929 research outputs found
The Selective Use of Rape-Victim Stereotypes to Protect Culturally Similar Perpetrators
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Sage Publications via the DOI in this record. Powerful stereotypes exist about how female rape victims should act. For example, victims are expected to physically resist their attacker and immediately report their assault. In reality, some victims are too shocked to physically resist or too traumatized to immediately go to police. Nevertheless, counterstereotypic-victim behavior can undermine fair prosecution outcomes, especially for acquaintance-rape victims. In the current research, we examined the influence of perceivers’ cultural similarity to the perpetrator, and the stereotypicality of rape-victim behaviour, on victim and perpetrator blame, punishment severity, and guilt likelihood. We varied an acquaintance-rape scenario, to present stereotypical/counterstereotypical rape-victim behaviour, and the cultural similarity/dissimilarity of perpetrators to participants, who were White-Australian women and men, aged between 18 and 74 (N = 237). In the victim-stereotypic condition, reactions did not vary as a function of perpetrator-cultural similarity. However, in the counterstereotypic-victim condition, culturally similar (compared to culturally dissimilar) perpetrators were considered less guilty and less deserving of punishment. Moderated mediation indicated that the greater leniency shown towards culturally similar perpetrators was explained by increases in victim blame and decreases in perpetrator blame. To decrease bias when prosecuting rape perpetrators, we recommend challenging the selective use of counterstereotypic-victim behaviour to defend culturally similar perpetrators.Australian Research Counci
When Sex Doesn't Sell: Using Sexualized Images of Women Reduces Support for Ethical Campaigns
This is the final version. Available on open access from Public Library of Science via the DOI in this recordImages of scantily clad women are used by advertisers to make products more attractive to men. This “sex sells” approach is increasingly employed to promote ethical causes, most prominently by the animal-rights organization PETA. Yet sexualized images can dehumanize women, leaving an unresolved paradox – is it effective to advertise an ethical cause using unethical means? In Study 1, a sample of Australian male undergraduates (N = 82) viewed PETA advertisements containing either sexualized or non-sexualized images of women. Intentions to support the ethical organization were reduced for those exposed to the sexualized advertising, and this was explained by their dehumanization of the sexualized women, and not by increased arousal. Study 2 used a mixed-gender community sample from the United States (N = 280), replicating this finding and extending it by showing that behaviors helpful to the ethical cause diminished after viewing the sexualized advertisements, which was again mediated by the dehumanization of the women depicted. Alternative explanations relating to the reduced credibility of the sexualized women and their objectification were not supported. When promoting ethical causes, organizations may benefit from using advertising strategies that do not dehumanize women.Australian Research Counci
If you're going to be a leader, at least act like it! Prejudice towards women who are tentative in leader roles
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record.Role congruity theory predicts prejudice towards women who meet the agentic requirements of the leader role. In line with recent findings indicating greater acceptance of agentic behaviour from women, we find evidence for a more subtle form of prejudice towards women who fail to display agency in leader roles. Using a classic methodology, the agency of male and female leaders was manipulated using assertive or tentative speech, presented through written (Study 1, N = 167) or verbal (Study 2, N = 66) communications. Consistent with predictions, assertive women were as likeable and influential as assertive men, while being tentative in leadership reduced the likeability and influence of women, but not of men. Although approval of agentic behaviour from women in leadership reflects progress, evidence that women are quickly singled out for disapproval if they fail to show agency is important for understanding how they continue to be at a distinct disadvantage to men in leader roles
The space density of Compton-thick AGN at z~0.8 in the zCOSMOS-Bright Survey
The obscured accretion phase in BH growth is a key ingredient in many models
linking the AGN activity with the evolution of their host galaxy. At present, a
complete census of obscured AGN is still missing. The purpose of this work is
to assess the reliability of the [NeV] emission line at 3426 A to pick up
obscured AGN up to z~1 by assuming that [NeV] is a reliable proxy of the
intrinsic AGN luminosity and using moderately deep X-ray data to characterize
the amount of obscuration. A sample of 69 narrow-line (Type 2) AGN at
z=0.65-1.20 were selected from the 20k-zCOSMOS Bright galaxy sample on the
basis of the presence of the [NeV] emission. The X-ray properties of these
galaxies were then derived using the Chandra-COSMOS coverage of the field; the
X-ray-to-[NeV] flux ratio, coupled with X-ray spectral and stacking analyses,
was then used to infer whether Compton-thin or Compton-thick absorption were
present in these sources. Then the [NeV] luminosity function was computed to
estimate the space density of Compton-thick (CT) AGN at z~0.8. Twenty-three
sources were detected by Chandra, and their properties are consistent with
moderate obscuration (on average, ~a few 10^{22} cm^-2). The X-ray properties
of the remaining 46 X-ray undetected Type 2 AGN were derived using X-ray
stacking analysis. Current data indicate that a fraction as high as ~40% of the
present sample is likely to be CT. The space density of CT AGN with
logL_2-10keV>43.5 at z=0.83 is (9.1+/-2.1) 10^{-6} Mpc^{-3}, in good agreement
with both XRB model expectations and the previously measured space density for
objects in a similar redshift and luminosity range. We regard our selection
technique for CT AGN as clean but not complete, since even a mild extinction in
the NLR can suppress [NeV] emission. Therefore, our estimate of their space
density should be considered as a lower limit.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, A&A, in pres
The multi-phase winds of Markarian 231: from the hot, nuclear, ultra-fast wind to the galaxy-scale, molecular outflow
We present the best sensitivity and angular resolution maps of the molecular
disk and outflow of Mrk 231, as traced by CO observations obtained with
IRAM/PdBI, and we analyze archival Chandra and NuSTAR observations. We
constrain the physical properties of both the molecular disk and outflow, the
presence of a highly-ionized ultra-fast nuclear wind, and their connection. The
molecular outflow has a size of ~1 kpc, and extends in all directions around
the nucleus, being more prominent along the south-west to north-east direction,
suggesting a wide-angle biconical geometry. The maximum projected velocity of
the outflow is nearly constant out to ~1 kpc, thus implying that the density of
the outflowing material decreases from the nucleus outwards as . This
suggests that either a large part of the gas leaves the flow during its
expansion or that the bulk of the outflow has not yet reached out to ~1 kpc,
thus implying a limit on its age of ~1 Myr. We find and erg s.
Remarkably, our analysis of the X-ray data reveals a nuclear ultra-fast outflow
(UFO) with velocity -20000 km s, , and momentum load .We find as predicted for outflows undergoing an energy
conserving expansion. This suggests that most of the UFO kinetic energy is
transferred to mechanical energy of the kpc-scale outflow, strongly supporting
that the energy released during accretion of matter onto super-massive black
holes is the ultimate driver of giant massive outflows. We estimate a momentum
boost . The ratios and agree
with the requirements of the most popular models of AGN feedback.Comment: 16 pages, 17 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Mass assembly and AGN activity at in the dense environment of XDCPJ0044.0-2033
XDCP0044.0-2033 is the most massive galaxy cluster known at z>1.5 and its
core shows a high density of galaxies which are experiencing mergers and
hosting nuclear activity. We present a multi-wavelength study of a region
located 157 kpc from the center of this galaxy cluster, for which we have
photometric and spectroscopic multi-wavelength observations (high resolution
HST images in F105W, F140W and F160W bands, NIR KMOS data in H and YJ bands and
Chandra ACIS-S X-ray data). Our main goal is to investigate the environmental
effects acting on the galaxies inhabiting this high density region. We find
that the analyzed region hosts at least nine different sources, six of them
confirmed to be cluster members within a narrow redshift range 1.5728<z<1.5762.
These sources form two different complexes at a projected distance of 13
kpc, which are undergoing merging on an estimated timescale off 10-30 Myr. One
of the sources shows the presence of a broad H alpha emission line and is
classified as Type 1 AGN. This AGN is associated to an X-ray point-like source,
whose emission appears moderately obscured (with intrinsic absorption ) and hosts a relatively massive black hole with mass
, which is accreting with an Eddington ratio of
0.2. We conclude that the analyzed region is consistent with being the
formation site of a secondary BCG. These findings, together with an in-depth
analysis the X-ray morphology of the cluster, suggest a merging scenario of the
entire cluster, with two massive halos both harbouring two rapidly evolving
BCGs on the verge of being assembled. Our results are also consistent with the
scenario in which the AGN phase in member galaxies is triggered by gas-rich
mergers, playing a relevant role in the formation of the red sequence of
elliptical galaxies observed in the center of local galaxy clusters
The dense molecular gas in the QSO SDSS J231038.88+185519.7 resolved by ALMA
We present ALMA observations of the CO(6-5) and [CII] emission lines and the
sub-millimeter continuum of the quasi-stellar object (QSO) SDSS
J231038.88+185519.7. Compared to previous studies, we have analyzed a synthetic
beam that is ten times smaller in angular size, we have achieved ten times
better sensitivity in the CO(6-5) line, and two and half times better
sensitivity in the [CII] line, enabling us to resolve the molecular gas
emission. We obtain a size of the dense molecular gas of kpc, and
of kpc for the 91.5 GHz dust continuum. By assuming that CO(6-5) is
thermalized, and by adopting a CO--to-- conversion factor , we infer a molecular gas mass of
. Assuming that the
observed CO velocity gradient is due to an inclined rotating disk, we derive a
dynamical mass of , which is a factor of approximately two smaller than the previously
reported estimate based on [CII]. Regarding the central black hole, we provide
a new estimate of the black hole mass based on the C~IV emission line detected
in the X-SHOOTER/VLT spectrum: . We find a molecular gas fraction of ,
where . We derive a ratio
suggesting high gas turbulence, outflows/inflows
and/or complex kinematics due to a merger event. We estimate a global Toomre
parameter , indicating likely cloud fragmentation. We compare,
at the same angular resolution, the CO(6-5) and [CII] distributions, finding
that dense molecular gas is more centrally concentrated with respect to [CII].
We find that the current BH growth rate is similar to that of its host galaxy.Comment: A&A in pres
Room temperature evolution of gold nanodots deposited on silicon
In this work, the morphological and structural evolution of gold nanodots deposited on Si substrates has been monitored for 2.4 × 103 h. Gold nanodots on Si are of great scientific interest because they can be used in numerous ways, for example as subwavelength antennas in plasmonics, as electrical contacts in nanometric devices, or as catalysts for the formation of quasi-1dimensional nanostructures. Their characteristics have been studied in a very large number of papers in literature, and among the several aspects, it is known that continuous Au films peculiarly interact with Si by interdiffusion even at room temperature. It would be expected that also small nanostructures could undergo to an interdiffusion and consequent modifications of their structure and shape after aging. Despite the cruciality of this topic, no literature papers have been found showing a detailed morphological and structural characterization of aged Au nanodots. Au nanoparticles have been deposited by sputtering on Si and stored in air at temperature between 20 and 23 °C and humidity of about 45 %, simulating the standard storage conditions of most of the fabrication labs. The morphological and structural characterizations have been performed by bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A specific procedure has been used in order to avoid any modification of the material during the specimen preparation for the TEM analysis. A digital processing of the TEM images has allowed to get a large statistical analysis on the particles size distribution. Two different types of nanoparticles are found after the deposition: pure gold crystalline nanodots on the Si surface and gold amorphous nanoclusters interdiffused into the Si subsurface regions. While the nanodots preserve both morphology and structure all over the time, the amorphous agglomerates show an evolution during aging in morphology, structure, and chemical phase
- …