Collective narcissism and anti-semitism in Poland

Two survey studies examined the relationship between collective narcissism - an identification with an in-group linked to an emotional investment in an unrealistic belief about its unparalleled greatness (Golec de Zavala et al., 2009) - and anti-Semitism in Poland. The results indicate that this relationship is simultaneously mediated by (a) a belief that the in-group is constantly threatened by hostile intentions of other groups (the Polish siege beliefs; Bar-Tal & Antebi, 1992a, b) and (b) a belief that the Jewish out-group is particularly threatening because its members secretly aim to dominate the world (the conspiracy stereotype of Jews; Bergmann, 2008; Kofta & Sędek, 2005). The results confirm the earlier findings that collective narcissism is linked to increased sensitivity to intergroup threat which drives its association with intergroup hostility. The results also support earlier suggestions that Polish anti-Semitism is grounded in threatened national pride

The paradox of in-group love: differentiating collective narcissism advances understanding of the relationship between in-group and out-group attitudes

The article looks at the relation between positive in-group regard (“in-group love”) and out-group negativity (“out-group hate”), a subject of ongoing controversy. Five studies performed in different cultural and national contexts, using different samples (including an adult representative sample) and different inter-group contexts examined the relationship between narcissistic versus genuine positive group regard and out-group negativity. Results reveal that collective narcissism (Golec de Zavala et al., 2009) and positive group regard have opposite effects on out-group hostility. Moreover, they function as mutual suppressors. Controlling for their shared variance strengthens the positive relationship between collective narcissism and out-group negativity and reveals the significant negative association between out-group hostility and genuine positive group regard operationalized as high collective self-esteem (Study 1), positive in-group identification (Studies 2, 3 and 5) or constructive patriotism (Study 4). These results corroborate earlier findings differentiating between constructive and destructive forms of in-group favoritism. They also parallel at the inter-group level findings indicating that mature and stable, personal self-esteem and individual narcissism differentially predict interpersonal aggressiveness

Collective narcissism and its social consequences.

This article introduces the concept of collective narcissism—an emotional investment in an unrealistic belief about the in group's greatness—aiming to explain how feelings about an ingroup shape a tendency to aggress against outgroups. The results of 5 studies indicate that collective, but not individual, narcissism predicts intergroup aggressiveness. Collective narcissism is related to high private and low public collective self-esteem and low implicit group esteem. It predicts perceived threat from outgroups, unwillingness to forgive outgroups, preference for military aggression over and above social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, and blind patriotism. The relationship between collective narcissism and aggressiveness is mediated by perceived threat from outgroups and perceived insult to the ingroup. In sum, the results indicate that collective narcissism is a form of high but ambivalent group esteem related to sensitivity to threats to the ingroup's image and retaliatory aggression

The paradox of in-group love: Differentiating collective narcissism advances understanding of the relationship between in-group and out-group attitudes.

WOS:000313914400002 (Nº de Acesso Web of Science)Objective The present studies test the hypothesis that the overlap between collective narcissism and positive in-group identification conceals the opposite relationships these variables have with out-group derogation. Method Five surveys were conducted in different cultural and national contexts, using different samples and different intergroup contexts (Study 1, Polish student sample, N = 85; Study 2, British student sample, N = 81; Study 3, Polish representative sample, N = 979; Study 3, Polish student sample, N = 267 and Study 5, British student sample, N = 241). Results The results of suppression analyses systematically indicate that when the positive relationship between collective narcissism and in-group positivity is controlled for, the non-narcissistic in-group positivity predicts less out-group negativity, whereas collective narcissism predicts more out-group derogation. Conclusions The results advance our understanding of constructive and destructive forms of in-group positivity and their different consequences for intergroup attitudes

Collective narcissism moderates the effect of in-group image threat on intergroup hostility

WOS:000319485100005 (Nº de Acesso Web of Science)Results of 4 experiments demonstrated that under in-group image threat collective narcissism predicts retaliatory intergroup hostility. Under in-group criticism (vs. praise) collective narcissists expressed intention to harm the offending out-group but not other, nonoffending out-groups. This effect was specific to collective narcissism and was replicated in studies that accounted for the overlap between collective narcissism and individual narcissism, in-group positivity (in-group identification, blind and constructive patriotism), social dominance orientation, and right wing authoritarianism. The link between collective narcissism and retaliatory intergroup hostility under in-group image threat was found in the context of national identity and international relations and in the context of a social identity defined by university affiliation. Study 4 demonstrated that the relationship between collective narcissism and intergroup hostility was mediated by the perception of in-group criticism as personally threatening. The results advance our understanding of the mechanism driving the link between collective narcissism and intergroup hostility. They indicate that threatened egotism theory can be extended into the intergroup domain

Threats to Feminist Identity and Reactions to Gender Discrimination

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11199-013-0272-5The aim of this research was to examine conditions that modify feminists’ support for women as targets of gender discrimination. In an experimental study we tested a hypothesis that threatened feminist identity will lead to greater differentiation between feminists and conservative women as victims of discrimination and, in turn, a decrease in support for non-feminist victims. The study was conducted among 96 young Polish female professionals and graduate students from Gender Studies programs in Warsaw who self-identified as feminists (M age  = 22.23). Participants were presented with a case of workplace gender discrimination. Threat to feminist identity and worldview of the discrimination victim (feminist vs. conservative) were varied between research conditions. Results indicate that identity threat caused feminists to show conditional reactions to discrimination. Under identity threat, feminists perceived the situation as less discriminatory when the target held conservative views on gender relations than when the target was presented as feminist. This effect was not observed under conditions of no threat. Moreover, feminists showed an increase in compassion for the victim when she was portrayed as a feminist compared to when she was portrayed as conservative. Implications for the feminist movement are discussed

Understanding defensive and secure in-group positivity: The role of collective narcissism

Integrating psychoanalytic ideas of group idealisation with social identity and categorisation theories, this article discusses the distinction between secure and defensive in-group positivity. Narcissistic in-group positivity captures a belief in in-group greatness that is contingent on external validation. It reflects defensive in-group positivity, insofar as it stems from the frustration of individual needs, and predicts increased sensitivity to threats as well as undesirable consequences for out-groups and the in-group. Secure in-group positivity—that is, in-group positivity without the narcissistic component—is a confidently held positive evaluation of one’s in-group that is independent of the recognition of the group in the eyes of others. It stems from the satisfaction of individual needs, is resilient to threats and has positive consequences for the in-group and out-groups. I review evidence for these two distinct ways people relate to their social groups and discuss theoretical and practical implications for understanding intra- and intergroup relations

Nanomotion technology in combination with machine learning: a new approach for a rapid antibiotic susceptibility test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Nanomotion technology is a growth-independent approach that can be used to detect and record the vibrations of bacteria attached to cantilevers. We have developed a nanomotion-based antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) protocol for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). The protocol was used to predict strain phenotype towards isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) using a leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) and machine learning techniques. This MTB-nanomotion protocol takes 21 h, including cell suspension preparation, optimized bacterial attachment to functionalized cantilever, and nanomotion recording before and after antibiotic exposure. We applied this protocol to MTB isolates (n = 40) and were able to discriminate between susceptible and resistant strains for INH and RIF with a maximum sensitivity of 97.4% and 100%, respectively, and a maximum specificity of 100% for both antibiotics when considering each nanomotion recording to be a distinct experiment. Grouping recordings as triplicates based on source isolate improved sensitivity and specificity to 100% for both antibiotics. Nanomotion technology can potentially reduce time-to-result significantly compared to the days and weeks currently needed for current phenotypic ASTs for MTB. It can further be extended to other anti-TB drugs to help guide more effective TB treatment

Application of new generation phytobiotic adiCoxSOL® PF for coccidiosis prophylactics in poultry broilers

The new WHO recommendations aim to help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics that are important for human medicine by reducing their unnecessary use in animals. In some countries, approximately 80% of total consumption of medically important antibiotics is in the animal sector, largely for growth promotion in healthy animals .Over-use and misuse of antibiotics in animals and humans is contributing to the rising threat of antibiotic resistance. After the ban of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in the EU many alternative substances have been investigated for their potential to replace AGPs. Phytobiotics are well known for their pharmacological effects and their wide application  in human medicine and are one of the most promising alternatives due to their high content of pharmacologically active compounds. Herbs develop their initial activity in the feed as flavour and, therefore, influence eating patterns, the secretion of digestive fluids and total feed intake. Stimulation of digestive secretions, including saliva, digestive enzymes, bile and mucus is often considered to be one of the important actions of phytobiotics. Last, due to herbs content  develop their initial activity in the feed as flavour and influence eating patterns of poultry and swine  due to the secretion of digestive fluids and total feed intake. Stimulation of digestive secretions, including saliva, digestive enzymes, bile and mucus is often considered to be one of the important actions of phytobiotics. Experiments with various products conducted with broilers show a clear tendency for improved performance and health status. Significant part of poultry farms in Poland, which are exporters of their products to EU and Asia are more and more often using phytobiotics particularly AdiCox Sol PF® for the prophylactic of subclinical coccidiosis and as a natural growth promoter in broilers. AdiCox PF® contains specially prepared Cinapis alba L., Piper nigrum L., Acorus calamus L., Saponaria officinalis L. Generally have positive effect on villi, nutrient absorption and digestal viscosity. Application of adiCoxSOL® PF solution at 22–25 days of age in broilers in dose of 1 liter per1000 liters of water for 3 days via drinking water. As a result mortality and other typical for coccidiosis clinical signs significantly decreased. Supplementation of AdiCox Sol PF® improved performance due to its positive influence on intestinal microflora and anticoccidial efficacy in broiler chicken.Протягом двох останніх років, Світова Організація Здоров’я (WHO) наполегливо рекомендує фермерам і виробникам тваринницької продукції скоротити використання антибіотиків, як з метою профілактики хвороб, так і у якості стимуляторів росту продуктивних тварин і птиці.  Метою нових рекомендацій є наданнядопомоги у збереженні ефективностіважливих для гуманної медицини антибіотиків, шляхом зменшення їх нецільового використання у тваринництві. У деяких країнах, приблизно у 80%застосування антибіотиків припадає на сектор продуктивного тваринництва, значною мірою з метою стимуляції приростів у здорових тварин. Надмірне і безсистемне застосування антибіотиків у тварин і людей сприяє зростаючій загрозі резистентності до них патогенних бактерій. Деякі з них, які викликають тяжкі інфекції у людей, вже володіють резистентністю до більшості або усіх доступних методів лікування, практично не залишаючи вченим варіантів для розробки нових антибактеріальних препаратів