Causal Attributions (Framing)

Causal attributions are an element of a frame (Entman, 1991). Furthermore, a causal attribution organizes the anatomy of a problem within a text. Hereby, causal attributions provide explanations of problems in terms of their expectations, the underlying reasons or the causes that led to one or more problems depicted in the text. Entry connected to  framing devices cultural motifs Field of Application/Theoretical Foundation The causal attributions variable is used in both deductive and inductive framework analyses (e.g., Boesman & Van Gorp, 2018; Cools et al., 2024; Van Gorp, 2007, 2010). Frame analyses with a socio-constructionist approach (Van Gorp, 2007) discuss a strong correlation of causal attributions with cultural motifs (Gamson & Modigliani, 1989). However and in the context of journalistic articles in particular, the main aim tends to depict the facts and problems of an event that is being discussed and to be able to understand and solve it. To that, causal attributions are – presumably – more closely linked to the problem definition than to the cultural motifs. In other words, not every problem may be underpinned by a cultural dimension in a press release, but it is far more likely to be underpinned by a causal attribution. References/Combination with other methods of data collection Causal attributions refer to a causal interpretation of an event or an actors’ statement, while also highlighting certain aspects of cultural motifs. This may be a result of “discursive negotiation”. Example studies: Pentzold & Knorr (2024); Pentzold & Fischer (2017); Van Gorp & Vercruysse (2012) Information on Van Gorp & Vercruysse, 2012 Authors: Baldwin Van Gorp and Tom Vercruysse Research questions: What are the dominant frames used to represent dementia and what alternative frames could be proffered? Object of analysis: An inductive frame analysis to examine the various ways in which the media define dementia both in news aggregates and in audio-visual material from the internet. The aim is to find indications of how and what conceptions people gain of dementia through news, audiovisual material, novels, and public health brochures. Hereby, the analysis followed an initial three-step coding procedure: First, the authors conducted the material inductively by coding key terms, with regular feedback moments to discuss potential divergences. This first phase ended when no new frames were detected, followed by an axial coding procedure of the whole material during phase two. Here, every new passage from the material had to be connected to at least one frame package so to verify the pre-defined frames from phase one. Third and lastly, frame packages were created by linking both reasoning devices and framing devices with a cultural theme. Time frame of analysis and analyzed media type: The sample consisted of a representative selection of Belgian newspaper coverage from March 1, 2008 to July 1, 2010. In addition, books about dementia (n=20) were examined together with (audio-)visual material (n=14) based on the search results for “dementia” on www.imdb.com and www.youtube.com. Finally, public health brochures of dementia were part of the sample (n=15). Information about variable Variable/name definition: Frames/frame packages that define dementia Scale: Nominal Level of analysis: In the beginning by paragraph level, then the whole text as the frames began to emerge more clearly. Sample operationalization: A frame / frame package consists of seven elements. These are the following: (1) cultural theme; (2) definition of the problem; (3) cause (why is it a problem?); (4) consequences; (5) moral values involved; (6) possible solutions/actions; (7) metaphors, choice of vocabulary.   Values: The qualitative analysis resulted in a total of twelve frame packages (six frames and six counter-frames). Each consists of a central cultural theme, a definition of dementia, the causes and possible consequences, the moral evaluation and possible future scenarios of dementia. (1A. Dualism of body and mind vs. 1B. Unity of body and mind; 2; The invader; 3. The strange travelling companion; 4A. Faith in science vs. 4B. Natural ageing; 5. The fear of death and degeneration; 6. Carpe diem; 7A. Reversed roles vs. 7B. Each in turn; 8A. No quid pro quo vs. 8B. The Good Mother) Reliability: First, both authors coded independently of each other and met to discuss differences. This resulted in tentative frames which were used for further qualitative research of the material. Then, the frames found were discussed with experts (in a workshop setting). Codebook: Description of the sample (newspapers and audiovisual material) can be found at the end of the article (appendix of Van Gorp & Vercruysse, 2012). Information on Pentzold & Knorr, 2024 Authors: Christian Pentzold and Charlotte Knorr Research questions: With which imaginaries do journalistic reports make sense of Big Data? (RQ1) How do these imaginaries evolve over time? (RQ2) To what extent are the imaginaries similar or different across countries? (RQ3) Object of analysis [and analyzed media type]: The project Framing Big Data (DFG 2021-2024) analyzed the media-communicatively articulated frames on “Big Data” in online newspapers and magazines from three countries: South Africa, Germany, and the United States. No visual material was collected or examined. In total, material from 26 newspapers and magazines was analyzed. The time frame ranged from 2011 to 2020 (N=1,456). Articles had to contain the keywords “big data” or “dataf*” (e.g., datafication, datafied) in the headline, sub-headline and/or first paragraph (sampling criteria). To analyze the frames manually, it was assumed that frames are organized according to three levels analysable in a press text. First, the reasoning devices, followed by – secondly – the framing devices (references, argumentation patterns, idioms, metaphors, topoi) and – thirdly – the cultural motifs. Coming from a socio-constructionist approach, a cultural motif is the anchor of an idea expressed in a text (Van Gorp, 2010, p. 7). It is connected to a social problem. To understand this connection, the problem definition, causal attribution, treatment recommendation, and moral evaluation associated with the coded cultural motif were analyzed (cf., Van Gorp, 2010, p. 91-92; Entman, 1991, p. 52).  These four elements are the reasoning devices of a frame. They are accompanied by the so-called framing devices which are stylistic devices, catchphrases, metaphors, and references. To that end, for the manual frame analysis on Big Data in the press aggregates, we developed codes for framing devices (1), reasoning devices (2), and cultural motifs (3). All three elements form part of a frame package (Van Gorp, 2007, 2010). To build the frame packages, we followed procedures of both block modeling and cluster analysis. First, a block modeling was conducted – as introduced by White for structural analyses (White et al., 1976) – to prepare the data set for the cluster analysis. Then, the coded cultural motifs, the reasoning devices, and the framing devices that correlated strongly in the data set (a total of 9 variables and 34 codes) were chosen. With that, a hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward method) was conducted (Matthes & Kohring, 2008, p. 268). Binary variables were calculated for each of the codes of the nine variables. Time frame of analysis: 2011, Jan 1 – 2020, Dec 31 Codebook: Public_Codebook_FBD_fin.pdf Information about the variable Variable name/definition: Causal Attributions Scale: Nominal Level of analysis: Whereas the formal categories in the manual content analysis were coded at the level of a single news item, the individual frame elements were coded at the level of propositional units. A propositional unit (= analysis unit) can be connected to several codes that are assigned to either a framing device, a reasoning device or a cultural motif. Not all but some frame elements had to be present in the news item, and at least one reasoning device. Furthermore, at least one reasoning device should be tied to a framing device and/or cultural motif to prove that the propositional unit contains semantic relationships and not just elements of “raw text” (van Atteveldt, 2008, p. 5).  Sample operationalization Causal attributions are part of reasoning devices that include a problem definition, a causal attribution, a treatment recommendation, and a moral evaluation. To identify a causal attribution, we asked: What causes, reasons or expectations are associated with big data while others are ignored? How does an articulated cause, reason or expectation shape a concrete problem of big data while hiding others? Either as expectations (following the conviction/hope etc. to …) OR reasons (in order to…) OR as causes (because of …) for big data. (multiple causal attributions can be coded per article; but only one per propositional unit) Values: see Table 1. Reliability: α = .669 [Krippendorff’s alpha, intercoder reliability. A total of seven reliability tests were conducted, five of them during the coding phase and two as part of two pretests. Five coders were involved in four tests, four coders were involved in three tests. All tests were conducted in the period July 2022 to December 2022]. Table 1 Values used for the variable causal attributions described for Big Data (Pentzold & Knorr, 2024). Code Label Description 1 advances in health and medicine, self-optimization   (mostly expectations associated with Big Data); Big Data is used to predict future health and to cure / heal diseases; also research purposes for scientific purposes (to find something out) 2 military/governmental exploitation new technologies (AI, drones and robots) collect data and/or can be used for surveillance and defense, for military intelligence, police investigations, data for security: push-pull between privacy and security in the digital age 3 data as resource to make profit / sell data, also meta data; Advances in workflows: detailed information about consumers/workers/employees: data profiles (consumers, economic dimension), profiling social behavior and mobility patterns, consumer behavior, social media marketing, analyzing meta data to predict the future of what people will buy (not) buy, predicting consumer trends, changes on the labor market, economic developments, the machines that store data and the technologies that collect it are becoming increasingly efficient. this can save costs. 4 detailed information about voters; behavioural microtargeting (political dimension) voter mobilization; predicting voting behavior 5 networked architectures (macro) databases are globally connected, the technical infrastructures are already established, lower costs for data collection and storage, people are proceeded into data; free Services from companies for the price of some data, monitoring as default citizens get used to 6 risks of datafication are abstract, not considered (macro) lack of citizen interest and privacy interests in Big Data, “trends and changes are neglected” 7 deficient laws politically not regulated, in-transparency of contracts, police investigations are not regulated, grappling with balance of power: who will make decisions for us in the future? Ubiquitous mass surveillance; lack of expertise in handling Big Data (lack of organization of accumulated Big Data), persistence of data as data shadows (in the most negative sense: identities can be stolen) 8 Terror attacks in the past Big data analyses to prevent terrorist attacks like 9/11 9 something else/ nothing detected     Note: No multiple coding. References Boesman, J., & Van Gorp, B. (2018). Driving The Frame: How News Values, News Pegs, and Story Angles Guide Journalistic Frame Building. In P. D’Angelo (Ed.), Communication Series. Doing news framing analysis II: Empirical and theoretical perspectives (Second edition, pp. 112–134). New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. Cools, H., Van Gorp, B., & Opgenhaffen, M. (2024). Where exactly between utopia and dystopia? A framing analysis of AI and automation in US newspapers. Journalism, 25(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849221122647 Entman, R. M. (1991). Framing U.S. Coverage of International News: Contrasts in Narratives of the KAL and Iran Air Incidents: Symposium. Journal of Communication, 41(4), 6–27. Gamson, W. A., & Modigliani, A. (1989). Media Discourse and Public Opinion on Nuclear Power: A Constructionist Approach. American Journal of Sociology, 95(1), 1–37. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2780405 Jasanoff, S. (2015). Future Imperfect. In S. Jasanoff & S. Kim (Eds.), Dreamscapes of Modernity (pp. 1–33). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Matthes, J., & Kohring, M. (2008). The Content Analysis of Media Frames: Toward Improving Reliability and Validity. Journal of Communication, 58(2), 258–279. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2008.00384.x Pentzold, C., & Fischer, C. (2017). Framing Big Data: The discursive construction of a radio cell query in Germany. Big Data & Society, July-December, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951717745897 Pentzold, C. & Knorr, C. (2024). Making Sense of “Big Data”: Ten Years of Discourse Around Datafication (ICA 2024, 74th Conference, Gold Coast, Australia). Pentzold, C., & Knorr, C. (2021-2024). Framing Big Data (DFG). Leipzig University. https://www.sozphil.uni-leipzig.de/en/institut-fuer-kommunikations-und-medienwissenschaft/professuren/chair-of-media-and-communication/forschungs-und-praxisprojekte/framing-big-data van Atteveldt, W. (2008). Semantic network analysis: Techniques for extracting, representing and querying media content. SIKS dissertation series: no. 2008-30. BookSurge. Van Gorp, B. (2007). The Constructionist Approach to Framing: Bringing Culture Back In. Communication Research, 57, 60–78. Van Gorp, B. (2010). Strategies to Take Subjectivity Out of Framing Analysis. In P. D´Angelo & J. A. Kuypers (Eds.), Communication Series. Doing News Framing Analysis: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives (pp. 84–109). New York: Routledge. Van Gorp, B., & Vercruysse, T. (2012). Frames and counter-frames giving meaning to dementia: A framing analysis of media content. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 74(8), 1274–1281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.12.045 White, H. C., Boorman, S. A., & Breiger, R. L. (1976). Social Structure from Multiple Networks. I. Blockmodels of Roles and Positions. American Journal of Sociology, 81(4), 730–780. http://www.jstor.org/stable/277759

Decay dynamics of excitonic polarons in InAs/GaAs quantum dots

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. This article appeared in Journal of Applied Physics 110, 074303 (2011) and may be found at https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3639310.We present time-resolved studies of the exciton-phonon interaction in self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots. Different scattering and luminescence processes were investigated by time-resolved spectroscopy exciting resonantly into the quantum dot’s electronic structure. By studying the characteristic decay times of the ground state and of several phonon-assisted recombinations we were able to distinguish a resonant Raman process from a phonon-assisted photoluminescence process which are always simultaneously present and can interfere with each other. While lifetimes under 30 ps were observed for the coherent Raman process, the incoherent phonon-assisted recombination exhibited typical lifetimes of around 1 ns independently of the excitation energy. We conclude that under resonant excitation the dominant radiative recombination process in this system always involves an electronic state of the ground state of the quantum dot’s electronic structure. Combining temperature-dependent and time-resolved measurements we show that a weak phonon-bottleneck is present in the low temperature regime (< 130 K), while it disappears for higher temperatures.DFG, 43659573, SFB 787: Halbleiter - Nanophotonik: Materialien, Modelle, BauelementeDFG, 53182490, EXC 314: Unifying Concepts in Catalysi

Neutral and Charged Inter-Valley Biexcitons in Monolayer MoSe2_2

In atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), reduced dielectric screening of the Coulomb interaction leads to strongly correlated many-body states, including excitons and trions, that dominate the optical properties. Higher-order states, such as bound biexcitons, are possible but are difficult to identify unambiguously using linear optical spectroscopy methods alone. Here, we implement polarization-resolved two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy to unravel the complex optical response of monolayer MoSe$_2$ and identify multiple higher-order correlated states. Decisive signatures of neutral and charged inter-valley biexcitons appear in cross-polarized two-dimensional spectra as distinct resonances with respective ~20 meV and ~5 meV binding energies--similar to recent calculations using variational and Monte Carlo methods. A theoretical model taking into account the valley-dependent optical selection rules reveals the specific quantum pathways that give rise to these states. Inter-valley biexcitons identified here, comprised of neutral and charged excitons from different valleys, offer new opportunities for creating exotic exciton-polariton condensates and for developing ultrathin biexciton lasers and polarization-entangled photon sources

Assessing the intergranular crack initiation probability of a grain boundary distribution by an experimental misalignment study of adjacent slip systems

Crack initiation at grain boundaries due to blocked slip transfer of dislocations is a main failure mechanism during the fatigue of metals. A quantification of the resistance effect of a grain boundary is needed to assess a textured or texture-free microstructure for fatigue strength. Geometric approaches based on the misalignment of slip systems in adjacent grains are widely used. Hence, we validated the geometric transmission factor of Shen et al. in coarse-grained high-purity aluminum under the assumption that the combination of a large slip activity and a blocked slip at a grain boundary leads to intergranular crack initiation and revealed that a detailed knowledge of the 3D-orientation of the grain boundary is essential. Thereby we gathered information about the 3D-microstructure using FIB-cross-sectioning. Hence it is possible to evaluate potential crack initiation sites for a specific microstructure or to estimate the fatigue strength of a textured microstructure in terms of a crack initiation probability

Transition from Jaynes-Cummings to Autler-Townes ladder in a quantum dot-microcavity system

The research leading to these results has received funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) via Projects No. Ka2318/4-1 and No. Re2974/3-1, the SFB 787 "Semiconductor Nanophotonics: Materials, Models, Devices", and from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework ERC Grant Agreement No. 615613. A. C. gratefully acknowledges support from SFB 910: "Control of self-organizing nonlinear systems".We study experimentally and theoretically a coherently-driven strongly-coupled quantum dot-microcavity system. Our focus is on physics of the unexplored intermediate excitation regime where the resonant laser field dresses a strongly-coupled single exciton-photon (polariton) system resulting in a ladder of laser-dressed Jaynes-Cummings states. In that case both the coupling of the emitter to the confined light field of the microcavity and to the light field of the external laser are equally important, as proved by observation of injection pulling of the polariton branches by an external laser. This intermediate interaction regime is of particular interest since it connects the purely quantum mechanical Jaynes-Cummings ladder and the semi-classical Autler-Townes ladder. Exploring the driving strength-dependence of the mutually coupled system we establish the maximum in the resonance fluorescence signal to be a robust fingerprint of the intermediate regime and observe signatures indicating the laser-dressed Jaynes-Cummings ladder. In order to address the underlying physics we excite the coupled system via the matter component of fermionic nature undergoing saturation - in contrast to commonly used cavity-mediated excitation.PostprintPeer reviewe

4,12-Bis(2,2-dibromo­vinyl)[2.2]paracyclo­phane

In the title compound, C20H16Br4, both vinylic substituents were introduced by a Corey–Fuchs reaction using 4,12-diform­yl[2.2]paracyclo­phane as starting material. The title compound may be used as a valuable precursor for the synthesis of diethyn­yl[2.2]paracyclo­phane. The title mol­ecule is centrosymmetric with a crystallographic center of inversion between the centers of the two phenyl rings. A strong tilting is observed with an inter­planar angle between the best aromatic plane and the vinyl plane of 49.4 (5)°. No significant inter­molecular inter­actions are found in the crystal