Does Bem´s Psychological Androgyny map on gender or sex differences in faces?

Sarah Bem introduced the concept of androgyny, which disconnects sex and gender and includes a continuous representation of gender. What has not been investigated so far is whether the particular qualities postulated by Bem are qualities of gender rather than sex-associated traits. In the present study, the reversed correlation task as a data driven approach was used to determine the implicit gender stereotypes across the faces of men and women and to create an ideal protoype of feminine and masculine faces. Then it was measured which impressions these faces evoke. Two studies and a pilot study (N=514) were conducted. The present study showed that gender and not sex is crucial for the attribution of social characteristics. Pictures of stereotypical faces have been found to be highly suitable for measuring masculinity and femininity. The continuous properties of masculinity and femininity, as outlined by Bem (1974), are still appropriate to differentiate between the stereotypical ideas of men and women

Combined Anchoring: Prosecution and defense claims as sequential anchors in the courtroom

Purpose When making judgements under uncertainty not only lay people but also professional judges often rely on heuristics like a numerical anchor (e.g., a numerical sentencing demand) to generate a numerical response. As the prosecution has the privilege to present its demand first, some scholars have speculated about an anchoring‐based unfair disadvantage for the defence (who has the last albeit less effective word in court). Despite the plausibility of this reasoning, it is based on a hitherto untested assumption that the first of two sequential anchors exerts a greater influence on a later judgement (a primacy effect). We argue that it is also conceivable that the last word in court has a recency advantage (a recency effect) or that order does not matter as both demands even each other out (a combined anchor). Methods We report a pre‐registered experiment with German law students ( N = 475) who were randomly assigned to six experimental conditions in a study on legal decision‐making order to test these three possibilities. Results Results indicate an influence of both the prosecution and the defence recommendation, but no effect of order. Conclusion This provides strong support for combined anchoring even for knowledgeable participants and rich case material. Specifically, the data are best compatible with the notion that both anchors exert an influence but each on different individuals. The implications of this finding for theory and legal decision‐making are discussed

Measuring individual differences in generic beliefs in conspiracy theories across cultures: the Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire (CMQ)

Conspiracy theories are ubiquitous when it comes to explaining political events and societal phenomena. Individuals differ not only in the degree to which they believe in specific conspiracy theories, but also in their general susceptibility to explanations based on such theories, that is, their conspiracy mentality. We present the Conspiracy Mentality Questionnaire (CMQ), an instrument designed to efficiently assess differences in the generic tendency to engage in conspiracist ideation within and across cultures. The CMQ is available in English, German, and Turkish. In four studies, we examined the CMQ’s factorial structure, reliability, measurement equivalence across cultures, and its convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity. Analyses based on a cross-cultural sample (Study 1a; N = 7,766) supported the conceptualization of conspiracy mentality as a one-dimensional construct across the three language versions of the CMQ that is stable across time (Study 1b; N = 141). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the CMQ items. The instrument could therefore be used to examine differences in conspiracy mentality between European, North American, and Middle Eastern cultures. In Studies 2–4 (total N = 476), we report (re-)analyses of three datasets demonstrating the validity of the CMQ in student and working population samples in the UK and Germany. First, attesting to its convergent validity, the CMQ was highly correlated with another measure of generic conspiracy belief. Second, the CMQ showed patterns of meaningful associations with personality measures (e.g., Big Five dimensions, schizotypy), other generalized political attitudes (e.g., social dominance orientation and right-wing authoritarianism), and further individual differences (e.g., paranormal belief, lack of socio-political control). Finally, the CMQ predicted beliefs in specific conspiracy theories over and above other individual difference measures

Connecting the dots: Nonlinear patterns in the presence of symbolic and nonsymbolic numerical standards

Much like other social and nonsocial evaluations, estimates of numerical quantities are susceptible to comparative influences. However, numerical representations can take either a nonsymbolic (e.g., a grouping of dots) or a symbolic numerical form (e.g., Hindu–Arabic numerals), which each produce comparative biases in opposite directions. The current work takes a fine-grained curve fitting approach across a wide range of values to the investigation of their potential nonlinear influence in the context of a numerical estimation task. A series of 3 experiments (N = 1,613) showed how nonsymbolic standards produce linear contrastive patterns (Study 1), whereas symbolic numerical anchors show a cubic assimilative effect with a leveling off in strength for more extreme standards (Study 2). Sequential contrast from the previous patterns and assimilation to the previous response were found to be present and additive in the presence of both representations but were larger in absence of the symbolic numerical anchors (Study 3)

Der Einfluss des richterlichen Auftrags auf die Qualität der Arbeit von Sachverständigen im Rahmen der Prognosebegutachtung

Im Jahr 2006 wurden von einer Arbeitsgruppe (nicht verbindliche) Mindestanforderungen für Prognosegutachten formuliert, die bereits im Gutachtenauftrag Berücksichtigung finden sollen. Insbesondere sollen die Sachverständigen sich an folgenden vier prognostischen Fragestellungen orientieren: (1) der Wahrscheinlichkeit erneuter Straftaten, (2) der Art, Häufigkeit und des Schweregrades erneuter Straftaten, (3) möglicher risikoreduzierender Maßnahmen und (4) möglicher risikoerhöhender Umstände. In einer empirischen Studie werden N = 787 Prognosegutachten von Gewalt- und Sexualstraftätern, die zwischen 1999 und 2016 erstellt worden sind, hinsichtlich der richterlichen Auftragsstellung und deren Beantwortung analysiert. Einen Teil der Stichprobe bilden n = 412 externe Prognosegutachten der JVA Freiburg und n = 375 Prognosegutachten der Abteilung für Forensische Psychiatrie der Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Es wurden n = 407 (Freiburg: 253, München: 154) vor 2006 erstellt und n = 380 (Freiburg: 159, München: 221) nach 2006. Es zeigt sich, dass ab 2006 die Münchner Abteilung eine statistisch signifikant häufigere Beantwortung der Fragestellungen (1), (2) und (4) verzeichnet, wohingegen keine Veränderung bei den externen Prognosegutachten der JVA Freiburg festzustellen ist. Es wird argumentiert, dass in universitären Einrichtungen eher wissenschaftliche Empfehlungen aufgegriffen werden als in der allgemeinen Gutachterpraxis. Zudem wird die Bedeutung der Bezugnahme auf die prognostischen Fragestellungen bereits im richterlichen Gutachtenauftrag betont, da statistisch gezeigt werden kann, dass diese zu einer konkreteren Beantwortung durch die Sachverständigen führt

A Biomechanical Analysis of Peroneus Brevis Split Lesions, Repair, and Partial Resection

BACKGROUND Peroneus brevis tendon tears are associated with chronic ankle pain and instability following sprain injuries. The aim of this study is to elucidate the biomechanical changes induced by a peroneus brevis split and surgical treatment by tubularizing suture or partial resection. METHODS Nine human lower leg specimens were biomechanically tested. Preexisting tendon pathology was ruled out by magnetic resonance imaging and histology. Specimens were subjected to sequential testing of 4 conditions of the peroneus brevis tendon: (1) native, (2) longitudinal lesion, (3) tubularizing suture, and (4) 50% resection. The outcome parameters were the tendon stiffness (N/mm) and the length variation of the split portion at 5 N load. RESULTS The median specimen age at death was 55.8 years (range 50-64 years). The longitudinal tendon split led to an elongation by 1.21 ± 1.15 mm, which was significantly reduced by tubularizing suture to 0.24 ± 0.97 mm (P = .021). Furthermore, 50% resection of the tendon elongated it by a mean 2.45 ± 1.9 mm (P = .01) and significantly reduced its stiffness compared to the intact condition (4.7 ± 1.17 N/mm, P = .024) and sutured condition (4.76 ± 1.04 N/mm, P = .011). CONCLUSION Longitudinal split and 50% resection of the peroneus brevis tendon led to elongation and loss of tendon stiffness. These properties were improved by tubularizing suture. The significance of these changes in the clinical setting needs further investigation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Tubularizing suture of a peroneus brevis split can restore biomechanical properties to almost native condition, potentially aiding ankle stability in symptomatic cases. A split lesion and partial resection of the tendon showed reduced stiffness and increased elongation

Us and the virus: understanding the COVID-19 pandemic through a social psychological lens

From a social psychological perspective, the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated protective measures affected individuals’ social relations and their basic psychological needs. We aim to identify sources of need frustration (stressors) and possibilities to bolster need satisfaction (buffers). Particularly, we highlight emerging empirical research in areas in which social psychological theorizing can contribute to our understanding of the pandemic’s social consequences: Loneliness, social networks, role conflicts, social identity, compliance, trust, reactance, and conspiracy beliefs. We highlight directions for future social psychological research as the pandemic continues

Simulation of the distribution of chromosome targets in cell nuclei under topological constraints

Abstract. Several models for the distribution of subchromosomal targets under topological constraints were developed which take into account that chromosomes occupy distinct, mutually exclusive territories in the cell nucleus. Nuclei and two pairs of chromosome territories of various size were modeled by spheres or ellipsoids under the simplified assumption that the entire set of chromosome territories present in a diploid cell nucleus completely fills the nuclear interior and that each territory occupies a fraction of the nuclear volume proportional to its DNA content. Monte Carlo simulations of the distribution of the territory gravity centers were performed taking into account the constraint of territory extension by the nuclear boundary and the constraint of territory self avoidance, i.e. territories should not intersect each other. In addition, various assumptions were made with regard to the location of point-like targets either within or at the surface of two 'homologous' model territories. For each assumption the distance between the two point-like targets and between each target and the center of the model nucleus was calculated in Monte Carlo simulations and in part also analytically. The distribution of point-like targets in model nuclei under the influence of these topological constraints depends on the shape of the model nucleus and shows strong deviations from a model often applied in previous studies. In this model the random distribution of point-like targets was described under the assumption that such targets are distributed uniformly and independently from each other within the nuclear space without any constraints except for the nuclear boundary. All models were applied to experimentally measured distributions of chromosomal subregions delineated by fluorescence in situ hybridization with subregion specific probes. We demonstrate that a neglect of geometrical constraints in the simulation of target distributions can lead to erroneous conclusions of whether experimental target distributions occur in a random manner or not

Adult-Adult and Adult-Child/Adolescent Online Sexual Interactions: An Exploratory Self-Report Study on the Role of Situational Factors

Alcohol intoxication, sexual arousal, and negative emotional states have been found to precede certain sexual behaviors. Using data from an online self-report survey distributed to adults (N&nbsp;=&nbsp;717; 423 men and 304 women), we compared adults with adult online sexual interactions (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;640; 89.3%) to adults with interactions with a child or an adolescent (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;77; 10.7%) on how much they reported being affected by the following factors surrounding the time of the interactions: alcohol intoxication, sexual arousal, sadness, boredom, stress, and shame. We found that those with a child or adolescent contact reported higher sexual arousal and more shame before the interaction, compared with those with an adult contact. In addition, the levels of negative emotional states varied when levels before the interactions were compared with levels after the interactions, suggesting that engaging in online sexual interactions alleviated negative emotional states, at least temporarily. The alleviatory effects, however, were accompanied by higher levels of shame after the interactions. Overall, adults that engage in online sexual interactions have remarkably similar perceptions of the situation surrounding these activities, independent of the age of their online contacts. Limitations of the study are discussed.</p