Community Embeddedness and Core Self-Evaluations as Predictors of Job Search and Stress During Unemployment: Perceived Employability as a Moderator

The loss of a job is a stressful life event that can cause people to lose economic stability, membership in a community, or a piece of their self-identity. Joblessness is an increasingly salient experience for American workers, as the national unemployment rate hovers between 8% and 9% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). Existing research suggests that unemployment is related to decreased levels of wellbeing. In addition, there is support that job search behaviors are strongly related to self-esteem and that those behaviors can function as a coping mechanism to combat the stress experienced during unemployment. In the current study, psychological variables associated with community embeddedness along with core self-evaluations were used as predictors of global stress and of unemployment stress. Additionally, these variables were used as predictors of job search behaviors inside and outside of one\u27s community. Perceived employment opportunities were used as a moderator of this relationship. Two hundred and twenty-six respondents at a Job Fair in the Southeast provided responses to a survey containing these variables. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine and refine the measures. Hierarchical regression was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Results suggest that there is a significant relationship between self efficacy and stress, as well as, employment opportunities and search behaviors. However, employment opportunities were not found to moderate the proposed relationships in the current study. Implications and limitations are discussed

Tomorrow\u27s Leading Ladies: How Core Self-Evaluations, Leadership Perceptions, and Social Support Influence Young Women\u27s Leadership Aspirations

Given that women are an underrepresented population in organizational leadership, the purpose of this dissertation was to understand the forces driving college-aged women’s leadership aspirations. Using a two-study design, the current research sought to understand the influence that internal (psychological) and external (social) factors can have on a young woman’s desire to lead. In Study One, which included 228 college-aged female participants, results indicated there was a significant, positive between Core Self Evaluations (CSE) and leadership aspirations and provided partial support for the mediating effects of leadership fit on the CSE-aspiration relationship. Results from Study One failed to support the hypothesized mediating effects of mentor presence on the CSE-leadership aspiration relationship. In addition, results of Study One failed to support CSE as a mediator of the relationship between role model status and leadership aspirations. Thus, Study One supported the importance of CSE in aspirations and suggests that the fit between self-perceived leader traits and stereotypes of a successful leader may also be important in understanding aspirations. Study Two, which only included those participants that indicated they had a mentor within the last 12-months, again supported the relationship between CSE and leadership aspirations, but failed to support the mediating effects of mentor quality on the CSE-aspirations relationship. Overall, results support the influence of internal factors on leadership aspirations, highlight the importance of a woman’s self-identification as a potential leader, and provide insight to help better understand how to best utilize mentoring to increase young women’s desires to reach leadership positions within their careers. A discussion of the results, limitations, and potential future directions for research are also provided

Environmental Effects in the Evolution of Galactic Bulges

We investigate possible environmental trends in the evolution of galactic bulges over the redshift range 0<z<0.6. For this purpose, we construct the Fundamental Plane (FP) for cluster and field samples at redshifts =0.4 and =0.54 using surface photometry based on HST imaging and velocity dispersions based on Keck spectroscopy. As a reference point for our study we include data for pure ellipticals, which we model as single-component Sersic profiles; whereas for multi-component galaxies we undertake decompositions using Sersic and exponential models for the bulge and disk respectively. Although the FP for both distant cluster and field samples are offset from the local relation, consistent with evolutionary trends found in earlier studies, we detect significant differences in the zero point of ~=0.2 dex between the field and cluster samples at a given redshift. For both clusters, the environmentally-dependent offset is in the sense expected for an accelerated evolution of bulges in dense environments. By matching the mass range of our samples, we confirm that this difference does not arise as a result of the mass-dependent downsizing effects seen in larger field samples. Our result is also consistent with the hypothesis that - at fixed mass and environment - the star formation histories of galactic bulges and pure spheroids are indistinguishable, and difficult to reconcile with the picture whereby the majority of large bulges form primarily via secular processes within spiral galaxies.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Investigating perception and liking of non-nutritive sweeteners in individuals representing different taste receptor genotypes

This study investigates whether variations in taste receptor genotypes account for differences in perception and liking of the non-nutritive sweeteners sucralose and Rebaudioside A (RebA). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of sweet taste re-ceptor subunits TAS1R2 and TAS1R3 (8 SNPs), bitter taste receptors TAS2R4 and TAS2R14 (2 SNPs), and carbonic anhydrase 6 (CA6, GUSTIN) were studied. Consumer liking and perception of apple beverages varying in sucralose or RebA concentration were measured. Of the sweet receptor SNPs, TAS1R2 rs12137730 had a significant effect on sweet perception of sucralose beverages. No sweet taste receptor SNPs had any significant effect on liking. The bitter taste receptor SNP TAS2R4 rs2234001, how-ever, significantly affected bitter perception of stevia beverages; the more bitter sensitive consumers, homozygous for the GG allele, liked the RebA-sweetened drinks substantially but not significantly less than the homozygous CC group

A critically appraised topic (CAT) to compare the effects of single and multi-cat housing on physiological and behavioural measures of stress in domestic cats in confined environments

Background Domestic cats have evolved from solitary, asocial predators and whilst they may display social behaviours, they can still exist as solitary survivors. Over-population and relinquishment of pet cats are ubiquitous problems worldwide, and rehoming centres (also known as rescues/ shelters) aim to ameliorate this by holding cats in confinement for a variable period until a new home is found. The provision of optimal housing for large numbers of cats in close confinement, such as in rehoming centres, is therefore inherently difficult. Under these conditions there is the potential for individuals to develop signs of physical and psychological ill health, and thus experience compromised welfare. Available information regarding housing practices that maximise welfare currently provides conflicting results, and as a consequence there are no unanimous housing recommendations. The aim of this study was therefore to review the evidence on the impact of single housing compared to multi-cat housing on stress in confined cats, as measured by physiological and/or behavioural outcomes. The review was conducted using a Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) format. A systematic search of electronic databases (CAB Abstracts, Zoological Records and Medline) was carried out to identify peer-reviewed literature comparing single and multi-cat housing in confined environments. Results A total of 959 papers were initially identified, six of which met sufficient criteria based on their relevance to be included within this review. All of the studies had significant limitations in design and methodology, including a lack of information on how groups were assigned, inconsistent handling and enrichment provision between groups, and lack of information on the socialisation status of cats. Conclusions Whilst some studies suggested that single housing may be less stressful for cats, others suggested group housing was less stressful. Several other important factors were however identified as potential mediators of stress within the different housing systems, and recommendations based upon these findings are presente

The Dynamical Distinction between Elliptical and Lenticular Galaxies in Distant Clusters: Further Evidence for the Recent Origin of S0 Galaxies

We examine resolved spectroscopic data obtained with the Keck II telescope for 44 spheroidal galaxies in the fields of two rich clusters, Cl0024+16 (z=0.40) and MS0451-03 (z=0.54), and contrast this with similar data for 23 galaxies within the redshift interval 0.3<z<0.65 in the GOODS northern field. For each galaxy we examine the case for systemic rotation, derive central stellar velocity dispersions sigma and photometric ellipticities, epsilon. Using morphological classifications obtained via Hubble Space Telescope imaging as the basis, we explore the utility of our kinematic quantities in distinguishing between pressure-supported ellipticals and rotationally-supported lenticulars (S0s). We demonstrate the reliability of using the v/(1-epsilon) vs sigma and v/sigma vs epsilon distributions as discriminators, finding that the two criteria correctly identify 63%+-3% and 80%+-2% of S0s at z~0.5, respectively, along with 76%+8-3% and 79%+-2% of ellipticals. We test these diagnostics using equivalent local data in the Coma cluster, and find that the diagnostics are similarly accurate at z=0. Our measured accuracies are comparable to the accuracy of visual classification of morphologies, but avoid the band-shifting and surface brightness effects that hinder visual classification at high redshifts. As an example application of our kinematic discriminators, we then examine the morphology-density relation for elliptical and S0 galaxies separately at z~0.5. We confirm, from kinematic data alone, the recent growth of rotationally-supported spheroidals. We discuss the feasibility of extending the method to a more comprehensive study of cluster and field galaxies to z~1, in order to verify in detail the recent density-dependent growth of S0 galaxies.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, updated with version accepted to Ap

How Effectively did Parliamentary Candidates Use Social Media During the 2015 UK General Election Campaign

Many academics and political commentators have speculated that the rise of the internet, and in particular social media, could transform political communications. In the run up to the 2015 UK general election we saw an emphasis on the potential impact of social media campaigning, with many headlines suggesting that this could be the first social media election. The purpose of this paper is to determine how effectively parliamentary candidates used social media during the 2015 UK general election campaign period, by creating a typology of the ways in which candidates behaved on social media. The primary research conducted, which included analysis of the Twitter and Facebook posts (n = 616) made by a sample of candidates (n = 10), focused on 4 main post functions: 'broadcasting, posters/infographics, organising', and 'interacting'. The results show that overall UK politicians mainly used social media as a unidirectional method of communication, as opposed to interacting. However, this research also found key differences between Twitter and Facebook, the former used much more interactively

Characterizing Patient Engagement in Research Funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and Exploring the Moral Importance of Patient Engagement in Research

Patient engagement in research includes a range of activities in which researchers involve patients in ways other than as subjects of research. Research funders and researchers are increasingly recognizing patient engagement as a strategy that can lead to beneficial effects including the production of research that is more relevant to patients or of higher quality. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), a large research funding organization Congressionally authorized under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requires engagement of patients and other stakeholders in its funded comparative effectiveness research. Despite growing support for engagement, there is little empirical research and little conceptual scholarship examining patient engagement. This dissertation seeks to advance current understanding of patient engagement through three aims. Aim one seeks to characterize researchers’ experiences with patient engagement in research funded by PCORI, and aim two seeks to characterize patients’ experiences being engaged in PCORI-funded research. To address these empirical aims, interviews were conducted with both researchers and with the patients they were engaging in their PCORI-funded research. The results of these aims are reported in two papers. The first describes patient engagement in PCORI-funded projects including how, when, and why patients were engaged, and the extent to which patient input was reported to impact the relevance, feasibility, acceptability, and quality of the research. Findings suggest that the particular approach researchers use to engage patients may be less relevant to achieving desired outcomes than the manner in which engagement strategies are implemented. The second empirical paper focuses on challenges to and successful strategies for patient engagement as reported in interviews. This paper also provides suggested actions to address challenges and bolster infrastructure for engagement including modifications to institutional policies, development of programs and researcher networks, and provision of resources and training. Aim three explores the value of patient engagement from a normative perspective and ascertains the circumstances in which patient engagement is morally important. Drawing on interview findings, this conceptual paper analyzes the moral importance of the instrumental effects of engagement—namely, enhanced relevance, accountability, and respect—and whether engagement can be said to have intrinsic moral value

Access to higher education : how might this be achieved for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds?

There are significant social inequalities in access to higher education internationally. Students from the most disadvantaged households remain persistently under-represented (Jerrim, Chmielewski, & Parker, 2015), are less likely to enter higher education, and when they do, are more likely to go to further education college rather than university (OECD, 2015; Scottish Funding Council, 2015; Sosu & Ellis, 2014). As a result, governments, supranational organisations such as the EU, and global agencies like UNESCO have expressed ambitions to reduce educational inequality and improve access to higher education (EHEA, 2012; UNESCO, 2015). Several factors such as academic performance, subject choice at secondary school and low motivation have been documented to account for this gap (e.g., Iannelli, Smyth, & Klein, 2015; (Iannelli, Smyth, & Klein, 2015; Chowdry, Crawford, Dearden, Goodman, & Vignoles, 2013; Gorard & Smith, 2006)