$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ system.