Multilayer Nanocomposite Polymetric Packaging For Microwave Applications

Microwaveable packaging material should ensure good preservation of the product before cooking/ heating such as high barriers to gases and aromas and adequate control of water vapor transmission. Among the polymers used in flexible packaging, crystalline poly(ethylene terephthalate) (CPET) is characterized by good oxygen barrier properties and quite high heat stability which ensures the absence of alterations of foods flavors. CPET trays or films are suitable for Ready To Cook (RTC) products within a temperature range from -40 to + 220°C. The aim of this work was the production and characterization of nanocomposite multilayer PET films, for microwave applications, in which the nanoclay acts as a heating enhancer. Films prototypes were made by means of laboratory compounding equipment for the production of nanocomposite CPET and by a co-extrusion equipment for producing multilayer films using two different PET copolymer matrices and a modified nanoclay (Cloisite 20A) as heating enhancer. The study of morphology of nanocomposite layer by means of X-ray diffraction experiments was carried out in order to correlate the intercalation/ exfoliation degree of nanoclay with cooking performance

Gender differences in implicit gender self-categorization lead to stronger gender self-stereotyping by women than by men

It was hypothesized that, in natural group contexts, low-status in-group membership would be highly accessible, whereas membership to high-status groups would not. Therefore, gender group membership was predicted to be more accessible for women than for men. It was further hypothesized that the high accessibility of gender group membership would lead to stronger self-stereotyping for women than for men. To measure the accessibility of gender group membership, participants performed a Gender Self-Categorization Implicit Association Test (Studies 1 and 2), measuring the strength of automatic associations between the self and the gender in-group. Participants also performed a Self-Stereotyping Implicit Association Test (Study 2), assessing the strength of automatic associations between the self and the stereotypical traits of the in-group. As expected, implicit gender self-categorization and implicit gender self-stereotyping were stronger for women than for men. Importantly, implicit gender self-categorization mediated the relation between gender and self-stereotyping. Therefore, implicit gender self-categorization was the mechanism underlying stronger implicit self-stereotyping by women

Why do Women Self-Stereotype more than Men? The Mediational Role of Implicit Gender Self-Categorization.

Previous research by Latrofa et al. (2010) found that women were more strongly identified with their gender then men, thus leading to stronger self-stereotyping. However, other research has found that women are not identified with their gender more strongly than men. Therefore, ingroup identification cannot be the primary cause of self-stereotyping. Consistent with this premise, in Experiment 1 (N = 67) we showed that women were equally identified with their gender ingroup as men, but nevertheless they self-stereotyped more strongly than men. Given the findings of Experiment 1, we tested the hypothesis that ingroup membership is chronically more accessible for women, thus leading to stronger self-stereotyping. In Experiment 2 (N = 39) and Experiment 3 (N = 56), participants performed a) a Gender Self-Categorization IAT to assess the associations between the Self and the Ingroup Gender, that is the accessibility of ingroup membership, and b) a Self-Stereotyping IAT to assess the strength of automatic associations between Self and ingroup stereotypical traits. As expected, women showed stronger implicit Self-Categorization as well as stronger implicit Self-Stereotyping than men. Moreover, as predicted, the relation between participants\u2019 Gender and Self-Stereotyping was mediated by the level of Self-Categorization. Therefore, for women, the chronic salience of ingroup membership causes Self-Stereotyping. Results are discussed with reference to women as a minority status group

The Roots of Stereotype Threat: When Automatic Associations Disrupt Girls' Math Performance

Although stereotype awareness is a prerequisite for stereotype threat effects (Steele & Aronson, 1995), research showed girls' deficit under stereotype threat before the emergence of math–gender stereotype awareness, and in the absence of stereotype endorsement. In a study including 240 six-year-old children, this paradox was addressed by testing whether automatic associations trigger stereotype threat in young girls. Whereas no indicators were found that children endorsed the math–gender stereotype, girls, but not boys, showed automatic associations consistent with the stereotype. Moreover, results showed that girls' automatic associations varied as a function of a manipulation regarding the stereotype content. Importantly, girls' math performance decreased in a stereotype-consistent, relative to a stereotype-inconsistent, condition and automatic associations mediated the relation between stereotype threat and performance

Young girls show implicit math-gender stereotypical associations in absence of stereotype awareness.

Whereas math-gender stereotypes have been found only starting from 9 years of age (e.g. Steffens et al., 2010), even 5-7-year old girls show performance deficits after the activation of negative stereotypes (e.g. Ambady et al., 2001). To disentangle these findings, we tested the hypothesis that implicit math-gender stereotypes could already be detected in young girls, long before explicit ones. We measured implicit and explicit gender stereotypes, math performance, and attitudes towards math and reading in 6-year-olds. We also assessed parents\u2019 implicit and explicit gender stereotypes, and expectations for their children. Children were assigned to a stereotype threat, control, or stereotype lift condition. Girls, but not boys, revealed a strong implicit math-gender stereotype (via Child-IAT). Moreover, girls\u2019 implicit gender stereotype significantly changed across conditions: it was stronger in the stereotype threat condition and weaker in the stereotype lift condition as compared to the control condition. Importantly, neither boys nor girls showed stereotype awareness. However, children\u2019s attitudes were in line with gender stereotypes: boys reported a preference for math and girls self-reported a preference for reading. Interestingly, parents\u2019 explicit stereotypes and expectations predicted girls but not boys\u2019 attitudes. Possible intervention strategies will be discussed in the light of this early \u201cinternalization\u201d of gender stereotypes and their malleability for girls