Distinguishing the dark triad: evidence from the five-factor model and the Hogan Development Survey

The Dark Triad consists of Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy. The aim was to add to the evidence for their differential validity. A battery including the Hogan Development Survey, the IPIP Big 5 and measures of Empathy, Aggression and the Dark Triad was administered to 241 undergraduate psychology participants at an Australian university. Multivariate regression indicated that the Dark Triad shared significant predictors and the Five Factor Model facets failed to clearly distinguish between them. The results of a principal components analysis indicated considerable overlap among the constructs. Overall, limited evidence for the differential construct validity of the Dark Triad of personality was found. Implications for the psychometric properties of some dominant paradigms in personality research, and applications in organisational settings, are discussed

Using personality as a predictor of diet induced weight loss and weight management

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A major challenge for successful weight management is tailoring weight loss programs to individual needs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether personality traits could be used to match individuals to a compatible weight loss program that would maximize weight loss.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Two different weight loss trials were conducted, both with a weight loss greater than 5% the measure of success. Fifty-four individuals, BMI 30-40 kg/m², either followed a slow, healthy eating weight loss diet (HEWLD) of 5000-6000 kJ/day for 12 weeks (n = 22), or a fast, very low energy diet (VLED) of 3000 kJ/day for 4 weeks (n = 32). Anthropometric measurements were recorded at baseline, at the end of the weight loss period and, for VLED, at the end of 10 weeks of weight maintenance. Personality traits were measured at baseline using the Tangney Self Control Scale plus 3 of the scales from the Five Factor Model - Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Extraversion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The percentage weight loss was significantly greater in VLED (-7.38%) compared to HEWLD (-4.11%), (p < 0.001). Weight loss in HEWLD was positively correlated with Anxiety, a facet of Neuroticism. Weight loss in VLED was positively correlated with Neuroticism (r = 0.5, p < 0.01), and negatively correlated with Dutifulness and Discipline, facets of Conscientiousness, (p < 0.05 for both). No link was observed between weight loss and the personality trait, Self Control, in either HEWLD or VLED.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The personality factor, Neuroticism, was linked to successful weight loss (that is ≥ 5%) with a particular weight loss treatment, suggesting that there is a potential to use measures of personality to identify appropriate weight loss/management strategies for individuals.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): <a href="http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12611000716965.aspx">ACTRN12611000716965</a></p

Reverse genetics in Candida albicans predicts ARF cycling is essential for drug resistance and virulence

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Priorities in policy and management when existing biodiversity stressors interact with climate-change

There are three key drivers of the biodiversity crisis: (1) the well known existing threats to biodiversity such as habitat loss, invasive pest species and resource exploitation; (2) direct effects of climate-change, such as on coastal and high elevatio

Infectivity of a glucan synthesis-defective mutant of Streptococcus gordonii (Challis) in a rat endocarditis model

Streptococcus gordonii, a member of the human indigenous oral microflora, colonizes smooth tooth surfaces and contributes to dental plaque formation. Although it is not recognized as being a cariogenic pathogen, it may cause endocarditis following invasion of the bloodstream. Using allelic exchange mutagenesis, we have constructed a mutant of S. gordonii (Challis) which is defective in its single functional glucosyltransferase gene and, hence, is unable to synthesize glucan exopolymers from sucrose. When examined in a rat endocarditis model, the sucrose-grown mutant did not differ significantly from S. gordonii wild-type, suggesting that glucan polymers did not contribute to infectivity. This result was in striking contrast to that previously observed with a polymer-defective S. mutans mutant.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/30573/1/0000208.pd

Graduate entry to medicine: widening psychological diversity

At Nottingham University more than 95% of entrants to the traditional 5-year medical course are school leavers. Since 2003 we have admitted graduate entrants (GEM) to a shortened (4-year) course to 'widen access to students from more disadvantaged backgrounds'. We have recently shown that the GEM course widens academic and socio-demographic diversity of the medical student population. This study explored whether GEM students also bring psychological diversity and whether this could be beneficial. We studied: a) 217 and 96 applicants to the Nottingham 5- and 4-year courses respectively, applying in the 2002-3 UCAS cycle, and, b) 246 school leavers starting the 5-year course and 39 graduate entrants to the 4-year course in October 2003. The psychological profiles of the two groups of applicants and two groups of entrants were compared using their performance in the Goldberg 'Big 5' Personality test, the Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA; measuring interpersonal traits and interpersonal values), and the Lovibond and Lovibond measure of depression, anxiety and stress. For the comparison of the Entrants we excluded the 33 school leavers and seven graduates who took the tests as Applicants. Statistical analyses were undertaken using SPSS software (version 16.0). Graduate applicants compared to school leaver applicants were significantly more conscientious, more confident, more self controlled, more communitarian in moral orientation and less anxious. Only one of these differences was preserved in the entrants with graduates being less anxious. However, the graduate entrants were significantly less empathetic and conscientious than the school leavers. This study has shown that school leaver and graduate entrants to medical school differ in some psychological characteristics. However, if confirmed in other studies and if they were manifest in the extreme, not all the traits brought by graduates would be desirable for someone aiming for a medical career

Effects of noise exposure on young adults with normal audiograms II: Behavioral measures

An estimate of lifetime noise exposure was used as the primary predictor of performance on a range of behavioral tasks: frequency and intensity difference limens, amplitude modulation detection, interaural phase discrimination, the digit triplet speech test, the co-ordinate response speech measure, an auditory localization task, a musical consonance task and a subjective report of hearing ability. One hundred and thirty-eight participants (81 females) aged 18–36 years were tested, with a wide range of self-reported noise exposure. All had normal pure-tone audiograms up to 8 kHz. It was predicted that increased lifetime noise exposure, which we assume to be concordant with noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy, would elevate behavioral thresholds, in particular for stimuli with high levels in a high spectral region. However, the results showed little effect of noise exposure on performance. There were a number of weak relations with noise exposure across the test battery, although many of these were in the opposite direction to the predictions, and none were statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons. There were also no strong correlations between electrophysiological measures of synaptopathy published previously and the behavioral measures reported here. Consistent with our previous electrophysiological results, the present results provide no evidence that noise exposure is related to significant perceptual deficits in young listeners with normal audiometric hearing. It is possible that the effects of noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy are only measurable in humans with extreme noise exposures, and that these effects always co-occur with a loss of audiometric sensitivity

Comparative assessment of ecosystem C exchange in Miscanthusand reed canary grass during early establishment

peer-reviewedLand‐use change to bioenergy crop production can contribute towards addressing the dual challenges of greenhouse gas mitigation and energy security. Realisation of the mitigation potential of bioenergy crops is, however, dependent on suitable crop selection and full assessment of the carbon (C) emissions associated with land conversion. Using eddy covariance‐based estimates, ecosystem C exchange was studied during the early‐establishment phase of two perennial crops, C3 reed canary grass (RCG) and C4 Miscanthus, planted on former grassland in Ireland. Crop development was the main determinant of net carbon exchange in the Miscanthus crop, restricting significant net C uptake during the first 2 years of establishment. The Miscanthus ecosystem switched from being a net C source in the conversion year to a strong net C sink (−411 ± 63 g C m−2) in the third year, driven by significant above‐ground growth and leaf expansion. For RCG, early establishment and rapid canopy development facilitated a net C sink in the first 2 years of growth (−319 ± 57 (post‐planting) and −397 ± 114 g C m−2, respectively). Peak seasonal C uptake occurred three months earlier in RCG (May) than Miscanthus (August), however Miscanthus sustained net C uptake longer into the autumn and was close to C‐neutral in winter. Leaf longevity is therefore a key advantage of C4 Miscanthus in temperate climates. Further increases in productivity are projected as Miscanthus reaches maturity and are likely to further enhance the C sink potential of Miscanthus relative to RCG.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Irelan

Marx’s Theory of Land, Rent and Cities

Bringing together Marx’s original writings on land, rent and the landed property class, this book applies them to contemporary cities in the Global North and Global South. The book shows how landed property, and not just labour and capital, directly affects urban economic development, the built environment, urban governance and the quality of life of people living in cities. It also shows how land, rent and class transform cities in different ways depending on the indigenous, Asiatic, feudal, capitalist or other modes of production that mould the form and substance of cities. Presenting a new comparative approach, this book provides novel insights into the origins of, and solutions to, many of today’s urban problems including urban enclosures, exclusive property development, the financialisation of land, land grabbing, and climate change