The Curvilinear Relationship between Age and Emotional Aperture : The Moderating Role of Agreeableness

The capability to correctly recognize collective emotion expressions (i.e., emotional aperture) is crucial for effective social and work-related interactions. Yet, little remains known about the antecedents of this ability. The present study therefore aims to shed new light onto key aspects that may promote or diminish an individual’s emotional aperture. We examine the role of age for this ability in an online sample of 181 participants (with an age range of 18 to 72 years, located in Germany), and we investigate agreeableness as a key contingency factor. Among individuals with lower agreeableness, on the one hand, our results indicate a curvilinear relationship between age and emotional aperture, such that emotional aperture remains at a relatively high level until these individuals’ middle adulthood (with a slight increase until their late 30s) and declines afterwards. Individuals with higher agreeableness, on the other hand, exhibit relatively high emotional aperture irrespective of their age. Together, these findings offer new insights for the emerging literature on emotional aperture, illustrating that specific demographic and personality characteristics may jointly shape such collective emotion recognition

The Curvilinear Relationship between Age and Emotional Aperture : The Moderating Role of Agreeableness

The capability to correctly recognize collective emotion expressions (i.e., emotional aperture) is crucial for effective social and work-related interactions. Yet, little remains known about the antecedents of this ability. The present study therefore aims to shed new light onto key aspects that may promote or diminish an individual’s emotional aperture. We examine the role of age for this ability in an online sample of 181 participants (with an age range of 18 to 72 years, located in Germany), and we investigate agreeableness as a key contingency factor. Among individuals with lower agreeableness, on the one hand, our results indicate a curvilinear relationship between age and emotional aperture, such that emotional aperture remains at a relatively high level until these individuals’ middle adulthood (with a slight increase until their late 30s) and declines afterwards. Individuals with higher agreeableness, on the other hand, exhibit relatively high emotional aperture irrespective of their age. Together, these findings offer new insights for the emerging literature on emotional aperture, illustrating that specific demographic and personality characteristics may jointly shape such collective emotion recognition

2-D AND 3-D DESIGN AT A UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY: A RETROSPECTIVE OUTCOME

Published ThesisOlder views of curriculum and instruction are being replaced with an expanded vision of the place of visual arts in human experience. The current transformation of art education is not merely a broadening of curriculum content, but a response to the immediacy and mass distribution of imagery changes in teaching strategies that become inevitable. This study focuses on the 2-D and 3-D Design module forming part of the new Diploma in Design and Studio Art as accredited in 2014 at a South African university of technology. This study furthermore examines the balance between prescriptive and intensive skills (technique) building versus dialogue and experimentation (conceptualization) in the 2-D and 3-D Design module. Views were obtained through questionnaires, structured interviews and participant observation. The sample groups represent first-year 2-D and 3-D design students and Design and Studio Art lecturers. An analysis of these impressions and experiences indicates some common values between the groups. Themes emerge such as factual, conceptual, procedural and meta-cognitive informational factors. The students were generally very positive as regards their lecturer and theory subject and were able to connect key elements to their practical work. Some preferred working in groups, while others enjoyed working independently. The students generally felt that lecturer encouragement was crucial in generating ideas and initially found the technique somewhat challenging. Time management also proved to be a factor. The modelling strategy was found the best way to demonstrate to the students what was expected of them. The students needed consistent motivation and it became apparent that the majority required a step-by-step learning experience. Lecturer instruction on first-year level thus remains an integral part of learning. In conclusion this study illustrates that there is an overall balance between prescriptive and intensive skills (technique) building versus dialogue and experimentation (conceptualization) in the 2-D and 3-D Design module

Gender Balance Initiatives in Research Funding : Barriers and Possible Measures to Increase the Share of Women within Natural Science and Technology

The objective of this research memorandum is to identify and describe what constitutes the significant barriers against achieving a better gender balance at Danish universities, in particular within natural sciences and technology.The memorandum also addresses the question of the possible role of research funding institutions in relation to gender imbalances in academia, and in particular which actions and measures have been put in place in order to prevent women from remaining disproportionately underrepresented.Based on desk research, this research memorandum presents in total six promising practices and short summaries of existing experiences regarding what works in addressing the gender gap in research funding. While the identified gender balancing initiatives and measures stem from numerous national contexts, each of them are characterised by focusing mainly on one specific part of the grant allocation process – whether it be early in the process, where measures such as certification of applicants and/or earmarked funds are a possibility, or while applicants and projects are being assessed, or in the post-award phase, where measures to ensure public accountability for funding schemes and counteracting the motherhood penalty are distinct possibilities. Following the presentation of the promising practices below is a number of clear and concise recommendations on possible actions to be taken

VPS13A: shining light on its localization and function

The rare neurodegenerative disease Chorea-Acanthocytosis (ChAc) is caused by mutations in the VPS13A gene leading to absence of the VPS13A protein in patients. Lack of VPS13A causes neuronal cell death and patients develop movement disorders. Currently, no treatment is available and patients die prematurely. Knowledge about de underlying disease mechanisms of ChAc is limited and here we aimed to gain more insight in the localization and function of VPS13A. For this we used fruit flies in which we knocked out the Vps13 gene in several ways, including the gene editing technique CRISPR/Cas9. Those flies can therefore serve as a model organism for the disease. Mutated flies had a shortened life span, developed motor problems and showed disturbances in protein homeostasis. In addition, those flies showed vacuoles in the brain characteristic for neurodegeneration. Next to a role for Vps13 in the central nervous system, it is also important in the ovaries of fruit flies in which the protein is enriched and is surrounding nuclei that need to be removed. Here Vps13 is required for proper and timely removal of those nuclei through the formation of a specific membrane structure. Using human cell lines we found that VPS13A binds to different cellular organelles and is important for establishing contact sites between different membranes. An increase in cellular lipid content caused relocalization of the protein. This thesis provides insights in the localization and function of VPS13A and contributes to the body of knowledge about the cellular processes in which VPS13A plays a role

Impact of a 4-Week Intensified Endurance Training Intervention on Markers of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Performance Among Well-Trained Male Cyclists

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