Periodic behaviors

This paper studies behaviors that are defined on a torus, or equivalently, behaviors defined in spaces of periodic functions, and establishes their basic properties analogous to classical results of Malgrange, Palamodov, Oberst et al. for behaviors on R^n. These properties - in particular the Nullstellensatz describing the Willems closure - are closely related to integral and rational points on affine algebraic varieties.Comment: 13 page

Excitable behaviors

This chapter revisits the concept of excitability, a basic system property of neurons. The focus is on excitable systems regarded as behaviors rather than dynamical systems. By this we mean open systems modulated by specific interconnection properties rather than closed systems classified by their parameter ranges. Modeling, analysis, and synthesis questions can be formulated in the classical language of circuit theory. The input-output characterization of excitability is in terms of the local sensitivity of the current-voltage relationship. It suggests the formulation of novel questions for non-linear system theory, inspired by questions from experimental neurophysiology

On Knowledge Behaviors

Where large organizations make an effort to boost knowledge sharing, the solutions they fabricate can aggravate problems. Designing jobs for knowledge behaviors and recruiting people who are positive about sharing to start with will boost knowledge stocks and flows at low cost

Investigation of Attitudes Towards Security Behaviors

Cybersecurity attacks have increased as Internet technology has proliferated. Symantec’s 2013 Internet Security Report stated that two out of the top three causes of data breaches in 2012 were attributable to human error (Pelgrin, 2014). This suggests a need to educate end users so that they engage in behaviors that increase their cybersecurity. This study researched how a user’s knowledge affects their engagement in security behaviors. Security behaviors were operationalized into two categories: cyber hygiene and threat response behaviors. A sample of 194 San José State University students were recruited to participate in an observational study. Students completed a card sort, a semantic knowledge quiz, and a survey of their intention to perform security behaviors. A personality inventory was included to see if there would be any effects of personality on security behaviors. Multiple regression was used to see how card sorting and semantic knowledge quiz scores predicted security behaviors, but the results were not significant. Despite this, there was a correlation between cyber hygiene behaviors and threat response behaviors, as well as the Big Five personality traits. The results showed that many of the Big Five personality traits correlated with each other, which is consistent with other studies’ findings. The only personality trait that had a correlation with one of the knowledge measures was neuroticism, in which neuroticism had a negative correlation with the semantic knowledge quiz. Implications for future research are discussed to understand how knowledge, cyber hygiene behaviors, and threat response behaviors relate

Illuminating and applying “The Dark Side”: Insights from elite team leaders

In contrast to socially desirable behaviors, recent work has suggested that effective elite team leadership also relies on socially undesirable behaviors. Accordingly, this study aimed to further explore the authenticity of dark side leadership behaviors, what they look like, and how they may be best used. Via interviews with 15 leaders, behaviors associated with Machiavellianism/mischievousness, skepticism, social dominance, and performance-focused ruthlessness were found. Moreover, these behaviors were enabled by leaders’ sociopolitical awareness and engineering as well as their adaptive expertise. Findings promote practitioner sensitivity to dark side leadership and, for leader effectiveness, sociopolitical and temporal features of its application

Prosocial Behaviors: Their Motivations and Impacts on Organizational Culture

According to the International Corrupt Perceptions Index 2017, more than six billion people are living countries that are plagued by corruption (International Corrupt Perceptions Index, 2017). In an altruistic model of leadership, leaders act with the express intent of helping other people (Johnson, 2015). Within this model, good works manifest themselves as prosocial behaviors or “voluntary behavior(s) intended to benefit another and consisting of actions that benefit others or society” (Schminke, Arnaud, & Taylor, 2014, p. 730). These prosocial behaviors can create collaborative and inspirational environments (Axelsson & Axelsson, 2009), facilitate collectivism (Clarkson, 2014), and contribute to the long-term sustainability of an organization (Furnham, Treglown, Hyde, & Trickey, 2016). Leaders can nurture an altruistic environment in their organizations by motivating employees to participate in prosocial behaviors (Mallén, Chiva, Alegre, & Guinot, 2014). This article introduces the altruistic approach to leadership, explores prosocial behaviors, examines motivations for prosocial behaviors, and investigates how leaders can nurture benevolent cultures in their organizations by encouraging employees to demonstrate altruism and prosocial behaviors. Specifically, this article explores the impacts of prosocial behaviors on organizational culture

Clustering of sex and substance use behaviours in adolescence

BACKGROUND Adolescents often experiment with substance use and sexual activity, which can impact upon their health and well-being, and establish harmful patterns of behavior which continue into adulthood. While substance use and participation in sexual behaviors often co-occur, few studies have examined whether these behaviors cluster in adolescence. OBJECTIVE To investigate clustering of sexual activity and substance use among youth in Northern Ireland. METHOD Data from 875 young people (aged 16) who participated in the 2008 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey were used to investigate clustering using the Odds/Expected ratio method. Gender differences in clustering were explored. RESULTS Alcohol consumption was the most prevalent risk behavior (75%), followed by cigarette smoking, sexual intercourse, illicit substance use, and solvent use the least prevalent. Over 40% of young people participated in multiple risk behaviors (2 or more). Several behavior combinations were statistically clustered, for most the reported prevalence was lower than expected, however, participation in all five risk behaviors occurred at a much higher rate than expected, particularly for male youth. CONCLUSIONS While experimentation with risky behaviors is often considered developmentally appropriate in adolescence it is important to understand how young people experience these behaviors, and the potential for multiple risk exposures as a result of participation in substance use and sexual behaviors. These findings highlight the clustering of substance use and sexual behaviors, and indicate variations in vulnerability to participation in multiple risk behaviors by gender

Who Is Caring for the Caregiver? The Role of Cybercoping for Dementia Caregivers

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between dementia caregivers’ communication behaviors (information seeking and forwarding) and their outcomes (coping outcomes: e.g., dealing better with negative feelings or improved medical outcomes). A survey data set of dementia patients’ caregivers substantiates the effects of communication behaviors about dementia illness on coping outcomes, as well as the mediating role of emotion-focused and problem-focused coping processes. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), this study found positive effects of communication behaviors on outcomes through coping processes. Further, the results indicate that communication behaviors in cyberspace are crucial for caregivers to cope with dementia, both affectively (improvement of caregivers’ emotional control) and physically (health improvement of patients). The implications for the improvement of public health through online health communication behaviors are discussed