The Affect Misattribution Procedure.

The Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) has been forwarded as one of the most promising alternatives to the Implicit Association Test and the evaluative-priming task for measuring attitudes such as prejudice indirectly. We investigated whether the AMP is indeed able to detect an evaluative out-group bias. In contrast to recent conclusions about the robustness of AMP effects, six out of seven pilot studies indicated that participants did not show any prejudice effects in the AMP. Yet, these pilot studies were not fully conclusive with regard to our research question because they investigated different domains of prejudice, used small sample sizes, and employed a modified AMP version. In a preregistered, high-powered AMP study, we therefore examined whether the standard AMP does reveal prejudice against Turks, the biggest minority in Germany, and found a significant, albeit very small prejudice effect. We discuss possible reasons for the AMP's weak sensitivity to evaluations in socially sensitive domains

Determinants of automatic age and race bias: ingroup-outgroup distinction salience moderates automatic evaluations of social groups

IntroductionThe present research investigates whether ingroup-outgroup distinction salience moderates automatic intergroup bias (i.e., more positive evaluations of ingroup targets relative to outgroup targets) toward multiply categorizable social targets.MethodsIn two experiments, we manipulated the salience of participants’ social identity based on age vs. race, respectively. Afterwards, we measured automatic evaluations of social targets varying in age and race.ResultsYoung White participants exhibited higher automatic race bias when their racial identity (i.e., White in contrast to Black) was salient. Conversely, they exhibited higher automatic age bias when their age identity (i.e., young in contrast to old) was salient.DiscussionGoing beyond previous research, we show that it is sufficient to direct participants’ attention to their ingroup-identity in contrast to the respective outgroup to cause changes in automatic intergroup bias. This is important because it provides a strong test of the hypothesis that ingroup-outgroup distinction salience moderates automatic intergroup bias

Further Validation of Measures of Target Detection and Stereotype Activation in the Stereotype Misperception Task

Previous research presented a multinomial model to estimate four latent processes (target detection, stereotype activation, stereotype application, guessing) that contribute to responses in the Stereotype Misperception Task, an indirect measure of stereotyping (Krieglmeyer and Sherman, 2012). The present research further investigates the validity of the target detection (D) and stereotype activation (SAC) parameters. To this end, the data from Experiment 2 and Experiment 4 in Krieglmeyer and Sherman (2012) were re-analyzed using a bootstrap method to investigate the robustness of the results. Furthermore, two conceptual replication studies were conducted and analyzed with the same bootstrap method. A manipulation of target distinctness influenced the D parameter as predicted. A manipulation of prime prototypicality influenced the SAC parameter as predicted. Taken together, the results support the validity of the D and SAC model parameters

(In)eficácia do Princípio de Precaução no Brasil

The purpose of this article is to review the Precautionary Principle in Brazilian law in relation to the international agreements assumed by the country. We opted for a constitutional approach in the introductory phase, since the Precautionary Principle, which emerges from Article 225 of the Brazilian Federal Constitution, is considered as a general principle of national environmental law. The article is divided into three items. In the first one, introduction, we suggest an overview of the Precautionary Principle into the Brazilian environmental law through the international conventions. The second item refers to the incorporation of this principle by the Brazilian legal doctrine. In the third item, we present some examples of the Precautionary Principle ineffectiveness in the Brazilian context. The final considerations evoke the urgency of a precautionary approach.Este artigo tem por objetivo revisar o Princípio de Precaução no ordenamento nacional ante os acordos internacionais assumidos pelo Brasil. Optamos por uma abordagem constitucional na fase introdutória, pois Princípio de Precaução, que emerge do artigo 225 da Constituição Federal, é considerado como Princípio Geral do Direito Ambiental. O artigo está dividido em três itens. No primeiro deles, como introdução, sugerimos um panorama da sua inserção no direito ambiental brasileiro a partir das convenções internacionais. O segundo item refere-se à sua incorporação pela a doutrina jurídica brasileira. No terceiro, apresentamos alguns exemplos da sua [in]eficácia no contexto nacional. As considerações finais evocam a urgência de uma postura precautória

Serum estrogen levels and prostate cancer risk in the prostate cancer prevention trial: a nested case–control study

OBJECTIVE: Finasteride reduces prostate cancer risk by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. However, whether finasteride affects estrogens levels or change in estrogens affects prostate cancer risk is unknown. METHODS: These questions were investigated in a case-control study nested within the prostate cancer prevention trial (PCPT) with 1,798 biopsy-proven prostate cancer cases and 1,798 matched controls. RESULTS: Among men on placebo, no relationship of serum estrogens with risk of prostate cancer was found. Among those on finasteride, those in the highest quartile of baseline estrogen levels had a moderately increased risk of Gleason score < 7 prostate cancer (for estrone, odds ratio [OR] = 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-2.15; for estradiol, OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.03-2.18). Finasteride treatment increased serum estrogen concentrations; however, these changes were not associated with prostate cancer risk. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm those from previous studies that there are no associations of serum estrogen with prostate cancer risk in untreated men. In addition, finasteride results in a modest increase in serum estrogen levels, which are not related to prostate cancer risk. Whether finasteride is less effective in men with high serum estrogens, or finasteride interacts with estrogen to increase cancer risk, is uncertain and warrants further investigation

Farsighted and automatic: Affective stimuli facilitate ultimately compatible approach–avoidance tendencies even in the absence of evaluation goals

Research has shown that affective stimuli automatically trigger responses that ultimately cause a compatible distance change (positive-approach, negative-avoidance), even when this requires an initial movement in the opposite and thus incompatible direction (detour). It is unclear, however, which features of automaticity apply to this effect. The present study investigated whether this effect depends on the goal to evaluate stimulus valence. Participants responded with approach and avoidance movements to affective stimuli. Half of the trials required a detour, i.e., participants initially moved in the directionopposite to the positionultimatelyintended. The goal of stimulus evaluation was manipulated between participants (present vs. absent). Affective stimuli facilitated ultimately compatible approach-avoidance responses even in the absence of evaluation goals, albeit the effect was larger when evaluation goals were present. The present findings suggest that distance regulation towards and away from affective stimuli is farsighted and automatic at the same time