286 research outputs found
What does it mean to be a âcitizen of the worldâ: A prototype approach
The superordinate social category âcitizen of the worldâ is used by laypeople and scholars to embody several constructs (e.g., cosmopolitanism; global identity and citizenship), and prior research suggests that the concept is better represented as a prototype rather than having a clear-cut definition. This research aims to systematically examine the prototypical meaning of this social category, and how it is cognitively processed. Relying on a prototype approach, six studies (n = 448) showed that certain attributes of this category were communicated more frequently and were regarded as more central (e.g., multiculturalism), and that central (vs. peripheral) attributes were more quickly identified, more often remembered, and more appropriate to identify a group member, as well as the self, as a âcitizen of the world.â These results systematically demonstrated that this category has a prototypical structure and there is a differentiated cognitive automatic processing for central and peripheral attributes. We propose that the specific content activated by the attributes regarded as central to the prototype of âcitizens of the worldâ (e.g., intercultural contact; diversity), and the fact that these are more accessible in memory to form a mental representation, are important aspects to understand identity processes and their impact on intergroup outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Unpacking all-inclusive superordinate categories: Comparing correlates and consequences of global citizenship and human identities
Previous research suggests that all-inclusive superordinate categories, such as âcitizens of the worldâ and âhumans,â may represent different socio-psychological realities. Yet it remains unclear whether the use of different categories may account for different psychological processes and attitudinal or behavioral outcomes. Two studies extended previous research by comparing how these categories are cognitively represented, and their impact on intergroup helping from host communities toward migrants. In a correlational study, 168 nationals from 25 countries perceived the group of migrants as more prototypical of the superordinate category âcitizens of the worldâ than their national group (relative outgroup prototypicality), whereas no differences in prototypicality occurred for the category âhumans.â Identification with âcitizens of the worldâ was positively associated with a disposition to oppose helping migrants and to offer dependency-oriented help. However, identification with âhumansâ was positively associated with helping in general, and with offering dependency- and autonomy-oriented help; and negatively associated with opposition to helping. The experimental study manipulated the salience of âcitizens of the worldâ vs. âhumansâ vs. control category, among 224 nationals from 36 countries. Results showed that the salience of âhumansâ (vs. âcitizens of the worldâ) triggered higher entitativity and essentialist perceptions, and dual-identity representations. No differences due to salience were found for representations of relative ingroup prototypicality or helping responses. Overall, these findings suggest that the interchangeable use of different labels is problematic, considering these might activate different representations, and thus, are likely to lead, in some circumstances, to different attitudinal or behavioral outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Recognizing the Similarities and Appreciating the Differences?:Content Choices and Perceived (Dis)similarity With TV Show Characters Among Youth
Original content on video-on-demand platforms is often globally available but reflects the diversity of the American population in terms of ethnicities, races, and sexual identities. According to previous research, exposure to media with diverse characters can improve viewersâ attitudes toward minorities. However, are the audiences in racially homogenous countries or in countries that are less accepting of homosexuality interested in shows with diverse characters? Moreover, how do people select content from the diverse offerings on global video-on-demand platforms? To explore these issues, we study the entertainment media diets of Polish teenagers, aged 15â18. Specifically, we examine three research questions. First, what kind of content does the Polish youth select on streaming platforms? Second, what is the role of (dis)similarity between the characters and the viewers for Polish youth in selecting their entertainment TV shows on streaming platforms? Third, how do Polish youth understand the possible effects of their streamed TV content on their attitudes toward others? Based on 20 one-hour-long semi-structured interviews, we found that viewers sought psychologically complex and attractive characters, irrespective of race or sexual orientation. Recognizing the similarities of life experiences with TV characters mattered in youthâs decision about streaming content. Viewers also appreciated characters different from themselves because they were able to learn about them. The results are discussed with the implications for media selection and effects studies.</p
The functional readthrough extension of malate dehydrogenase reveals a modification of the genetic code
Translational readthrough gives rise to C-terminally extended proteins, thereby providing the cell with new protein isoforms. These may have different properties from the parental proteins if the extensions contain functional domains. While for most genes amino acid incorporation at the stop codon is far lower than 0.1%, about 4% of malate dehydrogenase (MDH1) is physiologically extended by translational readthrough and the actual ratio of MDH1x (extended protein) to ânormal' MDH1 is dependent on the cell type. In human cells, arginine and tryptophan are co-encoded by the MDH1x UGA stop codon. Readthrough is controlled by the 7-nucleotide high-readthrough stop codon context without contribution of the subsequent 50 nucleotides encoding the extension. All vertebrate MDH1x is directed to peroxisomes via a hidden peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS) in the readthrough extension, which is more highly conserved than the extension of lactate dehydrogenase B. The hidden PTS of non-mammalian MDH1x evolved to be more efficient than the PTS of mammalian MDH1x. These results provide insight into the genetic and functional co-evolution of these dually localized dehydrogenases
A Recently Formed Triploid Cardamine insueta Inherits Leaf Vivipary and Submergence Tolerance Traits of Parents
Contemporary speciation provides a unique opportunity to directly observe the traits and environmental responses of a new species. Cardamine insueta is an allotriploid species that appeared within the past 150 years in a Swiss village, Urnerboden. In contrast to its two progenitor species, Cardamine amara and Cardamine rivularis that live in wet and open habitats, respectively, C. insueta is found in-between their habitats with temporal water level fluctuation. This triploid species propagates clonally and serves as a triploid bridge to form higher ploidy species. Although niche separation is observed in field studies, the mechanisms underlying the environmental robustness of C. insueta are not clear. To characterize responses to a fluctuating environment, we performed a time-course analysis of homeolog gene expression in C. insueta in response to submergence treatment. For this purpose, the two parental (C. amara and C. rivularis) genome sequences were assembled with a reference-guided approach, and homeolog-specific gene expression was quantified using HomeoRoq software. We found that C. insueta and C. rivularis initiated vegetative propagation by forming ectopic meristems on leaves, while C. amara did not. We examined homeolog-specific gene expression of three species at nine time points during the treatment. The genome-wide expression ratio of homeolog pairs was 2:1 over the time-course, consistent with the ploidy number. By searching the genes with high coefficient of variation of expression over time-course transcriptome data, we found many known key transcriptional factors related to meristem development and formation upregulated in both C. rivularis and rivularis-homeolog of C. insueta, but not in C. amara. Moreover, some amara-homeologs of these genes were also upregulated in the triploid, suggesting trans-regulation. In turn, Gene Ontology analysis suggested that the expression pattern of submergence tolerant genes in the triploid was inherited from C. amara. These results suggest that the triploid C. insueta combined advantageous patterns of parental transcriptomes to contribute to its establishment in a new niche along a water-usage gradient
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