The effects of recalling positive and negative contacts on linguistic discrimination towards migrant people

The present research aims to test whether varying the sequential position in which majority members recall positive and negative contacts with migrants affects the linguistic descriptions of these episodes - in terms of abstraction and valence - provided by majority group members. We also tested whether participants' prior contact with migrants and distance in time of the recalled contact experiences moderated the effect of the recall on linguistic discrimination. Across two experimental studies, evidence consistently showed that participants who recalled first positive and then negative interactions expressed less linguistic discrimination against migrants in the second event recalled, compared to those who recalled two negative interactions. Moreover, participants who reported having fewer positive intergroup experiences expressed less linguistic discrimination against migrants in recalling negative and then positive interactions, compared to recalling two positive interactions. Findings of Study 2 also revealed an effect of the temporal distance of the recalled events, with more beneficial effects of positive-negative sequences of contact when participants retrieved temporally recent compared to distant intergroup encounters. Overall, this research highlights the key role of positive contact in counteracting the effects of negative contact, leading to a reduction in linguistic discrimination

Humanizing Outgroups Through Multiple Categorization: The Roles of Individuation and Threat

In three studies, we examined the impact of multiple categorization on intergroup dehumanization. Study 1 showed that perceiving members of a rival university along multiple versus simple categorical dimensions enhanced the tendency to attribute human traits to this group. Study 2 showed that multiple versus simple categorization of immigrants increased the attribution of uniquely human emotions to them. This effect was explained by the sequential mediation of increased individuation of the outgroup and reduced outgroup threat. Study 3 replicated this sequential mediation model and introduced a novel way of measuring humanization in which participants generated attributes corresponding to the outgroup in a free response format. Participants generated more uniquely human traits in the multiple versus simple categorization conditions. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings and consider their role in informing and improving efforts to ameliorate contemporary forms of intergroup discrimination

Effective ways for reducing dehumanization: interpersonal and intergroup strategies

Up to date, research on dehumanization has widely been explored showing the consequences of the denial of humanity to others, the groups that are affected by this refusal, or even the cognitive and neural networks that are involved when perceiving others as less human. Dehumanization is still so grounded in human nature that it is now fundamental to understand how this phenomenon can be prevented. For this reason, in this paper, we aimed at showing what specific strategies, that can operate and impact at the interpersonal or intergroup level, can be used to avert dehumanization and its consequences

Cavitating pulmonary nodules growing in a favourable medium

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Pt-WOx/C Catalysts for α, β-Unsaturated Aldehydes Hydrogenation: An NMR Study of the Effect of the Reactant Adsorption on Activity and Selectivity

The selective hydrogenation of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes is an ideal case for studying the structure-activity relationships in heterogeneous catalysis. In particular, cinnamaldehyde can be used as probe molecule for revealing the competition between hydrogenation of C=C and C=O bond. Here, we investigated the effect of the modification of some Pt supported on carbon catalysts by WOx species in cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation, as WOx species are reported to increase the adsorption and activation of the C=O group of alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehydes. Classical techniques used for correlating the catalyst activity and the selectivity to the characteristic of the materials (XRD, HAADF-STEM, XEDS mapping and XPS) have been coupled with NMR relaxometry, as innovative application, to disclose how the molecule approaches the catalyst surface. This indeed constitutes a crucial aspect that rule the catalytic activity. Therefore, an innovative, holistic approach has been used to consider the whole catalytic system

International support for the Arab uprisings: Understanding sympathetic collective action using theories of social dominance and social identity

Inspired by the popular Arab protests against oppressive regimes that began in 2010, people around the world protested in sympathy with the Arab peoples. The present research draws on two major theories of intergroup relations to develop an initial integrative model of sympathetic collective action. We incorporate social dominance theory’s (SDT) concept of (rejectionist) legitimizing myths with the solidarity and emotional mediation concept of the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA) to understand motivations for sympathetic collective action among bystanders. Using data from 12 nations (N = 1,480), we tested three models: (a) SIMCA (i.e., solidarity, anger, and efficacy), (b) a social dominance theory model of collective action (i.e., social dominance orientation and ideologies concerning Arab competence), and (c) an integrated model of sympathetic collective action combining both theories. Results find the greatest support for an integrated model of collective action. Discussion focuses on theoretical pluralism and suggestions for future research

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and HIV Co-infection

We report a case of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection in a man with serologic evidence of HIV-1 infection. The clinical course was complicated by lung and brain involvement (respiratory failure and lethargy), severe leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, but complications resolved after treatment with oseltamivi

Environmental awareness gained during a citizen science project in touristic resorts is maintained after 3 years since participation

The research leading to these results has received funding from Project AWARE Foundation, ASTOI Association, Milano, Ministry of Tourism of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Settemari S. p. A Tour Operator, Scuba Nitrox Safety International, Viaggio nel Blu Diving Center.Tourism is one of the largest economic sectors in the world. It has a positive effect on the economy of many countries, but it can also lead to negative impacts on local ecosystems. Informal environmental education through Citizen Science (CS) projects can be effective in increasing citizen environmental knowledge and awareness in the short-term. A change of awareness could bring to a behavioral change in the long-term, making tourism more sustainable. However, the long-term effects of participating in CS projects are still unknown. This is the first follow-up study concerning the effects of participating in a CS project on cognitive and psychological aspects at the basis of pro-environmental behavior. An environmental education program was developed, between 2012 and 2013, in a resort in Marsa Alam, Egypt. The study directly evaluated, through paper questionnaires, the short-term (after 1 week or 10 days) retention of knowledge and awareness of volunteers that had participated in the activities proposed by the program. After three years, participants were re-contacted via email to fill in the same questionnaire as in the short-term study, plus a new section with psychological variables. 40.5% of the re-contacted participants completed the follow-up questionnaires with a final sample size of fifty-five people for this study. Notwithstanding the limited sample size, positive trends in volunteer awareness, personal satisfaction regarding the CS project, and motivation to engage in pro-environmental behavior in the long-term were observed.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Perceiving Mixed Valence Emotions Reduces Intergroup Dehumanization

To deny others’ humanity is one of the most heinous forms of intergroup prejudice. Given evidence that perceiving various forms of complexity in outgroup members reduces intergroup prejudice, we investigated across three experiments whether the novel dimension of emotional complexity, or outgroup members’ joint experience of mixed-valence emotions, would also reduce their dehumanization. Experiment 1 found that perceiving fictitious aliens’ experience of the same primary emotions (e.g., sadness) presented in mixed vs. non-mixed valence pairs led to reduced prejudice via attenuated dehumanization, i.e. attribution of uniquely human emotions. Experiment 2 confirmed these results, using an unfamiliar real-world group as an outgroup target. Experiment 3 used a familiar outgroup and found generally similar effects, reducing social distance through reduced dehumanization. These processes suggest that an alternate route to reduced dehumanizing of outgroups might involve presenting mixed valence emotions