SOCIAL PROBLEMS, BIOMEDICAL ANSWERS? HOW CAUSES OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS AFFECT CHOICE OF SOLUTIONS

With rapid advances in behavioural genetics, scientists are identifying an increasing array of genetic influences on human behaviour. Public misconceptions about the function of genes often lead to the oversimplification of the role of genes in behaviour (Dar-Nimrod & Heine, 2011). To date, no study has systematically investigated whether simply learning about genetic causes of behaviour affects people’s preferred solutions to problematic behaviours. The present research program includes three studies that were designed to examine the psychological effects of exposure to genetic etiology for problematic behaviour, in particular aggression, and investigated how this information influences endorsement of solutions, rating of effectiveness, and support for research funding. It was predicted that compared to a psycho-social etiological emphasis, a genetic etiological emphasis would increase preference for biomedical approaches. Participants read an article outlining the multi-determined nature of aggression, either emphasizing a newly-discovered genetic or an environmental cause of aggression which accounted for behavioural aggression in 30% of those with the predisposition. Across all three studies, the genetic emphasis increased preference for biomedicine compared to a psycho-social emphasis of aggression. In Studies 2 and 3 the psycho-social emphasis also increased preference for socio-behavioural approaches to aggression. These results underscore the importance of considering how media reports of genetic influences on behaviour can meaningfully affect people’s beliefs about treatments and solutions to social issues. In Study 1 and 3, assigning responsibility to genetic or environmental factors for aggression mediates solution preferences and preliminary evidence from Study 3 suggests that coherence of arguments, perceptions about personal responsibility and predispositions increases the effects of the emphasis condition. The effect of emphasis was also discussed in relation to additional variables. Findings from this program of research contribute to best practices for professionals and journalists when conveying genetic research to the public

Beyond Exposure to Outdoor Nature: Exploration of the Benefits of a Green Building’s Indoor Environment on Wellbeing

Most research exploring the psychological benefits of the natural environment has focused on direct exposure to the outdoors. However, people spend most of their time indoors, particularly in office buildings. Poor employee mental health has become one the most prevalent and costly occupational health issues. The integration of high quality environmental features (e.g., access to sunlight) in green-certified office buildings offers a superior work environment. These nature-based experiences are anticipated to provide beneficial outcomes to wellbeing. This study is the first to empirically investigate these benefits. Participants in a green (LEED gold certified) office building (N = 213) in Canada completed an assessment of environmental features, measures of hedonic, eudaimonic and negative wellbeing (NWB) and assessments of psycho-environmental potential, environmental behaviors and social belonging. Linear regression analyses confirmed the benefits of indoor environmental features for all aspects of wellbeing. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the effect of specific indoor environmental features on wellbeing. We explored physical features (e.g., air quality, light), and social features (e.g., privacy), as well as windows to the outside. Results suggest that physical features are important in promoting hedonic wellbeing, while social features prevent NWB. Both features equally predicted eudaimonic wellbeing (EWB). A view to the outside was positively correlated to wellbeing, although it did not uniquely predict it after accounting for other environmental features. Path analyses revealed the importance of person-environment fit, pro-environmental behavior and social belonging in mediating the association of indoor environmental features with hedonic and EWB. The results suggests that, by fostering person-environment fit, pro-environmental behaviors and feeling of community in a high quality setting, green buildings may lead to benefits on an array of wellbeing dimensions. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed

Transformations Towards Just Urban Sustainabilities: A community psychology approach to analyzing and fostering urban changes

Cities are uniquely positioned to drive social change towards more just and sustainable futures. However, while discourses of ‘transformations towards sustainability’ have gained prominence, their focus on integrating equity and justice and tackling the root causes of current unsustainabilities is lacking. This document outlines a research endeavor aimed at analyzing and fostering urban sustainable transformations from a community psychology perspective. This research is based on the assertion that without radical change based in equity and justice considerations, transformative efforts fail. First, a theory of just urban sustainable transformations (JUST) is suggested that draws on urban transformations and just sustainabilities scholarship. Then, a case study is reviewed that aims to create the conditions necessary for JUST through adequate affordable housing provision. Processes and structures of change are analyzed and discussed. The findings are then applied in the context of higher education, by suggesting a higher education teaching & learning framework for just urban sustainable transformations ‐ the JUST course. It builds upon critical global citizenship and transformative education. The document concludes with a brief discussion and the role of cities in taking action

Cooperativism in Cultural and Tech Sectors: Promises and Challenges

This article reports on a survey of co-operatives in the cultural and technology sectors in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Creative industries are a growth area for new cooperativism, with more than a quarter of surveyed co-operatives in operation for less than five years. While the findings show that co-operation is a promising strategy for countering individualised experiences of work, for democratising workplaces, and for facilitating satisfying work in creative industries, they also reveal significant challenges which individual co-operatives and the wider co-operative movement must confront for cooperativism to have a sustainable and inclusive future in the cultural and technology sectors

Structure of the malaria vaccine candidate antigen CyRPA and its complex with a parasite invasion inhibitory antibody

Invasion of erythrocytes by Plasmodial merozoites is a composite process involving the interplay of several proteins. Among them, the Plasmodium falciparum Cysteine-Rich Protective Antigen (PfCyRPA) is a crucial component of a ternary complex, including Reticulocyte binding-like Homologous protein 5 (PfRH5) and the RH5-interacting protein (PfRipr), essential for erythrocyte invasion. Here, we present the crystal structures of PfCyRPA and its complex with the antigen-binding fragment of a parasite growth inhibitory antibody. PfCyRPA adopts a 6-bladed β-propeller structure with similarity to the classic sialidase fold, but it has no sialidase activity and fulfills a purely non-enzymatic function. Characterization of the epitope recognized by protective antibodies may facilitate design of peptidomimetics to focus vaccine responses on protective epitopes. Both in vitro and in vivo anti-PfCyRPA and anti-PfRH5 antibodies showed more potent parasite growth inhibitory activity in combination than on their own, supporting a combined delivery of PfCyRPA and PfRH5 in vaccines