Work satisfaction of the self-employed: The roles of work autonomy, working hours, gender and sector of self-employment

Studies on segregation in employment are suggestive of higher levels of job satisfaction in female-dominated occupational settings. This research investigates whether this effect is replicated in self-employment. We explore whether satisfaction differentials are related to differences in autonomy and working hours. Our hypotheses are tested using data from the European Social Survey. The final sample consists of 1079 males and 326 females. Our research suggests that differences in job satisfaction among self-employed men and women should not be attributed to gender but to gender composition of sector. Our study contributes to our understanding of gender within a sectoral perspective and the significance of work autonomy and level of working hours to improve work satisfaction of the self-employed

MHD models of Pulsar Wind Nebulae

Pulsar Wind Nebulae (PWNe) are bubbles or relativistic plasma that form when the pulsar wind is confined by the SNR or the ISM. Recent observations have shown a richness of emission features that has driven a renewed interest in the theoretical modeling of these objects. In recent years a MHD paradigm has been developed, capable of reproducing almost all of the observed properties of PWNe, shedding new light on many old issues. Given that PWNe are perhaps the nearest systems where processes related to relativistic dynamics can be investigated with high accuracy, a reliable model of their behavior is paramount for a correct understanding of high energy astrophysics in general. I will review the present status of MHD models: what are the key ingredients, their successes, and open questions that still need further investigation.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, Invited Review, Proceedings of the "ICREA Workshop on The High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems", Sant Cugat, Spain, April 12-16, 201

Dressed for Sex: Red as a Female Sexual Signal in Humans

Background: In many non-human primate species, a display of red by a female serves as a sexual signal to attract male conspecifics. Red is associated with sex and romance in humans, and women convey their sexual interest to men through a variety of verbal, postural, and behavioral means. In the present research, we investigate whether female red ornamentation in non-human primates has a human analog, whereby women use a behavioral display of red to signal their sexual interest to men. Methodology/Principal Findings: Three studies tested the hypothesis that women use red clothing to communicate sexual interest to men in profile pictures on dating websites. In Study 1, women who imagined being interested in casual sex were more likely to display red (but not other colors) on their anticipated web profile picture. In Study 2, women who indicated interest in casual sex were more likely to prominently display red (but not other colors) on their actual web profile picture. In Study 3, women on a website dedicated to facilitating casual sexual relationships were more likely to prominently exhibit red (but not other colors) than women on a website dedicated to facilitating marital relationships. Conclusions/Significance: These results establish a provocative parallel between women and non-human female primates in red signal coloration in the mating game. This research shows, for the first time, a functional use of color in women’s sexual self-presentation, and highlights the need to extend research on color beyond physics, physiology, and preference to psychological functioning

Brokering Trust to Enhance Leadership: A Self-Monitoring Approach to Leadership Emergence

What kind of person is likely to emerge as an informal leader in the workplace? Experimental research shows that high self-monitors—who tend to adjust their attitudes and behaviors to the demands of different situations—emerge as informal leaders in temporary groups. By contrast, low self-monitors—who tend to be true to themselves in terms of consistency in attitudes and behaviors across different situations—are less likely to emerge as leaders. But this prior research does not address the criticism that the emergence of high self-monitors as leaders represents ephemeral impression management in the context of laboratory experiments. To address this issue, we collected and analyzed data from a 116-member high-technology firm. Our results show that self-monitoring is related not only to leadership emergence, but also to the provision of advice to co-workers. Further, people who occupied brokerage positions (being trusted by those who did not trust each other) tended to be seen as leaders if they were high rather than low self-monitors. From these results, we build a picture of the high self-monitoring emergent leader as someone who notices problems and ameliorates them through the provision of advice and the brokerage of relationships across social divides. The occupation of a structurally advantageous position may well be more advantageous for some (i.e., high self-monitors) relative to others (i.e., low self-monitors)

On the use of open-ended measures to assess attitudinal components

The present paper describes open-ended (i.e. free-response) measures that have been used to assess the cognitive, affective, and behavioural components of attitude. After defining the attitude concept and outlining the open-ended measures, the paper describes the results of various studies that have utilized this response format to assess the favourability and structure of attitudes. Each study discussed will also indicate how the use of open-ended measures led to the generation of research questions that might not otherwise have been possible. The paper concludes by discussing some other domains of attitude research that can benefit from the use of open-ended measures

Impact of negative advertising on evaluations of political leaders: The 1993 Canadian federal election

We investigated the effects of negative political advertising on evaluations of political party leaders. During the 1993 Canadian federal election, the Progressive Conservative party aired two advertisements highlighting the facial paralysis of Liberal leader Jean Chretien. A sample of 110 university students completed measures of attitudes, affective responses, and cognitive responses concerning Conservative leader Kim Campbell and Jean Chretien either before or after the airing of the advertisements. The results revealed that evaluations of Chretien became more positive after the broadcast of the advertisements, whereas evaluations of Campbell became more negative. A content analysis of participants' open-ended affective responses and stereotypic beliefs showed that those who participated after the advertisements' broadcast were (a) more likely to list positive feelings and attributes about Chretien and (b) more likely to list negative feelings about Campbell compared to those who participated beforehand